The SPECTRUM case study, first presented at BEYOND Conference in 2024, addressed structural inequalities in the UK’s immersive tech sector—particularly those affecting women, trans, and non-binary individuals. It took the form of a policy-focused panel and sparked dialogue between academia, industry, and policymakers at BEYOND to push for more inclusive practices in creative technology and immersive media. The project is now informing further research and funding bids.
The full case study has now been published on the King’s College London website.
Spearheaded by Professor Sarah Atkinson (Department of Culture, Media & Creative Industries), in collaboration with Ida XR Studio, the SPECTRUM initiative convened a panel of experts including Kady Marriott (WithYouWithMe), Sara Whybrew (British Film Institute), and Nicalia Thompson (Black XR Network UK).
The project brought together academics, policymakers, and industry voices to confront pressing equity issues in the UK’s immersive technology landscape.
SPECTRUM culminated in a major panel discussion at BEYOND 2024—the leading conference for innovation in the creative industries.The session drew over 100 attendees. The session prompted real-time engagement and post-event interest from key figures in research and innovation, including UKRI and Surrey University’s Games and Innovation Nexus.
The conversation tackled how exclusionary workplace norms, automation, and unstable employment disproportionately impact marginalised professionals in immersive media, with a focus on women, trans, and non-binary individuals. It also considered the role of policy in driving structural change. The project exemplified an inclusive, collaborative approach to policymaking informed by lived experience and accessibility.
The success of SPECTRUM is already contributing to a developing REF impact case study and informing new funding bids aimed at supporting gender-diverse participation in digital creativity.
To find out more, read the full case study PDF, just published on the King’s College London website, below.
If you’d like to discuss presenting a research project at BEYOND 2025 in November, get in touch with the BEYOND team..
_ _ _ _