The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has been a founding partner of BEYOND since 2018, and we are honoured by their continued support as Programme Partner for 2026. Across the conference, AHRC and its partners from UKRI, universities and the wider sector will share their insight into where the creative industries go next, including some significant announcements of newly funded programmes.
The programme shows the full range of AHRC’s work, from UK and India collaborations to foundational support for the sector through the new Creative Industries Clusters, alongside the latest sector data and lightning talks from funded projects, plus an immersive cinema project in our free Festival. Here’s an outline of the sessions:
Festival: Monday 23 Nov
BEYOND Festival is free to attend. Register for a free festival pass or come along with your conference ticket.
Nested Cinema: Sisyphos at the Festival Mixer
Supported by an AHRC grant, the University of Salford’s Nested Cinema project reimagines how we experience film. Sisyphos, a triptych film by Kay Voges and Andrea Schumacher, is shown in an expanded version using extra screens, light and spatial sound. It plays on a loop, so drop in at any point and stay as long as you like. Read more
Speakers: Dr Pavel Prokopic, University of Salford; Kay Voges and Andrea Schumacher, filmmakers
Experience Day: Tuesday 24 Nov
Shared Experience, Shared Prosperity: India-UK Creative Research
Funded by AHRC with UKRI India, this interactive panel explores how research can strengthen connections between communities in the UK and India, from supporting film festivals to uncovering the stories of post offices. Read more
Speakers: Ashvin Immanuel Devasundaram, Queen Mary University of London; Nazli Alimen, Birmingham City University; Rowan Bailey, University of Huddersfield; Rupali Gupte, School of Environment and Architecture, Mumbai; Shaleen Sharma, World University of Design, Haryana; Veena Hariharan, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Creative Intelligence: When the public meets Createch
Southbank Centre’s Creative Intelligence festival made the Centre a public testing ground for art, technology and AI. Its co-curators share how audiences engaged and where barriers remained. Read more
Speakers: Keri Elmsly, PACT; Mark Ball, Southbank Centre
Questification: How games and conversational characters are transforming the museum experience
Meaning Machine and the University of Bristol on CultureQuest, character-led quests that bring AI characters to life in museums, from Bristol Museums to a planned pilot in Manchester. Read more
Speakers: Richard Cole, University of Bristol; Thomas Keane, Meaning Machine
Experiencing the Future: Lightning Talks
Four talks open AHRC’s Experience Day, each an access-led R&D case study: a rhythm game made with migrant communities, an exhibition for blind and visually impaired people, immersive theatre on menopause and haptic music technology. Read more
Speakers: Aaron McPeake, University of the Arts London; Deepa Mann-Kler, Neon; Myra Appannah, BRiGHTBLACK; Pod Bluman, Bluman Associates
Experiencing The Future: Panel
Is the audience an afterthought or part of how creative work is made? Researchers in audience research, inclusive design and immersive technology discuss access, representation and participation. Read more
Speakers: Angela Chan, CoSTAR National Lab; Ken Wilder, University of the Arts London; Nicola Osborne, University of Edinburgh; Sarah Atkinson, King’s College London
Growth Day: Wednesday 25 Nov
Scene Setter: The Drivers of Creative Growth
A fireside chat on how we measure growth in the creative industries, balancing national evidence with local perspectives on AI, the freelance workforce and devolution. Read more
Speakers: Giorgio Fazio, Creative PEC and Newcastle University; Iain Bennett, The Fifth Sector
Craft, Design and Growth: India-UK Creative Research
Projects funded through AHRC’s India-UK programme reflect on progress to date and explore how craft and design can support sustainable growth through international collaboration. Read more
Speakers: Harmanpreet Kaur, Tata Institute of Social Sciences; Karina Rodriguez Echavarria, University of Brighton; Nic Clear, University of Huddersfield; Rohit Dasgupta, London School of Economics and Political Science; Tom Ainsworth, University of Brighton; Vishnupriya Narayanan, National Institute of Design
Growth With Purpose: AHRC’s Creative Economy Agenda
AHRC’s biggest announcement of the year opens Growth Day: the new wave of Creative Industries Clusters, followed by its first Commercialisation Strategy and a preview of live CoSTAR funding opportunities. Read more
Speakers: Audra Gill, AHRC; Cathy Kerfoot, UKRI; Richard Cox, AHRC
From Seed to Scale: Building a Joined-Up Creative Economy
What does a joined-up approach across UKRI look like for creative industries? This panel maps the pipelines between AHRC’s infrastructure and talent investment and Innovate UK’s route to scale. Read more
Speakers: Cathy Kerfoot, UKRI; Joanna Choukeir, Innovate UK; Mark Leaver, Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Hilary Hall (DCMS).
Building Creative Clusters: Lessons and Launches
Following the Growth Day announcement, the new Creative Industries Clusters introduce themselves through short films and a conversation with the current cohort, Music Futures and CreaTech Frontiers. Read more
Speakers: Audra Gill, AHRC; CreaTech Frontiers; Richard Koeck, Music Futures
Full details for every session are on the BEYOND 2026 schedule.
Join us at MediaCity, Salford, from 23 to 25 Nov. Buy tickets to BEYOND Conference or register for a free festival pass.