This research centre combines concentrations of research themes existing in the School of Art Design and Architecture at the University of Huddersfield. It aims to drive a radical reconceptualisation of teaching and research practice as exemplified by the Barbara Hepworth Building where all disciplines in the School sit under one roof. This intensely collaborative environment is part of the development of new approaches to transdisciplinary working in creative and cultural research practices.
Cultural Ecologies embraces the integrated biological, geopolitical, social, aesthetic and technological convergences of the ‘symbiotic real’, and with it, new research strategies capable of evaluating creative and cultural production within an enlarged field of post-human combinations of things, data and values.
In this respect, the centre seeks to reimagine cultures of place, engage in mixed ecologies of exchange through the co-production and/or co-creation of cultural practices and to consider new materialisms in relation to existing research orthodoxies. We encourage collaborations that will develop new ecologies of thinking and production for our times.
Our projects embrace research-focused projects and initiatives that pursue a range of thematic avenues of investigation, underpinned by several research questions, including:
This collection of Research Folios represents some of the research through practice projects developed by academic staff in the Centre for Cultural Ecologies in Art, Design and Architecture and Innovative Design Lab.
Find out what's going on in the Centre for Cultural Ecologies
Projects undertaken by members of the Centre for Cultural Ecologies in Art, Design and Architecture
Members of Cultural Ecologies in Art, Design and Architecture
We invite research degree applications on the above thematic clusters and more.
The research centre also hosts Temporary Contemporary; a live action research project working in collaboration and partnership with the Creative Economy Team at Kirklees Council to broaden the reach and experience of culture in Huddersfield and beyond. Cultural ecologies underpin the drive and focus of this environment. Temporary Contemporary is directly linked to an events programme of workshops, activities and late night happenings. Its exhibition programme is focused on ‘research-curation’ to facilitate ways of engaging the public arts and visual culture.
The Temporary Contemporary initiative is a partnership project of Queensgate Market, Kirklees Council and the School of Arts and Humanities, University of Huddersfield which aims to examine and expand visual culture across the community of Huddersfield
If you are interested in collaborating with us please contact the Centre Director, Dr Rowan Bailey – r.bailey@hud.ac.uk
Read about the research undertaken by our PhD and Master's by Research students
Search the public portal to discover our researchers, their research expertise and visualise connections among researchers