• MMU Home
• Prospectus
• About MMU
• A-Z Index
• Contacts

Faculty of Art & Design

MIRIAD Postgraduate Research

• Faculty of Art & Design
• > MIRIAD
• > Postgraduate Research
• > PARCNorthWest

• MIRIAD Postgraduate
• Study
• MA by Research
• MPhil
• PhD
• Research Expertise and Projects
• Project Titles
• Studentship Awards
• How to Apply
• PARCNorthWest

PARCNorthWest
Practice as Research Consortium North West

Aims and Objectives

• Regional provision of specialist research training in practice as research in creative arts.
• Exploration of commonalities and differences in approaches to research in the creative arts.
• Exchange amongst practice researchers in creative and theoretical disciplines.
• Discovery of new potentialities in trans-disciplinary methods.
• Further development and extension of existing creative networks.
• Sustainable web output of keynotes and record of exhibition/performance/poster presentations.
• Delivery of 3 half-day workshop events, leading up to a 'carnival' of exhibition/performance/ poster presentations.
• Showcasing of student practice as research with regional employers.
• Dissemination through Vitae

The programme is specifically aimed at exploring the cross-fertilization of practice as research across a range of disciplines encompassed by the broad term 'creative arts.' Building on the established annual Regional Event for Research Training in Art and Design (AHRC funded 2003-2005), this programme refreshes the research training questions interrogated there, and enhances provision by establishing dialogues and information exchange across the creative arts, including Music and Creative Writing.

Encompassing researchers in Art and Design, Digital Media, Creative Writing, Architecture, Performing Arts and Music, the programme draws on overwhelming support within the region for work of this trans-disciplinary nature. Focussing on Practice as Research, we will address the inextricable questions of contexts, histories and theories within practice training for PGRs, and the potential for exchange across a wider body of participants.

Outcomes include expert training from leading practitioners, exploration of commonalities, and the delivery of cost-effective specialist training. Each keynote will be recorded for web site streaming. Keynotes will be followed by break-out sessions which explore the issues and agendas set through student presentations. There will then be a final session within which each break-out group will report discussions to a plenary audience.

The Final two-day Event is planned as a 'Carnival' which brings participants and culture industries together through: Exhibition/performance; Poster Presentations; Culture Industries Keynotes and dissemination workshops.

All events will also provide professional opportunities for student and institutional networking as well as showcasing the work of culture industries to students, and the work of students to those industries.

The combination of events, their timings and their cumulative outcomes will benefit students and supervisors by providing:

• Opportunities for people in different institutions to talk to one another, exchange ideas and practices and, where appropriate, generate new dimensions to practice as research in those different organisations.
• Opportunities for increased communication between students in creative arts, and information sharing through presentations and discussion.
• Opportunities, particularly for smaller institutions across the region, to create a larger community of support for practice research students, within which genuine exchange and networking can be realised and sustained.
• Increased professional opportunities for extending the showcasing and externally facing impact of student work within the region.
• Generation of potentially fertile trans-disciplinary perspectives in creative arts research as practice, with potential benefits for sustainable spin off projects.
• Enhanced understanding of the needs and directions of existing regional culture industries, and the increased opportunities for professional engagement and employment that will result from this.

Contribution and Enhancement

• Enhancement of existing, discrete, provision within participating institutions by pooling resources and opening new conversations reflecting on specific research practices within the creative arts.
• Enhancement of the student experience by pooling resources to show case high profile keynotes, provide exchange of ideas and sustainable specialist training materials in practice as research.
• Sharing and generation of expertise in research in the creative arts across a range of disciplines, practices, professions, histories, theories and methods.
• Stimulation of contact with creative industries and creative industries with students.
• Development of sustainable research training and networks.

The proposed programme will build on existing centres of expertise recognised within the academic and public domain as nationally and internationally excellent. It will bring together these centres of excellence in collaboration, and productive dialogue with one another, in order to explore further the possibilities for trans-disciplinary practice as research across the diversity of disciplines outlined in the proposal. In addition to creating tremendous collaborative trans-disciplinary potential, this will also expand regional institutional and industry networks while opening genuine possibilities for dialogue amongst them. This will enhance the student experience as we have described it above under 'Added Value,' but will also provide support for students otherwise working in relative isolation.

Disciplines Supported

Architecture, Art and Design, Creative Writing, Dance, Digital Media, Drama and Performing Arts, Music.

Dissemination

Again, building on existing partnerships, dissemination will take place through the hosting of web site space in Vitae and at participating institutions. With appropriate links, this will be available nationally and internationally. In addition, participating institutions will host archives of resulting materials which will be freely accessible and linked, where possible and appropriate, to Vitae for wider dissemination to include established culture industries networks.