Innovate UK - Creative Catalyst 2023
this great adventure secures a highly competitive Innovate UK Creative Catalyst 2023 Grant
We’re creating “a new art form at the crossroads of future performing arts and technology”!
this great adventure (TGA) has reached a major milestone in our pursuit of innovation at the intersection of art, culture, and technology.
We can now share that TGA has been awarded a highly competitive Creative Catalyst 2023 grant from Innovate UK, marking a major achievement for our pioneering work.
“This is a uniformly excellent project proposal that has significant potential to be a new art form at the crossroads of future performing arts and technology.”
Innovate UK Assessor 2, Creative Catalyst 2023
This enthusiastic endorsement from one IUK Assessor affirms TGA's position as an innovator spanning technology, arts and culture. Building on three decades of experience pushing the boundaries of interactive storytelling and narrative environment design, TGA is pushing further still.
“The Creative Catalyst 2023 grant is a major validation for the work we’re doing at this great adventure. Crucially, it recognises the need and innovation of integrating co-creative practice with cutting-edge technologies to respond to the needs of arts, culture, and heritage organisations and audiences of the future.”
Pete Gardom, Founder and Creative Director at this great adventure
Building upon our 30+ years of international experience, TGA specialise in developing narrative-led strategies and technologies, as well as creating immersive storytelling encounters that blur the boundaries between real and virtual worlds.
Over the next six months, we’ll be developing this pilot project in collaboration with wonderful arts partners, including:
The world-leading Jette Parker Artists Programme and the renowned Royal Opera House in London;
The award-winning, “philosophically inspired, radical-political, actor-led theatre and media production company”, Tribe Arts, based in Leeds and Bradford, and;
The speciality coffee roastery, and patrons of arts and culture, Jericho Coffee Traders from Oxford.
“I have had the privilege of witnessing the innovative and transformative potential of this project firsthand, and I firmly believe in its ability to revolutionise the performing arts landscape and access to it.”
Elaine Kidd, Head of Jette Parker Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House
“We believe that this project has the potential to revolutionise the way audiences engage with and experience the performing arts…”
Tajpal Rathore, Artistic Director & Executive Producer at Tribe Arts
Filming for Lichfield Time Travellers in Birmingham
In this ambitious endeavour, TGA continue to work closely with long term partners, digital artists and Mixed-Reality specialists, Four Door Productions in Brighton.
Over the past two and a half years, this partnership has been instrumental in supporting TGA's journey, showcasing the extent of what’s possible when creative practice aligns with cutting edge technology and new 3D media.
“This dynamic union of diverse talents, expertise and needs will facilitate the creation of an unparalleled experience designed to resonate with audiences, as well as supporting arts organisations and artists in new ways.”
Alison Grey, Director at TGAC
In this project, we are also developing a new partnership with Good Measure Studio, a leading UK studio specialising in reality capture and volumetric film.
“We want to make new kinds of stuff for new kinds of spaces.”
Aaron Wilson, Founder and Executive Producer at Good Measure Studio
This Creative Catalyst 2023 grant serves to reinforce TGA's dedication to innovation and artistic excellence. Beyond validating our distinctive vision, it provides an opportunity to explore uncharted territories in the fusion of art, culture, and technology.
In another (but related) part of the woods, TGA is also delighted to announce the addition of Peter Blenkharn to our team as Projects Director.
Peter’s background in engineering, games design and technology, as well as his other new role delivering BA courses on AI in games development, will further diversify and strengthen our ability to deliver unforgettable experiences.
Peter’s insights, contributions, and ability to work across creative and technical teams will play an important role in shaping and delivering on our vision in the coming months and years - pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of interactive storytelling and technology.
“TGA works seamlessly between creative and technical challenges with a genuine recognition that the two are inextricable. I’m ecstatic to be joining the team formally to support this next chapter of innovation in storytelling, working with exceptional talent to deliver a new way to connect people with the arts.”
Peter Blenkharn, Projects Director at this great adventure
Stay tuned for more news as this project develops.
If you’d like to know more about how creative practice and cutting edge tech could transform how you share your story and connect with audiences, then we’d love to hear from you.