ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE SCHEME

Creativeworks London funded London-based creative entrepreneurs to take up a short-term residency with one of its research partners. The examples below demonstrate the range of residencies that were funded by CWL. More information about the scheme can be found here.

Entrepreneur-In-Residence Scheme

Lydia Fraser-Ward and King’s College London

Entrepreneur

Lydia Fraser-Ward, Fantasy High Street

Academic Partner

Dr Roberta Comunian, King’s College London

Project Title

Fantasy High Street: Evaluation methodologies to measure social, cultural and economic impact on specific localities

Project Description

Seeking to investigation the social, cultural and economic impacts of cultural activities in the high street the collaboration between Fantasy High Street and King’s College focused on developing new strategies to gather data about Fantasy High Street’s own activities. The overall objective was to assist Fantasy High Street’s work in promoting discussions regarding the future of our high streets whilst also helping them evidence the importance of their activities, evidence that would lead to future partnerships.

During the collaboration Dr Roberta Comunian of King’s College worked with Fantasy High Street to develop a new research methodology matrix and assisted in the creation of an experimental arts project that would serve as a form of data collection. The art project was part of Fantasy High Streets’ Soft Launch event in July 2013, as part of the Waterloo Quarter Food Festival and Independents Day. Additionally work from the collaboration fed into Fantasy High Street’s June 2014 event Magic Spirit Village at the Crystal Palace.

A feasibility study regarding the employment of radio-frequency identification wristband technology has subsequently led to a success BOOST application by the collaboration. In 2015 Fantasy High Street took part in the Innovation UK conference. The project has also coincided with a significant increase in Fantasy High Street turnover by the second year of trading.

 

Queen Mary - University of London
Arts & Humanities Research Council
European Union
London Fusion

Creativeworks London is one of four Knowledge Exchange Hubs for the Creative Economy funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to develop strategic partnerships with creative businesses and cultural organisations, to strengthen and diversify their collaborative research activities and increase the number of arts and humanities researchers actively engaged in research-based knowledge exchange.