Applied Arts Scotland has been awarded Creative Informatics Connected Innovators funding for phase one of our DISTANCE Project, a project identifying, researching and testing user friendly and free or low-cost interactive and immersive digital technology to enable making, skills exchange and collaboration at a distance. 

Traditionally makers and craftspeople experience making first hand via the primary senses of sight, touch and sound. However there is a growing need driven by environmental sustainability and restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic for makers to consider how to engage in making remotely. 

This funding will facilitate a group of professional makers to experiment, and through collaborative working, develop new skills and understanding of technology including augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality.

The longer term benefits of the DISTANCE (Digital Immersive Technologies and Craft Engagement) project for makers will include identifying new methods to meet, make, collaborate, exchange skills, engage audiences and enhance their online presence. And for AAS it is the development of new services for makers.

AAS chair Carol Sinclair said “We are delighted to receive this funding which will allow us to explore a new, experimental way of experiencing making which will support collaboration at a distance, enabling new creativity and growth during the Covid-19 pandemic, while also reducing our carbon footprint.”

Find out more about our fellow cohort of recipients of Connected Innovators funding in Creative Edinburgh’s blog.

Creative Informatics provides funding and development opportunities to individuals and organisations working in any area of the creative industries in Edinburgh and South East Scotland, to develop new products, businesses and experiences using data.  Delivery partners are the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University, Codebase and Creative Edinburgh.

Connected Innovators supports emerging leaders from within the creative industries to conduct research and development that will enable them to advance or develop a specific area of their creative practice or business using data or data-driven technology.