Cultural cinema and digital creativity centre in Bristol UK

Media Sandbox is a development scheme enabling digital companies to explore and prototype new ideas using digital technologies.

The scheme has so far supported 19 brilliant companies to make time and take risks, developing products which include iPhone applications, pervasive games, Open Data projects, sculptures made from smell, software to map buildings and QR codes to sell street art.

Due to a perceived risk or lack of track record it is often difficult for smaller producers to develop their own new ideas. Media Sandbox was set up to bridge this gap.

A clear structure is built into the scheme with an emphasis on community. Participants are not isolated entrepreneurs struggling to express ideas – they are part of a network of content producers, clients and commissioners; and share knowledge as widely as possible through physical events, blogs and social media.

Through this structure, Media Sandbox offers participants invaluable access to peer-support, industry expertise, market intelligence, technology and funding. The commissioners, technology companies and brands involved also benefit from exposure to new perspectives in both thinking and practice. This open, networked format offers a unique opportunity to collaborate on radical new products and processes – pushing forward understanding and potential usage of digital media.

In 2010, Media Sandbox was produced in association with Bristol City Council and Connecting Bristol's B-Open initiative and is a Creative Industries iNet programme, supported by South West Screen, ERDF and The South West Regional Development Agency.