It has been a week of ends and beginnings at the Studio as we say goodbye to the enlightening glow of Submergence, and we prepare to take many fascinating new people and projects under our roof. The seedlings of future Objects Sandbox projects are being planted at Ideas Labs around the South West and we’re joined by our lovely new resident Sarah Angliss. Other things to read about this week include: No Boundaries 2014, a new scheme of doctoral training in digital arts at UWE and real-world games in a medieval castle in East Sussex...

We’re excited to announce that Watershed are co-producing No Boundaries 2014. No Boundaries is an open symposium on the role of culture in 21st century society bringing together leaders and activists in a debate that will build over the coming months culminating in a two day event on 24/25 February 2014, connecting discussions across two venues and the web. We are encouraging everyone with an interest in the Arts, Museums and Libraries sector to have their say on the content of the event programme and the issues that will be debated. If you have ideas, solutions or challenges that need discussing as a sector rather than within a silo, let us know on the website here. No Boundaries is supported by Arts Council England and the British Council as part of their commitment to convene and strengthen cultural organisations in the UK and internationally.  

This week our newest Studio resident Sarah Angliss joined us to start work on her Poetic Robotics residency. She will be researching and developing her project, which introduces characterful and somewhat unsettling robots and automata puppets to the world of musical performance. Her past performances have included the likes of a dapper robot drummer, a theremin playing doll and a robot ventriloquist’s dummy head that speaks vocal samples. She’ll be in residence with us for the next six months so do follow her progress on her blog on the iShed website here.   

Our architects of adventure, Splash and Ripple have begun the sprint process of making their Bodium Castle adventure. They are currently working with The National Trust to create a real-world game, transporting the player back to the darkly magical 1390s. This game, using geolocative technologies and Splash and Ripple’s limitless imagination, will all take place in a genuine medieval castle in East Sussex. This exciting project is still in its unfurling stage, but over the next few weeks, we will be able to give you links to the project’s website so that you can find out more.

Also this week we have new funding opportunities from REACT: the Feasibility and Prototype funds are now open for collaborations between South West academics and creatives. The feasibility fund is for projects at an early stage of development, while the prototype fund offers support for more advanced projects. Have a look at the REACT website for more details.

Exciting news hit UWE this week as the University was presented a Doctoral Training Award. This award, granted by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, allows UWE (in partnership with Plymouth and Falmouth) the license and funding to train ten PhD students in digital design, digital media and digital arts. The overall aim of this award is to equip a new generation of researchers to meet design challenges of the future. The scheme aligns with the AHRC’s Digital Transformations research theme, which investigates the impact of new technologies. Our REACT hub team will also be working closely with the consortium supervisors to facilitate work placements and internships in small companies, arts and cultural organisations with an interest in emergent digital technologies, so we are excited by the prospect of one or more of these PhD students finding themselves in the Studio a year or two down the line.

After a month of vibrant, floating ‘pixels’ of light filling The Eye on Glass Wharf, Squidsoup’s Submergence has come to an end. Saturday was the installation’s last day, and a record breaking 690 visitors flocked to the waterside gallery to see the exhibition’s swansong. The total number of visitors to enter the exhibition reached 6068. Have a look at the storify to see peoples reactions to it.

One of our residents, designer Victoria Forrest, has been working on some fascinating books with incredible photographers and filmmakers. After working with Patricia Lay-Dorsey on Falling into place (which made it onto ABC News this week), she has now partnered with Jason DaSilva, director of When I Walk. Victoria has recently collaboration with Peter Bobby on High-Rise; a book of his collection of architectural photographs. High-Rise is currently being exhibited at the architecture centre opposite Watershed, so do pop in if you’re in the area. A second book of his photographs will be designed by Victoria and published by Ffotogallery in 2014.

Finally Hannah Higgingson and Vanessa Bellaar Spruijt will be at Inspire Bristol at The Station this Saturday as part of a new collaboration with Youthlinks. Inspire Bristol celebrates the achievements of young people in the city and Watershed has a team of young reporters who will be finding out what inspires people via Vine videos, Twitter reports and a photobooth. Follow #inspire13 or visit the website to see how you can get involved.