Join the Immersive Arts Team Executive Producer, Ruth McCullough and Michelle Rumney, England Producer as they share some key learnings and reflections from the first funding round. What trends in artforms and technologies did they notice? What were some of the common and uncommon questions that emerged? What sometimes made the difference between applications being progressed or not progressed in this first round of Immersive Arts funding? What advice would they give to artists considering applying in the future?

We hope that it will be of benefit to those who applied to Immersive Arts in the first round, and those considering applying in the future. You can read the published commentary here, 

Ruth McCullough (she/her) is the Executive Producer of Immersive Arts, Based at Watershed, Bristol. She is a creative director and producer specialising in art, technology, and sustainability. From 2009 to 2023, she was Producer then Director of Abandon Normal Devices (AND), leading the UK’s only roaming digital biennial and collaborations with artists such as Marshmallow Laser Feast, Matthew Plummer Fernandez, Daito Manabe, Ubermorgen, Eva & Franco Mattes, and Studio Roosegaarde.

Michelle Rumney (she/her) is the Producer for England at Immersive Arts. Michelle is a practicing fine artist and trained coach with a technical background in post-production and SFX. With over three years at StoryFutures and StoryTrails, she brings expertise in immersive prototyping, testing, and audience-based research to support artists on the programme.

Join us online on YouTube Live, or in the building on Friday 25th July 2025 at 1pm for the talk and to take part in the Q and A discussion afterwards. 

The Pervasive Media Studio is a partnership between the Watershed, University of the West of England and University of Bristol. The lunchtime talks are partly supported by MyWorld, a project led by the University of Bristol to support creative industries in the region. Watershed is supported by Arts Council England.

Address:

Watershed, 1 Canon's Rd, Bristol BS1 5TX

Directions:

The Lunchtime talks take place in the Pervasive Media Studio Event Space. To access the Studio, please go to the Main Watershed Box Office entrance and go upstairs to the Café Bar. Walk across the cafe bar, turn right and walk towards the double doors. Go through into the corridor and walk all the way down until you reach the Studio. A member of staff will sign you in, and check your ticket, if you have booked.

The Studio is wheelchair accessible, and the events space has a hearing loop. The last talk of every month is BSL interpreted. 

For more information on accessing the studio take a look here.

*Please note this is a hybrid event and will be live streamed so please be aware you will be in the live broadcast and recording when watching in the Studio.