The Phase 1 live prototype, at Bradford 19th-21st of July, was a great success. Creating a fully formed, fully immersive experience, while testing the storyline, various activities and experiences with a live public audience (target range 7-12 and their families) and collaborative delivery team.
See pictures of Space Plague Bradford here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmFoNq11
The co-design process, to date, has involved:
- 60 Year 5 pupils, and 6 teachers from Haberdashers Aske’s Temple Grove Free School in South East London.
- 20 Final Year and 2 Year 2 Product Design and Engineering students from Middlesex University.
- 2 MSc Creative Technology students from Middlesex University.
- 4 BSc Film and TV Production students from the University of Greenwich.
- 8 Design, Engineering and Film Academics and Technical Tutors from Middlesex University and the University of Greenwich.
- 3 Scientists from the Structural Genomics Consortium
- 4 Scientists and Public Engagement staff from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory – Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source.
- 1 Scientist from the British Ecological Society
- 1 Independent Public Engagement/Science/Performance expert.
- 1 Science academic from Birmingham University.
- 3 Professional Actors/Performers.
- 15 Bradford community volunteer facilitators, through the National Science and Media Museum.
- 3 Bradford engineering volunteers.
- 4 SMASHfestUK Core Team.
The rich range of experience, experiences, perspectives and creativity that this collaborative group have brought together, and the training in co-design and immersive experience development and delivery that SMASHfestUK team have facilitated, has ensured that Phase 1 at Bradford was both successful as an experience in itself, and as the building block prototype for the next Phases.
‘Space Plague’, is a phased co-designed experience exploring Immersive Narrative Embodiment effects amongst communities underserved by STEM and Arts informal education and underrepresented in STEM and Arts education and careers.
Funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council ‘Nucleus Award’, the Royal Academy of Engineering ‘INGENIOUS’ and the British Science Association, and is a partnership between SMASHfestUK CIC, Middlesex University, the University of Greenwich, the Rutherford Appleton Labs – Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, the Structural Genomics Consortium at the University of Oxford, the British Ecological Society and the National Science and Media Museum.
The project will run across three Phases, with events in Bradford July 2019, Deptford February 2020, and Bradford October 2020. There will be ongoing Co-Design, Co-Production and Co-Delivery cycles throughout the process.