Stop the Presses?

Are you part of a creative company that has a bright idea about the future of books and print? REACT's Books & Print Sandbox is a brilliant opportunity for creative companies with big imaginations to partner up with academics for three months of funded research and development into potentially the next big thing: your idea. The first step to making it a reality is to attend one of the upcoming Ideas Labs in Exeter (25 June), Bristol (3 July) or Cardiff (9 July).

REACT is one of four UK Knowledge Exchange Hubs for the Creative Economy funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Books & Print Sandbox is the second of seven funding programmes that will develop strategic partnerships with creative businesses and cultural organisations over the next three years.

Why this, and why now? We've all seen the statistics and heard the news: how the traditional ink-on-paper publishing industry is in decline (or development, depending on who you believe), how publishing, newspapers, magazines and libraries exist in a much more complicated world than they did before. The growth of the internet, immersive technologies and online publishing has forever changed how we create and consume stories, news, and information.

So what's next? REACT's Books & Print Sandbox aims to investigate that question by funding six collaborative explorations into how we read, learn and publish.

Creative companies and academic researchers will be brought together for three months to explore, build and test their ideas as part of a supportive community: if you're a company in the South West/Wales or an academic from the Universities of West of England, Bath, Bristol, Cardiff of Exeter and have a burning idea you want to explore, now is your chance.

Books & Print Sandbox will enable you to experiment, explore, and take risks. Don't worry if you have an idea that isn't fully realised or if you have a veritable library of possibilities you're struggling to hone down: the REACT team can help you catalyse it.

Books & Print Sandbox is looking for inspiring, sustainable, future facing, creative projects that capture the imagination. If they have triggered yours, read on to find out how to get involved.

To apply, you must first attend an Ideas Lab then submit a written application by 8 October. The Ideas Labs are in Exeter (Mon 25 June), Bristol (Tue 3 July) and Cardiff (Mon 9 July) and all the details about how to apply, what exactly is offered, inspiration and background reading and more can be found on the website.

Joanna Lansdowne, REACT Producer, said:

"Creative companies and academic researchers can either apply together, or get in touch and come to one of our Ideas Labs independently and we will help pair you up. We're looking for bright, brilliant ideas and unusual partnerships: you only need to see the work coming out of our current Sandbox, Heritage Sandbox, to realise the great possibilities partnerships like this can engender."

The Exeter Ideas Lab is soon approaching and spaces for all of the dates are filling up fast: book your tickets now to reserve your place and start your Books & Print journey.

It's not a case of 'stop the presses!' but rather 'start experimenting'....