The Lab brings together researchers, cultural organisations, and pioneering businesses to explore how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, immersive media, haptics, and robotics can transform the way people create, interact, and experience culture. By fostering cross-sector collaboration, CELL will support projects that enhance the UK’s creative and cultural landscape across performance, heritage, the built environment, sport, leisure, and retail.
CELL builds on a successful pilot launched in 2024, which supported six prototype projects. These included innovations such as AI dance partners, multi-site theatre performances, and interactive museum installations. The initiative already involves more than 15 partner organisations from across London’s cultural, creative, and technology sectors, with further collaborators expected to join as the programme expands.
Professor Andrew Chitty, Programme Director at Loughborough University London, said:
It’s inspiring to collaborate with such brilliant colleagues across Loughborough University London and UCL. Through CELL, we’re creating a powerful platform for innovation — connecting world-leading experience companies and researchers at the point where the creative industries, digital technology, and the experience economy meet.
A new Memorandum of Understanding between UCL and Loughborough University London formalises the partnership and paves the way for the creation of a permanent facility at the Olympic Park. Together, the universities aim to establish a world-class centre that will nurture creativity, skills, and innovation in one of the UK’s fastest-growing sectors. If you’d like to explore collaboration opportunities, please contact us through this form.