Over the past two decades sustainability has developed from a peripheral concern to a pressing mainstream issue, affecting domestic and industrial domains. The creative industry's diverse outputs, ranging from physical artworks and hard luxury goods to publications and films, all entail multiple entanglements with material sustainability. The project team will scope current and immanent sustainable practice around the sourcing, use, disposal, recycling and reuse of materials, to help understand the creative sector's ongoing responses. Recognising that different creative disciplines have different prerogatives and operate under specific pressures, the research will take a discipline-led approach, whilst also acknowledging where cross-discipline activity is evident. The project will cover: Architectural Design (including architectural model making); Applied Arts (Ceramics; Furniture making; Glass; Goldsmithing and silversmithing; Instrument Making; Jewellery); Design (Industrial design; Packaging design; Product design; Design for medical applications), Fashion (menswear, womenswear; accessories, including leather working), Filmmaking; Fine Arts (Installation; Painting; Printmaking; Sculpture), Museums, Galleries and Heritage (Collection conservation and restoration; Curating contemporary art; Museum display and storage; Heritage building maintenance); Photography, Textiles, Theatre and performing arts (including Scenography, Costume, and Lighting). The result will be a comprehensive record of the current positions on materials sustainability and related issues held by the spectrum of creative industries active across the UK. This will be supplemented by a series of case studies of individual initiatives from other countries, predominantly in the developing world, where improving sustainability is an evident element of the activities under examination. In both cases, reference will be made to how the identified activities relate to the United Nations' Sustainability Development Goals. The project activities will include a comprehensive literature review, remote surveys and informal scoping interviews with practitioners and associated professionals working in one of more creative disciplines, as well as (conditions allowing) engaging with members of the creative industries through small, discipline-focused workshops and project roadshow events held at the project team members' institutions in Brighton, Edinburgh, London and Plymouth. These events will be opportunities to engage in dialogue, present the interim findings to the attendees and to gather further information. Should travel and social distancing restrictions make some elements of this approach unviable, the team will focus on a more digitally orientated data collection, review and result broadcasting strategy. The case studies will draw on the team members' previous overseas research experience and professional networks, supplemented (where possible) by field visits to enable them to understand how sustainability ideals are informing individuals' practice and perceptions in the context of the case study initiative. The key result will be a composite report, authored by all the research team. The report will act as a benchmark of state-of-the-art practice and perceptions around material sustainability in the creative industries, identifying existing trends and showcasing cutting-edge developments, as well as flagging sector-wide and discipline specific barriers that will have to be negotiated or addressed to achieve widespread sustainably orientated practice. The report will also provide insights into the creative industries from an international perspective and contribute to an understanding of how the Global Challenges Research Fund and Newton Fund might be utilised to instigate or support sustainability initiatives relating to the creative industries across the developing world.

There is increasing recognition today, through initiatives such as UK's Radcliffe Red List and UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage Programme, of the contemporary value of heritage-based maker practices. Heritage-based material culture is often strongly rooted in community, place, materials and traditions. They express local knowledge and contribute to a deeper sense of identity and belonging. As such, they offer a stable counterpoint to our fast-changing, digital lifestyles. While there is a renaissance of interest in heritage making in both the UK and China, there needs to be a better understanding of how this translates into growth in the creative economy that is respectful of cultural legacy. The application of design research expertise offers a way of unlocking the potential of such traditional material cultures by helping ensure they are relevant and meaningful to contemporary needs. Investigating the ability of design to reveal the potential of this cultural heritage provides the catalyst for this collaborative research in the creative economy - between academics in design, fashion and ethnology, businesses and policy makers. The aim of Located Making is to develop a practical framework for unlocking the potential of cultural heritage by design. This framework, for use by policy-makers, heritage sector organisations and academics, will include a robust co-developed methodology suited to the Chinese context, a step-by-step pathway for identifying principal goals and developing feasible strategies, as well as real world examples and insights. Application of the framework will enable cultural heritage-based making practices in China to benefit economically and socio-culturally from design expertise. The project will investigate how design expertise can increase the visibility and perceived value of heritage-based making practices in China in ways that accord with sustainability, decent jobs, economic growth and community. To do this, UK and Chinese researchers, in conjunction with private and public sector partners and advisors will: 1) Undertake a series of place-based case studies of cultural heritage making practices in China to assess historical, contextual and stakeholder priorities; 2) Co-create strategies that will increase the visibility and perceived value of heritage-based making practices in ways that stimulate the economy in ways that value people, place and community; 3) Synthesise research insights into generalisable forms that can be adapted to a variety of contexts and elicit feedback to maximise adoption, implementation and impact; and 4) Develop a practical framework for the Chinese context that includes a step-by-step pathway for identifying development opportunities for heritage-based making practices, principal goals, as well as effective strategies for their achievement. Located Making will generate benefits for academics and non-academics through fostering innovative partnerships among researchers, businesses, makers, sector organisations and policy advisers, extending understanding of how design expertise can increase the visibility and value of heritage-based making practices, and enhancing strategic development capabilities in the heritage-based maker sector in China.

The 'MARCH' Network proposes that Assets for Resilient Communities lie at the heart of Mental Health (M-ARC-H) and is dedicated to advancing research into the impact of these assets in enhancing public mental health and wellbeing, preventing mental illness and supporting those living with mental health conditions. Specifically, it will advance our understanding of the impact of social, cultural and community assets including the arts, culture, heritage, libraries, parks, community gardens, allotments, leisure centres, volunteer associations, social clubs and community groups, of which there are an anticipated 1 million in the UK. The network will bring together a Disciplinary Expert Group of researchers with a Policy Group of major national policy bodies, a Patient Public Involvement Group of national mental health charities, and a Community Engagement Group of national organisations. Across three years, our network will unite research with policy and practice to tackle critical questions of research priorities, methods, and implementation in this field; understand and resolve barriers to mobilising community assets; and provide training and support to the next generation of researchers. Specifically, our network will address questions organised in two core work streams (WS): WS1. Cross-disciplinary research and challenges: (a) What evidence is there, from a cross-disciplinary perspective, for how and why community assets impact on public health and wellbeing and the lives of those living with mental health problems, and where are the gaps for future research? (b) How can we use a cross-disciplinary approach to provide meaningful data to different stakeholders and users? WS2. Equity of engagement and access innovation: (a) Who amongst the UK population, demographically and geographically, currently engages with these programmes and how does participation vary dependent on mental health? (b) What are the current barriers and enablers to engagement at an individual, organisational and policy level and how can we develop innovative approaches to enhance engagement, especially amongst the vulnerable? This research work will be complemented by a rich portfolio of impact, engagement and training activities (see 'Impact Summary'). This network aligns with strategic priorities of the AHRC and ESRC as well as having a secondary relevance to the priorities of the MRC (through its consideration of the role of community assets and social prescribing to support medical approaches to mental health), NERC (through its exploration of the impact of green spaces) and EPSRC (through its focus on the opportunities provided by technology for driving research forwards). It has also been designed in response to the Network Plus Research Agenda. In addition to the objectives already discussed in the prior Je-S section, it is responsive to many of the mental health challenges cited in the agenda. For example, the call specification noted that only 25% of people with mental health problems receive ongoing treatment. Whilst there are recognised economic and resource constraints with delivering sufficient mental health services, this Network proposes to focus on the role that existing community assets could play in providing support to a much wider range of people in the UK including those on waiting lists. As another example, the call specification raised that 70% of children and adolescents with mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at an earlier age. This Network will involve working with policy makers and community organisations to see how research could help overcome barriers to access with the aim of engaging more young people and those who are hard to reach. Overall, the network will seek to understand and support future research into how community assets could be mobilised to encourage more resilient individuals and communities with a greater understanding of and capacity for self-management of mental health.

In collaboration with the Crafts Council, this research focuses on the politics of expertise and diversity in the craft economy. Developing initial work in an AHRC-funded Creative Economy Engagement Fund (CEEF) project (to be completed December 2018) which examines how social media can support diversity in craft, this Fellowship intends to develop intellectual, practical and policy contributions pertaining to issues around diversity and expertise in craft. The research primarily seeks to problematise existing notions of expertise in relation to the craft economy, challenging notions of amateur, feminised, craft activities which are perceived to require a lower level of expertise compared to masculinised forms of craftsmanship, such as those lauded in Richard Sennett's The Craftsman (2008). By addressing the framing of expertise in craft, this research will contribute to knowledge on expertise in contemporary craft practice, and provide the underpinning research for policy recommendations to address inequalities in the wider creative sector. This research is partly led by insights from my PhD on how artists develop and signal expertise on social media platforms. In the PhD I found that creatives who have the time and skills to promote their art online are able to make a living, but not everyone has the means to do so. Within the context of existing literature highlighting the precarious and unequal nature of creative work (Banks, 2017) it is essential that creatives from all backgrounds are able to access the resources they need to flourish and/or make a living from their practice. For makers in particular, skills in self-promotion are crucial as the creative sector is predicted to see a 'return to artisanal employment' (Nesta, 2017). As such, makers from all backgrounds should be able to develop the skills to sell products and make themselves visible online, or at least benefit from the opportunities for mutual support and connectivity online (Patel, 2017). Yet my PhD research and insights from the current CEEF point to a lack of confidence and skills with social media use, particularly among women from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. The research will involve an ethnography of makers and spaces around the UK, to examine the forms of craft practice which take place within minority ethnic communities. Though aspects of such practice have been explored in the past, for example Parminder Bhachu's (2004) account of Asian fashion economies, this research is situated within the context of the contemporary digital and cultural economy and seeks to address issues of inequalities in the sector, particularly around gender and race. The project will also include the development of a bespoke STEAMLab workshop for makers to develop digital skills, as part of Birmingham City University's pioneering STEAMHouse programme (www.steamhouse.org.uk) which provides space and facilities for makers, scientists and academics to develop new projects and products. The STEAMLab workshop will explore aspects of creativity and wellbeing through digital skills development, to encourage makers to use digital technologies to flourish through creative expression and connectivity with online maker communities. The insights from the ethnography and workshop will inform the Crafts Council's research strategy and Talent Development Programme. Some interviews with makers will be packaged and edited to form a podcast series on craft practice which will be hosted on the project website. In conjunction with the Crafts Council a policy document will be developed with recommendations for using digital technology to support diversity in craft. As part of the project I will also organise an international conference on expertise and diversity in craft and the creative economy at Birmingham City University. From this I will edit and produce a journal special issue which explores the themes and intellectual questions raised in the conference.

Throughout history, Istanbul has been a city where different communities have coexisted, and many languages, religions, and cultures have interacted with and influenced one another. Despite changes over time, the city is still home to a culture where, within craftsmanship, textiles are used in a variety of forms. The breadth of colour and thread types, designs, and motifs used in textile practice has transformed worldwide into a means of expression through which the stories of a particular culture are passed down from generation to generation. Quilting, carpet weaving, cloth stamping, embroidery, and point lace are just some of Turkey's many textile crafts. Passed down from master to apprentice, the various trades associated with these crafts are now slowly giving way to technology. In a project to be carried out by RCA and Istanbul Modern Museum, a network of scholars, artists, and craftspeople from Turkey and the United Kingdom will coalesce to move textiles, as used throughout crafts and art, closer to contemporary technology by creating avant-garde technology and design products. The project is aimed at academics, textile artists, designers and artisans based in Istanbul. Notably, we seek to reach the craftspeople working in the fields of traditional textile craft and art, and young communities of textile art and research, to focus on knowledge transfer and best practice. Hence, universities, arts institutions, craft guilds and associations will be linked through a series of workshops and panel discussions, with the project findings disseminated at a final symposium in Istanbul Modern. The proposed activities will support the economic development of the textile craft sector in Turkey, contributing to Istanbul's 2014-2020 Regional Plan targets by (i) introducing new textile-making skills (ii) gathering local and international qualified creative labour to Istanbul through the symposiums (iii) sharing textile research and development activities with young artists and designers and craftspeople to assist in increasing turnovers in their businesses. From the notion of bringing textile thinking in interdisciplinary practices, we will use this network as a platform to engage with a broader community and test our idea of joint research to launch long-term initiatives. Looking beyond the current state of the art, we will facilitate the sharing of experiences and expertise across different disciplines, which also includes material innovation, AI and technology start-ups. With a strong emphasis on the policy of future craft, we will explore strategies as to how these relationships might be framed to support new talents. By aspiring to make art easily accessible by the masses, and to initiate a conversation at the intersection of craft and technology, Istanbul Modern would be an excellent host to seed this hybrid design framework. Through this series of events, we aim to mutually transfer and share the experience of research and industrial relations to support the local artisans, artists and early career researchers working with textiles to reach a wider audience and discover new elements in crafted textiles. The outcomes of the proposed activities would promote the economic development and welfare of Turkey by (i) suggesting possible pathways and bringing new skills to increase the value of textile craft and goods by technology embodiment (ii) exampling successful models and knowledge transfer to reach the creative labour's full potential and meet international and national demands (iii) promoting interdisciplinary research in traditional craft to enter new sectors, which in turn will increase the export (iv) developing new infrastructure and free programmes in Istanbul Modern encouraging technology adaptation in art and design (v) initiating a dialogue for creation of local policy frameworks and discussing necessary policy measures based on successful models in the UK.