XR Stories

XR Stories: 2025 Creative business residency programme A video about four creative projects supported by the 2025 XR Stories creative business residency programme: • United by Design: Photogrammetry and Gaussian splatting workflow • Geostories: Developing an immersive story world for an augmented reality audio app • Debbie Harman: Developing an immersive experience for the Yorkshire Coal Mining Museum • Desmond Clarke: exploring live visuals for music performance. The residency programme supports individuals and small businesses in York and North Yorkshire to grow skills, incubate ideas and carry out productive research, development and innovation to advance their immersive projects.

🚀 Our creative business residency programme supports individuals & small businesses in York & North Yorkshire to explore new technologies & elevate their immersive projects. A new video presents the residents & projects from our 2025 programme 👉 bit.ly/4rFdxOK

Accelerating innovation in performing arts - XR Network+ XR Network+ has published a new white paper and video that present the process and outcomes from the RSC R&D challenge projects.

A new white paper from our XR Network+ project presents the outcomes from an industry-led R&D challenge undertaken in partnership with @the-rsc.bsky.social 👉 xrnetworkplus.xrstories.co.uk/accelerating...

📸 Actor Matthew Churcher pre-performance for a mocap shoot. Photo by Michelle Wu, CAMERA

📣 Another new job opportunity with XR Stories! 📣

We're advertising for a Studio Manager who will be responsible for managing the XR Stories immersive technology R&D facility in The Guildhall, York.

Find out more and apply by 14 November 2025 👉 hubs.li/Q03PJ2tC0

📣 New job opportunity with XR Stories! We're advertising for a Technician in Creative Technologies who will be responsible for the day-to-day running of our immersive technology R&D facility in central York. Find out more & apply by 3 November 2025 👉 hubs.li/Q03N3xVx0

Guildhall, York - beautiful medieval building

At the Guildhall, York today for our XRNetwork event - celebrating the projects we’ve funded but also Emma Brown now talking about the hard work we’ve put into EDI to make sure we’re reaching, supporting, and funding a wide range of people across the UK, via wonderful @xrstories.bsky.social team

Damian Murphy, Director of XR Stories and XR Network+ welcomes attendees to the XR Network+ York roadshow and showcase in The Guildhall.

People stand and look at a large LED screen displaying a digital artwork - Terra Datum - that maps the computational intensity of virtual production technologies.

🎉 Thanks to everyone who participated in yesterday's XR Network+ York roadshow that brought together people working in Virtual Production tech to showcase work & share insights. Subscribe to our comms for updates about 2026 events & opportunities: xrnetworkplus.xrstories.co.uk/about/contact/

XR Network+: Sustainability and XR Learn about two R&D projects exploring issues of sustainability around Virtual Production technologies.

Join Greg Mothersdale, Research and Development Producer at Media Cymru from 2pm on 23 October 2025 to hear about two R&D projects that are exploring ways to make virtual production more sustainable 👉 www.eventbrite.com/e/1748551587...

Joe Rees-Jones shortlisted for Times Higher Education Awards - XR Stories Joe Rees-Jones has been shortlisted for the 'Outstanding Technician of the Year' category at this year's Times Higher Education (THE) awards.

🎉 Congratulations to Joe Rees-Jones, Creative Technician at XR Stories, who has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Technician of the Year category at this year's Times Higher Education Awards! Find out more 👉 bit.ly/4mLpsr9

XR Network+: Simulation and XR Learn about two R&D projects using Virtual Production technologies to advance the capabilities of digital simulations.

Join us online from 3:30pm on 25 September for a webinar about about two research and development collaborations funded by XR Network+ that are using Virtual Production technologies to advance the capabilities of digital simulations. Register your free place: hubs.li/Q03CwKvP0

XR Network+ York Roadshow An event for researchers, technicians and creative practitioners working in virtual production and extended reality technologies.

📣 Join us on 8 Oct 25 for the XR Network+ York roadshow! Aimed at researchers, technicians & creatives working in Virtual Production tech, the event includes speakers from Stability AI & the University of Cambridge, an R&D showcase, and research & funding updates: www.eventbrite.com/e/1566563065...

XR Stories Masterclass: Capturing 3D Models Learn different ways of scanning real-world objects and environments to create a 3D digital model.

Join us in the XR Stories immersive R&D lab on 3 Sept 2025 for a masterclass on capturing 3D models. The session will provide an introduction to two different modes of 3D scanning – photogrammetry and Gaussian Splatting. Find out more and book your place 👉 www.eventbrite.com/e/1548872281...

Creative Economy Census - XR Stories The census aims to gather insights from individuals and businesses to support the development of a region-wide creative industries strategy.

If you're a creative practitioner or someone who works in the creative industries in York & North Yorkshire, there's still time to take part in the Creative Economy Census and inform plans for funding and support for people working in the region. xrstories.co.uk/creative-eco...

XR Labs Fund - XR Network+ R&D grants to develop extended reality (XR) prototypes, with a particular focus on virtual production technologies and convergent media.

📣 Applications are OPEN for our XR Network+ R&D funding opportunity - the XR Labs Fund! Researchers and technicians at UK universities can apply for up to £25k to develop XR prototypes using university facilities. Find out more & apply by 11 Sept 2025: xrnetworkplus.xrstories.co.uk/grant/xr-lab...

XR Network+: Exhibition and XR Two R&D projects looking at how XR is shaping the present and future of installations and exhibitions

Join us from 2pm on 14 July to explore how XR technologies are changing how exhibitions are presented to audiences. With speakers from @teessideuni.bsky.social & @lcflondon.bsky.social plus artist Lucy Wheler and producer/director Ellie Land. More info & tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/1399309766...

XR Stories awarded Mayor's skills innovation funding - XR Stories XR Stories has been awarded funding to lead Extending XR, a two-year programme of work to deliver technology skills training...

XR Stories has been awarded skills innovation funding by the @ynymayor.bsky.social to lead Extending XR, a two-year programme of work that will deliver technology skills training to creative practitioners and develop a new skills ecosystem for the region.

xrstories.co.uk/xr-stories-a...

Nikki Stearman, Debbie Harman, Trevor Klein, Sophie Klein and Danny Bacchus on stage at the Immersive Art's The Big Thing festival.

Sophie Klein and Trevor Klein from Fully Novel, Joe Rees-Jones from XR Stories and Jacob Cooper from the University of York AudioLab run a workshop and demo on live networked performance at The Big Thing festival.

✨ What an enjoyable and inspiring few days at the @immersiveartsuk.bsky.social The Big Thing in Bradford this week! Thanks to everyone who came along to our sessions and to the wonderful creatives who were generous enough to share their experiences and expertise 🙏

XR Spotlight - Glen Kelly - XR Stories Glen Kelly provides an insight into life as Programme Manager at the CoSTAR Live Lab and what the network offers to creative practitioners.

We talk to Glen Kelly, Programme Manager at the CoSTAR Live Lab about life on the ground at the state-of-the-art research and development facility dedicated to advancing live performance systems and user experience across screen, stage, and the metaverse: xrstories.co.uk/xr-spotlight...

XR Network+: Live Performance and XR Two R&D projects exploring ways in which XR technology can enhance live performance for both performers and audience.

Join our XR Network+ webinar on 12 June to explore how XR tech can be used within live performance to provide new experiences & improve existing processes. With updates from
Abertay University, Scottish Youth Theatre, @goldsmithsuol.bsky.social and Alexander Whitley Dance Company. bit.ly/4iTqAGp

XR Stories at The Big Thing - XR Stories XR Stories is taking part in The Big Thing, an annual gathering from Immersive Arts for the immersive art community.

📣 We're thrilled to be part of The Big Thing, an annual gathering from @immersiveartsuk.bsky.social for the creative/immersive art community to connect and spark ideas taking place in Bradford from 9 – 11 June 2025.

bit.ly/4kck0fw

📢 On 4 June 2025, we're taking XR Network+ to SXSW London to present a panel: 'All the world’s a stage: Virtual performances for global multi-platform theatre' with colleagues from the RSC, @camera-bath.bsky.social & the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama 👉 www.sxswlondon.com/session/all-...

📢 Register for our XR Network+ seminar to hear about R&D projects that are enhancing data compatibility in virtual production (VP) workflows & using VP to unlock new opportunities through the use of subtitle data.

📅 Thurs 1 May 2025 ⏰ 3pm to 4pm 📍Online

🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/1297221677...

Virtual archiving - XR Stories XR Stories is supporting Polite Rebellion to create a virtual archive of their 13 year body of work, The Grief Series,

XR Stories is supporting Polite Rebellion to create a virtual archive of The Grief Series, a 13 year body of work about grief. Find out more about the work, the technologies involved and the benefits that 3D scanning can offer to creative practitioners.
xrstories.co.uk/project/virt...

XR Network+: Data and XR Two R&D projects exploring how data can be more effectively integrated into Virtual Production processes.

📢 Join our XR Network+ webinar on 1 May to hear updates from two R&D projects that are exploring interactions between data and virtual production processes & workflows to tackle the challenges of data compatibility & drive viewer engagement. More info & tickets 👉 www.eventbrite.com/e/1297221677...

New research into York’s creative spaces - XR Stories A research report exploring York's creator spaces with key findings and recommendations to support economic development and social value.

A new research report explores the physical workspaces that support York’s creative economy, presents insights from creative workers and makes recommendations for supporting economic impact and social value.

📸 of artwork by Hannah Sibai, featured at the York Creative Spaces exhibition.

R&D residencies for University of York researchers and technicians - XR Stories An opportunity for research and technical staff at the University of York to become residents in the XR Stories immersive technology R&D lab.

📢 Calling @york.ac.uk researchers & technicians! We're running R&D residencies for University of York researchers & technicians. Apply by 21 March for an opportunity to conduct self-directed research or professional technical development from our immersive R&D lab. xrstories.co.uk/programme/rd...

CoSTAR Live Lab Call CoSTAR Live Lab invites companies, technologists, and creatives to help us shape the future of live performance

Our colleagues at the CoSTAR Live Lab are inviting applications from teams with creative R&D projects focused on the live performance sector to respond to their New Frontiers for Live Performance call. Find out more and apply by 5pm on 20 March.

www.costarnetwork.co.uk/calls/LiveLa...

NEWS “GaMaYo is a fantastic opportunity for indie #gamedevs to meet and gain valuable advice on their game and their business all in a setting that lives and breathes video games." Thanks to @plusaccounting.bsky.social for supporting GaMaYo on 22nd May in its new Leeds venue >>> buff.ly/qMiocVr

🚨 Senior TV professionals! 🚨

Join Changemakers, a yearlong programme for leaders putting climate at the heart of TV 🌍

🎟 Free Edinburgh TV Festival pass
🔥 Access to Ignite: Climate Content Summit
🤝 Exclusive networking & in-person sessions

Apply by 20 March: www.thetvfestival.com/tv-foundatio...

XR Stories and XR Network+ on LinkedIn: Thank you to everyone who joined us at the XR Network+ roadshow at… Thank you to everyone who joined us at the XR Network+ roadshow at University of the Arts London (UAL) UAL Fashion, Textiles and Technology Institute yesterday…

Thanks to everyone who joined us at yesterday's XR Network+ roadshow at @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social to hear about activities & opportunities for people working in virtual production & immersive tech. Visit our LinkedIn page for details of work & funding referenced at the event: hubs.li/Q036zphN0

XR Stories to advance the equitable design of research in the immersive sector - XR Stories XR Stores will work with Ida XR Studio to develop training to support the equitable design of research projects in the immersive industry.

📣 We're thrilled to announce that XR Stories has been awarded a grant from the Valuing Voices project led by @york.ac.uk & funded by @wellcometrust.bsky.social to advance team equity, inclusive research and project design in the immersive technology industry. Read more: bit.ly/4jRKbZm