CoSTAR Live Lab Call: New Frontiers for Live Performance
CoSTAR Live Lab Programme: New Frontiers for Live Performance
- Overview
- Companies
- Social Impact
- Timeline
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Live Lab CoSTAR Live Lab invited companies, technologists, and creatives to help shape the future of live performance.
OVERVIEW
The CoSTAR Live Lab invited companies, technologists, and creatives to help shape the future of live performance. Based at Yorkshire’s world-renowned Production Park – where icons like Beyoncé, Metallica, and The Rolling Stones prepare for their world tours - the CoSTAR Live Lab offers a unique setting for innovation. Applications for this programme have closed but you can read more about the call in our Full Call Brief document.
In July CoSTAR Live Lab awarded three UK SMEs comprehensive support packages worth over £100,000, including cash funding of up to £13,000 per project to research and develop innovative products and technologies for the creative sector.
The new cohort's projects span diverse areas including user experience research for immersive technologies, interactive artistic experiences, and live performances in virtual environments. Meet our companies below.
COMPANIES
Machine Earth specialises in creating custom systems for interactive and artistic experiences, with a focus on live performance through installation-based approaches. The company explores the intersection between arts and technology, providing insights into how technology can advance artistic expression.
Founded by directors Erin and Anthony, who bring together their experiences as self-taught coders and artists, Machine Earth aims to create unique tools that enable artists to seamlessly integrate audiences into their creative processes. Their CoSTAR project will develop an innovative tool for live artistic performances, allowing creators to bridge the gap between performer and audience through technology.
Copper Candle integrates live events and theatre with XR technology-based solutions. The company made headlines by launching the first independent music venue in Fortnite and has since developed cutting-edge solutions to enhance virtual space performances.
Their CoSTAR project investigates motion capture solutions that enable musicians to remotely animate their performances, evaluating the sustainability of artist-led workflows without direct technical intervention. The project addresses user experience and workflow challenges presented by AI-driven solutions that have yet to be optimised for high-quality independent performances in the metaverse.
Precision Devices, a UK component loudspeaker manufacturer with expertise in creating high-end professional audio equipment, will work with CoSTAR on groundbreaking research to advance the boundaries of live sound immersion through innovative loudspeaker technology.
The funded projects will run from August 2025 to October 2025, with ongoing support and guidance from the CoSTAR Network Labs.
SOCIAL IMPACT
Environmental Sustainability and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are central to our work at CoSTAR and all our Access Programmes. All projects, regardless of their main R&D focus, are expected to have a demonstrable engagement with either EDI, sustainability or both. This will be supported by training and mentorship in areas that include; equitable design, developing environmental sustainability principles and working with diverse user groups.
TIMELINE
Open Date for Applications: Thursday 6 February 2025
Closing Date for Applications: Thursday 20 March 2025 17.00 GMT
Project Start and Duration: Projects can be up to 3 months in duration and must begin after 1 May 2025 and end no later than 31 October 2025.