CoSTAR Live Lab: Intelligent Venues

Applicants can apply for between £20,000 and £50,000 to prototype, test, and showcase technology focused on Intelligent Venues. These are adaptive, data-driven environments that sense, interpret, and react in real time, blending spatial audio, lighting, visuals, and interaction design to create truly responsive live experiences.

In addition to cash grants, applicants can apply for up to 20 days of dedicated access to our R&D infrastructure and technical expertise at Production Park.

This call has a total budget of £100,000 and will award between two and five UK-based projects. 

Who we are looking for

We seek proposals from consortia led by a UK-based company, including creative technology companies, live events producers, hardware or software developers, and performance innovators.

Projects must clearly demonstrate how their R&D will generate commercial opportunities and explain why access to Live Lab’s facilities, equipment, and expert support is essential to achieving these outcomes. Project results should be tangible and demonstrable, either as early-stage prototypes or proof-of-concept demonstrations.

Areas of interest

Projects should focus on technologies, workflows, or design approaches that enable venues to sense, adapt, and respond in real time to the people and performances within them. We are particularly interested in proposals addressing:

• Sensor-based tracking, data analytics, or AI-driven control of stage, set, acoustic, audio, visual, or lighting systems.
• Interactive or personalised experiences that enhance engagement, accessibility, and real-time feedback loops.
• Intelligent stage management, automation, or modular venue design and production workflows that lower barriers to access and deployment.
• Scalability or new business models for live or hybrid productions, including streaming or the use of virtual spaces.

1. Funding and eligible costs

CoSTAR Live Lab has a total grant budget of £100,000 available for this call to support at least two projects, with individual awards of up to £50,000 subject to subsidy control measures. We anticipate funding projects with budgets ranging between £20,000 and £50,000, though all realistic budgets up to the maximum threshold will be considered.

Grants may support eligible R&D costs including staff time, hardware and software development, materials, testing, travel and subsistence, and third-party sub-contracting of performers or related resources. All costs must be included within the overall project budget. Full details can be found in the downloadable Applicant Guidance.

2. Equipment and facilities access

Each project may access up to 20 days of on-site development time (equivalent to four working weeks) at CoSTAR Live Lab, including technical onboarding and orientation. On-site time must be scheduled either as one continuous block of up to 20 working days, or as two separate periods of up to 10 working days each. Access is available Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 17:30, excluding weekends, and final scheduling will be agreed during contracting.

This access includes full use of Live Lab’s R&D infrastructure, such as the immersive performance stage, networked performance labs, motion capture, spatial audio, XR production environments, and user experience facilities. Selected broader Production Park facilities, including the Virtual Production Studio and large arena rehearsal spaces, are available at a 50% subsidised commercial rate, which should be included in the project budget where required.

3. R&D support

Projects will receive dedicated support from CoSTAR Live Lab’s technical and research teams, alongside access to our wider network of industry and academic specialists. The scope will be agreed during contracting and may include technical consultancy, creative production support, and systems integration.

4. Showcase & key dates

Projects can participate in a public, industry-facing showcase at Production Park, subject to timelines, and may be promoted across the CoSTAR network to highlight learning and commercial potential.

The project window runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 January 2027. All project activity, including on-site development and remote delivery, must take place within this period.

CoSTAR provides bursaries based on a disability, health condition, or access need to support those applying to or participating in our Industry Access Programmes. Click here for details on how to apply.