Chancellor Rachel Reeves Visits Studio Ulster, Home of the CoSTAR Screen Lab
On Tuesday 12 August, Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, visited Studio Ulster in Belfast to announce £310 million of UK Government investment in Northern Ireland’s City and Growth Deals.
The visit shined a spotlight on the critical role of creative industries in driving economic growth in the region, and included a behind-the-scenes tour of Studio Ulster’s cutting-edge virtual production infrastructure — currently the most technologically advanced studio of its kind globally. During the visit, the Chancellor also led a roundtable discussion with leading figures from Northern Ireland’s film, television, gaming and immersive sectors, alongside academic and industry experts, to discuss the future of the creative economy in Northern Ireland.
On her tour of the studios, she visited the CoSTAR Screen Lab, one of five national labs funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) as part of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) commitment to supporting innovation in screen technologies. The CoSTAR Screen Lab focuses on research, development and innovation in real-time and virtual production, helping future-proof the UK’s creative infrastructure and supporting a national network of industry-academic collaboration.
Director of the CoSTAR Screen Lab at Studio Ulster, Professor Declan Keeney said:
"Studio Ulster, as a globally unique facility, stands at the frontier of world-class storytelling and future-facing innovation. The UK Government’s significant investment and today’s visit together recognise the critical role this facility plays in boosting local skills, attracting international investment, and expanding economic opportunity for communities across Northern Ireland."
The CoSTAR Screen Lab forms a vital part of Studio Ulster’s fully integrated ecosystem, which supports sustainable content creation across multiple disciplines from virtual production and in-camera VFX to immersive media and animation. While the visit primarily focused on broader regional growth and industry engagement, it provided a timely reminder of how public R&D investment through CoSTAR is shaping the future of the UK’s creative sectors.