The Digital R&D Fund for the Arts is a strategic partnership between the Arts Council, Nesta and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). It is unique in encouraging collaboration between the arts, digital technology providers and the research community in order to undertake experiments from which the wider arts and cultural sector can learn.

The £7 million fund will be made available over three years, starting from 2012/13, to support research and development projects that use digital technology to enhance arts' audience reach and/or explore new business models.

The fund will focus on the following key themes: user generated content and social media, digital distribution and exhibition, mobile location and games, data and archives, resources and education and learning.

Applications to the fund opened on 13 July 2012. For more information and to apply, visit the Digital R&D Fund for the Arts website.

Digital R&D fund pilot projects

As a pilot to our current Digital R&D Fund for the Arts, in 2011 we funded the eight projects to receive a share of £500,000 to harness digital technologies to connect with wider audiences and explore new ways of working.

Read more about the Digital R&D Fund for arts and culture pilot.