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Introducing the Creativity Lab

Based in the Harry Fairhurst Building within the Library complex on the University of York’s West Campus, the newly established Creativity Lab offers local businesses, academic colleagues and students opportunities to experiment with new and emerging technologies within the screen industries sector.

Launch day

Recently, the Creativity Lab threw open its doors and offered staff and students from across the University of York the chance to visit and discover more about the exciting opportunities available.  An informal launch was the ideal opportunity to showcase this vibrant space and introduce the Lab’s varied programme of activities and events.

The Creativity Lab provides an accessible and inclusive space for visitors to explore activities and equipment. As part of the launch event, visitors were offered a range of fun, hands-on activities to explore in their own time and at their own pace.

Visitors took part in a VR experience, floating around the International Space station through Oculus headsets, watched live demos and got hands-on with 3D Artec scanning software, scanning objects (and even themselves!). For those who fancied time travel, visitors stepped back into the 1970’s and explored David Bowie’s dressing room in an immersive gaming experience using Mozilla hubs.

  • A woman in a checked shirt wears a VR headset and carries remotes in her hand

    Exploring the International Space Station

  • A screenshot of a 3D scan of a bald, white man wearing a grey t-shirt

    Scanning humans with 3D scanners

Using free tools such as FrameVR, visitors also got creative building their own ‘virtual Creativity Lab’ environment alongside some 3D modelling and design using Tinkercad.

More about the Creativity Lab

The Creativity Lab hosts a variety of state-of-the-art technology, from high-end gaming workstations equipped with a range of creative editing software to 360 cameras, gaming laptops and podcasting equipment. A vast amount of free, online tools and resources are also available to help get started in the world of digital creativity. 

The Creativity Lab is all about inspiring digital curiosity and providing opportunities to develop new skills. The Lab offers a variety of courses such as introductory kit workshops focused on demystifying digital creativity and getting to grips with new technology such as VR and 3D Design. For those looking for a more in-depth exploration of a specific area of digital creativity, the Creativity Lab’s masterclasses provide participants with the opportunity to apply new skills and training in a particular area of digital creativity, such as motion capture or 360 filmmaking.

Every Monday, University of York staff and students are free to drop into the Creativity Lab and access the Creativity Lab for academic project work, the development of creative ideas, and to learn more about emerging technology. For those looking for some technical support, DigiCreate sessions take place on alternate Fridays, 10am – 1pm.

To discover more about the Creativity Lab’s programme of activities and events, visit the University of York’s skills and training guide or join our mailing list.

Published on 25 November 2022

Filed under: Research