XR Stories mid-year roundup – July 2025

At the start of 2025, the XR Stories team set out to diversify their activities supporting researchers, businesses and individuals working in digital and creative technologies.

After six months, the team has expanded the scope of their support across academia, industry and government to bring value to the creative industries ecosystem in York, North Yorkshire, and across the UK. 

As a place of creative experimentation and innovation, the XR Stories office and immersive research and development (R&D) lab continues to be a University of York hub in the heart of the city where people from different disciplines and sectors connect and thrive. 

Highlights from the first half of the year include:

A second round of creative business residencies supporting small businesses and freelancers in York and North Yorkshire to experiment, innovate and grow through access to University expertise and infrastructure. 

New R&D residencies for University of York researchers to access a range of extended reality technologies and ad-hoc support from the XR Stories team across the year to enhance ongoing research activities. 

Securing the Mayor’s Skills Innovation Funding to deliver Extending XR, a two year programme of work to deliver region-wide technology skills training to grow the York and North Yorkshire innovation ecosystem. 

Evidence submitted from XR Stories informed the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy Creative Industries Sector plan, reinforcing the essential role of universities in facilitating innovation and growth. 

Supporting the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority with the development of a creative sector strategy as part of their regional Local Growth Plan, including a Creative Economy Census to enhance our data and evidence base to inform policy. 

Leading The York Policy Engine Creative Industries Policy Research Group to connect research, creativity and policy at the University of York. 

Supporting University of York colleagues with the equitable design of research projects and embedding EDI good practice in XR Stories’ working culture, approach and project design.

Participating in The Big Thing by Immersive Arts to share creative insights and showcase networked performance technology with a national audience at the inaugural festival in Bradford. 

Embarking on a new collaboration with Jorvik Viking Centre to help York’s world-famous visitor attraction on the next steps of their immersive development journey. More news coming soon. 

Leading the XR Network+ project to set a ten-year UK research agenda for digital content creation and consumption in virtual production (VP) and related technologies. XR Network+ activities in 2025 have included:

• Monthly webinars for academic and industry peers working in extended reality (XR) and VP technologies to delve into innovations and outputs emerging from research collaborations funded by XR Network+.
• In-person, regional roadshow events for researchers and creative practitioners working in VP to connect and hear updates on research and funding opportunities.
• As part of the Royal Shakespeare Company R&D challenge, continuing to explore the potential of virtual production technologies in live theatre performance.
• Taking XR Network+ to this year’s inaugural SXSW London to share insights and join conversations around creativity and technology.  
• Preparations to launch a third round of R&D grants to expand the scope of innovative R&D projects working with XR technologies delivered through UK university facilities (launching on 14 July 2025).
• Lining up plans to support musicians, educators and small businesses to harness new technologies as a delivery partner on the new MusicFutures cluster. 

In the second half of 2025, XR Stories will open up more opportunities to more people across York and North Yorkshire through the Extending XR skills training programme. In parallel, a new partnership taking shape with another regional partner looks set to foster cultural enrichment and economic growth for the city and region. 

Published on 7 July 2025