Research and Innovation
Advancing creative practice through research, innovation, and collaboration
Exceptional creative practice should never stand still. At LAMDA, research and innovation activity sits alongside world-leading conservatoire training, driving new thinking across performance, emerging technologies, arts, health and wellbeing, sustainability, and the creative industries as a whole. Through collaboration, we’re creating impact across society, communities, culture, and industry.
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Performance and theatre practice
Performance is where ideas are tested, challenged, and brought to life. At LAMDA, practice-based research grows directly from our creative and teaching practice, exploring new approaches to acting, directing, ensemble work, training, and performance-making. By connecting the studio with wider scholarly and industry conversations, we help develop new methods, share knowledge across the sector, and shape the future of theatre.
Emerging technologies
Innovation creates new ways to imagine, create, and connect. Research in emerging technologies at LAMDA explores how tools such as virtual production, motion capture, and immersive media can transform performance and storytelling. Working with industry partners and creative practitioners, we investigate how these new creative technologies can unlock fresh possibilities for artists, audiences, and the wider creative sector.
Arts, health, and wellbeing
Stories have the power to connect people and challenge perceptions. Through research at LAMDA, we explore how performance can open conversations around health, disability, wellbeing, and ageing, creating new opportunities for connection and understanding. Through collaborative research and partnerships with healthcare, community, and cultural partners, we use theatre as a tool for dialogue, representation, and social impact.
Environmental sustainability
How do we make performance responsibly for the future? This question sits at the heart of our research on environmental sustainability in theatre practice at LAMDA. We explore everything from carbon literacy and production processes to wider cultural approaches to sustainability in the creative industries. Through experimentation and sector collaboration, we are helping shape more sustainable ways of creating, training, and working.
Creative industries and entrepreneurship
The creative industries are built by people who turn ideas into action. Research at LAMDA explores how performers, makers, and practitioners build careers, companies, and new models of creative practice. Through research into entrepreneurship, innovation, and creative leadership, we examine how talent develops into sustainable long-term careers and practice, from independent projects and social enterprises to internationally successful companies.
Partnerships and projects
Learn about how our current partners and projects are helping to generate knowledge, test new approaches in real-world contexts, and show how research can shape practice, industry, and culture.
Ignition programme
The ignition programme gives students and graduates the space, tools, and support to turn ideas into projects, and projects into entrepreneurial ventures and sustainable careers.
Access and widening participation
Access and widening participation aims to address underrepresentation in higher education and the arts and build clear pathways for talented individuals facing barriers.
Contact us
Our work brings together artists, academic researchers and industry partners to explore new ideas and shape creative practice. To find out more or discuss opportunities to collaborate, contact our Head of Innovation, Bethany McShepherd.