Digital and Material Artistic Research Cluster

About DMARC

DMARC is the home to artistic research from the disciplines of Performing Arts, Music, Media, Art and Design within the School of Arts. Among other forms, our researchers explore the potential of hybrid art forms made possible by using digitalisation alongside the traditional arts, collaboration and working across disciplines. We share our research through our practice, exhibitions and published text.

We are active in many national and international research events and activities, such as the FORMAT International Film and Photography Festival held in Derby and the Heritage Lottery-funded DerwentWISE project. 

An exhibition of the artistic research of our academics celebrates the uniqueness of artistic research and its possibilities. Books, films, objects, drawings and prints are among the creative artefacts included to show the diversity of artistic delivery that is possible. We held our Arts Research Exhibition 2018 at our Markeaton Street site in Derby.

Our research groups

Our DMARC research is based around research groups.

• Animal
• A/r/tography
• EARLab
• Lovability
• Research Arts and Wellbeing (RAW)
• Spaces/Places

Your PhD - study with us

We welcome applications for PhD artistic research study in practice and theory. We can offer you an intellectually stimulating environment through the subject clusters of Media, Performing Arts, Art and Design. Our PhD programme gives you a freedom to pursue new and innovative ideas within and beyond these areas, guided by experienced and leading academics in the field and sector.

Interdisciplinary and cross-school research projects are considered, such as those that straddle Arts and Health and Arts and Humanities. We are open to discussing proposals that stimulate and engage through creative exploration and invite you to enquire about ways we can support your PhD study. We also have a number of self-funded PhD options that are aligned to the research strengths of our staff.

If you would like to discuss your project proposal with us, then please contact Dr Angela Bartram, Head of Arts Research and DMARC, at a.bartram@derby.ac.uk and Dr Robert Burstow, Post-Graduate Research Lead for the School of Arts, at r.burstow@derby.ac.uk.

Alternatively, please contact the project supervisor/s of the self-funded PhD you are interested in pursuing. 

Our objectives

The objectives of DMARC are to:

• Engage with artistic research practice and theory, and advance knowledge
• Work in partnership with the creative and cultural industries, regionally, nationally and internationally
• Create an engaged and supportive research environment to develop the concept of the ‘Cultural Campus’
• Collaborate across disciplines and be highly visible in practical and theoretical research dissemination
• Be a key contributor to the developing international artistic research agenda

Our events

We hold our regular Arts Talk series with guest speakers.