AHRC CoSTAR Satellite Labs: Creative Research and Development Facilities

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is funding the creation of up to two Satellite Labs to expand its CoSTAR programme, offering up to £2 million per facility to establish cutting-edge creative research and development infrastructure. This opportunity is designed for UK research institutions that are eligible for AHRC funding and can demonstrate strong partnerships with commercial co-location partners and local economic development organisations. To be eligible, lead organisations must secure a minimum of 50% match funding from third-party sources, demonstrating financial commitment and stakeholder support. Selected projects will operate for three years beginning April 2027 and will focus on the screen and performance sectors. The funding aims to reduce adoption barriers for creative technologies, support innovation pipelines, and accelerate the path to commercialisation for creative sector businesses and practitioners. This is an opportunity for research institutions to establish world-class facilities that strengthen the creative economy and support technology transfer.