Willetts calls on TSB to do more arts and humanities

Funding agencies including the Technology Strategy Board should work more closely with the the Arts and Humanities Research Council, according to the science and universities minister.

Speaking at an event to celebrate the AHRC’s funding for creative economy activities, held on 12 March, David Willetts said: “I would like to see even more co-working of our TSB and the AHRC because when you bring together the developments in IT and exciting, fresh content in a single coherent package, I think you really see what’s special and great about Britain.”

The minister said that the future of arts and humanities research was in more collaboration with technology experts and businesses. He singled out the findings of the Brighton Fuse project, a two-year project run by the Universities of Brighton and Sussex and funded by the AHRC. The project found evidence that the close collaboration of creative and artistic professionals with technology companies leads to sound and sustainable business models. “If we can bring all that together,” he said it would lead to “successful companies and organisations growing more rapidly than other companies”.