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Expert panel appointed to inform cultural recovery from Covid-19

Members include researchers and prominent figures from across the UK’s arts and creative industries

Academics from Cardiff University, Loughborough University and University College London have been appointed to an expert advisory panel to guide a project on cultural recovery from Covid-19.

The panel was set up by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), as part of their Boundless Creativity project.

The project, first announced in July, is expected to assess the impact of the pandemic on the UK’s cultural and creative industries and suggest measures to restore public confidence in attending cultural events and venues.

AHRC executive chair Andrew Thompson and the University of Oxford’s Neil Mendoza, the newly appointed government commissioner for cultural recovery and renewal, co-chair the panel, which includes figures from across the arts, cultural and creative industries, as well as arts and humanities researchers.

Members include Andrew Chitty, professor of creative industries at Loughborough University; Sara Pepper, director of creative economy at Cardiff University; and Helen Chatterjee, head of research and teaching in University College London’s culture department.

“The AHRC is determined to bring to bear the insights from the research we fund on the recovery of our arts, cultural and creative sectors,” said Thompson. “This joint research project will put the expertise of arts and humanities researchers at the heart of Whitehall, forging a strong knowledge partnership between the AHRC and DCMS.”

The panel members were announced on 4 August. They will attend monthly meetings from September 2020 until July 2021 to discuss insights, lessons and findings from a portfolio of live AHRC projects. Topics for discussion will include issues related to business models, creative and digital technologies, and “Covid-proof” live events.

Members will then make recommendations for research programmes and future policy actions and interventions. The panel’s findings will be released in the summer of 2021.

The full list of panel members is as follows:

  • Andrew Thompson, AHRC
  • Neil Mendoza, DCMS and University of Oxford
  • Joanna Abeyie, Blue Moon
  • Maria Balshaw, Tate
  • John Cassy, Factory 42
  • Helen Chatterjee, University College London
  • Andrew Chitty, Loughborough University London
  • Edward Harcourt, AHRC
  • Imogen Heap, recording artist
  • Chris Michaels, National Gallery
  • Neelay Patel, Digital Theatre
  • Sara Pepper, Cardiff University
  • Jo Twist, UK Interactive Entertainment

UPDATED 4/8: Updated the names of the universities in this story.