Blueprint for the Screen Industries: Where are creative workers living, working and playing in the UK today?

Media City Salford, Digbeth Loc. Birmingham, Kings Cross London and more recently the United Nations Accelerator City, Liverpool are seen as successful examples of investment and development in creative and screen industries inside and adjacent to major cities. Such initiatives are enacted with the promise to transform urban and former industrialised areas into places for media, technology and culture. What kinds of conditions, regional and national policy contexts and stakeholder partnerships are required to allow them to succeed? For the UK film, television, gaming and immersive media sectors, how have these initiatives affected where creative workers live, work, and thrive? What are the push and pull factors affecting such regional screen creative clusters and their relation to both national and global media production systems, and the towns and regions adjacent to them? What kinds of regional creative ecosystems do such initiatives build and impact on and how can they be made sustainable? What kinds of evidence, and what kinds of research might underpin these resilient screen creative economies, particularly in the context of growing automation and Artificial Intelligence?

<p>This project proposal has been co-designed with the BBC, who sits on the Creative Bridges Advisory Board and who invites the successful PhD candidate to undertake a sustained period of research on these key issues for the growth, development and sustainability of the screen industry in the UK. Research that focusses in on the conditions through which regional clusters emerge, and the experiences of the creative workers within them helps the industry partner better understand their role as a stakeholder. The project will enhance understanding of national, regional and demographic workforce mobility and diversity. Critically, it is research that will provide reliable evidence to contribute to policy discussion on sustainable and equitable regional and national creative economies in the UK screen industries. </p> <p><a href="https://creativebridges-cdt.ac.uk/">Creative Bridges</a> is an <a href="https://www.ukri.org/news/ahrc-doctoral-focal-awards-support-world-class-doctoral-training/">AHRC funded Doctoral Focal Award</a> led by the University of Leeds with the University of Warwick and will train PhD students in the latest knowledge, methods and skills for diversity and inclusion in the UK screen industries in ecologically safe ways. Creative Bridges - Connecting Diversity and Sustainability for UK Screen Industries focuses on the changes and innovations in film, television, gaming and immersive media, addressing industry demands for a vibrant ecosystem of creative livelihoods, developed through skills and research for sustainability and diversity.</p> <p><strong>Training and Development</strong><br /> Throughout the programme training and support opportunities will be provided that will focus on your academic and professional development. The schools, doctoral colleges and postgraduate support teams at Leeds or Warwick will provide year-round training and guidance via inductions, mentorship and supervision meetings. Our annual one-day summer and winter symposia will contain bespoke opportunities, including; workshops, academic or industrial keynote speakers, hands-on tech demonstrations, networking, work in progress seminars, training courses and peer presentations. Placements and/or fieldwork of up to two weeks with an industry partner are also available, offering chances for learning, shadowing or exposure to real-world media-diversity-sustainability challenges. Industry partners may also mentor you as you progress.  </p>

<p><strong>Closing Date for Applications 17:00 (UK time) Monday 20 April 2026</strong></p> <p><strong>Stage 1 – application for a place of study</strong><br /> First of all apply for a research programme of study at either tby completing the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/130206/applying/91/applying_for_research_degrees" target="_blank">application form</a></p> <p>In order to be considered for the scholarship you must submit all the required <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/media-research-degrees/doc/apply-13">supporting documents for your application for study</a>. Please note that applicants are <strong>not </strong>required to provide a research proposal. Instead, you are asked to provide a <strong>research statement </strong>describing in your own words in language accessible to a lay reader your suitability for this intended PhD Project. The statement should include how you will apply your current skills, knowledge and experience to undertake the PhD, the approach you would take to develop the project, and collaborate with the UK screen industries. (Maximum 4,000 characters including spaces).</p> <p>Please see <a href="https://creativebridges-cdt.ac.uk/guidance-for-applicants/applying-for-a-studentship/">Applying for a Studentship – Creative Bridges</a> for more information.</p> <p>Any study applications that are not accompanied by the documents requested by the scholarship deadline will not be considered for the award.  Please note that <strong>we require a higher English Language requirement </strong>for this programme of study, further details are provided below.<br /> An unsuccessful application for this scholarship does not exclude you from applying for other research study opportunities or scholarships offered by the University of Leeds.</p> <p><strong>Stage 2 – apply for Creative Bridges funding</strong><br /> Once you are in receipt of your 9 digit Student Application ID complete the <a href="https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/leeds/warwick-creativebridges-2026">funding application form</a>. </p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

Applicants should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline and either a Masters degree with distinction or merit or equivalent creative industries experience, ideally in the screen or digital sector in the UK or abroad. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the Creative Bridges directors: Professor Joanne Garde-Hansen (J.Garde-Hansen@leeds.ac.uk) and Professor Anamik Saha prior to making an application.

The minimum English language requirements for these scholarships is IELTS of 7.0 overall with at least 6.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. <br /> Applicants whose first language is not English must have already met the University's English Language requirements by Monday 20 April 2026 or be a current undergraduate student in their final year or a current postgraduate student at a University in an English speaking country.

<p>The award provides:</p> <ul> <li>A maintenance grant (£20,780 in Session 2025/26 for full-time study, part-time will be pro-rata at 50%). This amount increases per annum in line with the Research Council UK rate.</li> <li>Full-time awards provide full fees and maintenance for 3.5 years (part-time awards are pro-rata).</li> <li>A research training support grant</li> <li>Please be aware that any expenses related to the relocation of international students to the UK (visa, insurance, NHS fees, flights, etc) would be their responsibility and is not covered by this award.</li> </ul>

<p>Please visit the <a href="https://creativebridges-cdt.ac.uk">Creative Bridges website</a> for more information or contact the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Admissions Team <a href="mailto:ahcpgradmissions@leeds.ac.uk?subject=Creative%20Bridges%20Doctoral%20Focal%20Award">ahcpgradmissions@leeds.ac.uk</a></p> <p>For further information on the Creative Bridges funding and the themed studentships, please see the funding page <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk/funding/422-creative-bridges-connecting-diversity-and-sustainability-for-uk-screen-industries">here</a>.</p>