SHR6E032F~001_JON19074964_Viability Study

1. Introduction and Proposed Project

Introduction
This collaborative project brings together my practice in immersive music production, haptic technology, and sound design with Abigail Richardson’s textile art practice, which explores play, sensory engagement, and escapism through surrealist crochet and fabric work. We previously collaborated on A Soft Disturbance (2025) at Assembly House, Leeds, an immersive installation combining textiles, sound, space building, and play that proved our ability to work together effectively and confirmed the public interest in tactile, interactive art experiences.

Proposed Project
The proposed project is to create an art installation curated of a series of interactive pieces revolving around themes of play, discovery, dynamic participation, third spaces and accessibility. The project, A Soft Discovery, uses spatial audio, textiles, practice lighting effects, intricate sound design and composition, crochet sculpture, and behavioural design to make a retro futuristic and hyper surrealist responsive environment. The project uses visual language and familiar tactile interfaces rather than overt instruction as a way to invite participants to engage with the pieces. We’ll use intuitive interaction cues and behavioural design to spark curiosity and guide discovery without a sense of constraint.

Goals

Refine our understanding of how people engage with interactive art and why certain design choices facilitate play.
Further develop my skills in designing software systems that responsd to control gestures
Explore new methods of installing technology into textile works

Personnel
Abigail Richardson: Explores the relationship between restrictive capitalist culture and necessary light escapism via creating large scale, extural, playful sensory experiences with an aim to bring intrigue and joy. Keeping the practice second-hand is key to their work’s integrity and our work thus far is created with reducing environmental impacts wherever possible.

Myself: I build sonic experiences with an acute sense of personality, steering away from the preset-heavy landscape of modern music making. I work with thoughtful consideration of how pieces will be interacted with, creating bespoke sounds that are non-typical in the music making practice, pieces to be dropping eaves on as opposed to listened to in full.

2. Methodology & Rationale

Working with Abigail was an obvious choice as we’ve previously worked on a successful debut collaborative exhibition, A Soft Disturbance (Appendix 1). We have good communication, shared vision and experience. We have a pending funding application (Appendix 2) therefore, much of the technical research for this project is already underway. Whilst the dates of the funding decision and my assignment could line up, I thought it would be unwise to rely on the application being successful so Abi agreed that we scale down and rethink the themes. After some brainstorming we both decided on using the retro futuristic aesthetics of 60’s70’s sci-fi to use as a gentle theme to tie everything into. Also drawing inspiration from nuclear power plant consoles(appendix 3) and vintage audio equipment. We’re excited to blend these themes with Abi’s surrealist-hyper soft style.

I want to expand the systems with which I utilise ableton. For A Soft Disturbance I used multimapper(appendix 4) which works for adjusting multiple parameters at once with dedicated ranges but by switching to performer by Iftah(appendix 5) I have the same control with the addition of a dedicated envelope per mapping within each macro. Performers interface is customisable and therefore can serve as a visual prototyping tool for emulating a futuristic console.

See appendix for further R&D in sound design. (appendix 6).

In our existing practice we had wanted to implement dynamic practical lighting effects. When researching this topic, Abi found a demonstration(appendix 7) of the use of geometric acrylic, mirrors and light to create incredibly complex visual information. I can configure either the light source, reflection or refraction to be dynamic and controllable via the same control gestures as the audio.

When referencing images of 60’s technology design we came across some microphones(appendix 8). After some discussion about early radio use and static, I had the idea of having a microphone act as some sort of translator for an alien language. In my opinion, having a microphone processed by some modulation effects would be limited and dull so I did some digging, knowing that it’s technically possible to sample in real-time with ableton, and found a max4live device called Catch(appendix 9). This can capture audio via midi input, i.e haptic input. This gives the participant agency of what they’re inputting into the system and gives me more control over the inputted signal.

For both the library idea(see Immersive Arts Application) and A Soft Disturbance we wanted to have no presence of tech anywhere but with the embraced influence of sci-fi thematic aesthetics I felt that some small screens might be appropriate so have done some prototyping in that regard(appendix 10). To bring her own surrealist take on the themes we’re exploring, Abi is experimenting with slip soaked crochet, a practice where one soaks crochet in slip, water and clay solution, and then fires it in a kiln, burning away the cotton and leaving a ceramic analogue of your crocheted works.

3.Market Analysis

Whilst attendance to galleries is apparently in decline, according to reports made by Arts Newspaper and Artpluged, Immersive and interactive exhibitions are on the rise in the UK. With large scale immersive experiences like Manchester’s Super Massive and sizable grants like Immersive Arts UK, there seems to be plenty of public appeal and opportunities for support in this vocation.
We don’t have a specific target audience for our project but we are acutely aware and sympathetic to the fact that people of certain demographics experience barriers affecting their perceived capabilities to engage in the arts and myself and Abi intend to try and focus our marketing towards NEET and low SES people.

4.Costs and Budgeting

Hypothetical Budget
See Appendix 11 for budget

Whilst we could make money off of the show, neither me or Abi have the financial cushion to risk a flop and therefore will most likely host the show at Assembly House for free.

Potential Funding
As stated above, we’re currently awaiting the decision of a funding application made to Immersive Arts UK for £20,000. (Appendix 12)
I’m personally looking at the Arts Council Research and Development for Individuals fund.

5.Inspiration & Influences

Retro futuristc styles like Stark Trek and Firelfly
Nat Whitney’s Overload Project, whilst not an influence, was affirming and imbues confidence in the viability of this area of the arts. (appendix 13)
Music of Plaid, Jon Hopkins, Brian Eno, Arvo Parte.

6.Contingency/Risk Assessment

Physical Risk

Abi treats her works with a fire retartdant spray.
Power for electronic systems will go through a ups
Electronics will be pat tested.
No obstructions to walkways

Technical risk

Two machines running in parrallell to allow redundancy. (would be dependant on funding)
Clearly signposted and colour coded signal paths for swift trouble shooting
Where possible, swappable components. (solderless connections, compenents fixed by threaded inserts or bolts rather than braising or adhesive)
Ableton’s mapping is convoluted and requires input from midi devices so I’ll write a python script that re-inputs all the correct Mappings in the even of a the project file becomming corrupted

Logistical Contingency
In the event of myself or Abi becoming ill or temporarily unavailable (such as in A Soft disturbance where I had a traumatic finger injury and could not work on the project for some time) we’ve agreed to essentially recycle the Soft Disturbance show as we have everything ready to go for that.
In the event of Abi becoming completely unavailable for the project, I have a filmmaker friend that is often asking me for music and additionally I could join one of the many game jams that are hosted at Itch.io(appendix 14).

7.Potential for Development

Potential for Development

Tech production/consultation for other artist wanting to intigrate sound and/or haptics into their works
Scalable and modular to be able to fit various sizes of funding oppertunities
Serves as R & D for larger project, such as A Soft Encounter(Immerseive Arts Application)

8.Evaluation Viability

The following is an evaluation of feedback and retrospection of our show A Soft Disturbance:

Participants consistently found the work inviting to touch and explore, engaging intuitively without instruction.
The behavioural design functioned effectively, encouraging curiosity-led interaction.
Audiences responded especially positively to communal play, often engaging more deeply when observing or interacting alongside others.
Participants discovered playful value even in works without sound, validating/affirming the appeal of interaction and freedom to play.
Feedback on both the specific mechanics and overall aesthetic language was strongly positive, with clear interest and excitement of future iterations.
Participants were eager to share ideas and suggest developments, reinforcing the viability of interconnected, dynamic control systems.
The project proved logistically viable, with no major technical or organisational issues during the event.
Commercial outcomes further supported viability: Abigail generated approximately £200 in sales, and the venue reported strong bar revenue, demonstrating the project’s ability to attract audiences and financially benefit host spaces.

9. Bibliography

You must include a bibliography in order to give evidence of your research.
Please enter it in the text box below

Fancourt, D. and Mak, H.W. (2020). What barriers do people experience to engaging in the arts? Structural equation modelling of the relationship between individual characteristics and capabilities, opportunities, and motivations to engage. PLOS ONE, 15(3), p.e0230487. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230487.

‌The MathWorks, Inc., (2019). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rlvvYgmTvI [Accessed 16 Dec. 2025].

newsdesk (2025). Immersive exhibitions are reshaping the cultural landscape – and London’s oldest institutions are joining in | South West Londoner. [online] South West Londoner. Available at: https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/news/05122025-immersive-exhibitions-are-reshaping-the-cultural-landscape-and-londons-oldest-institutions-are-joining-in [Accessed 18 Dec. 2025].

‌UK, E. (2025). Immerse LDN Reaches One Million Ticket Sales, Expands with New Attractions. [online] Experience UK. Available at: https://www.experienceuk.org/blog/immerse-ldn-reaches-one-million-ticket-sales-expands-with-new-attractions [Accessed 18 Dec. 2025].

‌Zhang, E. (2025). UK Galleries Struggle as Visitors Decline and Brexit Complicates Funding. [online] Art Plugged. Available at: https://artplugged.co.uk/uk-galleries-struggle-as-visitors-decline-and-brexit-complicates-funding-art/ [Accessed 18 Dec. 2025].

‌Ware, J. (2025). Three in five small UK museums and galleries fear closure amid declining revenue, new research suggests. [online] The Art Newspaper – International art news and events. Available at: https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/02/21/three-in-five-small-uk-museums-and-galleries-fear-closure-amid-declining-revenue

Supermassive.uk. (2025). SUPERMASSIVE | Manchester’s immersive rooftop experience. [online] Available at: https://www.supermassive.uk/#info [Accessed 18 Dec. 2025].

‌Zotter, F. and Frank, M. (2019). Ambisonics : a Practical 3D Audio Theory for recording, Studio production, Sound reinforcement, and Virtual Reality. Cham, Switzerland: Springeropen.

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