Course
PhD Opportunity: A Digital Living Archive for Aspex Portsmouth: From Preservation to Cultural Value
Applications are invited for a fully-funded collaborative four year PhD delivered by University of Portsmouth in collaboration with Aspex Portsmouth.
This project aims to investigate the transformation of visual arts archives into participatory digital spaces through creative technologies. Specifically, it will investigate the potential to augment living histories and emphasise the historic and future cultural value of the archive.
Through an extended case study of Aspex Portsmouth, this project will address the challenges faced by visual arts organisations in facilitating community participation with archival material. By combining digital humanities, archival studies, and creative technologies, this PhD seeks to establish an interactive, sustainable “living archive” that engages audiences in co-curating and expanding Aspex’s evolving impact.
The PhD will commence in October 2025 and will be based in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries in collaboration with Aspex Portsmouth and will be supervised by Dr Claire Bailey-Ross and Dr Argenis Ramirez Gomez from the University of Portsmouth and Joanne Bushnell and Dr Leo Burtin from Aspex.
Candidates applying for this project may be eligible to compete for one of a small number of bursaries available. Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for a full-time PhD study and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25) . Bursary recipients will also receive a budget of £1,500 for project costs, consumables and conference attendance over the course of the PhD.
Through an extended case study of Aspex Portsmouth, this project will address the challenges faced by visual arts organisations in facilitating community participation with archival material. By combining digital humanities, archival studies, and creative technologies, this PhD seeks to establish an interactive, sustainable “living archive” that engages audiences in co-curating and expanding Aspex’s evolving impact.
The PhD will commence in October 2025 and will be based in the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries in collaboration with Aspex Portsmouth and will be supervised by Dr Claire Bailey-Ross and Dr Argenis Ramirez Gomez from the University of Portsmouth and Joanne Bushnell and Dr Leo Burtin from Aspex.
Candidates applying for this project may be eligible to compete for one of a small number of bursaries available. Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for a full-time PhD study and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25) . Bursary recipients will also receive a budget of £1,500 for project costs, consumables and conference attendance over the course of the PhD.
