Design
Arts, culture and engineering
This dynamic interdisciplinary group specialises in creativity-driven and collaborative research that bridges the arts and sciences, fostering connections across disciplines to address complex societal challenges. The group has engaged in innovative award-winning projects such as "Mechanics of Life," which integrated medical engineering, robotics, and dance to explore the mechanics of human movement, and "Keepin’ it Real," which used participatory design and digital fabrication to empower young people about the science of the COVID-19 pandemic through a co-created STEAM education programme.
Through such initiatives, the group fosters co-production and knowledge exchange among educators, engineers, artists, and community members. This approach not only showcases the intersections of disciplines but also promotes social and educational innovation, STEAM education, and public engagement. Their work reflects a commitment to breaking down traditional boundaries and hierarchies, fostering creative confidence, and developing impactful solutions that resonate across societal and cultural contexts.
Case study: Mechanics of Life
The Mechanics of Life brought together engineers from the University of Leeds, artists from Northern Ballet, and educators and young people from Batley Girls’ High School to explore the mechanics of movement through dance. Through co-production between engineers, teachers, students, and artists, we developed and disseminated cross-curricular and experimental learning activities and experiences. These activities connected the curriculum areas of design technology, biology, physics, mathematics, and performing arts, inspired by the concept of the human body as a remarkable ‘machine’.
The Mechanics of Life films were premiered at the Everyman cinema to the school and guests from the engineering, education, and cultural sectors; they tell the story of our journey together across the disciplines. Our ‘Behind the Scenes’ film captures the collaborative experiences, and our ‘insights’ film shares interviews with dancers and engineers, bringing to life how advances in engineering can help us all to live longer, stronger, and healthier lives.
Through this unique collaboration, we challenged the stereotypes and perceptions of engineers and engineering – who they are and what they do – through creative exploration of the impact of medical engineering and its role in society. We opened our spaces of work and shared our worlds to create exciting learning experiences that bring to life the applications of engineering and the science of dance. In doing so, we broke down the barriers between our disciplines, roles, and ways of working to create lasting partnerships across the arts, education, and engineering.
This project was supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering under the Ingenious Awards programme, by the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account, and by the EPSRC EP/R003971/1.
Find out more:
- Northern Ballet & University of Leeds | Ingenium | Behind the lens
- The Mechanics of Life: Powerful film combines engineering and ballet to break down barriers
Case study: Engineering Carnival
This practice-led research initiated our pioneering ‘Engineering Carnival’ project in 2024, which began through a collaboration between a technical team from the School of Mechanical Engineering and renowned carnival costume designers High Esteem Carnival Designs. Developed to pilot community engagement and professional development for technical staff, this work received an institutional Research Culture Award for Supporting and Developing Teams. The co-created Carnival Queen costume received significant national coverage (the BBC, The Times, and the Yorkshire Post). It led the Leeds West Indian Carnival parade in 2024 to an audience of over 100,000.
The university team collaborated with RJC Dance and Mango Arts to deliver Light Night performances that formed the heart of the festival on campus in October 2024 to an audience of over 13,000. This collaboration continues with a network of creatives, designers, and engineers, alongside youth and adult community groups in the carnival community. Through co-creative practices, we are sharing knowledge and skills to explore innovation challenges and shape the future of carnival design practices.
Research England supports this research through the Research Culture funding stream and the Higher Education Innovation Fund.
Find out more: