Leeds arts research centre

Bringing together creative practitioners and academics across Leeds Beckett University.
man rubbing out words in a book with an eraser

The Leeds Arts Research Centre (LARC) at Leeds Beckett University brings together researchers with shared interests and ambitions across broad areas of creativity and professional practice within the arts and popular culture. Specific areas covered include Art and Design, Music, Drama, Dance, Architecture, Creative Technologies, Film, and Performing Arts. 

The majority of staff currently work within the Leeds School of Arts. 

The centre formally launched in the autumn of 2017, indicating a recognition by our university of the potential for substantial research development and growth within the area. The centre has a strong core of both experienced and early career researchers and provides a visible, outward-facing ‘research home’ and identity for these staff and their research students. 

The work being undertaken encompasses more traditional academic outputs such as journal articles and monographs alongside exciting and innovative practice-based research. Much of the latter is high impact, engaging with external bodies and individuals to produce work which challenges and changes lives.

The centre is led by Simon Morris, Professor of Art, and Robert Shail, Professor of Film. 

Professor Morris's own research centres on radical artistic reworkings of text as material object, whilst Professor Shail's work focuses on masculinity in British cinema and children's films. For them both, LARC has been a labour of love.

phd studentships in creative arts

Deadline to apply: 9th June

We're offering four fully funded doctoral studentships (stipend + fees) and three doctoral fee waivers commencing in October 2023.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidates to undertake original, ground-breaking research work within a thriving creative arts environment. These are funded studentships and as a PhD candidate you will be part of a vibrant team within Leeds School of Arts, joining a growing research community with interests across creative arts practice. 

Deadline to apply: 9th June

We're offering four fully funded doctoral studentships (stipend + fees) and three doctoral fee waivers commencing in October 2023.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidates to undertake original, ground-breaking research work within a thriving creative arts environment. These are funded studentships and as a PhD candidate you will be part of a vibrant team within Leeds School of Arts, joining a growing research community with interests across creative arts practice. 

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Inside out lecture series logo

inside / out

Our INSIDE/OUT series of lectures brings the best minds of our generation to inspire and support the work students and colleagues do across the Leeds School of Arts. To this end, we have flown in renowned speakers from around the globe. In order to enhance the cultural life of Leeds, we make the lecture series open to the general public and available to an international audience online.

LARC is the home to 143 academics and their research. What matters to us at Leeds Beckett University is not so much the work we do individually but what our research allows others to do: its impact on local, national and international communities. We are a recognised centre of excellence for practice as research in the arts that make a positive difference to the lives of others.

Music Performance and Production header

musicians without borders: call-out

Up to 25 funded places available 

Leeds School of Art is working with Musicians Without Borders to bring a new training program to Leeds. This opportunity is for enthusiastic arts practitioners with a range of levels of experience in the community arts sector. 

related projects