About

My professional and research journey is deeply intertwined with Furtherfield, the non-profit digital arts organisation I co-founded with Ruth Catlow in 1996. For 29 years, we have pioneered international engagement with critical digital arts, with our core activities supported by the Arts Council of England since 2004. My commitment to understanding and articulating this field culminated in a PhD from Birkbeck College, University of London (2021), for which my dissertation provided the first critical examination of Furtherfield’s dynamic history across its online and physical venues. This fellowship would enable me to build directly upon this foundational work, transforming my doctoral research into a primary public-facing output that secures this legacy.

As I fully resume my role at Furtherfield, my central mission is to preserve its 30-year legacy, a task that requires extensive and dedicated research.

My work with Furtherfield has always been driven by a core belief: that art and technology must be forces for inclusivity and social good. For decades, we have worked to democratise these fields not just in theory, but in practice. Our commitment to decentralised, peer-to-peer models fosters creative collaborations that challenge the status quo and empower communities. This fellowship is the vital next step, as it will enable me to research, articulate, and disseminate the methods we have pioneered. The goal is to ensure this knowledge not only inspires a broader movement for equitable change but is also passed to a new generation of practitioners, equipping them to learn from our legacy and build their own resilient, collective cultures.

Pivotal elements form the heart of this project, which together will secure and disseminate Furtherfield’s three-decade legacy:

A digital archive and a complementary scholarly publication, which together will form the foundation for a future program of international exhibitions. This initiative is designed to secure Furtherfield’s legacy as a cornerstone of digital art history.

1. The Digital Archive: A Living Research Tool
We are launching a comprehensive online archive, making a wealth of historical material publicly accessible for the first time. This is not a static repository but a dynamic research engine, featuring:

A Vast Collection: Over 620 published articles and interviews, 70 exhibitions, 30 commissions, 150 events, and 25 community-driven projects.

Advanced Accessibility: All content will be meticulously indexed and tagged for deep searchability.

Curated Knowledge: Specially commissioned texts and curated pathways will illuminate key themes, guiding users through the rich tapestry of artistic evolution and community practice that Furtherfield has cultivated.

2. The Book: Contextualising a Movement

Building on the research from my PhD, I will prepare a new book for publication. This volume will offer a critical reflection on the core themes that have defined Furtherfield’s journey.

Expert Editorial Guidance: The manuscript will be refined under the co-editorship of renowned scholars Regine Debatty (We Make Money Not Art) and Dr Martin Zeilinger, Reader in Computational Arts & Technology, Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland..

Accessible Scholarship: To be published by Torque Editions, which has a proven track record with Furtherfield titles, the book will be fully illustrated and written to engage both specialists and a broader audience interested in art, technology, and society.

Legacy in Print: It will serve as the definitive narrative companion to the archive, contextualising landmark projects and spotlighting the creative intersections that have shaped the field.

3. Future Exhibitions: Activating the Legacy

The archive and book will directly fuel the next stage of public engagement: a program of groundbreaking exhibitions celebrating thirty years of critical digital art. These exhibitions will weave Furtherfield’s historical shows and commissions with the work of contemporary artists. I will be supported in this by an exceptional curatorial team, including:

Ruth Catlow (Furtherfield Co-Founder)

Pita Arreola-Bates (Victoria & Albert Museum)

Alex Estorick (Editor-in-Chief, Right Click Save; Contributing Editor, Flash Art)

Together, we will develop an exhilarating exhibition proposal for a major institution, ensuring this legacy continues to inspire and challenge audiences.

A Supported Research Journey

Throughout this process, I will be guided by the expert mentorship of Dr Joel McKim, Senior Lecturer in Digital Media and Culture at Birkbeck, University of London, and Director of the Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology.

This proposal is further strengthened by a formal offer from Birkbeck, University of London, which has conditionally offered me a 0.5 FTE Fellowship position for two years, contingent upon the success of this Daphne Jackson Trust application. This institutional commitment provides a guaranteed academic home, robust infrastructure, and a vibrant intellectual community in which to execute this research, ensuring its impact and my successful reintegration.

Furtherfield’s legacy honours its artists, community, and dynamic history. It will recognise the organisation’s ever-evolving cultural footprint both in the UK and internationally, at a time that marks a significant chapter in the history of art and technological, as well as collaborative and social innovation.

Furtherfield – Arts, Technology, and Eco-social change https://www.furtherfield.org/