The 6th Art & Design Education: FutureLab in Shanghai brought together staff, students and partners from across the University of Nottingham Ningbo China for a vibrant programme of creative practice, media innovation and cross-disciplinary exchange. Supported by the Institute of Asia and Pacific Studies (IAPS), Art Centre, the Department of Architecture and Built Environment and the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, the event highlighted how UNNC continues to blend critical insight with hands-on experimentation across film, sound, design and immersive media.
As part of the programme, Dr Levi Dean, Dr Simon Weaving and Mr Thomas Zhao led an intensive documentary filmmaking workshop that introduced participants to the foundations of professional cinematography. Working collaboratively, attendees built a full three-camera interview setup, balanced key, fill and back lighting, and experimented with lens selection, framing and practical lighting. They learned to evaluate exposure using waveform monitors and a light meter, gaining confidence with industry-standard tools. The session concluded with a projection of their work on a large cinema screen, sparking energetic conversations about colour theory, contrast, skin tone and the relationship between visual design and narrative meaning.
The workshop ran alongside Sound Worlds: Student Explorations in Narrative and Technology, a series of high-quality immersive sound installations created by three student groups from the MA Music Technology, Production and Industry module. These installations demonstrated how sound can reshape narrative, culture and memory, and showcased the module’s blend of theoretical depth and applied creative production. Their inclusion in Future Lab underscored the important role of sound in contemporary storytelling and digital media practice.
Future Lab also featured a powerful contribution from Digital Heritage Centre PhD researcher Xiaoling, whose VR reconstruction of a Miao cultural environment invited visitors to explore sustainable lifeways, ritual practice and intergenerational storytelling. Built through photogrammetry, archival study and spatial audio design, her project embodies the exhibition’s focus on how tradition can inform innovation and how cultural heritage can guide new creative technologies.
Across VR experiences, physical models, video art, game prototypes and sound installations, Future in the Past showcased UNNC’s commitment to responsible creativity and cross-disciplinary collaboration. It highlighted how art, design and technology can work together to imagine sustainable futures that honour cultural roots while engaging boldly with emerging media.
A sincere thank you to everyone involved in creating such a dynamic and inspiring event, including Mr Thomas Zhao for coordinating and transporting equipment and the many staff and students whose work contributed to this year’s FutureLab.