Bespoke

Media Innovation Studio

The Bespoke project was established to look at the issue of digital and social exclusion in the Fishwick and Callon areas of Preston. The project ran between April 2009 to September 2011.

Broadly speaking, the project had two parts. The first is to set up a team of community/citizen journalists who will report on the issues that are important to them and their local community in Callon and Fishwick, Preston.

The second part º£½ÇÊÓƵ project is centred on innovative design. Partner universities (Dundee, Falmouth, Newcastle, Surrey, and UCLan) will use the news stories, as well as other information gathered during the lifespan º£½ÇÊÓƵ project, to design digital technologies that can meet the needs º£½ÇÊÓƵ area.

This collaboration between emotive, technological and functional design with hyper-local journalism is a ground-breaking exercise and, as far as we're aware, has never been tried before.

Impact

  • Development of Insight Journalism methodology

  • Increased University's links with communities throughout East Preston

  • Received national press coverage

  • Project published in a number of academic journals

  • Exhibited at V&A during London Design Festival

Funders

EPSRC

Project Staff

John Mills

Collaborators and Partners

University of Dundee University College Falmouth Newcastle University University of Surrey

Nokia Research Lancashire Evening Post/Johnston Press