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ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ Partners Win National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange Future Icons of Culture Knowledge Exchange Award

Monday, 24 August, 2026

Two academic partners of ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ have been recognised with prestigious Future Icons of Cultural Knowledge Exchange Awards, celebrating innovative collaborations that are transforming how research is created, shared and used.

The NCACE Future Icons of Cultural Knowledge Exchange Awards recognise outstanding partnerships between researchers and the arts and culture sector. Up to five awards of £1,000 are presented each year to celebrate innovative, impactful and inspiring examples of cultural knowledge exchange in practice.

Among this year's recipients are the South West Race Equity Research Network (SWRERN) and Kilter Theatre, both of which have worked closely with ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ to develop pioneering approaches to collaborative research and public engagement.

Joseph Fort, Research Projects and Governance Manager at BSU, who put forward the nomination for SWRERN, said of winning the award:

“The South West Race Equity Research Network (SWRERN) is a ground breaking collaboration led by the Black South West Network (BSWN), bringing together 15 partners across the region, including ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿. Supported by £1 million in UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding, the network places community organisations at the heart of research, ensuring that projects are shaped by the priorities, lived experiences and expertise of Black and minoritised communities.”

Rather than following traditional university-led research models, SWRERN is built on equitable partnership. Community organisations and universities work together to co-design research, develop anti-racist methodologies and share ownership of knowledge and data. The network is also strengthening research capacity across the racial justice sector, enabling community organisations to lead projects, influence policy and create lasting social impact.

The award recognises SWRERN as an inspiring example of cultural knowledge exchange that challenges traditional power structures and demonstrates how research can be more inclusive, collaborative and community led.

Kilter Theatre has also been recognised for its outstanding contribution to arts and humanities-led knowledge exchange. Through long-term partnerships with universities, researchers and communities, the theatre company uses performance as a creative method of inquiry, helping to explore complex questions around science, health, technology and environmental change.

Working with ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿, the University of Bath and the University of Bristol, Kilter Theatre has co-created a series of participatory productions that embed artistic practice within research. Recent collaborations include Mother Nature's Supper Club (2025), developed with ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ to encourage audiences to reflect on environmental futures, and Brain Rot (2026), exploring artificial intelligence, digital identities and the future of higher education.

Over more than a decade, Kilter Theatre's work has enabled researchers, artists and audiences to collectively examine the ethical and social dimensions of emerging research. Beyond individual productions, the company has helped universities embed more reflective, inclusive and collaborative approaches to research through training, facilitation and co-created resources.

Together, these two award-winning partnerships demonstrate the power of collaboration between universities, communities and the cultural sector. They highlight how ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿'s commitment to cultural knowledge exchange is helping to create research that is more inclusive, creative and responsive to the challenges facing society.