Impact case study database

Nelson and Godman’s works have inspired a broad range of audiences – cultural audiences, school participants, teachers, patients, academics and practitioners – to engage with the connections between art and science. The projects have experimented with varied contexts, themes and media in which to allow this science/art relationship to unfold, sharing findings with both public-art and concert-hall environments.

Cumulative audiences for the public artworks are in excess of 1.46 million, and concert hall performances have reached over 3,400. Outreach activities have extended the impact to over 1,100 school children, students and family members. This has stimulated cultural tourism, contributed to the quality of the tourist experience, and to economic impact of over £7.6 million. Through engaging with diverse audiences as well as those who may not normally access such types of media or arts programmes, the research has increased cultural participation, and has led to reported benefits to individuals’ wellbeing and impacts within education.

Cosmoscope

Cosmoscope, produced in partnership with arts production company Artichoke, aimed to “introduce questions about human biology and the context of life on earth to the widest possible audiences, through a large-scale light and sound sculpture incorporating molecular physics, biomedicine and cosmology” [ 5.1] – reaching beyond the traditional science audience. It has been experienced by substantial audiences across the country, principally as part of Lumiere, the UK’s largest light festival. It was first presented at Lumiere Durham (16-19 November 2017), which attracted 245,000 visitors; it was then shown at Lumiere London (18-24 January 2018), with an audience of 1,200,000 [ 5.1]. Cosmoscope was 7^th most cited, out of 29 light installations in total, when visitors were asked ‘which installations made you think about science?’ [ 5.2].

Artichoke delivered a schools outreach project in partnership with Durham County Council. 420 primary school pupils from 14 schools across County Durham took part in workshops related to Cosmoscope [ 5.1]. These contributed towards learning objectives in KS2 Science, Art and Maths [ 5.4]. Artichoke worked with schools at a measurable disadvantage (e.g. higher than average free school meals), and those who have limited or no access to arts or extracurricular activities [ 5.1]. The children investigated key questions posed by Cosmoscope; they then created their own artworks, which were exhibited as part of Lumiere – this encouraged further engagement with Cosmoscope by the children and their families, increasing cultural participation and providing “public recognition for their achievements, improving their self-esteem and wellbeing” [ 5.4]. Nearly all pupils – 99% – identified something they had learned from the experience, most commonly “the smallest things in the universe (quarks) and the biggest things in the universe (cosmic web)…the inside of human bodies/cells and space / the universe”. 72% said there was no aspect that they hadn’t enjoyed [ 5.2]. Teachers praised the experience and the learning opportunities it provided: “a fantastic project which all the children were excited to take part in. Even though the topic is quite a difficult concept for Year 3 and 4 children, it was delivered brilliantly so the children were interested.”; “It provided fantastic art opportunities and opportunities for scientific exploration. The range of activities…engaged all pupils”. Teachers also anticipated taking concepts from the project into the curriculum, and “including more art in relation to science” [ 5.2]. Activity packs and resources were made available to any school on request.

Cosmoscope had a workshop stand at Celebrate Science (24-26 October 2017), Durham University’s family science festival (c.8,500 attendees overall). The stand’s feedback wall reveals children engaged with learning about ‘galaxies’, ‘the stars’, ‘physics’, ‘cells’, and ‘light’ [ 5.4].

Durham County Council concluded: “the 2017 Lumiere Festival was a significant success in terms of both economic and social impact”, with a total net economic impact of £7.6m [ 5.3]; 91% of attendees reported visiting Durham specifically for Lumiere [ 5.2]. Cosmoscope’s inclusion is likely to have played a solid role in this stimulation to cultural tourism, having been identified by Artichoke as “a highlight for the audiences in both Durham and London” [ 5.1]. Images were shared on social media and featured in national and international press, with the Daily Mail identifying Cosmoscope as “one of the most moving sights” at Lumiere [ 5.5].

The New Scientist created a video showcasing Cosmoscope, the team and concepts behind it and how it was made (‘ See inside the universe in this stunning light sculpture’, 18 January 2018); the video had received c.4,800 views on YouTube by the end of 2020. It was also discussed in The Psychologist, the official organ of the British Psychological Society, read by more than 50,000 members [ 5.5].

Cosmoscope continued to reach further audiences, with an installation at the Watts Gallery’s Moonscapes exhibition (9 April – 23 June 2019), which coincided with the 50^th anniversary of the moon landing. Cosmoscope was one of four ‘contemporary art interventions’ installed in the grounds of the gallery (c.10,000 visitors). Reviews of Moonscapes – covered in local and national press as well as specialist publications – demonstrate how the dramatic appearance of Cosmoscope, at this gallery known principally for Victorian art, prompted viewers to engage with its scientific concepts: “startling…an extraordinary construction in the gardens as you arrive” (Fortean Times, 1 June 2019); “spectacular…a splendid attempt to conjure an inter-galactic sense of awe and wonder” (Farnham Herald, 4 April 2019). Nelson and Godman gave a talk at the Gallery about Cosmoscope and the themes of science, myth and the visual arts – an attendee stated: “the whole course put ‘Moonscapes’ in a historical and scientific context”. [ 5.6]

Anarchy in the Organism

Originally conceived as a public artwork with the aim of challenging attitudes to cancer, installed at UCLH Macmillan Cancer Centre, London (2011-2013), Godman later created a scored algorithmic concert-hall version for Eb Clarinet, responsive electronics and video (a collaboration with Dr Kate Romano and the Goldfield Ensemble). This migration from public art to concert hall introduced the research to a second, distinct audience thus increasing and diversifying its reach. Two high-profile concert performances for this chamber version were achieved:

• Huddersfield International Music Festival (October 2013) – audience c. 400 (capacity)

• Kings Place, London (January 2014) – audience c. 120 (75% capacity) [ 5.7]

A focus group conducted after a small-scale, intimate performance at the Frome Festival (July 2015, c.40 attendees) revealed a profound personal effect on audience members’ understanding of cancer, with reported benefits to their wellbeing: “ I am a cancer sufferer and people were saying to me ‘are you sure you want to go to this?’ I’m so glad I did. It has taught me so much and put my illness into context. It has made me feel a lot better about this illness.” “ Thank you for tonight, very helpful to someone recovering from cancer.” “ Personally, the whole project has opened up whole new understanding, information and emotions towards the subject of cancer. Artistically and creatively, it has stimulated my own further exploration into the subject.” [ 5.8]

Public talks further extended the project’s reach: Art and Cancer at the ONCA Centre for Art and Ecology (July 2016) where Nelson discussed the human implications of Anarchy in The Organism for an audience of 50 health workers and artists; a public lecture at the London Laser Talks (November 2016) where Nelson and one of the scientific collaborators on the team, Dr Simon Walker-Samuel (UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging) discussed the project’s intersection of art, science and technology. This attracted an audience of c.65 artists, academics, students and public; feedback indicated they found the talks engaging, with all responses rating them very good or excellent [ 5.9].

The Anarchy in the Organism collaboration had a lasting influence on the ensemble’s creative practice; Romano states: “the process of working with Rob enabled all Goldfield musicians to fully understand the role of a sound projectionist; we consider Rob a fellow chamber musician, not a technician.” It has become part of the established repertoire for Godman and Romano, and has been used as a workshop composition for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama [ 5.7].

Faraday Waves

This project brought the sheer beauty of this classic physics experiment to broad, non-specialist audiences, with figures in excess of 3,000 people. The first performance was at the prestigious Art & Science Days 2016 Concerts, Concours Bourges, a leading centre for the performance of electroacoustic music. Faraday Waves later toured five UK venues in 2016/17 as part of the 'Ritual in Transfigured Time' tour (Kate Romano and the Goldfield Ensemble), for which Godman designed and coded a unique performance system (total audience 735; funded by the Arts Council of England, RVW Trust and the Britten-Peers Trust). Audience feedback described “ an extraordinary and powerful work…it makes so much more sense to hear and watch it live”; “ I have never really understood Varese until I heard it in this context…” [ 5.10]. After initial performances at these niche, prestigious electroacoustic venues, Faraday Waves reached entirely different audiences through festival appearances in Italy, Greenwich and Bath (2017-2018), and more ‘mainstream’ music crowds in 2019 at the Noisily and WOMAD festivals (physics pavilion, c.2,100 visitors).

Educational impact was achieved through a tour of Cambridgeshire schools (720 pupils), which again went some way to removing the art/science division within learning and understanding. In this workshop, polyrhythms were demonstrated to children in KS1 and KS2 using hackable Scratch coding templates developed by Godman. Schools feedback stated: “ the children and adults all absolutely loved the show and learnt so much too… [it] exceeded all expectations”; “ the children were buzzing…I’ve never seen them so animated…” The Scratch template is available freely online; estimated take-up 200 [ 5.10].