Marine Culture

Arts and humanities research around the marine environment

The marine realm has had a profound impact on the development of human society and continues to stimulate creativity across the full spectrum of human expression. Marine Cultures is a key theme of the Arts & Culture Programme at the University of Plymouth, which aims to share knowledge and understanding about art and culture in ways that are inclusive, life affirming, challenging, informative and enjoyable.

Land/Water and the Visual Arts

Land/Water consists of artists, writers and curators who embrace a diversity of creative and critical practices. As a research group it operates as a forum for interrogation of nature and culture, aesthetics and representation. We generate work that addresses a range of issues. These include environmental change, sustainability, journey, site and regional specificity.

Photography with the School of Art and Media

Maritime history

Plymouth with its historic links to the voyages of discovery, the founding of the new world, and the development of the Royal Navy, provides a unique perspective from which to connect with this global marine history. Maritime and naval history offers a means to explore these connections on both a global and a regional basis. The Maritime History Research Group provides a focus for work in this area at the University and beyond. Contact Dr Harry Bennett or Dr Elaine Murphy

Artists in Residence

The Marine Institute hosts several artists in residence that contribute to the cultural impact of our work:

Rosie Sherwood (Artist in Residence)
Dr Alexis Kirke (Composer in Residence)
Caroline Carver (Poet in Residence)
Sue Austin (Artist in Residence)

Woman in wheelchair with diving equipment underwater over coral reef

Institute of Digital Art and Technology (iDAT)

i-DAT is an Open Research Lab for playful experimentation with creative technology.

We co-create and share technological prototypes and practices, that push and challenge the boundaries of digital arts and creative media practice. Our main focus is on making ‘data’ tangible, playable and readily available as a material, to generate new meaning and inform participation, audience engagement and innovation in the arts.