UCL And Loughborough University London Launch Creative Experience Hub On Olympic Park

Driving growth in UK's experience economy

The Creative Experience Lab London (CELL) will develop, prototype and pilot breakthrough ideas, products and services at the intersection of creativity, culture and technology. Cross-sector, interdisciplinary teams will work together to apply advanced tools like AI, immersive and multiverse technologies, haptics and robotics in live experience sectors-performance, art, heritage, architecture, the built environment, leisure, sport and retail. These new, cutting-edge experiences will support growth of the UK's £134 billion experience economy and £124 billion creative industries, as well as London's creative and experience sectors that are key priorities in the London Growth Plan.

A world-class ecosystem for innovation

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is uniquely positioned to support a leading innovation base in creative experience. It sits within one of Europe's fastest-growing creative, business and tech clusters, underpinned by the Mayor of London's £1.1 billion East Bank investment and the exceptional creativity of East London's communities and entrepreneurs.

This unparalleled ecosystem combines cutting-edge facilities, diverse talent, world-renowned cultural institutions at the East Bank partnership including V&A East, the BBC and Sadler's Wells with technology and creative sector pioneers. With large scale experience, culture and leisure facilities and venues and world-class researchers at UCL, London College of Fashion, UAL and Loughborough University London, this offers an ideal launchpad for new ideas, services and businesses.

Partnership at scale

Over 15 partners have already joined forces with UCL and Loughborough University London, including Here East, V&A East, London College of Fashion, UAL, University of East London, London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) Elevate Board, The Yard Theatre, Sadler's Wells, 1UP Studios, Alexander Whitley Dance Company, Untold Garden, East London Dance and others.

They've been working together on a living testbed for next-generation experiences, with local communities and young people actively shaping the agenda. Further partners, from global industry leaders to cultural icons to grass-roots community organisations to pioneering SMEs, will join the programme as it develops.

Kristina Glushkova, Programme Director (UCL), said: "It's exciting to see real momentum building for an innovation hub at the Olympic Park. Here we have an entirely unique ecosystem that supports deep, genuine cross-sector collaboration - and our pilot has already shown what's possible. We would love to hear from creative and experience industry organisations who'd like to help us shape our vision and plans and explore partnership opportunities."