Immersive Manchester Presents: Pioneers in XR — Building Community Around Creative Technology

Immersive Manchester Pioneers in XR: Why We Created the Event

In June 2023, I created and organised Immersive Manchester Presents: Pioneers in XR, an event designed to bring together researchers, creatives, technologists, and producers working across virtual, augmented, and extended reality.

The aim wasn’t to showcase products or promote platforms, but to create space for open conversation about practice: how immersive technologies are being explored, challenged, and applied across research, culture, and creative industries in Greater Manchester and beyond.

Looking back, the event reflects a wider thread running through my work, using technology as a catalyst for connection, storytelling, and shared learning rather than as an end in itself.

Speaker Emma Nuttall University of Salford

Keith Myers Speaker from AVimmerse

Dr Maria Stukoff University of Salford

HOST Salford building

Lucy Hammond

Professor Andy Miah Salford University

Why We Created Pioneers in XR

Immersive Manchester was set up to support a growing but fragmented creative technology ecosystem, one where universities, independent studios, artists, and cultural organisations were often working in parallel rather than together.

Pioneers in XR was created to:

• Surface real-world practice rather than hype.

• Share lessons learned from active projects.

• Encourage collaboration across disciplines.

• Strengthen local networks around immersive media.

By keeping the format informal and discussion led, the event prioritised exchange over performance.

Speakers & Contributions

The event brought together voices from across research, creative practice, and policy, including:

• Dr Maria Stukoff (University of Salford), opening the evening and situating the event within the region’s research and innovation landscape.

• Keith Myers (AVimmerse), exploring future audiences, creative practice, and emerging trends in XR.

• Professor Andy Miah, discussing Salford’s ambitions around immersive technology, innovation, and place.

The Pioneers in XR panel featured:

• Lucy Hammond.

• Emma Nutall.

• Caroline White.

Together, the speakers represented a broad cross-section of immersive practice, from academic research to applied creative work, reinforcing the value of cross-sector dialogue.

Speakers & Perspectives

The evening featured a range of speakers working across different parts of the immersive landscape, from research-led exploration to applied XR projects and creative experimentation.

Rather than focusing on a single technology or trend, the programme highlighted the diversity of approaches emerging from the region, reinforcing the idea that immersive practice isn’t one thing, but many, shaped by context, audience, and intent.

Strong participation from universities and research institutions also underscored the role higher education continues to play in shaping the future of immersive media.

Community Beyond the Stage

While the talks provided structure, some of the most valuable moments happened in conversation, before, between, and after sessions.

Creating space for informal exchange was intentional. These conversations often lead to:

• New collaborations.

• Shared problem-solving.

• Longer-term partnerships.

• A stronger sense of community.

This emphasis on connection over consumption has since become central to how I approach projects, events, and partnerships.

How This Connects to My Work Today

Organising Pioneers in XR reinforced a direction that has since become more defined in my work: focusing on story-led, place-based, and people-centred uses of technology.

That thinking now underpins projects across:

• Immersive heritage and archaeology.

• Community storytelling and engagement.

• Education-focused digital experiences.

• Reflective documentation through film and media.

Events like this weren’t isolated moments, they helped shape a longer-term approach grounded in purpose, accessibility, and impact.

That thinking now underpins projects across immersive heritage and archaeology, community storytelling, and education-focused digital experiences.

Why Events Like This Still Matter

As immersive technologies mature, the need for thoughtful, community-led spaces becomes more important, not less.

Pioneers in XR wasn’t about predicting the future. It was about creating room to reflect on the present, share experiences honestly, and support a regional ecosystem built on collaboration rather than novelty.

That ethos continues to inform how I think about immersive technology today.