BCU awarded £1.4 million to preserve the sounds of England’s East Coast
PRESS RELEASE
From foghorns to wildlife, a new research project from Birmingham City University (BCU) and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) will look to preserve, reconstruct, and understand the soundscapes of the East Coast of England.
Backed by £1.4 million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and its Future Leaders Fellowship scheme, the study will cover three key sites: the Aldeburgh coast, the Northumberland coast, and Seaton Delaval.
“This project - spanning musicology, composition, computer science, landscape architecture, geography and heritage - is testament to the broad expertise at BCU and RBC, and our growing profile in sound heritage research,” said Project Lead Dr Joanna Bullivant.
Titled ‘Sonic heritage and environmental change on England’s East Coast, 1718-present', the project also involves the University of Oxford, Manchester Metropolitan University, the National Trust, and Suffolk Archives.
“Being able to collaborate with highly regarded institutions and organisations will add great value to the project and ensure local communities have a voice in this research whilst preserving national heritage,” added Dr Bullivant, a Music Lecturer at RBC.
“This funding will also allow us to develop sound heritage as an emerging research area and be leaders in this discipline, potentially using this project as a model for the curation of sound heritage more widely.”
Professor Daniel Grimley FBA, Head of Humanities at the University of Oxford, said: “I am absolutely thrilled by this award, which our partnership with the National Trust has helped to incubate.
“Dr Bullivant’s project will have a truly transformative effect upon the way we understand the relationship between music, sound, heritage curation and climate change.”
The teams will use cutting-edge technology - including 3D modelling, virtual reality, and digital scanning - to reconstruct sounds, while working with heritage and community groups, as well as schools, to deliver workshops and performances.
Professor Hanifa Shah, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Enterprise, Engagement and STEAM at BCU, said “This is an exciting opportunity for BCU’s research to have an impact outside of Birmingham whilst ensuring community and heritage remains at the heart.
“As part of BCU’s Strategy 2030, we’re committed to Creating Knowledge for Good. We’re proud that this project will help the public better understand the area’s cultural heritage and the impact on environmental change.”
UKRI’s Future Leaders Fellowship scheme has awarded a total of £120 million to 77 early-career researchers.
Professor Sir Ian Chapman, UKRI’s Chief Executive, said: “UKRI’s Future Leaders Fellowships offer long-term support to outstanding researchers, helping them turn bold ideas into innovations that improve lives and livelihoods in the UK and beyond.
“These fellowships continue to drive excellence and accelerate the journey from discovery to public benefit. I wish them every success.”
Issued by Birmingham City University Press Office.
Email: press@bcu.ac.uk Tel: 0121 331 6738
Joanna Bullivant image credit: BCU
Aldeburgh and Northumberland Coast images credit: Getty Images
About Birmingham City University
From art, accounting and architecture to midwifery, media and mechanical engineering, BCU transforms the lives of its students by offering a wide range of contemporary and flexible courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Home to the award-winning School of Jewellery, the internationally renowned Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and the innovative centre STEAMhouse, BCU has a history stretching back to 1843. It is also focused on the future, with its new strategy – ‘Rooted in Birmingham, Reaching Beyond’ - committed to the regeneration of the city and to enhancing communities across the West Midlands.
From art, accounting and architecture to midwifery, media and mechanical engineering, BCU transforms the lives of its students by offering a wide range of contemporary and flexible courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Home to the award-winning School of Jewellery, the internationally renowned Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and the innovative centre STEAMhouse, BCU has a history stretching back to 1843. It is also focused on the future, with its new strategy – ‘Rooted in Birmingham, Reaching Beyond’ - committed to the regeneration of the city and to enhancing communities across the West Midlands.
With a history dating back to 1859, the Conservatoire has a longstanding reputation for producing high calibre graduates who fulfil their creative and professional aspirations. Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s £57 million building is located on our City Centre Campus and is home to our music courses as well as the Bradshaw Hall and Eastside Jazz Club. The multi-million-pound teaching and performance facility is the first of its kind, offering a perfect fusion of traditional and contemporary styles.
About University of Oxford
Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the ninth year running, and number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer.
Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.
Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 300 new companies since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past five years. The university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the United Kingdom, contributing around £16.9 billion to the UK economy in 2021/22, and supports more than 90,400 full time jobs.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK, investing £8 billion annually spanning all disciplines and all sectors. We are nine councils, drawing on our unique breadth and depth of expertise to work with government and other stakeholders to enrich lives, by increasing our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, supporting innovative businesses and public services, and creating high-quality jobs throughout the UK.
