Audience of the Future was launched in 2018 to support the development of new immersive experiences and technologies across the creative sector. The programme brought together businesses, researchers and cultural organisations through major Demonstrator projects, R&D funding and the National Centre for Immersive Storytelling.

By its conclusion, it had involved 128 organisations and supported the development of new immersive products, services and skills.

BOP and Technopolis evaluated the programme from its initial baseline through to its final assessment, looking not only at what happened within individual projects but at how the UK immersive sector was developing around them. This included mapping the sector’s businesses and workforce, tracking investment and international markets, and combining programme data with surveys, interviews, case studies and industry research.

The evaluation showed how targeted investment could accelerate the development of creative innovation, providing UKRI a clearer understanding of what works, and how future programmes can be designed and delivered.