Applications open for pioneering PhD programme to diversify talent in the screen industries
Through regional partnerships and live collaborations with industry organisations, the programme aims to model new ways for universities and creative sectors to work together on shared challenges
Applications are now open for Creative Bridges, a major new AHRC-funded doctoral training programme from the University of Leeds and the University of Warwick designed to expand and diversify the next generation of researchers in the screen industries.
The programme, which will fund 20 fully funded PhD scholarships, focuses on two urgent sector challenges: sustainability and diversity. Building on established screen media clusters in Yorkshire and the Midlands, Creative Bridges will connect doctoral researchers with partners across film, television, games and immersive media, equipping them to work across academic and industry settings.
A distinctive feature of this year’s recruitment round is a suite of widening-participation measures developed by Professor Anamik Saha (School of Media and Communication, University of Leeds) and Liam Carson (Postgraduate Diversity Lead Officer for PGR Contextual Admissions at the University of Leeds). These include a new advocacy programme, which provides every applicant with the opportunity to be paired with an academic advocate from Leeds or Warwick who can guide them through the application process.
There will also be a number of ringfenced studentships for those with protected characteristics.
Professor Joanne Garde-Hansen, Head of the School of Media and Communication and Academic Lead for Creative Bridges at Leeds, said:
“Creative Bridges is not only an ambitious research training programme – it’s an invitation to people who may never have seen themselves represented in the screen industries or in academia. By integrating pioneering widening-participation tools into the recruitment process, we want to open doors to applicants from a broader range of backgrounds and ensure that talent, curiosity and commitment are what matter most.
“This is an opportunity to shape the future of screen culture in ways that are both inclusive and sustainable, and we are excited to support applicants every step of the way.”
Dr David Wright, Director of Graduate Studies in the Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies and Academic Lead for Creative Bridges at Warwick, said:
“The screen industries urgently need researchers who bring new perspectives, new experiences and new ideas to address the challenges of sustainability and diversity. Creative Bridges has been designed to meet that need.
“Our advocacy programme is a significant step forward in widening who feels able to apply for doctoral study, and in helping applicants make informed, well-supported decisions about their futures. We hope many will take up the opportunity.”
Creative Bridges runs from 2026 to 2033 and is funded by a prestigious Doctoral Focal Award from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which supports areas of strategic importance across the arts and humanities.
Through regional partnerships and live collaborations with industry organisations, the programme aims to model new ways for universities and creative sectors to work together on shared challenges.
Applications are open now and close on 20 April, 2026.
