Creative Experience Lab London (CELL) is a dynamic, cross-sector partnership dedicated to driving innovation in the design and delivery of creative experiences.
Jointly led by Loughborough University London and University College London (UCL), CELL aims to become a leading hub for creative experience research and development.
By bringing together world-class research, creative practice and industry collaboration, CELL fosters experimentation and the exploration of innovative models for audience engagement and participation.
Catalyst for innovation in East London
Our home is at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London, one of Europe’s fastest-growing hubs for tech, culture and creative enterprise.
We’re part of a unique ecosystem of major cultural institutions, leading universities, pioneering creative and technology enterprises, diverse local communities, and state of the art venues, supported by long-term public investment and strategic partnerships across the park.
Our partners span disciplines and sectors, from immersive fashion and dance to heritage, storytelling, theatre and interactive games.
These partnerships help us connect culture, education, technology and community to create lasting impact.
Mission and vision
At CELL we prototype, test and scale breakthrough creative experiences at the intersection of live and virtual realms.
We exist to:
Apply cutting-edge technologies in AI, immersive, haptics and robotics to develop new forms of creative experience across live and virtual realms.
Experiment with new formats, audience participation approaches, business and funding models to support a sustainable, thriving experience economy of the future.
Co-create our ideas with diverse local communities and enable place-based activation to test and showcase new experiences.
Support groundbreaking research on creative, technology, behaviour, neuroscience, market and innovation aspects of the experience economy.
Support the development of skills to underpin innovation in the experience economy, across technology, creative, business, innovation and social domains.
Our work so far
Creative Experience Futures Lab January 2026
Building on an ambitious pilot phase, CELL has already supported prototype collaborations including AI-enabled heritage tools, multi-site performance formats and interactive virtual environments.
Through a series of Labs, we bring together academics, industry and community partners to explore ideas, leading to commissioned projects that demonstrate how our R&D opportunities can expand artistic expression anddeepen audience engagement.
They additionally generate evidence that informs research agendas, business innovation and the development of new products and services.
Next phase: A physical lab for collaboration
Our next phase includes the development of a dedicated physical lab on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
This facility will house specialist equipment and flexible spaces, providing an enabling infrastructure for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation across the wider park.
Developed with partners and informed by community input, it will provide a unique resource for researchers, creatives and organisations seeking to explore the future of experience-led innovation within local, national and international contexts.
CELL project gallery
“Room Where It Happens” – a project involving The Yard Theatre, University of East London, London College of Fashion and UCL
“Room Where It Happens” – a project involving The Yard Theatre, University of East London, London College of Fashion and UCL
“East End Edit” – a project involving Indigo Storm, LLDC Elevate, London College of Fashion, UCL
“East End Edit” – a project involving Indigo Storm, LLDC Elevate, London College of Fashion, UCL
Close
