University of Exeter opens new ‘Story Lab’ to showcase multimedia storytelling
The University of Exeter in collaboration with The Literary Platform presents an opening showcase of the university’s new Experiential Story Lab (ESL), a space for collaborative experimentation in how stories are designed, shared and experienced.
The curated evening – Slipstream – will highlight multimedia pieces published in The Lit Issue Seven, exploring multimedia storytelling, elemental themes and cross-disciplinary creativity — from immersive audio and poetic data visualisation to speculative design fiction and sensory memoir.
Professor Helen Berry, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, shared her thoughts on the Slipstream film, one of the featured works on display at the ESL event:
“A rare invitation to pause, reflect and contemplate the beauty of rivers and the natural world in our region through film and poetry – congratulations to everyone involved in the making of this short but evocative piece.”
All contributors are current or former University of Exeter academics or alumnae, reflecting the vibrant creative research culture of the institution. ESL supports practice-based research, knowledge exchange and live, immersive, digital, audio and site-responsive narrative experiences. ESL’s goal is to establish a space where partnership-working and experimentation flourish, to enable creative growth in the region.
Experience digitally via The Lit, The Literary Platform’s online literary journal.
Press enquiries and RSVP: [email protected]
Tickets available here.
“A rare invitation to pause, reflect and contemplate the beauty of rivers and the natural world in our region through film and poetry - congratulations to everyone involved in the making of this short but evocative piece.”
Professor Helen Berry, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at University of Exeter
Featured Works
Slipstream by Polly Card and Anna Kiernan
A short film exploring grief, Greek myths and bodies of water. Filmed at Respryn Bridge in Cornwall, created by Dr Polly Card in collaboration with Dr Anna Kiernan, with an original score by Inigo Scott.
Mires, ears, entrancements: Immersive literary audio as eco-activism by Ellen Wiles‘
A journey through the portal of a springline mire exploring storytelling, science, audio and immersive experience.
Flight Diaries by Richard Carter
An interactive digital piece visualising GPS-tracked gliding flights over York. By Dr Richard Carter, researcher and digital artist.
Fragments of Beijing by Yandi Wang
A sensory narrative of childhood in 1970s–80s Beijing, interwoven with original paintings and drawings.
Don’t Get Carried Away by Joskaudė Pakalkaitė
Three monochromatic illustrated narratives — Yoshi Phone, Birds comic, and Shapie — exploring speculative user interface innovations through design fiction and literary practice.
Event details
Thursday 23 October 2025, 5.30–7.00pm
Old St Leonard’s Hall, St Leonard’s Road, Exeter EX2 4HD
Contributors
Hazel Beevers – Co-Director of The Literary Platform, Exeter alumna, and creative consultant.
Dr Polly Card – Filmmaker and researcher exploring feminist ecologies and experimental narrative forms.
Dr Richard Carter – Digital artist and researcher specialising in data visualisation and interactive storytelling.
Dr Anna Kiernan – Associate Professor of Creativity and Literary Culture, and Co-Director of The Literary Platform.
Joskaudė Pakalkaitė – PhD researcher whose work combines design fiction, speculative interfaces, and hand-drawn illustration.
Dr Yandi Wang – Researcher, writer and visual artist, reflecting on memory, identity and cross-cultural experience within contemporary global social and artistic narratives.
Dr Ellen Wiles – Novelist, academic and former barrister working across literature, performance and audio.
Thanks to the CDF tech team to FASS for seed funding, to Venn Creative for website creative direction and build, and OSLH for hosting.