MusicFutures Future Live Fan Experiences

We are interested in innovative solutions that demonstrate how emerging technologies can transform fan experiences. Example project areas include:

– Immersive & extended reality (XR) experiences enabled by high-capacity 5G. 

– AI & XR driven audience participation (real-time feedback, adaptive content, personalised experiences).

– Novel approaches to fan engagement and fan co-creation before, during and after the events.

– Operational innovation (safety, inclusivity, customer experience) that enhances the overall event journey.

– Scalable participatory technologies that work across both medium venues and large-scale arenas.

– Democratic and accessible workflows that utilise markerless, low-cost systems or tools designed for non-programmers to ensure scalability and wider accessibility.

– Exploring the end-to-end event journey (pre-purchase, build up, in-show, post-show).

– Solutions for distributed and hybrid in person and remote live experiences.

– Prototyping  multi-platform distribution models (e.g., targeting younger audiences via gaming platforms).

Successful applicants will receive:

– Financial Resources: Up to £25K per project to support R&D activity (SME-led projects funded by MusicFutures will be at £25K at 100% of project costs).

– Access to creative and technical support: Through XR Network+ and MusicFutures’ teams.

– Use of testbeds: Real world venue testing opportunities, including cutting-edge high-bandwidth 5G OpenRAN connectivity at Liverpool Experience Campus.

– Collaborative environments: Access to researchers, industry mentors, and event operators / promoters.

– Visibility: Potential connections with global cultural events and industry leaders.

Impact: Opportunity to shape the future of live experiences and contribute to Liverpool’s position as a global beacon for creative innovation.

The Challenge is open to companies, creative industry innovators, researchers and research technicians, and technology developers. 

Collaborations across industry and academia are encouraged.

SME-led projects (MusicFutures funded)

– Project leads must be a UK registered company.

– In addition, SME project leads must be registered, or significantly based, in the Liverpool City Region  and have a project idea focused on music fan experiences. Project funding will be administered by University of Liverpool through subgrant agreement.

– SME Projects are funded at 100% of project costs, inclusive of VAT, including labour (staff), materials, subcontractors, equipment and other costs

• Equipment costs — maximum of 20% of project grant for equipment and capital purchase costs.
• Subcontracting— up to 70% maximum subcontracting costs, with a maximum 30% outside of Liverpool City Region
• We are keen to see projects that demonstrate additional co-investment/in kind contributions at application stage. Ideally 1:1. 

– Projects must comply with Minimal Financial Assistance subsidy controls, meaning that your organisation must fall within the £315K limit over 3 years, please refer to Subsidy Control Act 2022 for more information. 

– Projects should demonstrate social value across environmental sustainability and inclusivity. 

All projects (Academic and SME)

– Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to deliver R&D projects that can be prototyped and tested within the programme timeframe.

– All project costings must be signed off by an appropriate line manager or academic supervisor.

– Standard ethical procedures and approvals at the applicant’s institution must be followed.

Activities ineligible for funding

– Procurement of new capital equipment is limited to 20% of total costs for SME led projects.

– Production expenses unrelated to R&D.

– Projects primarily aimed at university teaching or curriculum development.

– 13 April 2026 – Call Opens

– 22nd April 2026 – Funding Call Q&A Webinar

– 29 May 2026 (1.00pm GMT) – Call Deadline

– July 2026 – Selected Applicants Notified

– 1st October 2026 – Project Start Date

– 31st March 2027 (duration 6 months) – Project End Date

Applicants must complete and submit the application form and supporting documents by 1.00pm BST on 29th May 2026.

Required submission documents include:

– Application form.

– Additional supporting information (i.e. pitch decks etc).

Links to all resources and the submission portal can also be found on the Current open calls page of the XR Network+ website, and the MusicFutures website under the Opportunities Section and Key Information Tab of selected funding call.

A transcript of questions from attendees at the Future Live Fan Experiences R&D Challenge information webinar on 22 April, with responses from the following representatives from XR Network+ and MusicFutures:

• John Rose-Adams, Associate Director Research, Development and Innovation, XR Stories and XR Network+
• Pete Woodbridge, Creative Technologist and Director of Innovation, MusicFutures
• Damian Murphy, Director XR Stories and XR Network+

1. Are submissions to the music futures stream expected to work with universities as well?

It’s not a requirement but it is something we sometimes like to see. You don’t have to cost in a university partner but you can.

2. Can the industry partners be non-UK based?

For XR Network+ we’re interested in seeing what the lead university sees as being the right team to deliver their project aims. If there is good justification for an international partner and that can be managed by the lead university then that’s OK.

A few of our other XR Network+ funded projects have had an international connection/partner. It’s all about the lead university partner and what they need to deliver that project. If it’s viable, can be managed by the lead institution, with clear deliverables that fit the call then they can deliver with a non-UK based industry partner.

For MusicFutures, there’s guidelines on the subcontracting number and they are more restrictive about allowing non-UK partners. However, if that is the instance, please get in touch with the MusicFutures team to talk about your circumstances directly. We understand that sometimes to make something you need to be building with a certain partner but we would need to enquire further about specific details to see if we could make it eligible.

3. For the university-led call – how ‘elastic’ is your definition of a cultural event? As in, would an application that built audience/fan experience around the launch of a novel be in scope?

Yes, as long as you focus on the criteria and the live event is the key thing. If the launch involves bringing people together for a live experience and doesn’t stray too far from the touchpoints given in the R&D Challenge guidance document – large scale venues, places and spaces – that’s not going to exclude you because it’s a live fan type experience.

There will be a full calendar of events happening at the Liverpool Experience Arena (LEX) during the timeline of the R&D Challenge projects. It might be that we can tie in specific demo opportunities with events relevant to projects (for example, Comic Con).

4. Would we be able to partner with CoStar Live Lab as part of this bid? As they are both by the University of York?

CoSTAR is a network of five labs around the UK funded by the UKRI Infrastructure Fund and each led by a UK University partner:

• CoSTAR Live Lab is led by the University of York.
• CoSTAR Realtime Lab is led by Abertay University
• CoSTAR Screen is led by Ulster University
• The National Lab is in led by Royal Holloway London
• CoSTAR Foresight Lab is led by Goldsmiths University of London

If you wanted to partner with the CoSTAR Live Lab then that would be welcomed. If Live Lab was leading the project then it would be a University of York bid and that’s fine. We have fielded applications led by the University of York in previous calls. It’s also fine if CoSTAR Live Lab is a junior partner on someone else’s bid.

5. If the SME is not based in Liverpool but the project partners with venues in Liverpool would it still be eligible and able to lead a submission?

The lead applicant needs to be from the Liverpool City Region so in that situation we’d be keen to see you looking to encourage the Liverpool partner to put in as the lead and shape the project in a different way so that it is eligible.

6. Can your event be part of an ongoing three to five year project plan to scale from a small 200 capacity space and move up to 500, then 1,000 capacity onwards?

Yes, and we encourage prototypes to be thinking that way. Just make sure that within the six month project window that there’s a clear outcome of the overall journey of the idea.

7. Can the Liverpool Experience Campus be a lead partner given the role they have in the project?

No, the Liverpool Experience Campus (LEX) cannot be the lead partner in a project because they are the challenge partner. It might be that you are working with a promoter that works with the LEX and so if that’s the case, have a think about different ways to structure the project.

For the XR Network+ projects, there’s no requirement to pitch a project that works with the LEX. If you’ve got a project that you think would work well in the context of LEX then please get in touch to talk to us about that, but it’s not a necessary requirement.

For MusicFutures projects, we’re interested in projects that use LEX as a testbed. It doesn’t have to be the end point but we’re opening up the space as a place to test something that might scale into other venues in the future. It’s really about thinking about these medium to large venues and what they might need in the future.

8. I’m working with a musician on a multidisciplinary experience which creates space and prompts for audiences to connect with each other at live music events. It involves digital art works but is not primarily tech-led as a whole. How important is a tech focus to this fund, and would more analogue approaches to future fan experiences be eligible?

XR Network+ is very much a technology focused programme of funding and support so this project wouldn’t be appropriate for XR Network+ funding. The Future Live Fan Experience R&D Challenge is about R&D and innovation and so if it’s something you could do now without going through the R&D process to create something novel then it’s probably not eligible for this funding.

Projects must make use of new technologies and be innovative, although projects can include elements that are not technology-driven. If you’re doing something really interesting about participation, perhaps have a think about how you frame it in terms of innovation and R&D.

9. Are submissions able to further develop previous R&D funded by other ‘clusters’? Or should it be a completely fresh idea?

That would be possible. All projects and R&D have something of a life before and after but we would welcome within your application a clear articulation on what has been done to date, what has been learned and how this idea is substantially the next step. If it’s the same project, the same objectives and the same outcomes, that’s not likely to be something we can fund.

10. Will you be perhaps pushing collaborators together that can work… ie I have a space, they have an idea… combine… many standalone ideas might find partners while applying for the fund?

We often field this question but bringing partners together would also be moving away from our ability to independently award and support projects and so we don’t do it. It also isn’t practical within the remaining application period for the R&D Challenge.

11. For the R&D fund, is the output expected to be an event at scale or can the prototype be employed in smaller events and its scalability demonstrated through the project outcomes?

Yes, whatever scale you feel is appropriate to test is fine. We appreciate that a full blown production can add a lot of costs so whatever you feel is appropriate. Having that eye to scalability is also very useful. If it is a small scale test – which most are – how can you extrapolate that onto a larger venue scale test.

Access the slides presented at the information webinar.