Sussex Digital Humanities Lab programme 2026-27
By: Elena Dennison
Last updated: Friday, 30 October 2026
The Sussex Digital Humanities Lab has an exciting programme of events and opportunities lined up for 2026-27, bringing together researchers, students, practitioners and creative makers from across the University and beyond. Whether you're looking to develop new digital skills for your research, connect with collaborators, explore emerging ideas, experiment with creative technologies, or simply find dedicated time to write, there's something for everyone. From our termly Research Forums and Digital Methods Accelerator workshops to hands-on Critical and Creative Making sessions, PhD-led events and SHL Week, the Lab continues to provide a welcoming space to explore the intersections of digital technology, research, creativity and society.
Research Forum
The Research Forum is a dynamic space for sharing ideas, finding collaborators, testing new concepts, and building future research opportunities. Bring your early-stage concepts and explore potential collaborations. Whether you are developing a project, preparing a funding bid, or exploring an emerging idea, the forum offers a supportive environment for discussion and feedback. At each session, three or more speakers will showcase research at different stages: Work in Progress; Funding and Bid Development; and New Ideas and Future Directions.
Digital Methods Accelerator
The Digital Method Accelerator workshops are free and open to all Sussex staff and PGR students. It is part of the Sussex Digital Humanities Lab ongoing initiatives to build digital skills and methods capacity across the humanities and social sciences. As such, it is expected the core participants to be media, arts, humanities, and social sciences researchers who want to sharpen their digital methods skills and engage critically with the fast-changing landscape of AI and digital tools. However, these sessions are open to all staff and PGR communities. No previous specialist knowledge required.
Critical and Creative Making workshops
The CCM workshops series fosters critical, creative, and collaborative skills including creative and critical making, coding, decolonial methods, maker/hacking, media archaeology, creative practice, skill share, and co-design. They are hands-on critical exploration and interrogation of selected technologies. Exploring the ideas, methodologies, histories, cultural contexts, aesthetics, and ideologies that surround them and are embedded in them. Including: Introduction to Soldering; 3D printing; Synth and Analogue Filter building; DYI signal processing; and more.
PhD Community Advocates programme
Each year our PhD community advocates work together to imagine, plan, and deliver a series of research or social events that nourish SHL Digital’s research environment. These include research exchange seminars, coffee mornings, readings groups, and culminate in a PhD Research Symposium during SHL week in June. This years’ proposed topic is Digital and Data Futures.
SHL Week June 2027
An exciting mix of artistic practice, academic discussion, and public engagement SHL Week offers an interdisciplinary programme of events by the Sussex Digital Humanities Lab diverse community of practice. Part of the wider annual Sussex Summer of Research programme, SHL Week is open to anyone interested in exploring pressing questions at the intersection of digital technology, knowledge, and society. This year SHL Week will include an exciting Annual Keynote (to be revealed soon!), a PhD community research symposium and a poster exhibition in the lab showcasing work from the lab’s diverse community of practice.
Writing Hub
The last Thursday of the month*, the lab becomes a retreat for researchers to get together and write in company. An oasis of calm and creativity, the Writing Hub offers a quite space, with healthy snacks and plenty of hot drinks to keep you nourished during the day. There usually are experienced colleagues at hand with bid writing and other writing experience to answer questions and share good practice (break room available). No need to book, just bring your laptop and cosy up with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, or if weather allows let nature inspire you and write plein-air on the lab’s garden tables. *except holidays and minimum service days.
In addition to all this we run “work in progress” seminars, book presentations, music performance and experimentation, and more. Visit our What’s On page for more details and how to participate in our exciting 2026-27 programme.