@openarc
OpenARC, The Open University Arts & Humanities Research Centre, is the hub for research in the School of Arts and Humanities at The Open University. It hosts a broad range of research groups, and facilitates disciplinary and interdisciplinary research.
🔟 The History of Books & Reading (HOBAR) group explores the historical & cultural life of books and reading — from manuscript and print to digital cultures.
Including scholars & PGRs, HOBAR fosters interdisciplinary exchange through seminars & collaboration.
🔗 university.open.ac.uk/arts/researc...
9️⃣ The Health & Arts Research Group brings together researchers exploring the intersections of health, wellbeing, arts & creativity... Spanning literature, psychology, music, computing, nursing, visual history, business & more.
🔗 fass.open.ac.uk/research/gro...
Founded by Rosemary Golding.
8️⃣ Gender and Otherness in the Humanities (GOTH) is a research group exploring how gender and otherness shape culture across time and the Arts & Humanities.
Bringing together scholars in literature, history, music, theatre, art history, classical studies & more.
👉️ fass.open.ac.uk/research/cen...
OpenARC is the hub for Arts & Humanities research at The Open University, exploring what it means to be human and contributing to a more informed and culturally literate society. Follow for research insights & events:
🔗 www.linkedin.com/company/openarc-research-centre
🔗 bsky.app/profile/open...
🚨 New blog post! 🚨
Karen O'Brien-Kop and Suzanne Newcombe discuss how their new book Religion, Spirituality and Public Health explores entanglements of Truth, Public Healthy and #COVID19 in 'culture wars' between 'medicine' and 'alternatives'
www.open.ac.uk/blogs/religi...
@OU_FASS @RelMedCentre
7️⃣ The Film & Media Research Group brings together interdisciplinary scholars exploring audiovisual media - from film, sound and music to digital media, history, gender & cultural studies. Sharing ideas, research & industry insights across screen and media cultures.
🔗 fass.open.ac.uk/research/gro...
6️⃣The Ferguson Centre for Empire and Postcolonial Studies promotes interdisciplinary research into empire, postcolonial conditions and the histories, cultures and global diasporas of Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.
🔗 university.open.ac.uk/arts/researc...
Photo: Karl Hack
5️⃣Digital Humanities brings together scholars exploring the dynamic intersection of technology and the humanities. From digital archives & text analysis to virtual exhibitions, it investigates how digital methods can deepen our understanding of human culture.
🔗 university.open.ac.uk/arts/researc...
4️⃣ Creative Interactions Research Group explores the intersection of academic research & creative practice — connecting academics and creative practitioners across arts, humanities, social sciences & STEM.
🔗 fass.open.ac.uk/research/gro...
Image credit: Steve Johnson/Pexels
3️⃣ Contemporary Cultures of Writing (CCW) explores writing practices, their cultural contexts & impact — bringing together novelists, poets & life writers with scholars in Literature, Linguistics, English Language & Translation. Directors: Jennie Owen & Wanda O’Connor tinyurl.com/3929psa5
2️⃣ Centre for the History of Crime, Policing & Justice (History) explores criminal justice history in a global context — connecting historians, academics, policy-makers & practitioners.
Co-Directors: Rosalind Crone & Paul Lawrence
🔗 university.open.ac.uk/arts/researc...
5️⃣ The Digital Humanities research group explores the dynamic intersection of technology & the humanities, from digital archives & text analysis to virtual exhibitions & cultural heritage. The group shows how digital methods deepen & expand humanities research.
🔗 university.open.ac.uk/arts/researc...
Learn more via: www.openmaterialreligion.org
@shaftowheed.bsky.social
We'll post about our research groups over the next days, starting with...
1️⃣ Baron Thyssen Centre for the Study of Ancient Material Religion (Classical Studies) — exploring the material, visual & sensory worlds of Greek, Etruscan & Roman religions.
Director/Deputy: Jessica Hughes/Emma-Jayne Graham
👥Our 17 dynamic interdisciplinary research groups showcase the breadth of Arts & Humanities research — from established strengths to emerging areas shaping future inquiry.
🔗 fass.open.ac.uk/research/cen...
@shaftowheed.bsky.social @ou-ld-social.bsky.social @oulibrary.bsky.social
Call for papers!
INSCRIPTION 7 (out 2027) will be all about BLANKS. It will be (as ever) a BEAUTIFUL and MAXIMAL object.
Send us your ideas!
Historical / theoretical / creative / creative-critical -- or some strange blend.
First step: 400-word proposal + brief CV by 1 April 2026.
CFP attached.
"If we learn to read landscapes through art – as records, symbols and visions – we may discover that saving meadows is not only a scientific challenge, but also a cultural one" @vickybowskill.bsky.social @openarc.bsky.social
societal-challenges.open.ac.uk/blog/how-can...
💡 Happening today: External Funding Workshop (OpenARC)
📅 Monday 16 February 2026
⏰ 2–4PM | 💻 Online (Microsoft Teams)
OU colleagues at all career stages are warmly invited to this practical session on developing strong external funding bids.
📩 To register: FASS-Arts-Research-Centre@open.ac.uk
📢 GCSJ Seminar | 10 April | 12–1PM
Decolonisation as a Contested Practice: Evidence from The Open University
Speaker: Dr Shannon Martin
Opening: Prof Allan Laville
Exploring how decolonisation & anti-racism are understood and enacted across HE
🔗 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1982763523...
Studies in Arts, Migration and Aurality is back this term with an exciting programme of events, starting on Friday 13 February with a sensory ethnography workshop led by Ammar Azzouz. ✨
Find out more about the programme: https://bit.ly/4tos5mB
💡 External Funding Workshop (OpenARC) 🎨
📅 Monday 16 February 2026
⏰ 2PM–4PM
💻 Online via Microsoft Teams
OU colleagues at all career stages are warmly invited to join this practical workshop on developing successful external funding bids.
To register, email: FASS-Arts-Research-Centre@open.ac.uk
How can art help us protect floodplain meadows? I very much enjoyed scouring UK art collections for this online exhibition...
@openarc.bsky.social @artukdotorg.bsky.social @openartsjournal.bsky.social @openuniversity.bsky.social
Congratulations!
Historical black and white photograph of a policeman in uniform
2 of 17. The Centre for the History of Crime, Policing & Justice (History) promotes research in criminal justice history in a global context & generates the exchange of ideas between historians, policy-makers and practitioners. university.open.ac.uk/arts/researc...
1/17. The Baron Thyssen Centre for the Study of Ancient Material Religion (Classical Studies). The centre promotes research into the material, visual and other sensory aspects of Greek, Etruscan and Roman religions. @e-jgraham.bsky.social @chrissieplastow.bsky.social www.openmaterialreligion.org
The 17 dynamic interdisciplinary research groups and centres showcase the breadth of research within the School. These centres and groups reflect both established research strengths and our commitment to engaging with developing research areas in the Arts and Humanities.
Watch out for special call out about this at the OpenARC Festival of the Arts & Humanities on Tuesday 13 May! Congratulations to all three of you.
OpenARC provides funding and support for 17 research groups and centres in the School of Arts and Humanities. You can find out about them here: fass.open.ac.uk/schools/scho...
OpenARC is managed by a Director and Management Board with the help of a Centre manager and assistant. You can find about the people behind OpenARC here: fass.open.ac.uk/research/cen...
Webinars include a talk by the team that developed the OU's free course on Open Research, researchers using citizen science platforms to extend data collection, open book and journal publishing options, and talks on AI. All sessions are online and will be recorded.