Sandbox

Sandbox is a space in which project teams can take an experimental idea to working prototype over four months of rapid R&D. It is a great opportunity to experiment, explore and take risks.

Our teams are made up of academics and creative companies working together. Play Sandbox offers them:

  • A commission of £50,000. This breaks down into two chunks - a £10,000 R&D grant for the company and the rest for project costs, academic time and overheads
  • The opportunity to focus intensively on the development of new intellectual property
  • A community of peers working in a similar area to share progress, questions and contacts
  • A panel of leading industry advisers who help develop ideas and potential routes to market
  • A team of Young Coaches to test and feed back on prototypes
  • A business mentor to act as your project’s critical friend
  • PR, showcase and feedback events

We look for ideas with development potential, not market ready products or services.  Sandbox is for people who are experts in their field, people who have dabbled with digital technology and those who are completely new to it.

Sandbox was developed in 2008 by iShed, part of Watershed in Bristol. In 2011 REACT launched Heritage Sandbox which supported six projects exploring new experiences around heritage. Books & Print Sandbox supported eight collaborations, and Future Documentary Sandbox and Objects Sandbox each a further six.

Play will be REACT's fifth Sandbox.

Produced by iShed as part of the Sandbox Programme