Five new projects have secured funding through the £7m fund which backs bright ideas using digital technology to increase participation in the arts.

The £7m Digital R&D Fund for the Arts was launched by Nesta, Arts Council England and Arts and Humanities Research Council to back bright ideas which use digital technology to increase participation in the arts.

The fund specifically backs collaborations between arts organisations, technology providers and researchers, which explore new business models or help arts projects reach new audiences.

Here's a look at our five latest awardees:

  • Circus Starr (pictured above) a 'circus with a purpose', is creating a mobile app aimed at opening up the arts to children with autism, by helping them understand arts events and alleviating fears of the unknown.
  • artsdepot, a new arts venue in North London, is launching a 'Silver Service' digital membership scheme aiming to increase participation in the arts among the over-65s.
  • Extant, a performing arts company created by a group of visually impaired artists, is developing an 'immersive installation' - including new devices which respond to touch - aiming to break down barriers between how visually impaired and sighted people experience the arts.
  • Interactive theatre-maker Coney is creating an online platform offering new ways for people at home to participate in live shows.
  • Dance Agency Yorkshire Dance is building a responsive web platform to encourage more people to get involved in contemporary dance.

The fund is also supporting Qualia, a new mobile app launched by Cheltenham Festivals to help evaluate arts and cultural events.

Since its launch in 2012, the Digital R&D Fund for the Arts has backed 24 digital projects, ranging from Nottingham City Museum's augmented reality mobile app to Script's project which is testing the commercial viability of mobile apps as an album format.

To find out more, search for potential project partners or apply for funding, visit the Digital R&D Fund for the Arts.