Four new digital artist commissions for 2025 are announced

Two will support emerging artists, while two will see more established artists delving into folklore and surrealism. All these works will engage with and reinterpret gaps within The Box's moving image collection, creating fresh perspectives and uncovering new narratives.

All four commissions form part of Reimagining the Film Archive (RtFA), a three-year programme (2023–2026) funded by the BFI and National Lottery Heritage Fund. The programme is giving The Box the opportunity to investigate and expand the possibilities of its archive, offering people new ways to interact with it and challenge conventional notions of archival storytelling. It’s a journey that began last year, when The Box commissioned Imperfect Cinema to create Repository, a visually stunning, multi-screen film that reimagines what an archive can be. The 2025 commissions will take things another step further.

A fresh approach to archival exploration

The RtFA programme isn’t just about preserving the past; it's also about creating a dynamic future for the archive. By working with artists and filmmakers, The Box is able to provide new insights into regional life, societal change and cultural representation.

RtFA is dedicated to decolonising the moving image collection by confronting the historical biases that have long shaped cultural narratives. Much of history, including the stories held within archives, has been told from the perspective of privilege, often sidelining, overlooking or erasing the voices of marginalised and oppressed communities.

Tyler Mellins and Libby Bove have each been commissioned to create digital works that engage with the themes of folklore and surrealism. They’ll be showcased in The Box’s Media Lab during the John Lyons: Carnivalesque and Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes exhibitions in 2025.

Emerging artists, Arun Sood and Megan Roberts will contribute their own unique interpretations of the moving image collection. They’ll interpret it through the lens of power and class to coincide with the Osman Yousefzada - When will we be good enough? exhibition (until 9 March).

All four commissions provide invaluable opportunities for the artists to engage with one of the UK’s largest regional film and television archives, supported by the expertise of The Box’s team.

The future of archival practice

RtFA represents a systemic shift in how we approach archival work. By collaborating with artists and filmmakers, we aim to make the archive more resilient and sustainable through greater diversity inclusivity, and relevance to contemporary society. The Box’s film archive offers a treasure trove of regional stories, offering a window into how attitudes and lives have changed over time. Our digital commissions are a key part of this ongoing effort to create meaningful connections between the archive and the present day.

The RtFA programme is made possible with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the BFI Screen Heritage Fund.