Invitation to contribute to creative research data exhibition

'Data as a Story' is an upcoming exhibition (April 2026) at LJMU celebrating the range and diversity of research data.

This exhibition aims to explore how data — in its many forms — can be represented creatively through formats like posters, podcasts, zines, music, photographs, drawings, telescope images, graphs, charts, samples, and more. It highlights the potential of data to tell compelling stories and spark curiosity.

Make a submission for the exhibition by 6 February

We’re inviting researchers and postgraduate researchers (PGRs) from across the university to reflect on the richness of their data — from a striking satellite image to a beautifully messy lab notebook page, or a reimagined chart that reveals a narrative. The aim is to reimagine data as something expressive, engaging, and accessible.

This is a chance to experiment, collaborate, and share your research in new and imaginative ways.

You have until 5pm on Friday 6 February to submit your ideas for installations or collaborative pieces. Further information and a submission form can be obtained by emailing Amie Longthorne

Successful applications will be notified the week commencing Monday 16 February and all materials (digital or physical) will need to be sent to Amie Longthorne by Friday 13 March. 

More about the exhibition

Supported by the Open Library of Humanities (OLH), the exhibition promotes open access and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data practices. It seeks to raise awareness of data creation, curation, and reuse, and to make research more visible and inclusive.

The exhibition will take place from 1 to 30 April in the Mount Pleasant Campus Library at LJMU — a bright, open, and welcoming space that invites curiosity and conversation.

Save the date for a private viewing event on Wednesday 15 April. Keep a look-out for a booking link soon.

This dynamic venue will be transformed into an immersive environment where research meets creativity. The space will feature:

• Magnetic display walls for posters, prints, and visual storytelling
• Headphone listening stations for audio-based submissions like podcasts, soundscapes, or spoken word
• Large transparent cabinets to showcase physical artefacts, zines, models, and other tactile or sculptural pieces or even data collection devices