FACT is delighted to announce the three artists selected for the 2026 Digital Artist Residencies: Jessica El Mal, April Martin and Zara Truss Giles. Delivered in partnership with DaDa, Homotopia and Lucid Games, the residencies are part of FACT's ongoing commitment to supporting emerging artists working at the intersection of games, culture, art and technology. 

This year's programme brings together three early-career artists based in the North West of England, each developing experimental new work using Unreal Engine, a game engine and digital world-building tool. Based in FACT's Studio/Lab, the residencies provide each artist with dedicated mentoring from FACT, technical workshops led by Lucid Games, and tailored support from DaDa and Homotopia to develop a new digital artwork. Throughout the programme, the artists will explore new creative approaches using game technologies, culminating in works that push the boundaries of digital art practice.

“Supporting artists at the beginning of their careers is central to what we do at FACT. These residencies create an environment where experimentation is encouraged, new ideas can take shape, and artists can develop both their creative practice and technical skills. We're delighted to be working with Jessica, April and Zara this year, alongside our valued partners DaDa, Homotopia and Lucid Games, to support the next generation of digital artists in the North." 

- Maitreyi Maheshwari, Head of Programme, FACT.

The 2026 residents were selected through an open call earlier this year, inviting artists from across the North West of England and North Wales to propose projects exploring world-building, interactive storytelling and creative experimentation through Unreal Engine.

From November, early iterations will be presented at FACT, inviting audiences to experience the outcomes of the residency and the creative possibilities of game technologies in art.

“At Homotopia, we’re passionate about ensuring Queer artists are at the forefront of digital innovation and world-building. Partnering with FACT, DaDa, and Lucid Games allows us to champion creatives as they push the boundaries of game technology to tell stories. Giving early-career artists the space, mentorship, and tech to experiment with tools like Unreal Engine is essential for the future of our cultural landscape.” 

— Jayne Compton, Director, Homotopia

“Artist development is at the heart of DaDa’s work, and it’s particularly important to us that early-career disabled artists have opportunities to experiment, take creative risks and develop their practice on their own terms. Digital platforms can open up exciting new possibilities for disabled artists and audiences, particularly when accessibility is considered as part of the creative process from the outset. We’re excited to see what this partnership can make possible.”

— Rachel Rogers, Executive Producer, DaDa

Jessica El Mal

Jessica El Mal is an artist, writer and curator whose practice explores the spaces between cultures, ecologies and identities. Dancing between British and Moroccan perspectives, the political and the poetic, her work imagines new ways of relating to one another and the world. Alongside her artistic practice, she is Curator at The Arab British Centre and founder of A.MAL Projects, an art and research initiative connecting the UK and North Africa.

During the residency, Jessica will explore how new digital worlds can become spaces for metaphor, imagination and possibility. Drawing inspiration from the poetry of Nizar Qabani, her project will examine ideas of oasis, tenderness and resilience, using world-building to tell layered stories that invite multiple interpretations.

April Martin

April Martin is a dance artist, choreographer, facilitator and producer based in the North West of England. Her practice explores Northern identity, working-class histories and community resilience through contemporary dance, participatory performance and site-responsive work. Bringing together choreography, improvisation and collaboration, she creates shared experiences that place people, place and connection at their heart.

During the residency, April will explore how contemporary dance can be brought into conversation with game technologies, creating a live performance in which audience interaction influences the unfolding of a virtual world. Working with a team of dancers, she will use Unreal Engine to investigate new relationships between movement, digital environments and participation, inviting audiences to become active collaborators in the performance.

Zara Truss-Giles

Zara Truss-Giles is a cross-disciplinary artist and sound researcher whose practice spans audio-visual composition, hardware engineering and performance. Blending traditional craftsmanship with electronic design, they create bespoke sculptural instruments and immersive sound works that investigate embodiment, memory and community through experimental technologies. Their research draws together UK landscapes, witch histories, indigenous folklore and electronic systems, translating complex ideas into deeply physical experiences.

During the residency, Zara will research and prototype two custom 3D-printed controllers that connect directly to hardware synthesisers and Unreal Engine to create immersive spatial sound environments. Designed to be played collaboratively, their research will look at how controllers could allow participants to shape both the movement and texture of sound in real time.