About

Vision

Applied Live Art Studio (ALAS) is a creative hub for socially rooted, future-facing cultural practice.

We believe art is both a catalyst for imagination and a practical tool for change. Our vision is to place creativity at the centre of how institutions, communities, and governments shape the world, not just in galleries or theatres, but in the way services, systems, and experiences are designed.

As a studio, we blend:

• Creative Programmes
  Public art, performance, workshops, and exhibitions that invite meaningful participation.
• Creative Systems
  Arts-led tools for reimagining cultural services, designing inclusive experiences, and testing new engagement models.
• Research & Impact
  Action research, evaluation, and frameworks that help partners evidence value, influence policy, and plan future strategy.

What we do

Creative Programmes
We design and deliver cultural projects that invite people into active participation. From co-created artworks and performances to large-scale festivals and exhibitions, our programmes connect partners with new voices, new audiences, and new possibilities.

Creative Systems
We help organisations rethink how they design cultural experiences and services. Using arts-led tools, we co-create new models of participation, audience engagement, and organisational strategy. This is creativity applied not just to making art, but to shaping the systems that deliver it.

Research & Impact
We conduct action research that links cultural practice to sector-wide learning. Through publications, toolkits, and evaluation frameworks, we give partners insights they can use to evidence value, influence policy, and design the future.

Applied Live Art was coined by R.M. Sánchez-Camus as part of his doctoral dissertation on co-authorship and site responsive practice. ‘Applied Live Art’ describes a creative practice which has a social component as its primary focus.  

Partners

We work across sectors where creativity can make the most difference:

• Higher Education – linking research with practice, building curricula, and engaging students in real-world cultural projects.

• Charities & NGOs – designing programmes that amplify voices, strengthen advocacy, and create inclusive platforms for change.

• Government & Local Authorities – delivering neighbourhood art initiatives, cultural strategies, and public consultations through creative tools.

• Cultural Institutions – museums, galleries, theatres, and festivals commission us to design participatory projects that expand reach and enrich experiences.

• Health & Social Care – developing and evaluating arts-based wellbeing programmes for patients, staff, and communities.

For a full list of our extended network please see our collaborators page.

Projects

Each project is an experiment in applying creativity to real-world needs. Every commission combines challenge, creativity, and outcome — leaving behind not only an artwork, but also a model, a story, and a legacy.

See our work

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Commission Us

Let’s Design Something Remarkable Together

Whether you’re a university, local authority, cultural institution, or grassroots organisation, we can help you harness creativity for impact. We tailor each commission to your goals and the communities you serve. Whether you are commissioning a public artwork, developing a cultural strategy, or exploring research partnerships, we can help.

• Book a Call

• Email Us

• Contact Form

Who we are

Applied Live Art Studio (ALAS) is a cultural studio that delivers commissioned projects, research, and consultancy for organisations who want to use creativity to connect with people and generate impact.

Founded and directed by R.M. Sánchez-Camus, ALAS operates as a flexible and scalable studio model, drawing in expert artists, facilitators, designers, and researchers according to the scope of each commission. We are experienced in working with partners across local government, Higher Education, charities, health trusts, and cultural institutions.

Our role is to provide commissioners with a trusted partner who can design and deliver projects that are:

• Strategic alignment – ensuring projects fit institutional and policy objectives.

• Inclusive engagement – co-designed with communities and stakeholders.

• Innovative methods – applying creativity to real-world challenges.

• Lasting outcomes – from artworks to frameworks and publications.

 

ALAS is distinct but connected to the wider practice of R.M. Sánchez-Camus:

• Through Camus Live Art they bring creative performance and experimentation
• Through Sánchez-Camus Consultancy they bring strategic advice, facilitation, and evaluation.
• As ALAS, we unite these strands into a studio that delivers impactful projects and actionable research.

Our Track Record

ALAS has delivered projects for and in partnership with:

• National cultural institutions – such as Whitechapel Gallery and Live Art Development Agency.

• Local authorities – co-designing neighbourhood engagement strategies.

• Universities & research bodies – collaborating on knowledge exchange and sector development.

• Charities & NGOs – amplifying voices and designing advocacy programmes through creativity.

• Health & wellbeing organisations – developing arts-based models that support resilience and social care.

Our Approach

We adapt our model to fit the scale and scope of each commission:

• As lead designers and producers, we can conceive and deliver complete projects end-to-end.

• As collaborators, we embed into existing structures, offering specialist creative input or facilitation.

• As researchers and evaluators, we produce toolkits, reports, and frameworks that provide actionable insights for future planning.

This flexible model allows commissioners to work with us confidently — whether commissioning a single artwork, a community programme, or a long-term strategic partnership.