News/January 2025
Spit Spreads Death: The Parade by Blast Theory.

Blast Theory selected to join Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Programme

Blast Theory will join a cohort of 200 nonprofit cultural organisations from across the U.S. and U.K. to improve essential digital infrastructure

Blast Theory has been selected to join the Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Programme. This initiative helps cultural organisations across the U.S. and U.K. to strengthen technology and management practices to improve operations, drive revenue, increase fundraising, engage broader audiences, and deliver dynamic programming.

Since 2021 we’ve made real strides in how we communicate with our audiences. Through participating in the Digital Accelerator Programme we want to turn that stride into a sprint. Our project will focus on harnessing tools and technology – including AI – to deepen our engagement with audiences and significantly expand our reach. The programme will enable us to enhance our existing digital expertise and share insights with the sector. – Anne Rupert, Business Director 

Over the past three years, the Digital Accelerator Programme has been a catalyst for strengthening nearly 150 cultural organisations across the U.S. and U.K. To date, the 40 institutions that were part of the first cohort cumulatively grew an additional $20 million in new revenue including through fundraising, reached over 1 million new audience members, and engaged more than 4,000 new artists and partners.

Blast Theory is one of 200 nonprofit cultural organisations accepted into Bloomberg Philanthropies’ new Digital Accelerator Programme cohort, spanning artistic disciplines and organisation size in 52 U.S. cities and 28 U.K. cities.


About Blast Theory:

Blast Theory make interactive art to explore social and political questions. The group’s work places the public at the centre of unusual and sometimes unsettling experiences, to create new perspectives and open up the possibility of change.

Led by Matt Adams and Nick Tandavanitj, the group draw on popular culture and new technologies to make performances, games, films, apps and installations.

Blast Theory have shown work at the Venice Biennale, Tribeca Film Festival, ICC in Tokyo, Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin, the Barbican and Tate Britain. Commissioners include Channel 4, Sundance Film Festival and the Royal Opera House.

The artists work closely with researchers and scientists and have collaborated with the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham since 1997, co-authoring over 45 research papers. The artists teach and lecture internationally including at the Sorbonne, Stanford University and the Royal College of Art. They curated the Screen series for Live Culture at Tate Modern.

Blast Theory have been nominated for four BAFTAs and won the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica and the Nam June Paik Art Center Award.

Founded in 1991, Blast Theory are based in Brighton in the UK.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.