When the BBC needed 50 volunteers to produce a high-tech Christmas tree on The One Show, they didn’t have far to go – in fact just next door to us at the University of Salford!

Three internationally-renowned artists will invite the public to explore the crossover between art and technology when they launch a radical digital media showcase at the University of Salford this week.

Creationism, industrial dystopia and electronic voice phenomenon – believed by some to be voices of the dead – are just some of the themes explored in a series of events celebrating animation and gaming at the University of Salford’s MediaCityUK building.

Life President of Tomb Raider developer Eidos Interactive and founder of wargaming retailer Games Workshop, Ian Livingstone OBE, will give his insight into the future of the computer games industry at a special event at MediaCityUK this week.

The University of Salford has signed a partnership agreement with the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service which, it is hoped, will lead to the development of projects such as, ground breaking virtual reality incident training and the provision of health and well being services for firefighters.

A pictorial chronicle of some of the greatest names in rock and pop is to go on display at the University of Salford, thanks to the donation of a unique archive by a former ‘Top of the Pops’ resident photographer.

Up-and-coming writers will have the opportunity to learn from one of the UK’s leading TV dramatists in a question and answer session at the University of Salford’s MediaCityUK building on Wednesday 10 October.

One of Salford’s most famous graduates, Peter Kay, returned to the University last night (Thursday, 25 October) to launch its new dedicated comedy course for budding writers and performers.

The super-modern MediaCityUK will be experiencing a real blast from the past this weekend (27-28 October) when the University of Salford entertains families with 175 years of telecoms and computer technology, as part of Manchester Science Festival (27 October – 4 November).

The University of Salford sponsored TEDx event held yesterday (21 October) was the largest ever held in the UK – selling out The Lowry Theatre at Salford Quays.

Futurists will be giving the public a glimpse of how the arts and sciences can combine to shape the world at a thought-provoking public lecture series at the University of Salford’s MediaCityUK digital space starting next week.

The University of Salford’s MediaCityUK campus today (Tuesday 16 October) is host to a major youth justice conference. More than 90 senior practitioners and policy makers from across the country are there to discuss what can help to stop young people reoffending after they leave prison.

Fresh from the London 2012 Olympics, champion slalom canoeist Etienne Stott will be inspiring the TEDx Salford event on Sunday, 21 October.

MediaCityUK’s biggest players, including the University of Salford, are pulling together for Fast Train North, a free training day for media freelancers on Tuesday 20 November.

The UK’s highest-ranking composer has joined one of the country’s leading new music ensembles and students at the University of Salford to create a unique interactive online project.