ABOUT
Diana Scarborough is a Cambridge-based artist creating multi-disciplinary works that intersects art, technology, history and the environment. Referencing scale and time, data, ecology and the invisible sciences, her time-based collaborative practice reveals a bias towards process, visualisation and performance. Working directly with scientists she is able to understand the context of their research trajectory and outcomes with true understanding as she is also an engineer. Processes and implications of space weather, nanoparticle activity, historical developments of technology with social-economic implications all feature in works that highlight the unseen, the forgotten or global concerns transformed by a curiosity-led art lens.
Diana Scarborough was artist-in-residence at FRUK LAB at the University of Cambridge,UK 2022-2025. Photocredit: Fruklab
She collaborated with Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology as Artist-in Residence for 4 years. In 2025 her Tailored Pigments residency with Fruk Lab & Colorifix was making nature inspired inks and materials from bacteria, seaweed and Wollemi Pine. Her space themed art-science-music collaboration with a space weather scientist from British Antarctic Survey and NZ based composer continues to flourish as the Sounds of Space Project with multiple albums, performances and publication outcomes. Diana’s National Lottery funded project ‘Cradle of Fire’, a multimedia project inspired by museum collections, volcanoes, myth and steelmaking ended in January 2025. She created an interactive installation to mark the 5oth anniversary of the admission of women into Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. It placed more women portraits in the dining hall than ever before – since 1596!
CO-FOUNDER OF SOUNDS OF SPACE PROJECT - ANTARCTICA & BEYOND
To find out to more on her space themed art-science collaboration with British Antarctic Survey Click here:
BACKGROUND
A British-based artist and Chartered electronics engineer, she lived and worked in Australia, Netherlands and the U.S, and these are strong influences in her work. From the outset she is a creator and innovator working across different disciplines and careers.
In the Beginning
As an eighteen-year-old technical specialist at a naval dockyard in Sydney, her role was to implement design upgrades or repair radio, RADAR and SONAR from ships and submarines before being recruited by an R&D company in the UK to develop cutting edge telecommunication designs. She left Australia for an exciting engineering position in R&D avionics and microwave design in Harlow, Essex. Having completed a degree, she switched direction from detail design to systems based engineering working with Marathon Oil in London and consulting work before moving to the US.
Engineering Career
Scarborough studied Electronics Engineering at York University (1990), and in her final year designed an instrument for archaeological use. Although she was offered a cross-disciplinary PhD opportunity in subsurface radar technology, she chose to work first for a UK and then a US company designing and developing telecommunication infrastructures, process control systems, and telemetry systems for oil platforms, gas refineries, and remote monitoring. She even worked with NASA! Much of her current art practice is informed by 17 years as a hands-on project-based Chartered Engineer.
Royal Academy of Art (Netherlands)
She moved to the Netherlands in 2001, and the following year was accepted onto the Fine Art degree course at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (https://www.kabk.nl). Being taught in Dutch was a challenge but, despite her lack of a formal art background, found the physical process and the creative opportunities inspiring. This prompted a career shift from engineering to art. Excelling as a student, Scarborough was fast-tracked, skipped a year and graduated in 2006.
First Interactive Art Installation (2012)
‘Radio Dials’, an interactive sound & print installation evoked the beauty of the analogue radio with soundscapes of collected memories that were triggered when a visitor was in a space. Drawing on her engineering skills, she collaborated with Ubisense, to adapt their ‘Real Time Location System’ for her installation. This work was the milestone event that set her on her current artistic trajectory of creating multi sensory spaces using media technology. projection mapping software and data visualisation with live performance.
Artist at Work
‘Time to Stare’ Bursary and Artist Residency, Suffolk, 2019
Diana in Maggi Hambling’s Studio.
Photo Credit: Eileen Haring Woods
LINKS
ARTIST
Artist Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Vimeo
SOUNDS OF SPACE PROJECT
Bandcamp
British Antarctic Survey
YouTube
CRADLE OF FIRE
Project Website
Project Instagram
CV ARTIST – ENGINEER
MINI BIO
Diana Scarborough is a Cambridge-based freelance multimedia artist creating projects that intersect art, engineering, science and ecology. Referencing scale, data, pattern, invisibility and the inaudible, her time-based collaborative practice reveals a bias towards process, sound visualisation, interaction and storytelling. When working with scientists she understands the context of their research trajectory with true understanding as she is a Chartered Electronics Engineer. Processes and implications of space weather, sustainability, nanoscale activity, technology and its social-economic implications. They feature in works that highlight the unseen and forgotten, all transformed by her curiosity-led artist lens. She holds a BSc in Electronic Engineering, York University, a BA from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, and an MA in Printmaking from Cambridge School of Art. She is funded by institutions, universities, Arts Council England and private commissioners. She was filmed by UKRI for their ’101 jobs that change the world’ campaign’.
COMMISSIONS, EXHIBITIONS, EVENTS & ALBUMS
2026 ‘Infinitas Formas’, album released on Bandcamp by Sounds of Space Project
2026 The Art of Eco-Conscious Colour, solo art exhibition for Cambridge Festival
2026 ‘Ways of Water’ projection the ‘Living Waters’ exhibition, Cambridge
2026 ‘Celebration’ Interactive installation commissioned by Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge,
2025 ‘Hidden Melodies of the Kp Index’, released on Bandcamp by Sounds of Space Project
2025 ‘You Never Asked my Name’, Interactive sound for Jill Eastland’s exhibition Cambridge
2025 ‘Cradle of Fire’ (immersive) – Film commission for No Bounds Festival, Igloo, Sheffield
2025 ‘Ways of Water’, film-poem with Ruth Padel. Rivers of Film Festival, Cambridge
2025 ‘Moontopia’ album, released on Bandcamp by Sounds of Space Project
2024 ‘The Seventh Continent’, album, released on Bandcamp by Sounds of Space Project
2024 ‘Cradle of Fire’ album released on Bandcamp
2024 Cradle of Fire Event, Cambridge, Film, poetry, monologues, talk at Homerton College,
2024 Cradle of Fire, Teesside, film, poetry and artist talk at Land of Iron, Teesside
2024 Cradle of Fire, Sheffield, Multimedia Event, film, poetry, sword dancing, Kelham Island
2024 Sounds of Space Project, Glastonbury, 5 performances Laboratory Stage, Science Futures
2024 ‘Soothe’ Dance Performance. video for dance, Infusion Physical Theatre, Cambridge Festival
2024 ‘In Aurora’s Garden’ released on Bandcamp by Sounds of Space Project
2024 ‘How was it for you?’ Covid film edits for Oxford Brookes University & Sue Bevan, writer
2023 ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ film, GUI/GOOEY online gallery show, Plexus Projects, NYC, USA
2022 ‘Sunconscious’ album released on Bandcamp by Sounds of Space Project
2021 Prologue-Epilogue film premiere & talk to poets, SIA Gallery, Sheffield, U.K.
2021 ‘Celestial Incantations’ album released on Bandcamp by Sounds of Space Project
2020 A Salt Journey, a ‘blue sky thinking’ commission, Arts & Heritage, U.K.
2020 ‘Aurora Musicalis’ album. Released on Bandcamp by Sounds of Space Project
2020 Sounds of Space Films, Hebridean Dark Skies Arts & Astronomy Festival, Isle of Lewis
2019 ‘Aurora Musicalis with Dance ‘for Festival of Ideas, Cambridge
2019 Art-Science as music/sound exploration, Performance with orchestras, School of Music, ANU
2019 Alive in the Universe Exhibition, 8 1-minute ‘Sounds of Space’ films, Venice Biennale, Italy
2108 Sound of Space Project multidisciplinary performance Aurora Centre, Cambridge
2018 From A-B Retrospective, Solo Exhibition; Yarrow Gallery, Oundle
2017 ‘Journey into Velvet’ film & prints for SRUK, Dr Ana Cabrera for Interwoven, V&A Museum,
2017 Strike, multiscreen Video Installation, filmed/edited for Issam Kourbaj, Penn Museum, USA
2017 Creative Reactive, Projected Video Installation; Will Hill, Cambridge School of Art,
2016 Breaking Boundaries, multimedia performance, Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Spain
2016 ‘Water’, art-science video installation, Technical Museum, Zagreb, Croatia
2016 Exoplanets, Data as Print, Pint of Science exhibition, Cambridge
2015 ‘Amyloid Beta Shadowlands’ video installation, Cavendish Labs with Dr. Laurie Young
2015 Laser Illuminations on a chimney; Museum of Technology, Cambridge
2015 Perceiving on the Smallest Scales, film, print & sculpture, Festival of Ideas, Cambridge
2014 Bespoke DNA necklace with actual DNA; Commission for USA based client
2014 Unearthed, Video portrait and soundscape for artist Issam Kourbaj P21 Gallery, London
2013 Typographia; Art installation with performance, Typography Conference, Cambridge
2012 Radio Dials, Interactive Sound & Print installation, Ruskin Gallery, Cambridge
2010 Print Exhibition (solo); Gainsborough House, Sudbury
2006 Degree Show; Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, Netherlands
TALKS, LECTURES, INTERVIEWS
2026 Cambridge Radio Interview, ‘Celebration’ on Cambridge Arts Round Up with Simon Bertin
2026 ‘Celebration’ Installation talk, Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
2024 Radio Interview/ Podcast as Sounds of Space Project, 2SER Drive programme, Sydney
2023 Podcast, Nature, (10/11/23) ‘The unexpected outcomes of artist-scientist collaborations’
2023 Podcast, Nature, (24/11/23) ‘How ChatGPT & sounds from space brought a ‘luminous jelly’ to life’
2022 Cambridge Radio Interview, ‘Sounds of Space’, Cambridge Arts Round Up with Simon Bertin
2021 Film, ‘The artist who works with scientists’, by UKRI ‘101 Jobs That Changed the World’
2019 Seminars, Lectures, as AIR at School of Music, Australian National University, Canberra
2019 Festival Lecture as Sounds of Space Project, Blue Dot Festival, Jodrell Bank
2019 Conference Lecture Sounds of Space, Polar Educators Conference, Cambridge
2016 Data Floes, Polar Science as Catalyst for the Arts – Lecture, Festival of Ideas, Cambridge
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & PRESS
2026 Book (hardback, online) Harmony of the Spheres, Pt 4, ch9, Ed. by Parry & Rickles, Bloomsbury
2023 Book Antarktikos #2 Light and Shadow – Esher Kokmeijer, Netherlands,
2023 Magazine Lead Article and cover ‘Where Art Meets Engineering’, I.M&C, U.K.
2021 A&G journal (Feb) Sound of Space Project ‘Music of the Spheres’ –
2021 The Guardian (25/06/21) ‘New album, Celestial Incantations, captures the ‘sounds’ of space’
2021 Cambridge Independent (21/01/21) ‘Hear the sounds of space weather as Cambridge artist turns British Antarctic Survey Data into an Album’
2018 Online, Interwoven, V&A research project, collaboration with textile archaeologist Dr Ana Cabrera
MASTERCLASSES, & WORKSHOPS
2026 2-day Masterclass on Sound & Water, Academy of Live Technology, Wakefield
2024 Sound Art Workshop as AIR at Nano-photonics Summer School. Cavendish Labs
2023 Delivering Masterclass on Creative Impact for Open University Researchers
2021 Masterclass, Isadora Software (3 days), Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, London
2016 Big Draw Transformation Animation Workshop, Anglia Ruskin University
2016 3-day Projection Fine Art Workshop, Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, London
2015 Delivering CPD for Schools, Animation, Film Making, Photoshop 2013,2014,2015
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
2025 AIR, ‘Tailored Pigments’, Fruk Lab, Cambridge & Colorifix, Norwich (1 yr)
2024 AIR, Fruk Lab, Dept of Chem. Eng.& Biotech. Prof. Ljiljana Fruk (2022/23/24)
2019 AIR, School of Music, Australian National University Canberra (4 wks.)
2013 AA2A AIR, Cambridge School of Art (1 yr)
GRANTS
2024 Lottery Grant (£30K) for Cradle of Fire Project, Arts Council England
2021 Artist Support Grant Develop Your Creative Practice, Arts Council England
2020 Artist Support Grant (during covid), Arts Council England
2019 A-N Artist Bursary Recipient
2019 Time to Stare Bursary and Artist Residency, Suffolk
PRIZE
2010 Gainsborough Graduate Print Prize
ART EMPLOYMENT
2010 – 2020 Digital Art Teacher (P/T), Stephen Perse Foundation, Yr 7-10, 6th Form
2014 – 2015 Life Drawing Classes, Stephen Perse School, Cambridge
2011 – 2014 Aspirational Animation Courses, SHINE for Cambridge Primary Schools
2008 – 2011 Art & Architecture Courses, Cambridge University Summer School
2008 – 2010 Sculpture Classes, Adult Education, Bottisham, U.K
2007- 2010 3D Art & Design Tutor, 6th Form College, CATS, Cambridge
2003 – 2005 Bespoke Studio-Based Art Courses, The Hague, Netherlands
ENGINEERING EMPLOYMENT
2001- 2006 Telecommunication Consultant, Netherlands
1994 – 2001 Lead Telecommunications Engineer, Brown & Root Inc, Houston, USA
1992 – 1994 Senior Telecommunication Engineer, AMEC Engineering, London
1990 – 1992 Instrumentation Engineer Marathon Oil, London
1984 – 1990 Electronics Design Engineer, Cossor Electronics Ltd, Harlow
1981 – 1984 Technical Officer, Naval Systems, Garden Island Dockyard Sydney, Australia
1980 – 1981 Trainee Technician, Centre Industries, Sydney, Australia
EDUCATION
2012 MA Printmaking, Cambridge School of Art, Cambridge
2006 BA Fine Arts, Royal Academy of Arts (KABK), The Hague, Netherlands
1990 BSc (Hons), Electronic Engineering, University of York, U.K.
1984 Certificate of Electronic Engineering, Nth Sydney, Australia
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS
CEng Registered Chartered Engineer, Member of Institute of Measurement & Control
CURRENT COLLABORATORS
Dr Nigel Meredith Space Weather Scientist, British Antarctic Survey, Sounds of Space Project
Professor Kim Cunio, Head of Music, Victoria University, Wellington, NZ, Sounds of Space Project
Professor Ljiljana Fruk Head of Fruk Lab, Dept. of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, AIR, bio-nano research, Tailored Pigments
Carolyn Waudby Poet/journalist, Sheffield Hallum University, Cradle of Fire
Ruth Padel Poet/novelist and non-fiction author; Ways of Water film
Matthew Drury Director of Saturn Visual Solutions, Interactive tech for ‘Celebration’
Isa Suarez Songwriter, composer, singer, Cradle of Fire
James Murray-White Multimedia artist, Rivers of Film Festival
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