Arts Council England (ACE) has announced a new £7m digital research and development fund (R&D) in partnership with Nesta and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

It follows a successful pilot project last year, with the launch coinciding with a new creative media policy published by ACE that outlines plans for a "new era" of digital growth.

The new fund is the result of a strategic partnership between all three organisations and is designed to support collaboration between the arts, technology providers and the research community.

Funding will be made available over three years starting in 2012-13 and will support research and development projects using digital technology to enhance cultural audience reach.

ACE chief executive Alan Davey said: "The large number of applications to the pilot digital R&D project clearly illustrated that there was significant unmet demand in this area."

Details: www.artscouncil.org.uk