Due to open in Summer 2026, Docking Station will harness the transformative power of creative technology to open up new possibilities and futures for young people and the communities of Kent and Medway.
Docking Station is an exciting new facility for Medway and for creative industries in the South East.
It will restore a historic building at the Historic Dockyard Chatham into a unique hub providing industry-standard production technologies including virtual production and motion capture enabling local businesses, students and communities to develop new skills in immersive technologies and supporting the digital creative industries in Medway and the region.
iCCi and University of Kent are developing Docking
Station, in partnership with Medway Council and the Chatham Historic Dockyard
Trust.
We’re inviting YOU to help support our Docking Station project! Through our naming campaign, you can leave your legacy by naming a brick, staircase step, or window in the Docking Station.
Whether you’re an alumnus, a community member, or a business seeking to make an impact, this is your chance to create a meaningful connection to Medway’s new centre for creative innovation.
For more information about how to support Docking Station through Making Your Mark, Naming a Room or Studio, sponsorship, or making a gift, contact Samantha Scott - s.scott@kent.ac.uk.
Director of Digital and Future Technology
Will is a technologist working with industry, academics and students to drive new technologies and make the present and future of the creative industries inclusive, equitable and accessible to all.
Project Director
Caroline heads up the project. She brings a wealth of experience in the public sector, managing a wide range of projects bringing about positive change for communities.
Heritage and Engagement Officer
Esther's role is to discover and share the story of our heritage building The Police Section House, working collaboratively with local communities to preserve these narratives for future generations in Medway.
Project Officer
George supports the project by working closely with the Project Director, and dealing with day to day administrative tasks.
Finance Officer
Tracey is responsible for the financial administration and associated processes and procedures for the project. She prepares the financial reports for budget management, monitoring and analysis plus compiles the claims from each of the funders.
Marketing and Communication Officer
Virginie looks after all Marketing aspects of Docking Station from social media, PR to event promotion.
Docking Station will offer state-of-the-art digital production studios including LED volume, motion capture, volumetric capture and photogrammetry for students, businesses, and local people. There will be flexible teaching spaces, co-working areas, performance and exhibition spaces all woven into a programme of public events and community engagement. It will be a new bridge between academia, industry and the community.
Docking Station aims to put Medway at the forefront of research and innovation into digital immersive experiences.
Located between the University’s Pembroke campus and its Historic Dockyard premises, this development will place cultural and creative industries at the heart of the regeneration plans for the last remaining undeveloped part of the former Dockyard site.
Docking Station will address the income, productivity and skills levelling-up challenges faced in Medway, make a visible impact on Medway’s cultural regeneration and provide the facilities and skills development opportunities to support digital innovation within the creative industries sector.
Creative Estuary and Medway Council funding has kick-started project development by enabling the completion of feasibility studies which has paved the way for further investment.
Medway Council secured funding from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund (MHCLG), and the iCCi were awarded grants from the Arts Council England’s Cultural Development Fund (DCMS), National Lottery Heritage Fund and Colyer Fergusson Charitable Trust for engagement activities in the community.
The Docking Station Project is formally overseen by the iCCi Board. We are currently establishing a Creative Technology Development Board that will report to iCCi Board, to help shape project delivery and embed future technologies across our work, with representatives from industry and education including the BFI, Creative UK, Dovetail Games, Screen South and The Backstage Centre.