Leeds Arts University new £22 million state-of-the-art building houses high-end facilities for students, including industry-standard film and photography studios, allowing the university to expand its course provision, including the introduction of BA (Hons) Filmmaking and BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance.
It needed high-resolution, high-brightness projectors in each of the new photography studios as well as within the standard teaching spaces in the university’s extension.
In the studios the projectors would need to compete with bright photography lights and would be installed inaccessibly high up – so choosing a low maintenance option was key.
Michael Flower, academic computing manager at Leeds Arts University, said: “The projectors would be used for lectures and seminars across a range of creative subjects. Being able to show bright and clear images that display correctly is particularly important when teaching visual arts subjects. The equipment would also be used for visiting speakers, including creative professionals at our external networking events, so being able to show a high quality image was incredibly important.”
Leeds-based AV experts AV2000 installed 17 Optoma ZW500T laser projectors together with Extron DTP systems to play and receive content and power the input plate in each room.
Andrew Cripwell, director at AV2000, said: “Brightness and low maintenance were the central reasons for choosing these laser projectors.”
Each projector is connected to an individual PC into which lecturers and visiting speakers can connect their laptops or content to present.
The 173-year-old institution, which has trained celebrated artists including Damien Hirst, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, marked the opening of the new extension to the public in February with an exhibition by Yoko Ono.
Flower said: “All the facilities in our new build have been well received by students and lecturers. The projectors have ensured teaching in our new classrooms can be delivered to a high standard using appropriate supporting media and high-quality images.”
Cripwell added: “Thanks to the high resolution projectors and the laser light source, the projection is detailed and clear with rich, accurate colours which is incredibly important for photography courses.”
