Sunderland Software City is part of VOPUS, a new European research project that explores how opera can come alive in virtual worlds, and what that means for culture, community, and wellbeing. The project has been awarded €3,499,000 through Horizon Europe, the European Union's main funding programme for research and innovation.
VOPUS, short for Virtual World Opera for Participation, Unity and Social Cohesion, started in June 2026 and will run for three years. The consortium is made up of nine partners, led by Aalto University in Finland. The three opera houses involved are the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Staatstheater Augsburg in Germany and State Opera Stara Zagora in Bulgaria. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Spain, Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands and Fundamental Research in Belgium join as research and design partners. The two UK partners are Sunderland Software City and Digital Catapult.
Horizon Europe funding is competitive, and projects are judged on the strength of the whole team. Being chosen alongside partners like Aalto University and Digital Catapult reflects the work Sunderland Software City has done since 2008 in supporting the North East's tech sector.
What the VOPUS Project Will Do
At the centre of VOPUS is Operaland, a shared virtual world that people will be able to visit from everyday devices. The Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Staatstheater Augsburg in Germany and State Opera Stara Zagora in Bulgaria will each stage a production inside it, starting with one house and building to all three performing together.
Researchers will follow audiences throughout, looking at how time spent in virtual worlds affects wellbeing, social connection and who gets to take part in culture. The project aims to reach 3,000 audience members in at least six countries and will produce a European skills framework for people working in virtual production.
Sunderland Software City's Role
Sunderland Software City leads communication for VOPUS. It created the project's brand, website and social channels and keeps all nine partners telling the same story.
Over the next three years Sunderland Software City will help the opera houses reach new audiences, particularly people aged 18 to 35 and those who rarely see opera. It will link VOPUS with similar European projects and get its findings to the businesses, cultural organisations and policymakers who can use them. In 2029 it will run the final conference and make sure what VOPUS builds lasts beyond the project.
Why It’s Good for the North East
The North East's tech sector turns over £11.6 billion a year and supports more than 61,000 jobs, with a strong games and creative technology community. Being part of VOPUS puts the region inside a European network of opera houses, universities and technology organisations, and gives local businesses, creatives and researchers an early look at where virtual production is heading.
As the project progresses, we'll share what we learn through our own programmes and events, and look for ways regional companies can get involved.
"We get involved in projects like VOPUS because they create opportunities for our region. Horizon Europe funding is hard to win, and being part of this consortium puts North East businesses and talent alongside some of Europe's leading universities and opera houses. Our job over the next three years is to make sure the region gets real value from that."
- David Dunn, Chief Executive, Sunderland Software City
You can follow the VOPUS project at vopus.eu and on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
