‘The future is a work in progress’ was an exhibition of interdisciplinary cutting-edge design research as part of ImaginationLancaster's Festival of Futures. 

The exhibition shared the culmination of five years dedicated pursuit of knowledge, funded through a groundbreaking E3 initiative by Research England in 2019. During this time four centres of design-research excellence across the UK applied their expertise to work at the intersection of design and global challenges:

-The Centre for Print Research, University of the West of England, Bristol
-The Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment, Newcastle University & Northumbria University
-ImaginationLancaster, Lancaster University
-Lab4Living, Sheffield Hallam University

The week-long exhibition featured research drawn from the four design centres, curated collaboratively with the partners with themes:

- Designing for health and wellbeing

- Designing for net zero futures

- Designing across disciplines

- Digital futures

The exhibition was promoted widely on Lancaster University channels and open to all. Delegates attending the Festival of Futures symposiums on the 8^th and 15^th March 2024 experienced the exhibition of artefacts, posters and interactive exhibits as part of the events. 

The exhibition was attended by academics, senior figures from UK Research Councils, public, private and third sector organisations and the public.

The Festival of Futures took place from the 8-15th March 2024 at Lancaster University. It was the culmination of the £13.2M E3 Beyond Imagination project funded by Research England and Lancaster University demonstrating how design research can contribute to a healthier, more sustainable and prosperous world.