tVAD (theorizing the visual arts and design) is a trans-disciplinary research group calling upon a range of methodologies related to the study of fine and applied arts, design, film, digital and text-based media. It has strengths in art and design histories including national and international work funded by the EU and AHRC, involvement with national subject bodies, journal and book editing, and in the international development of practice-based doctoral research coordinated under the Centre for Research into Practice. tVAD is principally concerned with the relationship between text, narrative and image.