ix – ◯ ◯ ◯

ix Symposium Delegation 2019.

ix SYMPOSIUM IMMERSION◯EXPERIENCE at SOCIÉTÉ DES ARTS TECHNOLOGIQUES [SAT]

https://ix.sat.qc.ca/ at http://sat.qc.ca/

More and more collective and individual technologies are emerging and become new fields of exploration for artists. iX 2019 will give you the opportunity to experience the latest iterations of these immersive technologies whose thrust is further accelerated by advances in sensory enhancement, artificial intelligence, immersive computing and cloud computing that, together, radically transform the world that we know. The 2019 Symposium Formula will allow participants and stakeholders to reflect, experiment and play together these exciting new spaces of creation that immersive creation technologies offer.

The Delegation (in no particular order):

Misha Curson:

Arts Curator Eden Project. . -.. . -. / .–. .-. — .— . -.-. – .-.-.-

edenproject

Misha has over eight years of experience curating and producing global contemporary art commissions, exhibitions, and events with artists such as Damien Hirst, and institutions such as White Cube Gallery and the Qatar Museum Authority.

Before joining The Eden Project, Misha acted as Deputy Director at Cass Sculpture Foundation, a not-for-profit gallery, sculpture park, and educational charity, where she was responsible for the strategic annual programme of commissions, exhibitions, residencies, and off-site partnerships and consultancy projects.

In 2016 Misha initiated a partnership between Cass Sculpture Foundation and Battersea Power Station, to develop a public sculpture commissioning program for the iconic site. Misha oversaw the commissioning of two monumental inaugural sculptures as part of a broader cultural regeneration strategy.

Misha is particularly interested in exploring cross-disciplinary collaborations between artists, scientists, engineers, architects and other specialists (beekeepers, perfume makers). Championing innovation and technology, and fostering social engagement within the subjects of human and environmental sustainability.

Show less

Rowan Fae:

Aerial Dance choreographer and Digital Creative.

fulltiltaerial

Rowan is a multidisciplinary practitioner working across dance, circus, and immersive technologies with a long-standing contribution to the UK’s contemporary circus scene. identifying as a producer, director, choreographer and flying effects specialist. Rowan has authored numerous performances (large-scale, Immersive, cutting edge, site-specific).

In 2007-09, Rowan co-directed the Carnyville finale in Bristol (Invisible Circus with over 200 cast). She co-produced, directed and performed Arcadia Spectaculars first immersive 360° performances on the Spider at Glastonbury Festival (2009-10). She worked in 2014 with leading Turkish contemporary dance company Ciplak Ayaklar to create vertical dance piece, On Air, curated by Atelier Bruckner for the International Scenography Biennale in Stuttgart. She oversaw the artistic direction for Celluloid Sail by Compass Presents in 2017 and in 2018 for the touring promenade experience Canopy of Stars (National Trust locations).

Rowan continues to develop focus on the interplay of performance and technology. In 2018 she took part in a research project exploring the innovative potential of immersive technology and is currently continuing her research exploring the narrative & scenographic potential of real-time data collection and algorithmic content generation towards the creation of live performance environments.

Show less

Coral Manton:

South West Creative Technology Network Fellow.

coralmanton

Coral is an interdisciplinary artist, technologist, museum curator, games designer and researcher. She is Lecturer in Creative Computing at Bath Spa University. Her research interests include immersive environments for live performance, live-coding, digital museums and game design. She is investigating immersive technologies permeating museum eco-systems beyond the exhibition.

What I’m working on: Employing immersive technologies to enhance the curatorial work of museums, libraries and archives to engage audiences and researchers in sometimes complicated narratives surrounding collection objects and historic places.

Show less

Jane Grant:

South West Creative Technology Network Fellow.

janegrant

Jane Grant is an artist and academic who creates ‘other worlds’ in which participants become immersed. These worlds are often built from the histories of science or scientific mythologies where participants inhabit and co-create through engaging with sound, narrative and site. She has won awards for her large-scale immersive artworks including a PrixArs and PRS New Music Award and has exhibited her work internationally including FACT in Liverpool, Istanbul Biennale, ISEA, onedotzero festival, BFI, Roundhouse, National Portrait Gallery. Her work has featured in the Guardian, Observer, Wired, Dazed and Confused and others.

She is currently an Academic Fellow on the SWCTN Immersion £6.5 million project where she is developing artworks in Augmented Reality and immersive environments resulting in her new work Between Us in Magic Leap which will be exhibited in Korea in 2019. She is also developing artworks about intimacy and desire via cosmological realms, desirous matter and solar physics including an immersive artwork Haunted Geologies for the dome and Magic Leap, How to Disappear Completely which is set in an abandoned department in Cairo. Jane writes about noise, the mutability of matter, desire and astrophysics and has had her writing published widely. Jane is Associate Professor in Digital Arts at University of Plymouth.

Show less

Charlie Tapp:

South West Creative Technology Network Producer.

kaleider

Charlie is currently Producer at Kaleider, a production studio based in Exeter UK. Here she leads on Programmes including the South West Creative Technology Network, a £6.5 million project to expand the use of creative technologies across the south west of England, investigating the challenge areas of Immersion, Automation and Data. She also oversees Kaleider’s partnership with New Creatives, a talent development scheme that offers commissioning opportunities for emerging artists to create new work in film, audio or interactive media, designed for BBC platforms.

Prior to this Charlie has spent 10 years working across the arts in roles involving Producing, Programming, Commissioning and Artist and Idea Development. Most recent roles include Associate Producer for Bristol Old Vic, Executive Director for The Bike Shed Theatre and Creative Learning Manager for Milton Keynes Theatre.

Show less

Mena Fombo:

Founder & Director, Black Girl Convention. -.-. — -. …- . -. – .. — -.

blackgirlconvention

Mena is a purposeful coach, facilitator, motivational speaker and a consultant. She has over 12 years experience working within the voluntary sector, community organisations and educational establishments across Europe, the USA, Africa and South Asia. She has completed certified training programmes with the International Coach Federation and the Association for Coaching. She is also a MOE Foundation Alumni.

She holds a BSc in Youth and Community Work from Bath University, and a BA (hons) in Time-Based Media Production from University of West England. Mena is strong woman, who has overcome a lifetime of adversity. She is an activist, tirelessly campaigning for equality and places a large focus of her work on supporting young people, young adults and disadvantaged communities to confidently embrace their journey in life. She is passionate about the development of people, values-based leadership and creating powerful learning experiences.

Show less

Emmie Kell:

CEO of Cornwall Museum Partnership.

cornwallmuseumspartnership

Emmie is the CEO of Cornwall Museums Partnership, leading on strategic planning and fundraising. Emmie has over 25 years of experience within the museum sector including working at the V&A, Somerset House, MOSI Manchester, and Thinktank Birmingham. Emmie works part time at Cornwall Museums Partnership and as a consultant, providing strategic advice to museums across the UK. Emmie is a member of the Institute of Fundraising, a qualified coach and was the Arts Council England Museums Clore Fellow in 2014/15. She is also a board member of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.

Show less

B Aga:

Fulldome UK/ South West Creative Technology Network Fellow.

birgitteaga

Birgitte Aga [B] is an interdisciplinary designer, artist/maker, technologist, researcher and producer. She creates collaborative and data driven prototypes, sometimes as art works, cultural probes, interventions, or proof of concept and other times just to play. For the last fifteen years she has been part of the i-DAT Research and Design Collective and an organisational member of FulldomeUK, a not-for-profit association supporting artists and researchers working within Fulldome immersive environments. Her research currently focuses on prototyping intimate data-driven experiences to question the use of predictive algorithms and personal data for human enhancement and commercial gain. Underpinning her work is a belief that one must embrace the opportunities created by digital technologies to be open and collaborative in order to sustainably co-create.

Show less

Anne Carlisle:

Vice-Chancellor of Falmouth University.

falmouth

Professor Carlisle joined Falmouth University as Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive in 2009. Since then, the University has gone through a period of major expansion and is one of the fastest growing universities in the UK having secured full university title in 2012.

Falmouth University is a key driver in Cornwall’s economic regeneration and it won the Entrepreneurship Award in the 2017 Guardian Awards for its ground-breaking LAUNCHPAD programme, which Professor Carlisle founded. This programme takes graduate talent and builds new, high-growth tech companies to market demand in partnership with industry.

Professor Carlisle received a first class honours degree in Fine Art from the University of Ulster, an MA from University of the Arts London and co-founded CIRCA publications before starting her academic career. Prior to joining Falmouth University, Professor Carlisle was Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Wales in Newport where she led research and innovation.

Professor Carlisle received the award of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours list 2019.

Show less

Lindsey Hall:

CEO RIO (Real Ideas Organisation).

realideas

Lindsey Hall is co-founder and CEO of the Real Ideas Organisation group, leading and managing the organisation to run it’s own social enterprise ventures and enable others, particularly young people to set up and run their own socially entrepreneurial activities, solving problems and building skills.

Lindsey’s track record in the public and private sectors as a creative social entrepreneur, thinker and leader has seen her set up and develop products and services across the creative, learning and education sectors. Most recently this has included transforming a former market hall building in Devonport, Plymouth into an immersive technology centre with a the largest immersive dome in Europe. From building award-winning programmes in the UK to driving groundbreaking initiatives internationally, Lindsey has the experience and skills at management, board and executive level to steer social business ideas towards success; making money and making a difference at the same time.

Lindsey is a NESTA Cultural Leadership fellow, an INSEAD graduate, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Trustee of 15 Cornwall and Plymouth Culture, member of Plymouth Growth Board and one of the WISE100 social enterprise leaders.

Show less

Nema Hart:

Relationship Manager Creative Media

artscouncil

Show less

Vincent Baidoo-Lowe:

South West Creative Technology Network Fellow.

crownrootpublications

As a Transmedial producer Vincent started his first multimedia company when he is 15 years old. At 20 years old he set up the South-Blessed community hub giving the local community a voice through creative media. Now he is concentrating on the customisation and representation of VR and AI.

Show less

Mike Phillips:

Director of Research at i-DAT.org, University of Plymouth.

i-DAT

Mike Phillips is Professor of Interdisciplinary Arts at Plymouth University, the Director of Research at i-DAT.org and a Principal Supervisor for the Planetary Collegium. His R&D orbits a portfolio of projects that explore the ubiquity of data ‘harvested’ from an instrumentalised world and its potential as a material for revealing things that lie outside our normal frames of reference – things so far away, so close, so massive, so small and so ad infinitum.

Show less

Ben Stern:

Co-Founder of fulldome.org.uk and GaiaNova.co.uk

GaiaNova

GaiaNova provides dome hire and a range of video skills and services to all sectors of the events industry. We work directly with brands or in partnership with creative and marketing companies and event organisers. We specialise in technical production realising artistic visions, whether they come from corporations, major arts institutions, music and performing arts festivals or from individual artists themselves. In the events industry we feel that too often there is an unnecessary divide between the creative and the technical. Between the ‘ideas people’ and the engineers. At GaiaNova, both hemispheres are equally developed. Our philosophy has always been that these two elements need to be approached as one – the holistic approach to event production.

Show less

Network:

South West Connections with SOCIÉTÉ DES ARTS TECHNOLOGIQUES.

2007: SAT and Hexagram Host the Planetary Collegium Summit in Montreal. Pre-Satosphere but littered with small fulldome, immersive spaces and instruments, SOCIÉTÉ DES ARTS TECHNOLOGIQUES partnered with Hexagram to host the Planetary Collegium Summit in Montreal. This brought together research nodes in Milan, Zurich and Plymouth for a conference and PhD Composite Session. Planetary_Collegium

2014: E / M / D / L formed a partnership of European and Canadian cultural organizations fostering an international community of artists/researchers dedicated to exploring the full-dome environment as a platform for creative innovation. The partnership consisted of University of Applied Arts Vienna, i-DAT (Institute of Digital Art and Technology), Trans-Media-Akademie Hellerau, Laboratory of New Technologies in Communication, Education and the Mass Media (UoA NTLab) and Society for Arts and Technology [SAT], kondition pluriel and LANTISS. Funded by € 400k by the EU Culture Programme. Strand 1.3.5, Cultural Cooperation Projects with Third Countries. emdl.eu

2015: E/M/D/L presents: Liminal Spaces, Dream Collider, and Murmuration, the culmination of a EU funded collaboration between Canadian and European partners. This research project was carried out through eight international residencies and is presented in the Satosphere of Montreal’s Society for Arts and Technology (SAT). Articulated through the fulldome environment as an instrument to explore transdisciplinary forms of artistic expression, these experiments oscillate between performance, interactive installation and immersive event. i-dat.org/murmuration/

2016: FULLDOME UK: SAT partner and perform at FULLDOME UK 2016 in the National Space Centre. I-DAT is a founding partner of FULLDOME UK with the first event taking place in Plymouth at the Immersive Vision Theatre. FULLDOME UK is a not-for-profit association supporting artists and researchers working within Fulldome immersive environments. It organises events with the goal to promote Fulldome as an artistic medium in its own right, and as a platform for research into data visualisation, group collaboration and the effects of immersive environments on our perceptual and cognitive processes. fulldome.org.uk

2017: Market Hall FullDome: The £7 million redevelopment of RIO ‘s Market Hall in Devonport, Plymouth will see the transformation of the derelict Grade II listed building into a cutting-edge space for digital skills, research, learning and entertainment. The former Market Hall will accommodate flexible work space, events and exhibition space, a café, bar and restaurant. Housed in the new extension will be an impressive 15m immersive dome theatre which will offer a large scale shared virtual reality environment – the first of its kind in Europe and inspired by the Satopshere. themarkethall.co.uk

Background to the delegation: Arts Council England Arts & Technology Priority: ix Symposium Delegation / i-DAT – 58437244

Purpose: To research, develop and deliver a research and development trip to inspire a delegation of emerging creatives to Symposium IX at SAT Montreal in 29 May –1 June 2019. http://ix.sat.qc.ca/

Proposition: To raise the profile of the SW as a world leader in arts technology, i-DAT will lead a delegation of SW creatives, curators and commissioners to attend IX Symposium in Montreal.

The aim of the delegation will be to bring these future leaders together to be inspired, gather intelligence and broker relationships between each other and international partners. The theme of the delegation is ‘immersion: digital immersive cultural experiences’ (DICE).

This ties in with the Market Hall, Plymouth developments as it develops a state of the art immersive dome, due to be the biggest in Europe. It builds on the success of the South West Creative Technology Network (SWCTN) Immersion Fellowships (swctn.org.uk).

These initiatives have established an urgent need for content, talent and audiences to be developed to ensure future success within the South West in this emergent field.

Defining the Territory: Immersive technology is any technology that extends reality or creates a new reality by leveraging the 360 space.

i-DAT and ACE are concerned with how the artistic idea or cultural experience drives innovative approaches in DICE.

Why Montreal: The interdisciplinary (arts, science & tech) sector in Montreal is the world leader in DICE. This is partly due to the strong investment in cinema and its evolution into new digital forms. This led to the development of a strong interdisciplinary clusters.

SAT (Society of Arts & Technology) is a physical space at the heart of this cluster which hosts a number of full domes (360 degree spaces which use projections to immerse audiences into creative content) and immersive technologies.

SAT will host iX Symposium which attracts international delegates to experience, debate and broker new partnerships to explore the opportunities in DICE.

SAT has a number of existing links with the South West region, such as FULLDOME UK, the E/M/D/L project and the inspirational blueprint for the Market Hall Fulldome installation (the Plymosphere?) (see above).

The delegation: The delegation has been defined through discussions with the regions leading initiatives in DICE, through the SW Arts Technology External Reference Group and the SW Creative Technology Network (SWCTN). Following a consultation process delegates were invited from organisations pioneering in this area; a selection of immersion fellows selected by the co-directors and recommendations from ACE staff.

Criteria for Delegates: The criteria for selection include:

Quality of the delegates practice in ‘immersion: digital immersive cultural experiences’, including track record.
Interdisciplinary approach in understanding the technology as well as driving the creative idea.
Contribution to raising the profile of the SW with past and current projects and future ambitions.
Commitment to the dates, expenses, networking and sharing the learning after the trip.
Diversity across PCG & areas along with roles such as curator, commissioner & creative.

There will be a proactive approach to address the diversity imbalance in the digital sector.

The ix Symposium Delegation 2019 is funded by the Arts Council England in partnership with the i-DAT, SOCIÉTÉ DES ARTS TECHNOLOGIQUES, South West Creative Art and Technology Network, University of Plymouth.