An innovative Horizon Europe project with a Swiss research institute seeks to enhance the cultural sphere by seamlessly blending it with immersive technologies.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cultural landscape in Europe suffered immensely. To combat this loss of engagement by the public in the cultural industry, Artcast4D was created. It is a project under the Culture and Heritage section of Horizon Europe and under the New European Bauhaus umbrella, in which Switzerland’s IFAAR Institute in Bern is an associated partner, supported by funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Research. The project combines modern immersive technologies with cultural topics to create interactive installations that boost the public’s engagement with culture.
The project’s objectives are to create a global framework for designing and developing “efficient, cost-effective, multi-site, multi-platform, non-invasive, immersive and interactive user experiences designed as global social sculptures” for the European Cultural Creative industries. To foster long-term sustainability, the proposed framework must have a sound plan for commercialisation that supports the adoption of immersive technologies throughout Europe’s creative communities. Furthermore, both improving the bottom-line performance as well as the social impact of cultural heritage sites and art installations are also a key goal. Finally, Artcast4D’s technology shall be promoted for use outside of cultural institutions.
With one of the objectives of the project being the creation of a framework to create effective and engaging experiences, part of the Horizon Europe project is a study looking into how immersive experiences are currently being developed. Through investigating a series of cases and then conducting interviews of where immersive technologies have already been deployed, the study comes to several key conclusions. The analysis revealed that the key to success for these immersive experiences lies in the design process. The introduction of immersive technologies is mainly to bring a conventional experience to a higher level. In this process, it is not only the quality of the technology itself that predicts its success, the content itself and the interaction with the visitors also plays a vital role. A fundamental finding of the study is that during the design process, too much emphasis is placed on perfecting the technology and not enough on the content of the installation. While the technology is what sparks curiosity and brings the engagement, people that interact with these installations are more likely to research the content of it after the interaction, rather than how the technology that brings it across works. According to empirical research in the context of the project, people prefer cultural encounters with installations that prioritise emotional resonance and cultural depth. Overall, the quality of the technology is important as far as how it portrays the content itself. Thus, one major finding in the study is what framework for designing immersive cultural experiences should focus on. According to the study, the framework needs to be user centric and focus on the content just as much as on the technology. Furthermore, one of the project’s most vital outputs has been the 2D/3D real-time engine, that is now available as an open-source programme to further expand the reach of the innovative idea of involving immersive technology to boost engagement in other areas such as the cultural industry.
Currently, the project has four active pilots showcasing the technology and its use in cultural spaces. The first is in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, and is an art installation consisting of four co-created works of art. The pilot invites both residents and professional artists to co-create works of art using the Artcast4D technology at the French Museum of Playing Cards in the city’s centre. The pieces blend event promotion, cultural heritage and an interactive art experience. Another pilot is in Hounslow, UK, and brings the art into public spaces by showcasing that the technology is accessible to artists who are not specialised in immersive technologies. The outcomes of this range from long-term installations to performances. In Valencia, Spain, a piece was created combining dance with the immersive technology. It showcased the interplay between humanity and technology in the digital age and will now be taken on the road as a touring exhibition. Lastly, while not as far along in its development, another pilot is located in Athens. The technology is used to immerse visitors into the world of Ancient Greece and encourages deep reflection with democratic simulations.
While Artcast4D is generally delivering very well, merging immersive technology with art and culture has come with its challenges, both at a technical and cooperation level. From a technical side of things, high-quality technology is not enough to produce a good installation. While run-of-the-mill technical difficulties are certainly something to watch out for, several other challenges must be addressed when preparing an immersive installation. For instance, multiple factors can become a hinderance when utilising public, open spaces. One important aspect is the technology’s sensitivity to light. It is generally most effective in a darker atmosphere, thus either for nocturnal use or for indoor spaces, where light is not only less intense, but also held constant. Another aspect to consider is sound in the venue of the installation. If the technology itself relies on sound, a busy space can take away from the immersive experience. Also to be considered is the dichotomy of placement. On the one hand, the perceivability of the installation is vital to produce engagement. Passers-by must both easily see and recognise the technology for what it is to appreciate it, but the installation must also be kept in a space where it does not disturb and is safe. On a cooperation level challenges can arise from merging two cultures, that of technologies and that of the arts, that are quite different and thus approach tasks in diverse ways. When speaking to a representative of the Artcast4D project, he stated, that while the combination of the two can lead to discussions, it also contributes to the uniqueness of the project and delivers its greatest strength, diversity of thought and thus creative ideas. Furthermore, the technology has been well received by the cultural partners and the diversity of opinions has allowed a culture of curiosity and trying new things to grow within the team.
Overall, Artcast4D is successfully combining immersive technologies and the arts. The study conducted achieved its goal of understanding the field of immersive technologies and how they are currently developed and implemented. In the next phase, the four pilot programmes will continue being developed and improved upon. Artcast4D would also like to use the following years to increase its visibility, improve on their concepts, and take the next steps in providing their open-source technology for wider use. Further information about the project and Switzerland’s involvement can be found on Artcast4D’s website.