Enhancing Artistic Experience in Hybrid Environments

International Conference

Enhancing Artistic Experience in Hybrid Environments

sponsored by the EU research project:

The “Communities and Artistic Participation in Hybrid Environments” Project (CAPHE)

HORIZON-MSCA-2021-SE-01

15 – 17 May 2024

Conservatorio Puccini La Spezia, Italy

[possible participation: live and online]

Exploring Multifaceted Dimensions

Art has been perpetually mirroring our evolving society from its very dawn, and today, the engagement of art with technology, community, and engineering provides an unprecedented opportunity to analyze the technologized society through the lens of art. As we navigate the realms of virtual and augmented reality, we witness a transformative landscape challenging traditional artistic forms, stimulating new forms of artistic creation and reception triggered by hybrid technologies – both VR and AR – and inviting ethical considerations into our creative practices. The CAPHE Project is committed to exploring these uncharted territories, seeking contributions that delve into the convergence of artistic expression and technology in the context of hybrid environments.

Using the term “artistic experience” we refer to experiences that appear to be concerning the art, either from the side of the creative process or from the side of – also creative – reception of art. Hybrid environments are understood as environments formed in different proportions from the online, digital, and physical layers of reality. The international conference will be structured into two parts each day, with formal lectures in the morning and poster presentations and performances in the afternoon.

1. The formal lectures will explore various aspects of enhancing artistic experiences within hybrid environments, covering topics such as artistic expression in virtual and augmented reality, community involvement, innovations in online artistic experiences, including art-based research, advancement in technologies, and the aesthetic experience in such hybrid environments.

2. The afternoon sessions, featuring poster presentations and performances, will dynamically showcase projects related to creating inclusive, hybrid, and transformable spaces of social-artistic experiences via electronic media. These presentations will particularly focus on experiences using platforms like Spatial and delve into social-artistic experiments, with special attention to performing arts, gender issues, and the inclusion of marginalized social groups. The aim is to bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering a rich exploration of practical applications, artistic creations, and technological innovations in the realm of hybrid environments.

Formal Lectures

The range of topics for the formal lectures includes, but is not limited to, the following questions:

1. Artistic Expression in Virtual and Augmented Reality
We encourage presentations unraveling the unique possibilities offered by virtual and augmented reality across various artistic disciplines, including music, visual arts, and performative arts:

❖ Exploration of innovative artistic processes within virtual and augmented reality.

❖ Impact of virtual and augmented reality on traditional artistic forms and techniques.

❖ The role of spatial and immersive technologies in enhancing artistic expression.

❖ Challenges and opportunities in creating art within virtual and augmented environments.

❖ Collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches in virtual and augmented reality art.

2. Community Involvement and Participation in Hybrid Artistic Environments
Art is a collective experience, and the hybrid environment offers a canvas for new forms of community engagement:

❖ Examination of community-driven artistic initiatives in hybrid environments.

❖ Inclusivity and diversity in collaborative art projects within hybrid spaces.

❖ Case studies on successful community engagement through hybrid artistic experiences.

❖ The impact of hybrid environments on democratizing access to artistic participation.

❖ Ethical considerations in community-centered artistic endeavors within hybrid spaces.

❖ The hybrid art market: digitalization of assets and currencies, immersiveness of art auctions, and de-materialisation of value

3. Innovations in Online Artistic Experiences

The digital landscape has redefined how we live and consume art. Presentations in this category

could explore innovations in online artistic experiences and the impact of these innovations on

traditional artistic forms:

❖ Analysis of emerging trends in online artistic experiences and exhibitions.

❖ Virtual galleries and their influence on the perception of art.

❖ The fusion of traditional and digital artistic mediums in online spaces.

❖ Accessibility and audience engagement in online artistic platforms.

❖ Environmental considerations in the digital display of artistic creations.

4. Advanced Technologies and Creative Intersections

This section is dedicated to exploring the creative intersections between advanced technology, and

virtual and augmented reality, without limiting to specific categories. We invite contributions that

explore technological innovation as a means to enhance the artistic experience:

❖ Integration of artificial intelligence in artistic creation and interpretation.

❖ Robotic and AI-driven art installations: Challenges and possibilities.

❖ The intersection of augmented reality with robotics in immersive art experiences.

❖ Legal and ethical implications of advanced technologies in the creation and appreciation of art.

❖ Collaborative projects between artists and technologists in pushing creative boundaries.

5. Philosophical and aesthetic implications of artistic production realized in hybrid environments

❖ Hybrid environments as a challenge for contemporary philosophy of art and aesthetics

❖ Transformation of aesthetic experience in AR and virtual spaces: immersive experience and

contemporary concepts (engaged aesthetics, somaesthetics, etc.)

❖ Sensorial imaginings in hybrid environments

❖ The ontological status of the artwork in hybrid spaces

❖ Taste, aesthetic judgment, and art criticism in the hybrid art world

These areas are not exhaustive, and contributors are encouraged to explore innovative and  interdisciplinary approaches within the broader themes of each section. The goal is to stimulate diverse perspectives and foster a rich dialogue on the enhancement of artistic experiences in a hybrid environment. 

Poster Presentations and Performances

The range of topics for the poster and practical presentations includes, but is not limited to, the following questions:

a. Creation of an inclusive, hybrid, transformable space of social-artistic experience via electronic media, including the Spatial platform 

Posters can explore projects that shape inclusive and transformable artistic spaces through the use of electronic media, with a particular focus on experiences on platforms like Spatial. Performances can showcase practical and interactive experiences embodying this concept, highlighting the social and artistic dimension of creating hybrid spaces.

b. Performing and researching social-artistic experiments, mediated with the use of electronic media in online and augmented reality technologies, and with special regard to performing arts, gender issues, and excluded social groups:

Posters can delve into research and projects involving social-artistic experiments, with a specific focus onperforming arts, gender issues, and the inclusion of marginalized social groups. Performances should provide tangible examples of these experiences, showcasing how the use of electronic media in hybrid contexts, including the Spatial platform, can enrich and transform social-artistic interactions.

Accepted formats

1. Presentations in the format of formal lectures must be at most 20 minutes, leaving 10 minutes for a Q&A session. Contributors who will not be able to attend the Conference in person are welcome. Online presentations will be facilitated.

2. Posters will be displayed in the common gallery and each presenter will be given up to 15 minutes in which to supplement the contents with additional explanations.

3. Performances will be assigned 30-minute slots for action and interaction with the presenter.

Submission and Participation Deadlines

For formal lectures: Extended abstracts (up to 400 words)

For posters: Short abstracts (up to 300 characters)

For performances: Summaries (up to 300 characters), including any technical and space requirements.

Submissions should be sent by 15 February 2024, to the following address: [email protected]

Accepted presenters may choose to participate either in person at the Conservatorio Puccini La Spezia or virtually online.

Important Dates

● Submission Deadline: 15 February 2024

● Notification of Acceptance: 15 March 2024

● International Conference: 15, 16, 17 May 2024

We eagerly anticipate your valuable contributions, fostering a dialogue on the convergence of artistic experience and technology in our ever-evolving hybrid environment. Sincerely, 

CP International Conference Organizers