*CFP* "IMMERSIVE AND INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND LIVE PERFORMANCE: VR/AR/MR PRACTICES", UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES

Immersive and Interactive Technologies and Live Performance: VR/AR/MR practices

TaPRA Performance & New Technologies Working Group Interim Event

Saturday 6th April 2019, 

University of South Wales, Cardiff Campus, The ATRiuM

Confirmed Keynote Speaker: Jorge Lopes Ramos (executive director ZU-UK).

Launch & Wine Reception: Launch of Performance and VR Practice special issue, IJPADM. Wine reception and conversation with Kerry Francksen and Sophy Smith (eds.).

Following on from the annual conference at Aberystwyth and previous group events and conversations, the aim of the 2019 interim event is to explore different practices and modes of immersive and interactive technologies in live performance, as well as to investigate new narrative possibilities and audiences’ virtual experiences in live performance created by immersive technologies. As Kerry Francksen and Sophy Smith (2018) note, ‘[t]he use of virtual reality (VR) technologies has seen a significant resurgence in both industry-led and artistic communities in recent times. This re-emergence can be linked to the continuing growth and advancement in smart phone technologies (e.g. developments in accelerometers and gyrospic chips), as well as a significant interest within the games industry for developing a greater quality gaming experience.’ 

We want to explore this emergent theme and extend the 2018 TaPRA working group’s discussions on Empathy and Inclusiveness in Immersive Technologies to question: What new tools and spaces do immersive technologies offer to theatre and live performance? What opportunities and challenges do immersive technologies bring to the digital performer/performance-maker, from new forms of audience/participant interaction to new performance training methodologies, to new rehearsal methods and documentation strategies?

ThePerformance and New Technologies Working Group welcomes 15-20 minute practice-based responses, provocations, lecture-demonstrations and papers, exploring and reflecting on immersive and interactive technologies and live performance. Proposals may respond to, but are not limited by, the following prompts:

• live performance and virtual/augmented/mixed reality 
• narrative possibilities created by immersive technologies 
• immersive technologies and audience experiences 
• app/social media performances 
• embedded virtual experiences and spaces of culture / heritage / the personal 
• empathy and inclusiveness in immersive technologies

This is a one-day event, with tea/coffee and lunch included and all participants must be TaPRA members. If you are not currently a member, you will be asked to join the organization at the interim rate of £15 via TaPRA before the date of the event.

Please submit a 300 word abstract, outlining your proposed contribution to the day, alongside an indication of your technical requirements and set up needs, and a short biographical statement to perfandnewtech@tapra.org. The deadline for the submission of proposals is Friday 15th February.

We also have £50 travel bursaries to facilitate postgraduate and non-affiliated artists/researchers attending this interim event, so please note on your proposal if you would like to be considered for a travel bursary.