Back in March Digital Catapult and Arts Council England launched the application call for their third CreativeXR startup accelerator. Looking for 20 companies to help fund and develop their projects, this year’s assortment of applicants have now been chosen.
260 teams applied for CreativeXR, beating previous years. Each of the 20 teams automatically receives £20,000 GBP in funding as well as intensive mentoring and technical support to create a prototype.
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time, CreativeXR will be run remotely from July – November 2020. This factor has also influenced many of the projects with some creating at-home accessible experiences while others addressed topical social and political issues.
“The third cohort for CreativeXR, run with Arts Council England, is more diverse and inclusive than in previous years. It’s also more tightly engaged with contemporary themes such as climate change, anti-racism and the social media commentary of populist leaders. The cohort’s prototypes will give us an intriguing glimpse into future ways of storytelling,” said Dr Jeremy Silver, CEO of Digital Catapult in a statement. “Chosen from over 250 applicants, each of the 20 in the cohort will rise to the challenge of finding a new format to create a compelling experience with dramatic, comedic and downright provocative themes.”
The chosen teams are as follows:
- (Hi)story of a Painting by Gaëlle Mourre and Quentin Darras – An educational series which builds storyworlds around iconic works of art.
- #CorpTopia by Kimeleon.tv – An AR multiplayer game set in a parallel world of human-animal species.
- #TrumpsTower by Satore Studio and Borough Productions – A musical drama tracing the intense relationship between one man and his digital surrogate.
- A Place to Be by Independent Film Trust – A 360˚ VR experience set in a South London shebeen.
- Austerity On Trial by English Touring Theatre – An immersive courtroom drama examining the human impact of austerity measures.
- Blood Speaks: Maya – The Birth of a Superhero by Just Another Production Company – An immersive story following a girl’s transformation into a uniquely female superhero
- Bodymapping by Hatsumi – A webVR experience enabling people to communicate the experience of pain and emotion through 3D drawing.
- Child of Empire by Project Dastaan – An interactive VR docufiction based on the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan.
- Dracula Immersed by Davy & Kristin McGuire – The world’s first augmented reality pop-up book reimagining the classic gothic story.
- Future Rites by Alexander Whitley, Sandra Rodriguez and Normal Studio – An immersive and collaborative performance experience based on the seminal ballet The Rite Of Spring.
- IamMUSIC by KRAKED and Associated Industries – A creative tool which turns the process of making audiovisual art into a physical experience, using the body to generate sound and light.
- Munkination – A Second Chance by Visualise & Royal Opera House – An immersive hiphop/opera presenting an Afro- futuristic adventure story about climate change.
- New World by Forest Tribe Theatre – An immersive world created using live-streaming, music, theatre and human connection.
- REBOOT by AΦE – An immersive performance based on the true story of Matheryn Naovaratpong, the youngest human to be cryogenized.
- Song.world by Sammy Lee, M.J. Harding, Cream Projects and Off World Live – A documentary about the global phenomenon of K-pop, experienced as a 360 livestream.
- Story Portals by YonderBeyond – A physical pop-up building which becomes home to multiple stories and characters through the power of AR.
- The Foundling by Raucous – A tabletop theatre show combining fairytale and fact, designed as a prequel to a live immersive theatre experience.
- Transportalists by FANDCO – A live concert brought into the audience’s home through mixed reality.
- extraordinary people – extraordinary places by ScanLAB Projects – A narrative experience about the relationship between people and their place of ‘work’.
Their work will culminate in a virtual showcase to be held in November 2020, helping teams secure further investment and commissions. As more details on this year’s CreativeXR are released, VRFocus will keep you updated.
