The ‘Creativity Offers Us a New Formula for Life’ extended reality exhibition (1st November to 15th December 2023 IRL) is evolving into its 2.0 version and moving to The Hive on the campus of Worcester University in May 2024. It is imperative that we examine the impact and reach of this groundbreaking multi-format exhibition experience before the exhibition's relocation to Worcestershire. Crucially, we need to consider whether the format worked, whether it succeeded in raising awareness of creativity, and whether it was a worthwhile undertaking for the 27 international contributors.
- 3,000+ visitors viewed the exhibition IRL at RSA House
- Approx. 700 visitors saw the exhibition in the VR galleries.
- 97 people came on a scheduled guided tour of the VR galleries.
- Video interviews were watched 230 times.
- 6,040 visitors looked at the exhibition content on the ASN website (16K for promotional period)
The ASN RSA Fellows Network was responsible for the entire endeavor. Everything we accomplished, and the resources we were able to access, were generated by
us as a team, and the generosity of the contributors, fellows, and sponsor. The figures
are impressive for an entirely organic marketing activity with a budget of just over $1000, with over half of that going to VR support. Being a member of the RSA was helpful, but it would not have
made for a successful experience on its own. However, having the IRL exhibition
at RSA House was undoubtedly beneficial. The eventual connection with Cybersalon and Eva Pascoe was also hugely helpful and instrumental in growing interest in the exhibition.
The RSA House café and the rooms where the exhibition was located were visited by at least 3000+ people in person. The contributors and their creative intentions were the topic of many discussions. The work on display received a genuine and positive response, with many remarks about the quality and diversity of practice, as well as the importance of creativity.
The QR codes, or portals, into the VR galleries generated, with the help of some online activity, 700+ visits, there were times when the galleries were busy with 15+ people simultaneously looking at the work on display. There was an, as yet unreported, number of visits to the Cyberia 39 Whitfield event space which was the venue for screening our 6 amazing artist interviews. The five scheduled guided tours introduced 97 people, the majority of whom were not known to us, to the work of the 27 contributors, and the interviews were watched 230+ times. The video interview figure is understated because most people watched the videos in Cyberia as a group, rather than individually.
The online exhibition and contributor information content were accessed 6K+ times during the period of the exhibition, with that number reaching 16K for the period the exhibition was being actively promoted.
The biggest indication of success to us is the invitation to take the exhibition to The Hive located within the Worcester University campus. Future plans include an exhibition in Las Vegas in late 2024 / early 2025. Our contributors have stated that they enjoyed the experience and exposure to their work, for some it was the first time they exhibited outside of their home countries. Building connections is an incredibly important activity for all those involved, an indication of their commitment to their creativity as well as sharing their creative experience with others.
A huge thank you goes to all involved. We will continue to connect with others and build a bigger space for creativity to thrive!
Our feedback and impact data will be reported on further and are being refined into a book chapter that will be published later this year.
Zoe and Julie
