In 2017, the first EUROPEAN CREATORS’ LAB (#EUCL) started with a vision: We wanted to create a safe place where thought leaders, artists and producers could explore the opportunities of the new medium, learn to understand the technology, exchange ideas with the international XR family and become multipliers and mentors themselves.
We wanted to create a place where nothing is already manifest, and everything can be asked.
Over the last five years, we have helped democratise access to knowledge and insights about narration in immersive worlds. We support artists and producers to keep up with current developments and are part of the forces building and strengthening the European ecosystem for the XR industry.
For 2022 our vision is still the same. Virtual worlds are infinite and cross all borders. In consequence, the EUCL is a place of experimentation, knowledge exchange, collaboration, and global networking. We love the diversity of our cultures, languages, geographical regions. We find it particularly exciting artistically and creatively to learn, work and develop together in this multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment. The European Creators’ Lab is a place of diversity, gender equity, sustainability, awareness and respect.
In 2022, for the first time, we are hosting not two but five Labs in one year, reflecting the evolution of immersive media and the exponentially growing economic power in this sector. We thank the Creative Europe Media Program of the European Union for this great acknowledgment of our work so far and the confidence in our future projects.
What participants – and mentors – can expect this year
From IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING to DEVELOPMENT, from IDEATION to PROTOTYPING to PRODUCTION and DISTRIBUTION – we cover the workflow from scratch to built, from built to distribution that is different in so many ways from all other media.
We know that the creation and production of immersive content requires not only profound knowledge in interactive and non-linear storytelling, but also that every single step from idea to exhibition requires individual creative solutions. And we know how energy-sapping this process can be. It helps a lot to be able to rely on a network, to be part of a community. The EUCL alumni are such a community.
The Immersive Storytelling Lab (29.6. – 1.7.) is a 3-day online opportunity to start learning and to update knowledge and a perfect ramp to the Development Lab (4.-8.7.), that will be on-site in Munich. We continue with a 2-day ideation camp online to prepare the Prototyping Lab on-site in Leipzig – both in September. Finally, the Booster will be organized again in cooperation with a European XR festival and supports producers with their project in development with online masterclasses and participation on-site at the festival / b2b market.
Again, we will invite international mentors and experts to share their wisdom and guide our participants during the ideation and prototyping processes. In the past we had the honor to welcome some of the most acknowledged artists, producers and curators. The direct and intense discussion with experienced and visionary creators and artists is priceless.
The special quality, if not uniqueness of our labs is the vibrant energy of our participants and mentors. You will meet on eye-level, sticking your heads together, think, collaborate, co-create – in a mix of state-of-the-art creativity tools, agile working methods and freestyle ideation.
This openness is a necessity for us. We know that creativity is a process, not a result.
The world needs new narratives now more than ever. We bear great responsibility for this. A responsibility that we can only meet if we ensure that the knowledge and skills of immersive media do not remain in the hands of a few but are accessible to everyone. It will be up to us which narratives will be disseminated via immersive media in the future.
In the next few weeks we will announce open calls, our boards of mentors, our partnerships and collaborations. If you want to be part of the European Creators’ Lab as a partner, mentor or expert – let’s talk!
Here’s to the next 5 years!
Overview 2022
- Immersive Storytelling Lab (online: 29.6. – 1.7.)
- Development Lab (Munich, 4.-8.7.)
- Ideation Camp (online, September)
- Prototyping Lab (Leipzig, September)
- Booster Lab (hybrid, tba)
Website: https://european-creators-lab.com/
The European Creators’ Lab is organized by the XR HUB Bavaria, financed with the support of the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union.
Application Form for 2_Development Lab
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