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Artists, Organisations, Partnerships

Arts Council NI to host FREE one-day digital art showcase at The MAC

20th February, 2025

On Tuesday 11th March, 12noon-5pm at The MAC in Belfast, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland will host a free public showcase of work by Northern Ireland’s leading artists working at the interface of cutting-edge technology and the arts. This is an opportunity to meet some of Northern Ireland’s most exciting digital and immersive artists and experience their innovative and exciting work at first hand.

Artist Deepa Mann-Kler pictured in her studio with colourful artworks in the background.
Pictured is artist Deepa Mann-Kler, creator of The Metaverse & Me, one of many digital artists taking part in the free showcase at the Nerve Centre.

Participating artists include:

  • Deepa Mann-Kler The Metaverse & Me: Augmented artistry unleashed in the digital realm. The Metaverse & Me features artworks that combine cutting-edge digital animation with a stunning soundtrack. Each painting contains a virtual show that remains hidden until viewed through a mobile phone. It is as if each painting comes to life to reveal a hidden narrative. The Metaverse & Me was funded by The National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Individual Artists Digital Evolution Awards in 2023. Watch the artist talk about the 2023 exhibition below.
  • Dee Harvey HeartBeat VR (Short 2023): Heartbeat is the multi-award winning 360 animated VR experience based on verbatim documentary that shares a woman’s experience of miscarriage. Supported by Arts Council of Northern Ireland and NI Screen. It won best narrative at Raindance UK 2024 and the audience award at Art VR 2024 in the Czech Republic.

Also Exhibiting are: Conan McIvor, Digital Arts Studios, Eileen McClory, Eoin Cleland, Gwen Stevenson, Jordie Burns, Katya Solomatina, Patrick Thomas, Reuben Brown, and Ulster Touring Opera.

These ground-breaking artists, working across visual arts, music, theatre, dance and creative programming, have all been supported by Future Screens NI and The National Lottery through the Arts Council, to develop exciting, high-quality arts projects using innovative digital and immersive technologies, including Extended Reality (Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Realities) and/or games engines.

Matthew Malcolm, Creative Industries Development Officer at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented,

“The Arts Council is thrilled to host this event which will showcase a selection of incredible digital arts projects created by innovative NI artists, thanks to game-changing funding from The National Lottery players and Future Screens NI. This investment has supported these artists in learning new skills to create art using digital and immersive technologies, and has helped to widen and diversify audiences, so that more people from all backgrounds can enjoy arts experiences.

The Arts Council’s investment in digital arts reflects our commitment to invest in creating a sector that is more supported to develop through experimentation and innovation. Our digital arts programmes encourage innovative practices that cross artform boundaries and builds digital capabilities within the Northern Ireland arts sector, and I would encourage everyone to come along to The MAC on 11th March to experience these ambitious, exciting projects.”

Join the artists for a creative experience unlike anything you will have encountered before!

This event is free of charge and open as a drop-in to the public from 12noon-5pm on Tuesday 11th March. To confirm your attendance, please register here https://buytickets.at/artscoun...