The latest Numix Lab (between Brussels and Amsterdam, December 4-8, 2023) was an opportunity to examine the practices surrounding digital art and the places that host it. A very active 5-day immersion where Unframed Collection was able to set down its camera and interview those who connect XR creation with the general public.
Fifth interview: Silke Schmidt is in charge of the XR HUB Bavaria, an initiative supported by the Bavarian Ministry of Digital Affairs to strengthen the media and business industries with XR technologies and their many applications. The project comprises three sites: XR HUB Munich, XR HUB Nuremberg and XR HUB Würzburg.
What are your main missions?
Silke Schmidt – Our mission is to grow the XR community in Bavaria. We support people involved in the field, by organizing various events to facilitate meetings. It’s a sector that’s sometimes difficult to get to grips with, and we help them to find partners where necessary, to understand what’s at stake. The beauty of immersive technologies is that they’re immersed in a very open, very creative community, and that’s why it’s so exciting to be involved on a daily basis.
Can you tell us about some of the events organized by the XR HUB?
Silke Schmidt – We often organize our own events, but we also have a network of partner festivals such as the Festival of the Future in Munich, which focuses on science and technology. But also Medientage Munich, which focuses more specifically on traditional media issues. We have a presence there.
Silke Schmidt – We organize smaller events in our own offices, or in museums, cultural venues or workshops with artists or collectives around new technologies.
Is there any funding for XR creations in Bavaria?
Silke Schmidt – We also have a funding program in Bavaria that covers audiovisual creation, video games, XR, education and training. Anything that doesn’t fit into predefined boxes can apply, for example, totally sound-based experiments. And we’re happy to help anyone who wants to submit a project.