VOICE first Progress Meeting at Ars Electronica
Linz, Austria, 4 September 2024
The VOICE consortium met up together for two days within Ars Electronica 2024. The main focus was to have the first progress meeting and combine it with the festival to get inspired by all the artists and exhibitions.
The first day of Ars Electronica 2024 marked a significant milestone for the consortium as it marked the first progress meeting. Over the course of the day, all partners presented their current work, shared insights gained over the first nine months of the project, and discussed next steps to ensure continued success.
The meeting started with a warm welcome from Marta Coto, the project coordinator from INOVA+, who set the tone by outlining the strategic goals and reflecting on the consortium's achievements so far. Following this, Zeynep Birsnel (WAAG) provided an update on the ongoing implementation of the ATSI (Art-Technology-Society Interactions) framework, highlighting key accomplishments and challenges in integrating art and technology with innovation practices. Zeynep emphasized the importance of co-creation and collaborative methodologies that ATSI fosters, particularly in its contribution to artistic and technological symbiosis.
Next, Anita McKeown (FutureFocus21c) took the stage to discuss the expansion and growth of our Communities of Practice (CoP). She shared insights on how the CoP is fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and detailed the induction plans for new pCr (permaCultural resilience critical praxis) participants. The meeting concluded with Martina Radanovic (RISE), who laid out the communication strategy for the upcoming phase of the project. Martina emphasized the need to streamline messaging and promote transparency among partners and the public.
Ars Electronica Festival Engagement
Following the meeting, VOICE partners immersed themselves in the diverse artistic and technological engagements hosted at Ars Electronica Festival 2024. Each partner participated in various collaborative spaces, including the renowned S+T+ARTS meetings and exhibitions. The S+T+ARTS initiative (Science, Technology, and the Arts) has long been a key venue for exploring intersections between art and innovation, making it the perfect platform for project participants to engage and network.
INOVA+ and WAAG proudly showcased the outcomes of their Better Factory initiative, which seeks to empower small and medium-sized manufacturers to collaborate with artists and technologists to innovate production processes. The results were met with enthusiasm, as the initiative has already started yielding tangible improvements in creative manufacturing solutions.
Beyond the collaborative showcases, several VOICE partners, who are practising artists, presented their exhibitions. These displays not only offered a glimpse into their artistic practices but also underscored the symbiotic relationship between the creative and technological dimensions of the VOICE project. Live discussions and panels were held, allowing attendees to engage with the work on a deeper level and explore the intersections between creativity, technology, and societal impact.
We are excited to continue showcasing our work and the collaborative opportunities we’ve been preparing.
As the VOICE project moves into the next phase, the consortium remains committed to fostering artist-led innovation and interdisciplinary growth. In the upcoming months, there will be many collaborative opportunities for artists.
For more behind-the-scenes content, highlights from the meeting, and exclusive insights, please follow the VOICE Instagram and LinkedIn account.
