When we hear the word “festival”, we might think of music, food or arts, but in recent times, we’ve seen technology entering the scene and captivating audiences across the world.
A huge tactic used in placemaking and destination marketing, arts and technology festivals are feeding that trend. Cultural collaborations, such as LightNight in Liverpool, are gathering momentum year on year.
Sensor City will this year open its doors for LightNight, a one night-event that celebrates Liverpool’s world-class cultural offering, bringing technological transformation to life in the form of visual, interactive and hands-on displays, apps, drones and 3D-printed models.
As Sensor City prepares for LightNight, we thought it fitting to highlight four of the best arts and technology festivals that are held around the world every year. We’re lucky enough to have festivals like LightNight and Future Everything in Manchester on our doorstep. But where would we go if we could hop on a plane and visit similar initiatives further away from home? Here’s a few on the Active Profile list:
Ars Electronic Festival, Austria
Held in Linz, Austria, Ars Electronica comprises more than 500 events over five days. Jam-packed with performances, concerts, DJ sets, workshops and exhibitions, this world-class festival brings over 1000 individuals together to celebrate and explore the revolutionary relationship between the arts, technology and society.
Athens Digital Art Festival, Athens
Athens Digital Arts Festival (ADAF) celebrates digital culture through a tech-driven line-up of virtual reality (VR), animation, audio-visual (AV) and 3D printing workshops and performances. Recognised as one of the most renowned digital arts festivals in Greece, ADAF attracts visitors from all over the world, and will this year host its 14th festival in the historic centre of Athens.
Future of Everything, New York
If you’re a fan of the HBO science-fiction series WestWorld, the Future of Everything festival is right up your street. From art to artificial intelligence, Future of Everything celebrates the ground-breaking technical innovations that are transforming the world as we know it. Visitors can witness New York at its most innovative and experience the latest breakthroughs in robotics and neurotech. And for the Westworld enthusiasts, this year fans were able to go behind the scenes to witness where humanoid robots are the new reality.
Sonar+D, Barcelona
Held in the heart of Barcelona, Sonar+D festival explores how creativity and technology are transforming the 21st Century. Now in its fifth year, the festival connects thousands of leading artists, creative technologists, musicians, filmmakers, scientists, and entrepreneurs from all over the world through a variety of AV experiences, immersive technology shows and exhibitions.
