XR Stories at the York Festival of Ideas 2026: Storytelling in a virtual world

10:00 am - 30 May 2026

York Guildhall, St Martins Courtyard, Coney St, York YO1 9QL

Join the team from XR Stories for a series of interactive, family-friendly demonstrations and workshops to delve into some of the techniques used by film producers, game developers and creative technologists to bridge physical and digital worlds.

For families and children

We’re running motion capture sessions for children aged between 9 and 12 across three allocated time slots. Working in small groups, the children will storyboard a script, choose their main character, build their own story world, and watch as a motion capture actor brings that world to life on screen! Whilst you are welcome to drop in during these windows, we recommend signing up in advance to guarantee your slot and ensure you don’t miss out on the action.

For everyone

Throughout the day, there will also be plenty of other ways to explore the work of XR Stories. Dive into immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences, watch videos about our latest creative research, and chat with our team to find out more about how we use technology to tell new stories in new ways.

Motion capture session information

Suitability: Best for children aged between 9 and 12.
Capacity: There are limited places available for the interactive sessions, but lots of room for family and friends to watch.
Supervision: Please note that all children must be supervised by an accompanying adult.

Times

You will be prompted to select a time slot after booking your ticket)

10:00am to 11:30am
12:30pm to 2:00pm
2:30pm to 4:00pm

About the VR experiences

The VR stories are not specifically made for children, but information about each experience will be provided alongside the VR headsets.

Booking info

Cost: Free

Book