Propelling UK XR at SXSW

In March 2023, XR Stories was part of South by Southwest (SXSW), an annual gathering that brings together thousands of people from across film, interactive media and music.

The conference is renowned for its diverse programme and vast scale, connecting thousands of different people from a variety of backgrounds and sectors.

Over three days, the XR Stories team curated immersive demos of some of the projects developed in collaboration with UK partners. Part of the Creative Economy Team’s Immersive Futures Lab, the delegation showcased eXtended Reality experiences to an international audience, forging new connections for the businesses across industry and academia.

The Immersive Futures Lab welcomed more than 500 people and the XR Stories demos were a major attraction, sparking intrigue and conversations with visitors from many different institutions and industries.

In parallel to the exhibits, XR Stories presented new research and explored innovations and issues across XR technologies, amplifying UK research activities and gaining inspiration for future projects and collaborations.

Short talks and panel events covered research topics including virtual production, disability representation and the metaverse. 

John Rose-Adams, Creative Producer at XR Stories, comments, “SXSW provided a unique opportunity to introduce the immersive experiences developed with our UK partners to an international audience. This is so valuable because the businesses involved gain exposure to new networks and ultimately, new commissions and collaborations.” 

Anna Bramwell-Dicks hosts a panel on Disability Representation in Future Stories with Erin Pritchard, Connor Scott-Gardener and Erin Pritchard at SXSW 2023

Published on 30 March 2023