Mix up the digital with the analogue and you get a hybrid. The two counterparts don’t just coexist but bring out the best in each other. Mixed reality studio Artefact makes our analogue reality more exciting by adding digital details. The Vienna-based creatives are the ones behind the Forward App, which gives the festival the augmented experience.

 

With the digital and the analogue growing together more and more, the best of both worlds is here to stay. Virtual events gave us the opportunity to connect with each other and exchange creativity when the whole world was separated. New technologies and event formats aiming to unite people emerged, the Forward App created by Artefact being one of them. Since spring 2020, Forward has been happening as either a virtual or hybrid festival and connecting and inspiring creatives globally through Livestreams as well as interactive communication portals such as the Forward App.

 

 

“We were interested in creating a communication portal. The festival usually takes place in four major cities at different times throughout the year. We thought it would be great if you could use mixed reality to connect communities and people (virtually) visiting these festivals in different cities. This connection should be fun and engaging. It should involve some creativity from the user’s side and serve as an alternative to social media platforms. So we designed a simple drawing app, which allows you to draft a 3D message in space, like a spatial tag or a doodle, your logo, add a # message and send this content to the Forward community at all festivals as part of a collective artwork”, says Artefact founder Bence Pap.

 

 

The app encourages users to open their digital eyes and see art and happenings at the festival augmented or boost the festival with their own VR drawings. Those designs then can be shared with other festival visitors – in real life or digitally. The next chance to mix the digital with the analogue is going to be at Forward Festival Hamburg – a hybrid event of course. Artefact will be explaining some background on how the Forward App came to life.