The Virtual Arts Centre of the Future Lyngby, Denmark

1. The Virtual Arts Centre of the FutureLyngby, Denmark Wouter Vermeylen Building Manager Arts Centre Vooruit

2. Arts Centre Vooruit… Ghent, Belgium 600 activities dance theatre literature pop/rock jazz worldmusic new media performance parties 11 storeys 1913 20.000 m2 Restauration 20 years monument of the year 2000 80 employees 5 stages 365 spaces Capacity: 3.500 visitors max

3. Changing needs: More participation Visitors: In-depth information More interactivity (communities) Personal communication (blogs) Mobility (anywhere-anytime) Artists: Technological support Medialab Crossmedial formats Organisation: Efficient working methods (automation, mobility) Support artistic process Efficient Working methods

4. New technologies will enable us to reach our audience better and communicate more with it. WHY?

5. Simply because they answer strong customer needs: Mobility: anyhow/anywhere Personalization: have it my way Empowerment: customer in the driver’s seat Expression/interactivity: hear me

6. … investing in a ICT infrastructure and applications for visitors, artists and employees to enable them to experience information, knowledge and culture in a digital way … Policy plan 2006-2009 Mission statement … to look towards the future in a new inspiring way and to aim for a social and artistic surplus value … and to be a pioneer on a national and international level Ambition

7. Organisation: Towards the user - Information retrieval - Organisation wide - Motivation - Manageable Transversal project structure

8. Organisation Steering Committee Projectleader 8 Workgroups 1 Strategy & Vision 2 Infrastructure 3 Awareness & training 4 Wireless & VOIP 5 New applications 6 Automatisation 7 VACF 8 WBA

9. Infrastructure: Wireless network 20.000m² High Speed connectivity (NREN, BELNET) Building Management Information displays VoIP Digital video

10. Research: In collaboration with IBBT Interdisciplinary institute for BroadBand Technology (academic & industrial knowledge) Two main projects: Virtual Arts Centreof the Future Web platform 3D digital platform (Workspace Unlimited) Customer intelligence Wireless Building Automation Workspace Unlimited / Hypervision / Cipal / Innoxys / Codefellas / CUO / ICRI / SMIT / MICT Telindus / Siemens / Televic / Ubiwave / Niko / IMEC / COSIC / ICRI / PATS / INBCN / MMLab / ETRO

11. Web 2.0 …

12. “Web 2.0 means using the web the way it’s meant to be used.”Paul Graham

13. Web 2.0:* Passive to active* Application-led to service-led* Client-server to peer-based topologies* One-size-fits-all to personalisation* Proprietary to open sourceNorman Lewis

14. Six rules of Web 2.0:* Users Add Value:Look at eBay, YouTube – the users are the application* Network Effects by DefaultLet your users create the network (MySpace)* The Perpetual BetaApplications are a never-ending story (googlevs ms)* Software above a single DeviceApplications everwhere, anytime* Data is the Next ‘Intel Inside’Hard to recreate data leads to competitive advantage* A Platform beats an Application Every TimeRe-use the data services of others

15. Customer in the driver’s seat He is in control of what he wants to see, how he wants to see it and how he wants to structure it, how he enriches, how he shares, and how he participates…

16. Concept:USER MINDED Explore: searching by interests, suggestions datamining, tags Participate: diggs, rating writing reviews add items to collection Share: personal page friendslist, inviting people to groups Personalise: favorite concerts, personal calendar • a jazz fan could: • listen to the concerts enlisted • watch a video fragment • be infomed about the new jazz news • keep your own calendar • share information with other jazz fans • create your own webpage

17. Open Collectionsupplied by everyone activities artists products texts multimedia streams editorial pieces reviews ratings comments + external collections

20. VACF API API API http://last.fm http://flickr.com API API RSS http://technorati.com http://del.icio.us Technnology is mature: SOA, Web APIs, XML, RSS, Microformats, open URL structures,…

21. Public surveys by : Qualitative research: Centre for Usability Research Quantitative research: Media & ICT Expert interviews: Studies on Media, Information and Telecommunication

22. What do customers expect ? Imagine that if you are a jazz fan you could: listen to the concerts enlisted watch a video fragment be infomed about the new jazz news keep your own calendar share information with other jazz fans create your own webpage walk around in an 3D environment… What would you say?

23. Qualitative study Are potential users enthusiastic? NO BUT when they get to know and understand the possibilities they want more

24. Key findings? Users participate less than they want: Help to make choices Video/audio/trailers Get to know cultural profile of someone else Recommendations of others Personalize Personal pages: save comments, trailers, reviews Must have Online concerts, exploring cultural offer

25. Quantitative study VACF environment would encourage 2/3 of participants to participate more +: information and presentation 0: personalization -: communication and creation 2 groups of internet users Practical tool: (info, ebanking): older people, independents, families Fun and entertainment: young, educated

26. Positive adoptation curve

27. Quantitative study Difference between virtual & real participation: • In the group of virtual cultural participants is 70,8% also a frequent participant in ‘real life’ • So 29,2% of this group of virtual participants will never participate in ‘real life’! → possibility to attract a new group of participants of almost 30%

28. www.vooruit.be In depth info Quick info Active info Fast Search Direct Basic info Rich content Text Audio Video Tips and recommendations Keep calender Save items , tips en reviews Write own Text & rec. Upload video

29. Workspace UnlimitedCommon Grounds Common Grounds is an international network of virtual worlds connected to fysical spaces,exploring the poetic possibilities of multiplayer gaming technology and augmented space. www.workspace-unlimited.org

30. Workspace Unlimited EXTENSION - SAT – Montréal (CA) DEVMAP - V2 – Rotterdam (NL) IMPLANT - Vooruit – Gent (BE) Common Grounds is funded by the Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds, de Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Patrimoine Canada, Society for Art&Technology, V2_Institute, Arts Centre Vooruit.

31. Screenshot of Extension:Kora Van den Bulcke and Thomas Soetens (founders of Workspace Unlimited) give a live lecture in the virtual space of EXTENSION.  Workspace Unlimited

32. ICT Manager 2006: Ambitious IT project rewarded! • Jury: “Technology is used as an extension of core business of Vooruit”.

33. Conclusion Impact on cultural organisation will be major Organisations should be prepared: to reconsider their role to appreciate more input from the public “The people formerly known as the audience” Involve your creative consumers! Integration instead of division of real and virtual culture participation Digitalisation opens new perspectives for cultural presentation, communication and interactivity In order to take fully advantage of those new opportunities organisations should start exploring

34. ‘The Virtual Arts Centre of the Future’: www.lulu.com, search for “e-culture” or “vacf” (http://www.lulu.com/content/801000) “Innovation is neither a purely commercial nor a purely scientific process; it has to be seen as a social activity” (Charles Leadbeater)

35. www.vooruit.bewouter@vooruit.be