Program CreativeNL at SXSW 2025 known: focus on opportunities and threats coming digital wave
Six Dutch immersive makers in main program SXSW 2025
With the Immersive Dreams & Nightmares program, CreativeNL is zooming in on the potential impact -positive and negative- of 'Immersive Experiences' (IX) during SXSW. It will also focus on strengthening an international IX community and collaboration, and together with New Dutch Wave it will search for the most valuable inspiration.
The Dutch creative industry already attracted a lot of attention last year during creative tech festival SXSW with immersive experiences such as the award winning Soulpaint by Monobanda. This year it is building on that with six Dutch immersive experiences and other speakers selected for SXSW's main program*.
Immersive Experiences (IX) are playing an increasingly important role in our lives. Think of virtual worlds, 360-degree images and sound, augmented reality, chatbots, interactive animation and games - driven or not by AI. IX are seen as worlds where digital and physical merge seamlessly, which will have a major impact on our daily lives, work, learning and recreation. Think of applications in culture, entertainment, communications, but also healthcare, manufacturing and built environments.
The program of CreativeNL from Friday, March 7 to Monday, March 10 consists of the diptych 'Immersive Dreams: Step into the Future of Immersion with International Curator Nathalie van Sasse van Ysselt' and 'Immersive Nightmares: On Neurotechnology and the Future of Privacy' (including new research from the Rathenau Institute), a roundtable session with current international topics hosted by CIIIC (the Dutch IX program), several immersive mornings and a wrap-up for the Dutch Wave and international contacts.
New experiences
Maarten Schram, Project leader SXSW in name of CreativeNL: ‘In the midst of all the political hubbub, our program stands like a house, but this year without its own “house. Instead, together with IX precursor Québec, Canada, we are hosting some panels and networking moments at the Fairmont Hotel (where a lot of other IX work will also be on display) and we are guests of creative agency Preacher, which recently also has an office in the Netherlands. The mission is also somewhat smaller, which we find more appropriate given the current political climate. At the same time it makes us more flexible during SXSW, where normally there is already so much happening, but now even more with all the new, exciting technology and serious social issues that are there.'
With the Immersive Dreams & Nightmares sessions we especially want to show what according to the Netherlands are the best opportunities and -unfortunately- threats of new digital immersive experiences.
Simone van Bennekom, Head of CreativeNL, about the sessions, and knowledge exchange and cooperation with the international IX community: 'With the Immersive Dreams & Nightmares sessions we want to show what, according to the Netherlands, are the best opportunities and -unfortunately- threats of new digital immersive experiences. And we are organizing a roundtable session with CIIIC, which aims to engage the international perspective on important themes in the community such as public values (privacy, digital inclusion et cetera), talent development and collaboration.'
New format
Schram again: 'In addition, we are looking forward to our immersive mornings and wrap-up! A new format, hosted by 'our' curator Monique van Dusseldorp. In these breakfast sessions, we exchange tips and Monique shares highlights of that day's SXSW program. She also invites international experts with whom we can have a short conversation and learn a lot from. We organize this before the regular program of SXSW starts, so that everyone can go their own way well prepared afterwards.'
Let's start making some new waves again!
Finally, Danny Frietman of New Dutch Wave: 'We're pulling together with CreativeNL in Austin as always. We are very happy with that, because we strengthen each other. I am particularly looking forward to the collaboration with Quebec at the Fairmont and our showcase with the DDA (Dutch Digital Agencies) at Preacher.
The Flying Dutchmen Tour for interested parties, who want to be shown around during the sometimes overwhelming festival, will of course also take place again. Yes, the conditions are more challenging, but that only stimulates the creative spirit. Let's start making some new waves again!'
Picture by Ben Houdijk: SXSW 2024