{"id":408711,"date":"2023-12-21T19:40:41","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T19:40:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/villa-albertine.org\/?post_type=app_news&p=408711"},"modified":"2024-01-03T17:31:08","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T17:31:08","slug":"exploring-immersive-media-louisiana","status":"publish","type":"app_news","link":"https:\/\/villa-albertine.org\/va\/news\/exploring-immersive-media-louisiana\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Immersive Media: Louisiana"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Louisiana is one of the most culturally diverse states in the US. It\u2019s at once French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and American, making it a rich territory with multiple influences. But little is said about the potential for digital exploitation of cultural and creative industries there. The Immersive Spaces<\/em> map<\/a> lists fifteen venues capable of offering immersive experiences in New Orleans alone, showcasing real potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developing the potential for digital exploitation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A structurally unfavorable framework<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLouisiana has a complicated history, deeply shaped by colonial conquest, the ruthless exploitation of people and land for profit, but also a real gumbo of cultural influence<\/em>\u201d, explains Sam Bowler, Founder and Director of Culturalyst<\/a>, a shared digital infrastructure for cultural communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Louisiana is one of the states where socio-economic inequalities are most marked, due to the weight of colonial history and a hostile geography. In this respect, the rebuilding of New Orleans after the city was decimated by Hurricane Katrina only illustrates the inequalities and structural problems already present. Culture, despite its centrality in the Louisiana economy, is no exception: \u201cNew Orleans is one of the cultural treasures in the United States and as a result, benefits from a tourism economy in which tourists spend around $10 billion per year while visiting the city. This spending is on hotels, restaurants, etc., but about 10% is spent on entertainment, which equates to about $1 billion per year in New Orleans, which you\u2019d hope would be funneling back into the cultural community. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not. Artists and culture bearers, the producers of culture, bring in roughly $20,000 in annual income, a large portion of which is already lost to rent, which has been driven up by over 60% in the last five years, due in large part to the pressure Airbnb has put on affordable housing<\/em>\u201d, Bowler explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, it\u2019s hardly surprising that cultural institutions are not the focus of major investment in digital technology. Above all, Louisiana\u2019s own identity seems at odds with digital culture: \u201cInherently, in my opinion, what makes people remember Louisiana is that its traditions and cultural expression resonate on a human level, so I think it\u2019s hard to share via a new digital medium without losing some of that essentially human magic<\/em>\u201d, he analyzes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation is, of course, more nuanced, with a definite potential, provided it is locally rooted. That\u2019s the promise of Culturalyst: \u201cCultural discovery is happening all the time on social media, but the experience of local cultural discovery can feel less straightforward. If I\u2019d like to find artists in a city that work in sculpture or textiles, or understand the poetry being written in a city at a given moment, it isn\u2019t easy.<\/em> [\u2026] What we hope to accomplish with Culturalyst is to create an accessible space that centers local culture \u2014 the artists and all the work they want to share, alongside the opportunities, the organizations, the information about the heartbeat of a local cultural community. I hesitate from saying \u201clocal\u201d artists too often, because I don\u2019t think artists think of themselves that way, but what we\u2019re trying to do is build a space that centers the artists who live in each place. And who that centering serves \u2014 from the artists networking, to tourists searching, to arts organizations or local governments resourcing \u2014 allows Culturalyst the rare opportunity of being able to keep evolving to meet the needs of multiple actors.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Culturalyst \u00a9 Brett Labauve<\/p>\n\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Digital creation that respects the Louisianan identity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A unique art scene<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to find a place that does festivals as well or as often as Louisiana. This is true for all aspects of the cultural amenities there, where the number of events is incalculable: \u201cThe Jazz & Heritage Festival<\/a> and Essence<\/a> are big annual events in New Orleans. In other parts of the state, you have smaller festivals like Festival International de Louisiane<\/a> and Blackpot Festival & Cookoff<\/a> in Lafayette<\/em>\u201d, Bowler displays. \u201cFor arts, culture and literature, the New Orleans Book Festival<\/a>, the Louisiana Book Festival<\/a>, and the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival<\/a> are annual gatherings drawing thousands of people to the Louisiana story. <\/em>[…] On the tech side, New Orleans Entrepreneur Week<\/a> and Idea Village<\/a> pursue the future<\/em>\u201d, adds Dave Walker, Director of Communications and Marketing at The Historic New Orleans Collection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Precisely, it\u2019s worth taking a close look at Louisiana\u2019s active and innovative museum scene, as presented by Dave Walker. \u201cTHNOC and our peer institutions have embraced contemporary storytelling techniques in a variety of ways. Our galleries offer several such experiences, including the wraparound film \u201cThe French Quarter After Dark<\/a>\u201d, a 17-minute 360-degree film which draws on THNOC\u2019s collection, animation, live action, and immersive audio to guide the viewer through the history of our most famous neighborhood, from indigenous peoples to scenes of contemporary Mardi Gras. Elsewhere, multimedia interactive displays engage visitors with experiences that enhance the gallery experience.<\/em>\u201d THNOC\u2019s website also hosts an array of virtual exhibitions<\/a>: \u201cThe recent pandemic and the need to reach learners in remote settings accelerated the institution\u2019s dedication to digital engagement. A new traveling exhibition, “The Trail They Blazed<\/a>“, shares THNOC\u2019s holdings and storytelling expertise with students and educators all over our region.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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