Communities and Artistic Participation in Hybrid Environments (CAPHE)” is an HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff Exchanges project that explores the interaction between artists and communities from diverse cultural backgrounds, blending traditional and virtual elements in a hybrid environment. The goal is to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration in the humanities, arts, technology, and education among artists, communities, and researchers from six countries across Europe and Africa, providing a diverse range of contexts.
The project combines online and on-site collaboration through a physical mobility program. The first mobility took place in Nairobi in February 2024. Multiple departments from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), in conjunction with project partner narratologies, organised and hosted the second in-situ collaboration of the CAPHE mobility program in Athens, which took place in October and November 2023. This mobility brought together 30 members of the Consortium from Poland, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Kenya, fostering interdisciplinary exchange and knowledge sharing among participants through a diverse array of activities.
Activities included workshops, trainings, field research, and interviews, with ongoing virtual collaboration using telepresence, Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies, which took place at the Department and the Museum of Informatics and Telecommunications, led by Associate Professor Maria Roussou and her team, the Department of Music Studies, led by Professor Anastasia Georgaki, the Department of Digital Arts and Cinema and the Department of Communication and Media Studies, led by Professor Dimitris Charitos, and the History Museum of the University of Athens. Specifically,
Demonstrations of Digital Storytelling and XR Experiences:
- Participants immersed themselves in digital storytelling at the Museum of Informatics & Telecommunications of the University of Athens by experiencing a hands-on demo of the VR project on the life of 20th century classical music composer Nikos Skalkottas.
- CAPHE members, in pairs, delved into the captivating narratives of the Çatalhöyük Virtual Reality (ÇVR) experience, exploring portions of the UNESCO Neolithic archaeological site. ÇVR prioritizes social and emotional engagement, encouraging users to think more meaningfully about how their lives connect to the past people of Çatalhöyük.
- A mobile-based interactive storytelling demo was showcased at the History Museum of the University of Athens. ‘What Should I Study’ is a museum experience addressed to students and younger audiences, offering insights into studying at the University two hundred years ago.
Workshops:
- The “narralive” research team at the University of Athens hosted a hands-on training session on interactive storytelling utilizing StoryMaker. This tool supports the entire process of creating interactive storytelling experiences, from initial idea drafts to final production for end users. The session sparked valuable discussions on the wide-ranging impact of interactive storytelling.
- CAPHE partners participated in a workshop on the “Transition to 8 platform. This initiative aims to support music festivals showcasing digital art reflecting societal issues like racism and environmental degradation. The platform’s goal is to raise awareness among broad audiences about pressing social issues.
- Dr. Panagiotis Liakos led a workshop titled “ΑΙ Art – Possibilities and Concerns,” blending artificial intelligence with art. Participants experimented with AI tools for creative expression and discussed the impact of technology on art and society.
Talks from CAPHE partners:
- “How Interaction, Participation, Gaming and Feminism Can Generate Change” by Patrícia Gouveia, FBAUL
- “Hello Avatars” bySidey Myoo, Uniwersytet Jagielloński
Internal and External Visits:
- CAPHE participants engaged with faculty and PhD students at the Music Acoustics and Technology Lab in the Department of Music Studies. Prof. Anastasia Georgaki, department head, provided insights into current research.
- Two memorable performances, ‘Homer, Dante & Bob Dylan’ and ‘Maria Callas: the immortal heroine’ by Opera Network and Conservatorio Giacomo Puccini – La Spezia by Carla Zanin, conducted by Federico Bardazzi, were held at the School of Philosophy, University of Athens.
- CAPHE partners visited NKUA’s Department of Digital Arts and Cinema and the Department of Communication and Media Studies. Prof. Dimitris Charitos and faculty presented VR research, including Spatial Media Research Group’s VR artworks and Cinematic VR project. Undergraduate projects and case studies from the postgraduate Virtual Environment Design course were also showcased.
- A visit to the Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Center of the Foundation of the Hellenic World provided a captivating journey into ancient Greek culture through XR exhibits. The CAPHE consortium experienced an immersive tour of ancient Delphi at the Tholos, a 140-seat dome theatre. Guided by XR engineers and museum educators, they explored the richness of Greek culture and archaeology through various cutting-edge XR exhibits.
The CAPHE Athens secondment concluded with a full-day workshop held at the Kostis Palamas Building of the NKUA. Prof. Vali Lalioti of the University of the Arts London, delivered an inspiring talk on advancements in Creative XR and Robotics. Representatives from the CAPHE Consortium shared insights and reflections on their Athens secondment experiences, as well as new projects that emerged from this collaborative endeavour.
As CAPHE advances and looks forward to upcoming secondments, it strives to influence education, innovation, and cultural heritage exploration.
The CAPHE project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Program under Grant Agreement Number 101086391. CAPHE partners include the Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Fine Arts Faculty of the Universidade de Lisboa, Miastopracownia, Polski Uniwersytet na Obczyźnie – PUNO, Polish Society for Aesthetics, Kenyatta University, Conservatorio Giacomo Puccini – La Spezia, and Opera Network, Italy.
