June 5th, 2021 at 1:00PM and 2:30PM EDT

The Toasterlab Mixed Reality Atelier was a two year exploration into the intersection of mixed reality technologies and live performance. Toasterlab “boosted” 16+ live performance projects by providing equipment, expertise, and consultation to partnering productions to see what would happen when virtual and augmented reality, motion capture, live streaming, geolocation were integrated into theatre and dance presentations. 

This workshop/exhibition shares these projects, how they were accomplished, what was created, and how you can get started in the most appropriate format we know how: an immersive exhibition in the social VR platform Hubs. 

For this special exhibit launch, you are invited to join a tour led by the Toasterlab team to explore the projects and get your questions answered about the related VR content! The Hubs Room, a dedicated virtual world that is browser-based and requires no special equipment, will remain open to come back to and visit from June 5th onwards. 

Focused on more accessible and cost-effective technology, this session is a great way to enter the matrix for the artist without Oculus funding. But, whether you are entering VR for the first time, or if you’re a Dactyl Nightmare champion, this session is geared towards expanding your thinking about performance and extended reality.

Tech Requirements: Attendees will meet in a Zoom meeting and then move to Mozilla Hubs. Mozilla Hubs can be accessed using a VR headset (no installation required), or on a computer or mobile device using a Chrome browser. Note that the functionality of the platform will be best on a headset, and better on a computer than a mobile device. Toasterlab team members will be present to help troubleshoot any issues accessing the platform or moving around once inside. 

There will be information about using a number of XR technologies in the various projects on display. All artist newcomers to these technologies are welcome, and this event will also appeal to more seasoned creatives used to working with elements of XR.

Space is limited to 20 participants, so we can maximize opportunities for hands-on use of the platform, with lots of time to ask questions.

Access: If you have specific questions about how Mozilla Hubs interacts with accessibility tools, please contact ian@toasterlab.ca . There will be an opportunity to watch a livestream of one of the tours with captions.

About Toasterlab: Toasterlab creates place-based extended reality experiences that promote deeper engagement with history, community, and imagination. Toasterlab combines expertise in storytelling, theatrical and media production, and the development of new technology to produce both original work and partnerships. Our work ranges from site-specific live performance to bespoke mobile applications and VR films, and often combines a variety of approaches to collapse time and space for the delivery of impactful narratives. From the largest festivals to community youth workshops, we build accessible ways to understand places in whole new ways.

Toasterlab is Ian Garrett, Justine Garrett, and Andrew Sempere. Its Mixed Reality Performance Atelier is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Visit Toasterlab’s website here.