Now Accepting Applications: Design Futures Lab 2022 for creative technologists and digital storytellers

Application Deadline:31 January 2022

Have you got a sustainable fashion story you want told in an immersive digital format? Electric South, Twyg Magazine and Crossover Labs are excited to invite dynamic creative technologists and digital storytellers to apply for the Design Futures Lab 2022.

This creative economy project, supported by the British Council #SouthernAfricaArts, offers South  African content creators an opportunity to develop experiential, provocative and immersive digital narratives about sustainable fashion and design. These narratives will help shape kinder, earth-friendly futures.

Design Futures Lab are looking for nine teams of two artists each (18 artists in total). The successful candidates will be supported and mentored in sustainable fashion practices and in using new immersive digital technologies.

Each team will be awarded a grant of R75,000 to develop their digital prototype/proof of concept ideas.

The programme will include both a sustainable fashion workshop and a digital lab that will challenge successful candidates to explore and expand their digital production skills in XR (extended reality). Using new creative technologies and software, international distribution channels and exhibition platforms, the lab will facilitate access to new markets for sustained livelihoods.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be 18 years or older.
• Submit in pairs, with one concept (two creatives per concept).
• Be citizens or permanent residents of South Africa.
• Currently live in South Africa and able to travel on the days required.
• Have some form of experience in a creative technology field. Experience in fashion, design, creative technology and game development would be wonderful.
• Must be willing to complete a self-directed African Creative Economy course up to Intermediate Level.
• Attend all components of the Design Futures Lab.

Projects ideas must:

• Be a digital prototype/proof of concept with experiential and provocative narratives around themes of sustainable fashion practices along the entire value chain (from soil to landfill) and which address issues pertaining to the environment, the climate crisis and to earth-friendly and regenerative solutions.
• Use immersive technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR). This could include 360 filmmaking, volumetric capture, world-building, interactive worlds, avatar creation, animation, artificial intelligence, projection mapping, hybrid forms, and beyond.

When

• Virtually from 14 – 18 March 2022 (max. 2hrs/day).
• In-person from 23 – 25 March 2022 in Cape Town (full-time).
• Each team must complete their digital prototype/proof of concept by 31 May 2022.
• Market access feedback will take place virtually from June – November 2022.
• All Coronavirus COVID-19 protocols will be adhered to throughout the Lab.

Important dates

• Application Deadline: 31 January 2022 11.59pm SAST
• All successful applicants will be notified by 18 February 2022.
• The Design Futures Lab will run virtually from 14 – 18 March 2022 (max. 2 hrs/day), and in-person from 23 – 25 March 2022 in Cape Town (full-time). Each team must complete their digital prototype/proof of concept by 31 May 2022.
• Market access feedback will run virtually from May – November 2022.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Design Futures Lab 2022