Wales Millennium Centre launches immersive and extended reality arts venue
The first space of its kind in a Welsh arts centre, Bocs (Welsh for ‘box’) will present a programme of 360° films and projections as well as extended reality (XR) experiences – including augmented reality, mixed reality and virtual reality (VR).
Bocs will open on 27 August with the return of Ripples of Kindness, a Wales Millennium Centre and All Seeing Eye Production which has received international recognition. Designed to accompany the stage play The Boy With Two Hearts, the communal VR experience tells the story of the Amiri family who fled from Afghanistan to Cardiff.
The inaugural Bocs Autumn season will also include the award-winning GOLIATH: Playing with Reality, exploring schizophrenia, gaming and connection, and narrated by actress Tilda Swinton; LGBTQ+ VR Museum, the world’s first virtual reality museum dedicated to preserving queer personal histories; and A Signal Across Space, the first ever bilingual Welsh/English 360° virtual reality experience that follows the story of the first ever wireless signals sent over open water in south Wales.
Alongside the programme, a series of talks and workshops will be hosted in a new XR studio, providing opportunities for artists, educators and young creators to gain hands-on experience and explore ways to make an impact through immersive media.
David Massey, Senior Producer (Digital Experiences) at Wales Millennium Centre, said:
“Immersive experiences are a great way to bring audiences together, challenge ideas and transport you to new worlds.
“Bocs will showcase and celebrate the best of immersive storytelling in Wales and across the world, intersecting technology, visual art, theatre and music.
“We hope Bocs will inspire new audiences and intrigue the next generation of story makers, introducing more people to the immense possibilities of this exciting medium.”
Bocs Autumn 2022 season listings
All experiences hosted in Bocs unless otherwise noted.
Ripples of Kindness
Wales Millennium Centre x All Seeing Eye
27 August – 19 September; Free, ticketed
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2022/ripples-of-kindness
GOLIATH: Playing with Reality
Anagram
26 September – 22 October; Free, ticketed
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2022/goliath-playing-with-reality
No Place Like (Flat) Holm
SheWolf Productions
27 – 30 October; Free, drop-in (part of the Llais festival)
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2022/no-place-like-flat-holm
In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats
East City Films
27 October – 6 November; £14 / £12 (Wolfson Studio; part of the Llais festival)
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/festival-of-voice/artists/in-pursuit-of-repetitive-beats
FLIGHT
Darkfield
27 October – 6 November; £10 / £8.50 (FLIGHT container; part of the Llais festival)
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/festival-of-voice/artists/darkfield-presents-flight
A Signal Across Space
Tracy Spottiswoode
9 – 20 November; Free, ticketed
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2022/a-signal-across-space
Odds On
Dante or Die
23 November – 6 December; Free, ticketed
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2022/odds-on
LGBTQ+ VR Museum
DiVRse Productions
9 – 19 December; Free, ticketed
https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2022/lgbtq-vr-museum
About the venue
Wales Millennium Centre is a home for the arts in Wales, a cauldron of creativity for the nation. We fire imaginations by creating our own theatre productions, festivals and digital experiences – as well as curating world-class, critically acclaimed touring productions – from musical theatre and comedy to dance and cabaret. We kindle emerging talents with our own fresh, provocative and popular productions, rooted in Welsh culture. We’re also a charity, collaborating with organisations, communities and young people to make the arts accessible to everyone. We ignite a passion for the arts with life-changing learning experiences and chances to shine in the spotlight. Every year we attract over 1.6 million visitors and generate £70 million for local businesses.
For further information, please visit: wmc.org.uk.
Wales Millennium Centre is a registered charity, no. 1060458.