Immersiverse 1.0, 2.0, 3.0
Created a series of virtual immersive art parties set in a narrative universe, exploring the relationship between humanity and technology at the start of the pandemic.
At the onset of COVID-19 quarantine, Liminalia staged a series of internal events titled “Immersiverse.” In a world marked by distance and disconnection, Immersiverse became an experimental lab for creativity and connection designed to strengthen community. Immersivere also functioned as a place for Liminalia to experiment the cutting edge of transmedia experience.
My contributions
Co-Founder (with Erica and Scarlet)
Creative Direction
Development & Technical Direction
Systems Development
Narrative Development
What I loved about this project
Launched 9 days after being conceptualized
Led to collaborations with Burning Man, Esalen, MAPS, Topia among others
Contributed towards Zendo creating virtual offerings
Was an incredibly meaningful experience for a large community in need of connection and inspiration
Catalyzed major metaverse technology, including Gather, Sparkleverse and Topia
How much care and consideration was directed towards peer support and harm reduction
Having our case study become widely re-shared for a few weeks after the even, with incredible feedback
The space felt safe and supportive, amongst a satirical overtone
We were called by one of my idols “the Meow Wolf of the fucking internet”
Immersiverse 1.0 & Immersiverse 2.0
THE EXPERIENCE
Immersiverse 1.0 & 2.0 were billed as immersive art parties set in the year 3020, with storylines focused on the relationship between humanity and the technological forces that threaten to overwhelm us.
There were multiple experiences on offer:
Art Rooms - 30 planned experiences created by
Dance Experiences - 6 DJ experiences, community members accompanied by a single shared dance floor
Headquarters - The main crossroads “open”
Peer Support - “Come as you are” room staffed space for the event (center camp of sorts) by counselors
Emergent Art Rooms - Experiences submitted by attendees in real time
THE PROCESS
We conceived of and executed each Immersiverse from start to finish. This included:
Designing the narrative
Recruiting artists and collaborators
Creating digital ranger & peer support programs Managing experience design
Training staff and collaborators on relevant tech Managing marketing and communications Fielding customer and artist support request Building a web portal for secure access
THE RESULTS
Over 800 unique website visitors and 15,000 page views during the three-hour event.
Approximately 1,000-1,500 attendees.
30 live experiences submitted (48 hour turnaround from announcement of event to deadline for art room applications)
Several thousand dollars raised in donations (tickets were free; event was donation only).
48 hours after the event we had published an open template to guide similar virtual events emerging in the current conditions.
View it here
Immersiverse 1.0 Invitation Video
Immersiverse 2.0 Invitation Video
Immersiverse 1.0
Immersiverse 2.0
Immersiverse 3.0
Liminalia continued its Immersiverse series with an innovative third event that focused on a radical new concept for COVID-safe gatherings, emphasizing small- group connection and reduced screen time.
Immersiverse 3.0 featured experiences designed to bring quarantine pods closer together, as well as a phone-based phone tree that participants used to navigate the party via audio.
The event was designed specifically to strengthen community bonds and build stronger relationships.
THE EXPERIENCE
This episode was unique because it focused on physical presence, small-group connection, and minimal screen time.
Phone Navigation: Participants dialed into a phone tree system to be directed to live and/or pre-recorded experiences.
Pod Model: Participants were encouraged to attend in an in-person or virtual pod of 2+ people; experiences were designed to connect participants with one another.
Live Audio Experiences: The majority of experiences created by artists were audio based, in a conscious effort to reduce screen time.
THE PROCESS
The Liminalia team conceived of and executed each Immersiverse event from start to finish. This included:
Designing an overarching narrative
Recruiting artists and collaborators
Creating digital ranger & peer support programs
Managing experience design
Training staff and collaborators on relevant tech
Managing all marketing and communications
Fielding customer and artist support requests
Building a web portal for access to the events
Building a phone tree system
THE RESULTS
Approximately 500-1,000 attendees 40 concurrent experiences
50+ artists contributed
3.4 people per pod on average
83% of participants said they would be very likely to attend again
FEEDBACK
“ SO IMPRESSED! the level of artistry, cohesiveness (even though chaotic) and 'architecture' so excellent. I felt I was actually in a sci-fi movie -- a class of it's own.”
“ It felt like we were part of the inventing the future of interactive art. “
Immersiverse 3.0 Video Invitation
Twilio Architecture
Year : 2020 / Contributions : Co-Founder, Creative Director, Technical Director, Project Manager / Collaborators: Erica Blair, Scarlet Masius, Brooke Daily, Wes, Romie Littrell, Wesley Evans (and many more I will continue to add over time, this list is incomplete).