STEMarts Lab receives NEA Grant for Innovative XR Development

STEMarts Lab is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $25,000 to develop innovative new technologies for the Space Messengers project. Specifically, it will support the development of an augmented reality platform and the exploration of mixed reality techniques to take Space Messengers to the next level. This project uniquely involves youth from rural and tribal communities in all aspects of its development and creates experiences that are free and accessible to all.

Bridging Artists and Scientists: Innovating XR through Local and Global Collaborations

For this development, we are collaborating with multiple artists and science institutes. Core artists from the Space Messengers team and new AR/XR specialists will work on designing and developing Extended Reality (XR) features. This year, artist/programmer, Roy Macdonald and emerging artists/ambassadors, Ian Harrison and Julia Doke are leading in AR design and development. Check out some of our AR explorations here.

To expand our roster of collaborators on the Space Messengers project, STEMarts Lab has put out a call on the CaFE platform seeking new XR artists to submit their work. APPLY HERE

Additionally, the Space Messengers project has been accepted into the 2024 FRA guest artist program at Fermilab, America’s particle physics and accelerator laboratory. This opportunity allows for thoughtful dialogues with Fermilab physicists, expanding our understanding of the universe through particle physics. We will also continue our partnerships with CERN physicists Dr. Umut Kose, Dr. Steven Goldfarb, and Dr. Johan Bonilla, as well as LANL physicists Dr. Nicole Lloyd-Ronning and Dr. Andrea Albert. These partnerships allow us to delve into the science behind these technologies and explore how we can push the boundaries in communication and visualization techniques. Our youth ambassadors become part of this investigative process, developing interdisciplinary STEAM skills that are essential in today’s world.

What is Space Messengers?

Space Messengers is an Immersive Mixed Reality installation and international youth exchange exploring the universe through art, science and technology. This participatory installation visualizes thought-provoking reflections on the universe, encouraging participants to contemplate their role within it. Space Messengers evolved from an interdisciplinary collaboration among artists, scientists, interdisciplinary experts and youth ambassadors. Together we explore how the arts, humanities, philosophy, astrophysics, particle physics and space technologies can deepen our understanding of the universe and expand our identities as planetary citizens. Space Messengers serves as a powerful tool to ignite scientific curiosity and wonder, while giving voice to our youth leaders in rural and tribal communities in New Mexico and around the world. Visit www.spacemessengers.com for more.

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Our Partners

Stemarts Lab is proudly a W.A.G.E. Certified Institution

Thank You To Our Sponsors

STEMarts projects are made possible in part by the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund for U.S. Alumni; an opportunity sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by Partners of the Americas. This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts.

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