【Event Review】An Experimental Performance and Interdisciplinary Exhibition

The preparatory module CAT002TC of the School of Cultural Technology, “The Essentials of Arts, Culture, and Technology,” aims to introduce students to the industry-led interdisciplinary degree program “Art, Technology, and Entertainment with Contemporary Entrepreneurialism.” This module explores the implementation of the syntegrative education philosophy at the first-year level, emphasizing an industry-led and group-led project environment. Students are encouraged to engage with industrial workflows and develop management skills to establish a professional cultural event at EDCC Suzhou Bay Digital Art Museum.

World-building is utilized as the fundamental framework and method of the module due to its essential role in the contemporary cultural industry and key sectors such as the metaverse, gamification, and moving image production. Through world-building activities, the module introduces students to AI tools for writing and imaging, creative technologies such as Makey Makey and MAX, visual culture, technological culture, curation, and innovative management. The curriculum design highlights the intersection of art, technology, culture, and entertainment in real-world scenarios.

Module assessment is conducted on-site at the museum, supported by industrial mentors. This approach reinforces the holistic practice of syntegrative education, allowing students to evolve seamlessly at the intersection of academia and the real world. For the final assessment, all students conducted a live performance at Suzhou Bay Digital Art Museum, where their created worlds were transformed into interactive sound installations, applied as instruments for an ensemble titled "Cosmic Jamming: The Never-ending Stories of the Pocket Cosmos," where worlds collide, and harmony reigns supreme.

This performance showcased a diverse array of five world-building projects created by the five groups of students from the module. These projects were then transformed into exhibiting installations post-performance. This exhibition embodies the integrative philosophy of module CAT002TC, representing a collaborative endeavor that harnesses the power of synergy to push the boundaries of creativity, innovation, and incubation in culture and technology within education and beyond.

Finally, all installations facilitated world-building workshops where families and art lovers could express their creativity and messages using the same methods and technological workflows. This allowed the impact of the module to be elucidated in the public domain, returning to the core of education.

The module was designed and led by Assistant Professor Mr Zhonghao Chen from the School of Cultural Technology. The music piece and performance flow were composed and designed by Assistant Professor Mr Juan Carlos Vasquez, conducted by module leader Mr Zhonghao Chen, and performed by all the students. Associate Professor Mr Kim Lau and the SCT technical team designed and supervised the technological workflow. Additional performers included Nanxi Long and He Li, both currently third-year students from the BA Art, Technology, and Entertainment with Contemporary Entrepreneurialism program.