The Santa Clarita Arts Commission is in the preliminary stages of developing a new public art project set to combine the virtual world with the physical one through an augmented reality phone application, officials said Monday.
Although the project is still in the “very preliminary” stages, City of Santa Clarita officials noted the potential for breaking new grounds is “exciting.”
“Public art is ever changing how residents engage with a space. This new form of public interaction and augmented art is a way for people to communicate, express themselves and connect,” said Jennifer Thompson, City arts, schools and volunteers administrator. “As art brings people together, this new type of immersive experience will strengthen the traditional 2D art into a virtual reality of 3D public art.”
The Santa Clarita City Council approved funding for the temporary public art program in June 2019. The program is divided into three projects: Trailhead projects, Signature projects and New Genre projects.
The New Genre projects are intended to be unique projects with varying locations, and lifespan may depending on the project and the materials used to create the artwork.
The project chosen is an augmented reality experience supporting virtual 3D art that can be viewed using a smartphone. The projected mobile application would allow users to view virtual art installations geo-positioned in and around the Old Town Newhall Arts and Entertainment District, according to City documents.
“The goal of the app is to allow users to view virtual art installations geo-positioned in and around Old Town Newhall and collect the pieces in their own online gallery,” said Thompson. “The app will be designed for new content to be continuously updated for sustainability.”
The commission is set to select an arts commissioner to serve as a member for the Artist Selection Committee for the augmented reality project, which would then proceed with putting out a call for artists and later narrowing down the artist themselves.
The City Arts Commission is scheduled to meet on Thursday, Dec. 12 to discuss the AR New Genre project, along with other agenda items.
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