Technologies Transforming the Arts
Units: 6
The world is undergoing monumental change. These transformations are fueled by the aftermath of the
entry of the personal computer to the mass marketplace and the introduction of the World Wide Web in
the mid-1990s. These actions opened up opportunities for computing and creativity using modern
technology akin to the Industrial Revolution. Richard Florida identified and coined the term creative
economy . Some have also coined this time as the second Renaissance, noting that this era is changing
our core frameworks for civilization. As in the age of the Renaissance, creativity and the arts are often at
the cutting edge for creating and incorporating technologies in the world, even though some nonprofit
institutions seem slow to adapt.
This seminar-style course provides students with multiple perspectives on how emerging technologies
are transforming arts enterprises: arts-making , audience engagement , and administration (also called
producers, intermediaries, and consumers) . From Artificial Intelligence to the Internet of Things to
Virtual Reality, students will investigate what is happening in the field and what’s on the fringe and about
to break into the marketplace. Through class materials, hands-on activities, and individualized
curiosity-fueled research, the course provides a breadth of understanding of multiple technologies.
Additionally, each student leaves the class with a deeper understanding of one transformational
technology and a hands-on experience with two technologies of their choice.
learn techniques for finding reliable and relevant information about
emerging technologies
Explore digital methods for sharing your ideas via the course
with an option for those interested in
podcasting
Get hands-on experience with emerging apps, AI and immersive
(VR/AR) forms of technology
Identify the current and future opportunities for technology in the
arts-making and management
Gain perspectives on the intended and unintended consequences of
the introduction of technologies to the arts-making and
arts-management practice
Understand the core terminology and infrastructure of emerging
technologies driving artificial intelligence, Web3 (blockchain), VR/AR,
and other immersive tools.
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