Next//Studio is a digital skills workshop program created in collaboration with Arts Upper Hunter, the Singleton Arts + Cultural Centre and local creative industry professionals.
In July 2024 we commenced the pilot version of the program during the school holidays to provide creative industry-based digital skills to youth 14 – 20 years over two days. With a third day dedicated to experimenting and showcasing their works. Grace Barnes and Huw Jones were the facilitators with assistance from Kasey Tudor.
Throughout the program, students learned how to create digital illustration artworks, frame-by-frame animations, virtual reality sculpting and painting, sample sounds from the environment, experimental DJ sets and beats. These skills culminated in the development of a collaborative virtual exhibition environment showcasing their animations, and soundtracks combined with interactive augmented reality components using merge cubes.
Students were introduced to creative industry programs such as Infinite Painter, Flip a Clip, Koala Sampler, DRC – Polyphonic Synthesizer, and Djay. These programs utilised tablets and digital pens to draw, sample, and animate. Students also experimented with virtual reality headsets and programs such as Tilt Brush and Sculptr VR.
Photo: Two of the participants of the workshop, taken by Grace Barnes.
