Columbus Arts Festival
June 7-9
Scioto Mile
In its 58th year, the Columbus Arts Festival is getting a reality check.
A virtual reality check, that is.
One of the biggest additions to the 2019 festival – slated for June 7-9 – is the Virtual Reality Tent, which will feature virtual reality, augmented reality and video game offerings from organizations both national and local. All of these contributions will have some connection to the art world – and serve, in total, as evidence that design of these experiences is itself art.
On top of that, the festival has an entirely new footprint this year, with a number of sections rearranged for a more seamless experience. Other major highlights include a headlining musical performance by R&B artist Anderson East, as well as a series of performances to kick off Columbus Pride and commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots.
Augmented Aesthetics
Situated on COSI’s English Plaza, the VR Tent allows festival organizer, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, to partner with local gaming expo GDEX, the Columbus College of Art & Design, Sony, and a handful of local game and virtual reality experience design companies.
Tent visitors will be able to play locally created games, some still in development, and explore virtual environments from other parts of the world to the interiors of paintings and other works of art. They will also be able to talk directly with developers and learn more about the creative and technical aspects of design.
The impetus for the addition of the tent: the continued growth of the game and VR industry in Columbus, and the increased recognition of game design as an art form.
“There’s a growing recognition in the arts community of the application of (game design),” says Jami Goldstein, vice president of marketing, communication and events at GCAC.
Visitors will be able to explore three environments created with the VR Google Tilt Brush, all designed by artist Bryan Christopher Moss:
- The White Castle Community Art Project, featuring a castle wall on which the player can add his or her mark.
- Mount Vernon Avenue, as painted by Columbus art legend Aminah Robinson.
- A space inspired by the OASIS from 2018 film Ready Player One (a significant portion of which is set in a futuristic Columbus).
They’ll also be able to explore an augmented-reality sculpture that raises awareness of animals that have lost their protected status, courtesy of students and an associate animation professor at CCAD.
“(We’re) getting people to start looking at art in more interesting ways, with virtual reality and augmented reality and video games,” says Cody Starcher, producer and GDEX lead for local gaming and creative technologies studio Multivarious. “We’re (emphasizing) the appreciation of video games and creative technology as an art platform.”
Multivarious organizes GDEX, which will be back for its seventh year in October, and is also playing a key role in the organization of the VR Tent.
Emerging Artists
Every year, the Columbus Arts Festival affords exhibition spaces to a small set of up-and-coming local artists. There are 14 Emerging Artists at this year’s festival, and you can read about several of them by clicking here.
GDEX is dedicated to showcasing the work of game developers from across the country, giving attendees the chance to deepen their understanding of the gaming world – whether they are dedicated gamers themselves, curious newcomers or even parents of interested children. Being part of the Arts Festival is yet another way to reach those audiences, Starcher says, and connect with them in similar ways.
“We always try to do cool events with different people all around the city to showcase GDEX,” says Starcher.
Sony will bring two VR games to the festival, one geared toward experienced gamers and one more geared toward first-timers.
The tent will also include games created by local design companies Bowlcut Studios, Feenk Labs and Wraith Games, as well as by members of the Central Ohio GameDev Group. Most of the COGG games are still under development, so tent patrons will be able to talk to their designers and learn in-depth what the process looks like.
Of the completed games, Starcher gives the example of MageQuit, Bowlcut Studios’ contribution. The 10-player, every-man-for-himself fighting game is a battle royale among wizards, with individual wizards’ success being measured in the length of their beards.
Extra Life Columbus, a gaming group that raises money for Nationwide Children’s Hospital, will also have a presence, offering popular games as well as information on its work.
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Joe Maiorana
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Levi Finley
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McKenzi Swinehart
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Greg Bartram
A New Layout
Looking to connect with the new National Veterans Memorial Museum, cut down on dead ends and incorporate elements of the Franklinton Arts District, festival organizers undertook a significant reworking of the event’s footprint.
The new layout, which GCAC calls “more circular,” is engineered to make it easier for visitors to see everything – exhibitor booths, performing arts, food and more – without having to double back as much. It also means more room for spaces to eat, drink and rest. Feedback from artists and attendees over the last few years identified these points as priorities, says Goldstein.
Making a stronger connection with Franklinton is a good move due to the continued expansion of the community’s art scene, Goldstein says. The festival’s Big Local Art Village, Big Local Music Stage and Big Local Beer Garden will all be right at the entrance to Franklinton, and Franklinton artist studio space 400 West Rich will be open during the festival.
“They’re going to be open over the weekend,” Goldstein says. “We’re going to take the festival right up to their gates.”
On-Stage Highlights
Saturday night of the festival will feature a spotlight performance by Nashville-based musician Anderson East. East’s music is described as R&B combined with rock, blues and soul.
On Sunday, a string of performances commemorating the 50-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots serves as a kick-off for the Columbus Pride Festival and Parade, which takes place the following weekend. The Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus kicks things off at 11 a.m., followed by Capital Pride Band of Columbus, Kelly Vaughn, and Virginia West with Flaggots Ohio and several other guests.
BalletMet performs on the Bicentennial Park stage Friday night, with DJ Donny M. of Damn Girl who will the stage before and after.
In addition to the headlining acts on the Bicentennial Park stage, the festival has four other stages dedicated to local musicians, acoustic performances, dance and theater, and spoken word.
Garth Bishop is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenecolumbus.com.
