A collaborative study on visitor experiences and societal impact at Amsterdam Light Festival Edition 12.

Description

Amsterdam Light Festival (ALF) is an international outdoor festival in which a large
collection of light artworks is displayed across the center of Amsterdam. Edition 12 of ALF
(30.11.2023 - 21.01.2024) is themed Loading… Revealing Art, AI and Tech. We investigated
visitors' perceptions and emotional reactions to this theme and the festival. Visitors
voluntarily participated in the study and answered a questionnaire before and after their visit.
In addition, sometime after the festival visitors received a personalized dashboard to enhance
the festival experience and provide additional layers of reflection. Codeveloped with the
festival organization, our research aimed to strengthen the link between academia, art
institutions, and the public, fostering societal impact and relevance for the art world. Five key
issues guided this study: Understanding the societal impact of technology and AI; Gauging
opinions on their integration into art; Evaluating the overall ALF experience; Zooming in on
specific light artworks; and Investigating demographic variations in opinions and festival
experiences. The study aims to understand the audience's engagement with light art in public
spaces and people's perceptions of technology and AI.
It showcases an example case of collaborative research practice: Formulating research
questions together with an art institution, embracing an interdisciplinary approach, and
emphasizing the societal relevance of the research. Furthermore, our pursuit of enhancing
visitor experiences through a post-festival dashboard is a shared goal for the scientific,
artistic, and societal partners. Investigating what information truly enhances the experience is
a research challenge, which forms a crucial point of connection and understanding between
professionals within and outside academia. In conclusion, this study not only unveils insights
into the nexus of technology, art, and society but also serves as a testament to the
complexities and rewards of collaborative research endeavors between academia and art
institutions.

Period	10-May-2024
Held at	International Association of Empirical Aesthetics
Degree of Recognition	International