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XR DAY 2026: Immersion | Art | Performance

LEDWall, ADK Workshop 2026, (c) JonasTrottnow

On “XR DAY” on Friday, April 10, 2026, Akademie für Darstellende Kunst Baden-Württemberg (ADK) and Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW) will offer insights into the diverse applications of eXtended Reality (XR). Keynote speeches and hands-on experiences with Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) demonstrate the broad spectrum of what can be achieved with non-linear, user-controlled (XR) technologies in film, theatre, media, art, and industry – and where new fields of application are emerging.

The event is organized by Akademie für Darstellende Kunst and Carl Laemmle Institut for Research & Media Innovation (CLI) with contributions from the Animationsinstitut.

In the morning, the program features numerous keynote talks, including contributions from Max Schmierer (b.Rex), Volker Helzle (Head of the CLI), Diana Arellano (Senior Lecturer in Technical Directing at Animationinstitut), as well as many alumni and students of the Animationsinstitut.

From 14:00 CET onwards, XR experiences can be explored on site, including “EGON SCHIELE. A Personal Encounter – a journey into the life of an artist in Vienna around 1900,” “TREMENS. Integrating Live Performance and Virtual Reality on stage in a Shakespearian play,” “REVERSE TURING TEST. How AI-systems can identify humans,” “MAIA in CyberLÄND. How AI-avatars rethink Storytelling, Community and Value Creation,” and “FATE OF THE MINOTAUR. Location-based VR Experience developed at the Filmakademie’s Animationsinstitut.”

You can find the full program with details and registration information for the experiences here https://animationsinstitut.de/en/xr-day-2026 and here https://www.filmakademie.de/en/news-blog/article/xr-day-2026-immersion-kunst-performance-2.

Date: Friday, April 10, 2026, 9:00-18:00 CET
Venue: Campus FABW / ADK, Akademiehof, Ludwigsburg

THE LÄND joint stand at the Nordic Game 2026 and the Gamescom 2026

MFG Baden-Württemberg offers companies and developers from the games and digital industries the opportunity to present themselves to an international professional audience under the umbrella of “THE LÄND – Games & Virtual Worlds Made in Baden-Württemberg.” Exhibition spaces are available at the THE LÄND joint stand at Gamescom in Cologne – and, for the first time, also at Nordic Game in Malmö.

THE LÄND joint stand at Gamescom 2025, © Tobias Vollmer Fotografie

From August 26 to 28, 2026, the THE LÄND joint stand at Gamescom in Cologne will showcase games, interactive media, and VR/XR applications from Baden-Württemberg. Gamescom is the world’s largest event for computer and video games and Europe’s leading business platform for the industry: in 2025, it welcomed 357,000 visitors from nearly 130 countries, including more than 34,000 trade visitors and 1,568 exhibitors. Located in the business area of the exhibition grounds, the THE LÄND stand offers prominent visibility, the opportunity to host individual events such as press conferences, and – thanks to shared infrastructure – significantly less organizational effort compared to a standalone presence. In cooperation with Baden-Württemberg International and the K³ Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaftsbüro Karlsruhe, participants can expect a program featuring networking opportunities and visits from political decision-makers. Companies, developers, and institutions from the games, media, and digital industries are invited to apply – particularly projects with a focus on VR, AR, XR, and UX. Full details on participation at Gamescom and the application form are available online.

From May 26 to 29, 2026, Baden-Württemberg will participate in Nordic Game in Malmö for the first time – one of Europe’s most important games conferences. Five indie game studios from the state will receive a place at the THE LÄND stand to present their games to an international audience, pitch to publishers, and establish business contacts. This is made possible through cooperation with Baden-Württemberg International. What sets Nordic Game apart: it is smaller than Gamescom, but more focused and intensive. International publishers attend in person, and the formats are tailored to targeted business development within the European market. MFG Baden-Württemberg will also organize an international networking reception in Malmö and offer a preparatory workshop including professional publisher pitch training. Further information on participation in Nordic Game and the application form can be found online.

Applications for both trade fairs are open until March 15, 2026. Application for Gamescom and Nordic Game

Source: MFG Baden-Württemberg

Prix Italia Nomination for Pixelcloud’s GreenGuardiansVR

Great excitement for our HEROES at Pixelcloud: their VR game GreenGuardiansVR has been nominated in the “Digital Innovation” category of the prestigious Prix Italia. The award honors outstanding productions in the fields of radio, podcast, TV, and digital media, and is organized by the Italian broadcaster RAI.

SWR / Pixelcloud – GreenGuardiansVR

GreenGuardiansVR was produced by Südwestrundfunk (SWR) and Pixelcloud for ARD. The creative team included Christoph Rasulis (Director), Tim Philipp (Project Manager), Rolf Rothgerber (Developer), and Jonas Kirchner (Producer).

About the game:
Young people under 25 often see the climate crisis as abstract, overwhelming — or both. We want to change that! We reimagine climate journalism through GreenGuardiansVR: a satirical co-op VR game combining action, teamwork, and humor. Instead of feeling helpless, players fight the root causes of global warming with up to four players in a gripping story that playfully teaches facts and media literacy.

A mega-corporation turns you into a robot, forcing you into a seemingly rosy future — while unstoppable climate change looms. Rebels hack the system to warn you: only together can you break the propaganda machine, take on the corporation, and save the planet.

The award show will be presented during the Prix Italia Festival (October 20 to 24, 2025) in Naples. We’re keeping our fingers crossed!

About the Prix Italia: https://www.rai.it/prixitalia/
All Nominations in the Digital Category | All Nominations

Virtuelle Welten – Chancen im Metaverse erleben, May 8, 2025

With over 160 exhibitors, more than 3,400 registrations already, and an exciting program, the event “Virtuelle Welten – Chancen im Metaverse erleben” on May 8, 2025, offers an excellent opportunity to explore the latest developments in Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), digital twins, and more.

Virtuelle Welten – Chancen im Metaverse erleben

The event offers free consulting services for companies and start-ups on the following topics: government funding programs (provided by L-Bank and VDI/VDE), cybersecurity (CyberSecurityChecks for SMEs – offered by the Cybersicherheitsagentur BW and partners), as well as patents, trademarks, and designs.

Additional highlights of the event include:

  • Around 160 exhibitors with exciting demonstrators from a wide range of industries — including Schenker Technologies GmbH, Sony Europe, Haption GmbH, SCHUNK SE & Co. KG, and Immersight.
  • Digital twins in focus: Discover how digital representations of real objects and processes are transforming industry, healthcare, and many other sectors.
  • Networking and recruiting: Make valuable contacts with industry experts, start-ups, and leading companies. The Job Rally starts at 1:30 PM in the VirtualCollab room.
  • Innovations will be brought to life through interactive workshops, panel discussions, and presentations.
  • Event app: After registering, set up your personal profile here: https://event-app.cyberlaend.eu/. There, you can create your individual program, search for suitable networking contacts, and get all the latest event updates.

    Also benefit from the Metaverse Checks by Fraunhofer IAO and IPA. With the Metaverse Check, you can find out how to effectively use immersive applications in your company. In just 10 minutes, you’ll receive information on applicable use cases, economic potential, and concrete contacts for further initiatives. Register for the Metaverse Checks now.

    Topics such as digital twins, the industrial metaverse, XR, AR, gaming, knowledge transfer, and much more will be addressed throughout the day. Renowned speakers will provide insights, while expert providers and leading companies in immersive technologies will showcase AR / VR and XR use cases for hands-on exploration.

    Find out more about the THE CREATIVE LÄND exhibition area, organized by MFG Baden-Württemberg, featuring live demos, stage program, and experience labs.

    Program | Free Registration | Web Site: www.cyberlaend.eu

    Virtuelle Welten & XR EXPO 2025

    Baden-Württemberg is the first federal state in Germany to organize the event “Virtuelle Welten – Chancen im Metaverse erleben” (“Virtual Worlds – Exploring Opportunities in the Metaverse“), consisting of both a congress and a trade fair. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg is joining forces with the Virtual Dimension Center Fellbach (VDC) and partnering with XR EXPO to bring together expertise from pioneering companies in the Metaverse sector – including industry, the creative economy, research, and gaming – along with leading research institutes and developers. The two-day event, taking place on May 8 and 9, 2025, aims to showcase the diverse facets and existing possibilities of the Metaverse through demonstrators, while also offering fresh impulses for future developments.

    The events Virtual Worlds and XR EXPO will be jointly organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the VDC on May 8, 2025, and will take place at the Porsche Arena and the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle in Stuttgart. Admission and exhibitor costs are free of charge. The target audience includes professionals and executives from industry, crafts, and services, startups, students, pupils, employees of state administrations and other federal states, as well as anyone eager not to miss out on the virtual age. The XR EXPO congress on May 9, 2025, will be exclusively organized by the VDC and held at the Maritim Hotel in Stuttgart (ticket costs for this day are 250 euros).

    On behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, MFG Baden-Württemberg is organizing the THE CREATIVE LÄND exhibition area (May 8, starting at 13:30 CET in the Porsche Arena), featuring live demos, an open stage, and interactive experience labs. Companies from the fields of games, animation, VFX, and UX will showcase their creative XR applications, offering insights into the opportunities and potential of Metaverse technologies. The program will be hosted by Anna Katharina Brinkschulte, Head of Interactive Media at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut (read her guest article “Neue Perspektiven für die Kreativwirtschaft im Metaverse“.)

    Additional AMCRS members will also be participating in THE CREATIVE LÄND exhibition area: Pixelcloud will take part in the “Pitch & Connect: Exhibitors ‘Games BW & Interactive Media” session at 14:15 CET. Halbautomaten will join the “Pitch & Connect: Exhibitors ‘Cross Innovation” session at 16:45 CET. Also on May 8, at 15:00 CET, the “Hands-on Workshop: Rapid Prototyping von Virtuellen Erlebnis-Welten mit Hilfe von KI-Tools und VR-Brillen” will take place, led by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Scheible, Professor of Interaction Design at Hochschule der Medien, in the CodeLab room at the Porsche Arena, At 15:30 CET, Maximilian Schmierer from b.ReX will present in the Creative Länd Experience Labs on the topic: “Das digitale Ich im Metaverse – Avatare als neue Kommunikationsform“ in the PixelRoom of the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle.

    See the complete program: https://event.cyberlaend.eu/programm

    More information: https://xrexpo.tech/cyberlaend-en

    Call for Entries: FOCUS OPEN 2025

    Until April 25, 2025, companies, professional designers, as well as startups, newcomers, and emerging talents from all over the world have the opportunity to submit their current and innovative design solutions for the FOCUS OPEN 2025 Baden-Württemberg International Design Award.

    The FOCUS OPEN is an important component of the economic and design promotion in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It rewards the innovation and design quality of new products, services, and concepts, and stands out with moderate costs while offering very high visibility.

    New this year are the categories IMMERSIVE MEDIA (conceptualization, development, or design of multisensory experiences using digital media such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), game design, immersive film productions, etc.) and CIRCULAR DESIGN (products or systems whose design strategies aim to efficiently use raw materials and return them to the biological material cycle with minimal quality loss).

    Deadline Call for Entries: April 4, 2025 – Deadline extended: April 25, 2025!

    More information Call for Entries | FOCUS OPEN 2025 | Application

    The benefits for Award Winners:

    • Festive award ceremony and exhibition opening that focus public attention on all the winning products
    • An exhibition lasting several months in Haus der Wirtschaft Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart (impressions 2024)
    • Publication in a yearbook that is distributed to the major international markets via a publishing house renowned for its books on design
    • Extensive online communication

    The Baden-Württemberg International Design Award FOCUS OPEN 2025 is organized by the Design Center Baden-Württemberg and funded by the Ministry of Economics.

    VR Gameplay Session at Animationsinstitut

    Our CREATORS from Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg‘s Animationsinstitut invite you to join their largest public Gameplay Session for FATE OF THE MINOTAUR! The adventure game is a narrative VR experience crafted by the Animationsinstitut R&D as part of the EU-funded project EMIL (European Media and Immersion Lab). Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore the intersection of storytelling and immersive gameplay.

    The Gameplay Session takes place on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, from 10:00 to 17:00 CET (or later) in the Kuhn Studio at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg. The event is free of charge, just drop by (no registration needed)!

    Whether you’re new to VR or an experienced gamer – the developers want to hear your thoughts! There are various ways of trying things out – as non-interactive stereoscopic 180° film, as interactive single- or multiplayer, stationary or free-roaming (8x8m area).

    More information on the project at the EMIL and the Animationsinstitut website.

    b.Rex part of the XR EXPO 2024

    Image: VDC

    Our HEROES from b.Rex will be taking part in the XR EXPO, which will be held on April 3/4, 2024, in Stuttgart’s Haus der Wirtschaft (Willi-Bleicher-Straße 19, 70174 Stuttgart) and organized by the Virtual Dimension Center (VDC) – and they are very much looking forward to welcoming you to their stand!

    The XR EXPO is a B2B exhibition fair for Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR) and Augmented Reality (AR), or in short: eXtended Reality (XR). The focus is on XR technologies and professional applications of VR, MR and AR in industry, architecture, health, trade and crafts. The XR EXPO is characterized by XR industry giants, excellent speakers and showcases from practice. The XR EXPO has set itself the goal of being THE meeting point for industry users, technology providers, content service providers and XR researchers. Their get-togethers offer the perfect opportunity for networking.

    Find more information and the ticket shop on the expo’s website: https://xrexpo.tech/2024

    Partners of the event include the Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation and MFG Baden-Württemberg.

    FABW XR DAY 2023 on November 29

    The Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg & Animationsinstitut invite you to their FABW XR DAY 2023. On November 29 from 9:00 to 18:00 CET, the Albrecht Ade Studio with an LED wall setup will be open to all XR and VR professionals and enthusiasts.

    At the Networking Breakfast you can find out about the AUREA Young Talent Award 2024 (organized by 2112 Studios and the Filmakademie), which invites graduates of the 2024 diploma year and young professionals (up to and including the 2019 diploma) to submit entries.
    Deadline December 20, 2023, call for entries and information here: https://degas.filmakademie.de/nextcloud/s/5yH4LBf9WdEAsZi

    Input presentations by Michael Scholz (Founder & Creative Director halbautomaten), Stefan Kolbe (Head of jangled lab) & Marc Schleiss (Creative Director Jangled Nerves) and Volker Helzle (Head of R&D Animationsinstitut) as well as Mack One Deutschland GmbH, LightShape and Pong.Li will provide exciting insights into current projects.

    You can also experience the current prototype of the interactive VR experience “MinoXR“, which is being developed as part of the EU-funded EMIL project (https://emil-xr.eu).
    Book your slot here: XR Day – MinoXR Demonstrator | DFN Terminplaner

    Further details on the program of the FABW XR Day 2023 at LinkedIn

    2nd EMIL call open!

    VPET Unreal (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg)

    EMIL’s second call for proposals is now open until August 14, 2023! They will be supporting innovative XR projects with funding between 250.000 to 500.000 € and expertise including access to infrastructure. Check out the details on how to apply and eligibility on emil-xr.eu/open-calls/

    About EMIL:
    The European Media and Immersion Lab EMIL is a pan-European XR Lab network composed of four major European academic institutions – Aalto University in Finland, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg / Animationsinstitut in Germany, Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Spain and University of Bath in England, with a mission to accelerate development of virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies, content, services and applications.

    More information https://emil-xr.eu/about/

    If you want to find out more about the selected FSTP projects from the first call, make sure to check out https://emil-xr.eu/call-1-projects-selected/

    Pompeu Fabra University
    Pompeu Fabra University
    Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg