Hidden Creature Gallery
by Arena Theatre Company
Art and technology collide with participation and imagination
Kids create their own digitally animated creatures using motion capture technology.
Art and technology collide with participation and imagination in Hidden Creature Gallery. Children work with Arena's professional artists to create and ‘hide’ their own animated creatures using Augmented Reality technology. Since it's 2019 premiere at the Castlemaine State Festival, we have observed how, through this digital engagement, Hidden Creature Gallery can deepen children's appreciation and enthusiasm for the museum/gallery/venue experience.
"To observe young people activating a creature in the gallery, absorbing a 30-second animation of a display object, and then slowly looking around the gallery at all the other objects, you can hear the penny drop. 'Oh...so what are the other stories in this place?' For museum engagement - that is gold."
Michael McLaughlin
Manager of Programs and Community Engagement
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
One of Hidden Creature Gallery's most ambitious and successful installations was at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) for their "Lift Off" Children's Festival in 2023.
Arena's artists worked closely with museum staff and local First Nations elders to guide children through the process of creating 25 digital creatures inspired by TMAG's remarkable collection. A custom-built mobile app allowed museum visitors to embark on an augmented reality hunt, with the animated creatures springing to life and revealing the extraordinary stories behind the museum's artefacts.
This collaborative installation offered a fresh, engaging lens for visitors to explore the museum's collections through an authentically childlike perspective. The six-month installation enhanced visitor engagement, enriched educational opportunities through innovative digital platforms, and strengthened TMAG's community ties through creature-development workshops.
Get in touch to talk about how Arena can create a customised Hidden Creature Gallery. From consultation to launch and beyond, Arena guides every step to unlock the wonders museums hold through the magic of augmented reality.
"Such a fun day! Thanks for putting this event on. My kids were involved in the workshop creating their own creature & then finding them in the gardens was a great way of getting them outside for an adventure! So clever Arena Theatre Company!! Thanks for coming to Colac!!!!"
Celeste Clarke, Colac
FORMAT
Workshop and/or space activation.
Using photography, motion capture, animation & Augmented Reality
AUDIENCES
Recommended age 5+
FEATURED ACTIVITIES
Artist-led workshops:
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Children photograph objects that are interesting to them
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Digital artists transform the photographs into digital creatures
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Children and artists collaborate to write a story about the creature
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Using motion capture technology, children narrate and animate their character using their own voice and facial movement
Installation and hunt:
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Creatures are "hidden" behind specially designed markers using Augmented Reality (AR) technology
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The markers are placed around the space/venue or gallery
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Visitors download the free Hidden Creature Gallery app to their personal device
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Visitors hunt for markers and scan them to reveal the animated hidden creatures
EXTENDED INSTALLATIONS:
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Starlight Express Room at the Monash Children’s Hospital
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The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
TOURS
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Castlemaine State Festival
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Warrandyte Festival
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Bendigo Easter Festival
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DreamBIG Adelaide
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Hamilton Performing Arts Centre
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Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre
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The Round, Nunawading
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Mornington’s Drift Festival
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Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre's Arty Farty Party
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Bendigo’s Golden Dragon Museum
Gallery
PROJECT PARTNERS
