Open Cultuur Tech 2.0
The Open Culture Tech 2.0 project focused on the accessibility of new technologies, such as AI and AR, for artists in the music world. With an artists-in-residency program, open source tools, and workshops, the project explored how artists can bring their ideas for immersive experiences to life and engage audiences in new ways.
The Open Culture Tech 2.0 project focused on the accessibility of new technologies, such as AI and AR, for artists in the music world. With an artists-in-residency program, open source tools, and workshops, the project explored how artists can bring their ideas for immersive experiences to life and engage audiences in new ways.
Open, inclusive and artist-driven innovation
There is a growing divide between established artists who have access to new technology, and artists who do not. Working with technologies like AI and AR is often expensive, complex or requires a large network. These barriers are driven by a lack of fair alternatives and publicly available knowledge.
That’s why Open Culture Tech 1.0 (2022 - 2024) was founded: to make music technology more open, inclusive, and artist-driven, in order to make innovation in music something everyone can benefit from. During the exploratory phase, programmers, designers, and musicians worked together to explore and further develop existing technologies into easy-to-use tools. Prototypes of tools were tested during live performances in various settings, such as concert halls, clubs, and festivals. The project delivered multiple concrete results: an accessible toolbox, manuals, and a series of good practices.
Sustainability on the long term
Due to the rapid technological innovations in areas such as generative AI it was important that Open Culture Tech continued to evolve. Open Culture Tech 2.0 therefore built on the successful exploratory phase. We did this by continuing to develop new tools with a wide variety of tech partners and artists in residency. In addition to the development of new tools, we focused on scaling up knowledge sharing through workshops and training programs, and developing solid business models for the future during the scale up phase. Only in this way, Open Culture Tech could be sustainable in the long term.
Artists in Residency
In this edition of the Open Culture Tech residencies, six artists teamed up with six tech partners to develop unique concepts for live concerts. Where we focused on AI, AR and Avatars during the first phase, artists were more free to choose any technology for immersive experiences this time around. From generative AI to immersive visuals, each duo explores the creative potential of emerging technologies in live performance. After each live performance, a blog was written to look back on the residency and the technology that was developed. In addition, aftermovies were made for each performance. Curious to see the results? Take a look on the website!
Spanning from mid-2025 to mid-2026, the residency supported the development of both an original live show and open-source tooling that will be released publicly for anyone to use, remix, or build upon.
Publication
To understand the impact of the Open Culture Tech approach, we interviewed eight artists who participated in Open Culture Tech residencies: Rafaele Andrade, Jan van Casteren a.k.a. Jan Modaal, Jeroen Ermens, Mark IJzerman, Bas Mastboom a.k.a. BASJE, Mathilde Nobel, and artist duo Den Ree and Niki Scheijen. Together, they represent a remarkably diverse group: from electronic music performers, to a classically schooled cello musician, from a punk poet to an interdisciplinary artist weaving ecology throughout his works and installations. What unites these eight, is their curiosity and willingness to explore tools that are new to them and to make them an integral part of the story they want to tell.
Our new publication Opening the Code, Expanding the Stage holds their stories, reflections, and practical lessons.
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Role Sound & Vision
Sound & Vision preserves one of the largest music collections in the Netherlands on muziekweb.nl and will open the new Collection Building Fonos in 2026 where visitors can discover this enormous music collection. In this way, Sound & Vision functions not only as an archive, but also as a meeting place for musicians and music lovers. The new building will also be a place for creation and knowledge sharing, making it the perfect place to present the knowledge gained from Open Culture Tech 2.0!
In addition, at Sound & Vision we are conducting more research into immersivity and how IX as a new media form can create meaningful experiences. Examples include the TRANSMIXR and 5DCulture projects. With Open Culture Tech 2.0, we can extend this research to the music sector.
Partners
Open Culture Tech is an initiative by Thunderboom, developed in close collaboration with Sound & Vision and AIxDesign. The project is grounded in collaboration, bringing together a network of partners who share a vision for open, artist-driven innovation:
Superposition, Bureau Mogelijke Dingen, Wij Doen Dingen, Chagall, Wesley Hartogs, Reblika, Cinetol, De Helling and Effenaar.
Special thanks to the extended partner netwerk including BAM! Popauteurs, Popronde, No Man's Land, BRUT, V2, MUSIC x, Conservatorium Haarlem, Popacademie ArtEZ, Rockacademie Tilburg, Herman Brood Academie, Gerrit Rietveld Academie.
The initiative is made possible with support from Cultuurloket DigitALL.
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