This October, the Dreamy Place Festival returns to Brighton & Hove and Crawley, with a mesmerising mix of creative technology and art. Highlights include high-powered lasers inside pyramid sculptures, magical holograms, and a unique light and sound installation in a tunnel under Brighton Station, which is usually off-limits to the public. The festival will take place across two weekends, showcasing a range of free events featuring world-renowned and local artists.
“We’ll be transforming familiar spaces and lighting up hidden places,” said Jamie Wyld, Director of videoclub, the organisation producing the festival, which has run since 2023 under its new name after previously being known as Brighton Digital Festival. “Dreamy Place is all about collective experiences and encouraging people to think about how new creative technologies can arouse curiosity and spark creativity.”
Guest Curator, Lexi Zelda Stevens, added, “Many of the artworks in this year’s festival connect the ancient past with the future through playful use of cutting-edge technology. The artists’ interests span the contemplation and celebration of light in ancient civilisations, to magic, witchcraft, and collaboration – between non-humans and ordinary members of the community.”
Dreamy Place Highlights
- Crawley: Friday 4 – Sunday 6 October
- Vessels by Limbic Cinema: A captivating light installation featuring high-powered lasers and smoke in Queens Square, exploring modern interpretations of ancient monuments.
- Dewiniaith by Megan Broadmeadow: Interactive holograms at Crawley Bandstand combining ancient Welsh folklore and cutting-edge video technology. Megan asks, “What happens when the old meets the new? What magic will we rely on in the future, and who will be practising it?”
- Dream World Creative Workshops: Engaging workshops where young people use 3D pens and iPads to explore creativity.
- Artists’ Talks & Workshops: Workshops covering various artistic topics, including AI, project design, and hologram-making.
- Outdoor Film Projections: Local filmmakers’ work projected around Crawley town centre on Saturday 5 October.
- Brighton & Hove: Friday 25 – Sunday 27 October
- Ammonite by Collectif Scale: This installation brings the historic Cab Road tunnel to life with lights and music, creating the illusion of natural movement within an ancient shell-like structure.
- V1: Content Aware by Felicity Hammond: An installation in Jubilee Square exploring the connections between geological and data mining as part of Photoworks Weekender and Dreamy Place.
- Imagining Otherwise by Flexer & Sandiland: A fast-paced, immersive digital dance piece exploring the possibilities of our daily decisions.
- Film Trails: Film screenings in collaboration with Oska Bright Film Festival and Carousel, highlighting the work of learning-disabled artists.
- Days of Wonder Weekender: Hands-on film and digital media play at Hove Museum, perfect for families.
- Transmission by Tewa Barnosa: An audiovisual experience at Gallery Lock-in by Libyan artist Tewa Barnosa, exploring language, misinformation, and shared heritage.
- Asian Futurism Talks: Discussions on the use of creative technology to reimagine Asian heritage, taking place on Sunday 27 October at The Old Market.
Further information is available at dreamy-place.com.
