Speaker: Annette Mees - Building new kinds of theatre, together

Building new kinds of theatre, together

Theatre makers are storytellers. We bring people together to make emotional connections, explore big ideas and share experiences. It fulfills a fundamental human need.

Why should theatre makers work with technologists? Not because the technology is cool, not because everyone else is doing it and certainly not because we want to save theatre. The rapidly changing technologies offer a chance to explore how we make anew; using centuries of stagecraft make work that speaks to the collective imagination. Together we can broaden how we connect to stories and one another.

Annette Mees has made immersive theatre and playful experiences for over 20 years. The last 3 years she has led the Audience Labs at the Royal Opera House in London; an innovation lab bringing together creatives, artists and technology companies to create contemporary opera and ballet experiences that break new ground in artistic expression, reaching new and diverse audiences with technological innovation.

In this talk she will use some of their projects to explore how she builds partnerships with other organisations and industries, how she builds creative teams that cross tech and theatre, how she works with iteration and how exploring new forms of immersion and dialogue can expand the relationship between the audience, the art and the artists and creators.

Annette Mees

Annette Mees is an award-winning artistic director known for her innovative, interdisciplinary and experiential work that allows audiences to explore big ideas and create meaningful change.

She is currently Artistic Director Audience Labs which explores the artistic possibilities of immersive technologies. It partners leading artists with cutting-edge creative technologists to push boundaries of what is possible. Audience Labs started at the Royal Opera House and has recently moved to King’s University with an eye on expanding the future of performance. 

Next to that she advises organisations on the future of culture and artistic innovation and mentors diverse artists who are exploring new forms of artistic practise or work in the cross-over between art and activism. She is the chair of FutureEverything an arts organisation based in Manchester who explore the intersection of art, technology and society through bold new art commissions, living labs, participatory design and public events.

Her career spans multiple sectors and different countries; she was a Creative Fellow for WIRED and The Space, Guest-Artistic Director of the Danish Inspiration Lab and worked on the IK-prize winning Sensorium at Tate Britain. She started her career as one of the co-Artistic Directors of Coney. Annette has worked with partners across sectors including Google, Tate Britain, UK Parliament, WIRED Magazine, European Space Agency, British Council, Magic Leap, King’s College, ICA, The National Theatre of Wales, SJ01 San Jose Biennale, & NESTA.