5G: Fusing the Istanbul theatre and games sectors for a more sustainable, productive and connected future

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5G is the fifth generation of wireless technology that enables high speed and high quality mass connectivity in multi media digital communication. It has a wide range of potential applications, not least in the cultural and creative industries. This project brings together the strengths of technological and creative development in the UK and Turkey: Turkey has a fantastic 5G roll out programme, and the UK is leading in the area of innovative immersive creative performance, predicted to be a major application of 5G. Seeking to connect the arts and creative industries with universities and digital technology sector, the 5G:XR project will stimulate new local 'fused' (creative + digital) networks in Istanbul and Brighton and new academic + industry partnerships between the two cities and countries. The project will demonstrate the potential value of research institutions bringing together the established cultural sector (in this case, performing arts) and contemporary creative digital industry (in this case, games) to explore the adoption and applications of new technologies; specifically 5G and the creation of new forms of digital culture.This is a prime opportunity for knowledge exchange, utilizing the UK's immersive performance expertise combined with theoretically anchored media research, to ensure that it can have a transformative impact on prosperity, social cohesion and sustainable growth along with the rest of the 5G roll out in Istanbul. Istanbul as a region has great potential to be fused but has not engaged the creative industries in their 5G development. Creative Industries provide a great platform to engage and translate the potential for new technology to wide audiences and with its rich performing arts ecosystem Istanbul is the perfect place to enhance and take learning from and add value to the work we have done in Brighton to achieve creative experiences, which will generate prosperity to that sector in Turkey, using the potentials of 5G. Digital media and cultural industries researchers will work together with a performing arts collective, industry partners and 5G testbed venues to explore the impact of 5G on the way arts and culture is made and shared, locally and internationally, face-to-face and virtually. We will also seek to explore opportunities for two creative sectors - performing arts and the games industry to collaborate and innovate through cross fertilisation, centred around 5G technology, and engage with the question of what artists and practitioners from the performing arts and games sector bring to the critical understanding and practical application of 5G. In addition to the creative implications, we will look at the potential strategic and business opportunities that 5G affords for these creative industries in reaching new audiences (face-to-face and virtually), establishing new income and activity streams (diversifying content, and modes of delivery), or addressing wider social challenges (difficulties of access) and environmental concerns (carbon-heavy transportation of talent and audiences). Ultimately the objectives of the project align with the OECD Going Digital project aim to develop 'tools [...] to help [...] economies and societies prosper in an increasingly digital and data-driven world' (OECD digital Economy Papers, July 2019).