Have you heard about the Emerging Technology in Art (ETA) Festival that is coming to Jackson for a one-day preview on October 14? The Emerging Technology in Art festival is the latest endeavor from the Jackson Young Professionals, who also brought our community Bright Walls, and as seasoned festival planners – you know this is going to be good!
We know you have questions (we did too!). Is this festival kid-friendly? How much does it cost? What are the top installations to check out with my kiddos? We checked in with Matt Rozensky, technical coordinator, to get the full scoop for you!
What is the Emerging Technology in Art Festival?
This awesome event features a variety of art installations and interactive experiences, live entertainment, and unique hands-on educational opportunities for students of all ages.
Is the Emerging Technology in Art Festival Kid-Friendly?
Great news coming your way – the ETA Festival is FREE, FUN, and FAMILY-FRIENDLY! Woo hoo! While many of the exhibits will come to life closer to 7:30 p.m., thanks to the use of projectors and lights, there is still plenty of fun to be had throughout downtown Jackson starting at 3:00 p.m. on October 14.
Which installations should I check out with my kiddos?
Thanks to Matt, we have some great suggestions to share with you!
1) Outgrown by Mollye Bendell
Mollye is bringing her installation OUTGROWN, a series of augmented reality works celebrating plants to downtown Jackson. Watch edge-lit acrylic engravings of various come alive through a custom-developed augmented reality application.
2) Collaborative Community Floral Installation by Lisa Waud
Emerging Technology in Art Festival is excited to welcome renowned Detroit botanical artist Lisa Waud to Jackson to create a large-scale collaborative community floral installation and we need your help!
Come be a part of a unique and vibrant floral installation that will bring our community together like never before! Festival attendees are encouraged to stop by anytime during our festival from 3 PM till sunset to participate. Check out the full details for this one-of-a-kind installation here!
3) Inflatable Art Installation by Sean Hages
You may have seen this installation at ART634 during the Jackson Festival for the Arts, and our community is lucky enough to see it for a second time! Sean Hages is an interdisciplinary artist who works predominantly as a sculptor and installation artist. His artwork is often described as whimsical and mostly features readily available materials. You do not want to miss his ridiculously fun larger-than-life inflatables!
3) AI-generated Art
Join us at Jackson School of The Arts during Emerging Technology in Art Festival 2023 for an exciting deep dive into the world of AI-generated art! In this exciting hands-on, interactive activity, festival attendees will have the opportunity to experiment with popular AI Art tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion and bring their wildest creative ideas to life in a matter of minutes!
From 3-4 PM in Art Room 1A, AI Artists and media professionals Nicole Smith and Melinda Kraft will be leading and in-depth presentation introducing AI-generated art and how it works. They will offer a comprehensive overview of how text-to-image generators can be a powerful tool for designers and enthusiasts alike. Following the presentation, there will be a brief Q&A and open discussion on the future of this exciting new technology.
After the presentation, all festival attendees will be allowed to experiment with generating their own AI-generated art images. If desired, they will also have the opportunity to participate in the process of sublimation printing and heat transferring their AI-generated images onto various surfaces and take their project home with them!
Stop by anytime from 4 to 7 to participate in this exciting free activity!
*Presentation attendance is not required to participate in the make-and-take activity.
So much fun packed into one day!
Wow – doesn’t this sound incredible? One important thing to keep in mind is that the ETA Festival is only taking place for ONE DAY this year. With so many artists and installations coming to town, it may be hard to choose which installations you check out! Don’t worry – the ETA Festival crew has put together a full list of artists and installations for you so you can maximize your time! Check it out at etajackson.com/artists.
Looking for more kid-friendly fun in Jackson County? Check out our archives!