We remember ancient cultures through art, we define classical epochs by artistic measures, and it is also the edge that cuts new space for our modern society.
Art is painting, sculpture, poetry, dance, photography, music, fashion, cuisine, and so much more. It is also found in technology, and that technological artistry will be on display at Studio Fair right alongside the traditional artisan media - virtual reality in amongst clay and leather and wood and canvas, etc.
XP Entertainment has goggles through which you can see the future of video games and other home amusements. The new all-local company is allowing the Studio Fair audience to see with their own eyes what will soon be common in homes and is already available in large public settings here in this city since their startup.
"We will be doing free demonstrations, giving you a taste of virtual reality. It's so quick to learn how to use. There are two controllers, one in each hand, and a pair of goggles," said Sydney Redpath, one of the three partners in XP Entertainment. "The goggles are plugged into games or visual simulations you can do, but because of the technology and the way our minds work, it turns the experience from two-dimensional on a TV screen into something that feels like it's happening all around you in every direction at the same time."
They will have some games to play and, to underscore the artistic forces at the root of these activities - all the graphic design and animation and sound and engineering involved - one of the features is a painting simulation where you can become a budding Rembrandt or Raphael without leaving the Prince George Civic Centre.
"There are thousands of options - so many games and apps and all kinds of different platforms - and we sift through them, find the best ones, and offer those to the public," Redpath said.
XP Entertainment provides these virtual reality experiences to the public, on a rental basis. If your company is doing a staff party, if your not-for-profit organization is doing a fundraiser, XP Entertainment is available. The software, equipment, research and on-site supervision would cost thousands of dollars for anyone trying to own such a system, but they have taken that on themselves and make it all available for public use at a fraction of the cost and all of the entertainment value.
It's a business idea that has caught the attention of the provincial government even though Redpath and her partners Luke Hutchison and Kayli VanderMeer have only been working together about six weeks.
"It can be hard to take the plunge into entrepreneurialism. People often have great ideas, but don't know where to start, or even how to start. That's where Rock My Business Plan by Futurpreneur comes in," said cabinet minister Coralee Oakes, the minister responsible for small business in B.C. Oakes explained that a weekend workshop called on aspiring entrepreneurs to come together, put their ideas on the discussion table, and some seasoned business professionals would work with them to build a more solid fiscal plan.
The three XP Entertainment co-founders all came to that event when it was held in Prince George. Redpath had never met the other two before the city's annual Startup Weekend activities held only a few weeks prior. Because she was a UNBC student on the JDC West business competition team, she went to learn some new skills to take into the upcoming biz tournament. Hutchison, VanderMeer and she met, gelled, and couldn't let go of this exciting idea for a new business. They took their fledgling idea to the Rock My Business Plan table when it happened in Prince George only about a month ago.
"We learned a lot in the workshops, and we'll definitely be using the tools provided," said a thankful Hutchison. "The topics were easy to follow and engaging. We were encouraged to collaborate during the workshop, which allowed us to gain insight from our entrepreneurial peers. While I had never heard of Futurpreneur before the workshop, we are excited to learn more from them as our business thrives."
Those interested in having a virtual reality experience can come peer through the goggles in the upstairs array of artists at the 40th Annual Studio Fair event happening today, Saturday and Sunday at the Civic Centre. It's the premier collection of artists and artisans of the year, with scores of creative vendors selling thousands of hand-made items.
It is also the most important fundraiser of the year for the Community Arts Council, so each and every person through the door contributes to the health and wellbeing of the city's culture.
