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The innovative use of emerging technologies within performance will explored by a Â鶹ƵµÀ Leicester (DMU) expert at one of the world’s biggest events. 

Professor Sophy Smith is set to take the stage at Expo 2020 in Dubai to look at the ways we might enjoy dance, theatre, music and more in the coming decades. 

Professor Smith is Director of DMU’s Institute of Creative Technologies, where she looks at how different disciplines, like dance, theatre, music, gaming and AI can work together to create new and immersive performance experiences.  

Her expertise has led to her selection to appear Expo 2020 festival, set to take place in Dubai over six months, starting in October. 

DMU is playing a major role in the event, which will see countries all over the world present the very best science, technology, art, creativity and innovation they have. 

As founding partner of the UK Pavilion – being run by the Department of International Trade – the university will have a permanent presence at the venue and is set to reveal its programme of speakers, research and other activities later this year. 

SEE FULL DETAILS ABOUT DMU AT EXPO 2020 

Professor Smith will give a talk in November, as part of a series of discussions under the title ‘In the Future, How will we Create?’, taking place in the UK Pavilion from 9 to 13 November, under the UK’s participation theme ‘Innovating for a Shared Future’. 

The five days of activities will include a summit on the future of creativity, covering the creation of cities of the future and how the creative industries can deliver sustainable change and cultural advancement. 

Professor Smith’s talk will be part of a series which also includes a look at sustainable architecture with Simon Fraser, Senior Partner of Hopkins Architects and leader of the team that designed the thematic districts for Expo 2020 Dubai. 

Professor Smith said: “This is such an exciting event to be involved in and I am really looking forward to sharing the innovative transdisciplinary work that we’re doing at the Institute of Creative Technologies, fusing performance, immersive technologies and artificial intelligence in order to develop new ways to make and experience performance in the future.” 

Earlier this year, the IOCT’s work led to the institute being awarded a grant by StoryFutures Academy, the National Centre for Immersive Storytelling. 

That money will be used to develop transdisciplinary prototyping labs across Performance, Game Development, AI, Game Art, Media, Production, Film Making, Immersive Journalism, VFX, Music Technology and Audio Technology, equipping students with the skills to work collaboratively to develop immersive experiences.