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Ben Neal

@psiconlab

Arts-focused freelance Creative Technologist, Digital Artist, programmer, games/gadget builder, educator. Making technology-infused Immersive Art experiences. www.displace.org.uk www.psiconlab.co.uk

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06.11.2024
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Latest posts by Ben Neal @psiconlab

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CreaTech Frontiers Growth Lab - Digital Catapult 3,000

Digital Catapult's latest accelerator is now open for applications from creative technology companies in the West Midlands. ๐Ÿš€

This 10 week business growth accelerator is part of CreaTech Frontiers

Find out more โžก๏ธ

06.03.2026 10:01 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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So this is where social media + AI is going - automated mass surveillance - for everyone!

04.03.2026 11:41 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Photo of a woman holding up a phone to take a photo, with the text: freelance opportunity: digital marketing and engagement lead, apply by 19 March

Photo of a woman holding up a phone to take a photo, with the text: freelance opportunity: digital marketing and engagement lead, apply by 19 March

We're hiring! IJAD is looking for a creative and collaborative Digital Marketing & Engagement Lead to grow our online presence, connect with audiences, and support innovative live, hybrid, and digital performance projects.

Apply by 19 March.

ijaddancecompany.com/work-with-us/ #ArtsJobs

23.02.2026 16:10 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Collage of digital art, on a black and white grid, with text saying "ARCADE, Hypha HQ Euston Tower, March 20 - April 18 2026, PV March 19, 6PM"

Collage of digital art, on a black and white grid, with text saying "ARCADE, Hypha HQ Euston Tower, March 20 - April 18 2026, PV March 19, 6PM"

We're part of this amazing exhibition from Hypha and Coven LDN

ARCADE is a new exhibition of interactive artworks and experimental films from eleven artists working across the UK and Europe.

Tickets for the Private Viewing on Thursday March 19th below :)

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/private-vi...

19.02.2026 18:21 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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BFI NETWORK England short film funding Awarding National Lottery funding to support shortform live action, animation and immersive/virtual reality.

The BFI NETWORK England Short Film Funding is open!

The funding supports early career filmmakers by supporting original fictional shortform projects of up to 15 mins in length in live action, animation and immersive/virtual reality.

Awards of between ยฃ5,000 to ยฃ25,000.

16.02.2026 11:00 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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โ€˜Regrets? Number one: smoking. Number two: taking it up the wrong holeโ€™: Tracey Emin on reputation, radical honesty โ€“ and Reform She scandalised the art world in the 1990s with her unmade bed, partied hard in the 2000s โ€“ then a brush with death turned the artistโ€™s life upside down. Now sheโ€™s as frank as ever

Quite the interview! Tracey Emin. Keeping it real, as always.

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

15.02.2026 13:25 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Spotted a bunch more UK Arts people/orgs leaving X & Facebook etc. Maybe this will help if you're new to BlueSky. I'm still updating now & then, recommendations welcome go.bsky.app/BZ8Tmob

12.02.2026 07:49 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
A black background with white bold text which reads: We are Hiring

A black background with white bold text which reads: We are Hiring

Weโ€™re hiring! ๐Ÿ“ฃ

Join us as an Officer, Grant Management and help deliver smooth, efficient funding processes across Arts Council England.

Youโ€™ll manage grant workflows, support improvements and work closely with colleagues nationwide.

Apply by 20 Feb ๐Ÿ‘‡

buff.ly/IrBQzdn

09.02.2026 10:01 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

@robchafer.bsky.social starter pack on my profile to get you started & connected on here

09.02.2026 21:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Yeah this is an brilliant review! Recommended watching

08.02.2026 09:32 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

"On The Other Earth" was really good! You wouldn't believe how effective a cylindrical (phenomenally expensive) screen and some 3D glasses were! Other bits - less good (the Google AI piece has aged REALLY badly). But there was some cool stuff on show (although it sometimes felt very $$$ indulgent!)

06.02.2026 22:54 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Off to Somerset House to see the Wayne McGregor show :)

www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/way...

06.02.2026 09:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

@incollusion.bsky.social Are your ART / TECH / PLAY events online? Can I join via zoom or similar without driving all the way to you?

05.02.2026 22:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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To celebrate the Venetian Carnival, (and my game Carnival winning Best Lines of Dialogue -Adventure Games of the Year), it will be 25% off for two weeks! Not even the might of Mussolini can truly kill the Carnival.

store.steampowered.com/app/2928770/...

01.02.2026 08:18 ๐Ÿ‘ 10 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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What technology takes from us โ€“ and how to take it back | Rebecca Solnit The long read: Decisions outsourced, chatbots for friends, the natural world an afterthought: Silicon Valley is giving us life void of connection. There is a way out โ€“ but itโ€™s going to take collectiv...

What technology takes from us and how to take it back.

Thoughtful writing on why tech has contributed to modern life feeling artificial, disconnected and empty.

www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

01.02.2026 18:19 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

A.I. is like a microwave meal. You can pop it in, wait 3 minutes, and maybe it will taste good, but you won't have any pride in making it, and no one should admire you for making it.

30.01.2026 22:29 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Check out the back of my head and my hand! :O Note to self : remember to check out Reality Scan

30.01.2026 08:32 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Digital Arts becomes Arts Council England's tenth supported artform โ€˜Digital Artsโ€™ joins Collections and Cultural Property, Combined Arts, Dance, Libraries, Literature, Museums, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts as Arts Council Englandโ€™s tenth supported artform.

For the first time in decades, we are introducing a new artform: Digital Arts. ๐Ÿ’ป๐ŸŽจ

Find out why we have made this decision and what it means for you ๐Ÿ‘‡

29.01.2026 12:45 ๐Ÿ‘ 8 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 3
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Great to pop into @bomlab.bsky.social to check out their Virtual Production studio set-up, as part of the CreaTech Frontiers workshops on Unreal, compositing, camera tracking, model making, AI, photogrammetry & 3D scanning, Motion Capture. Skilled team working in central Birmingham + artist-friendly

27.01.2026 19:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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โ€˜A Philosophy of Shameโ€™: Whatโ€™s Wrong With Everyone? We seem to be living in an era of competitive shamelessness

We seem to be living in an era of competitive shamelessness artreview.com/a-philosophy...

26.01.2026 09:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Double Agents: Play and Performance in Digital Worlds FACT x SODA presents a new series of monthly evening seminars exploring the social, political and cultural impacts of working with advanced digital technologies.

Amazing talks on digital performance in Manchester, thanks to FACT & SODA www.fact.co.uk/event/double...

20.01.2026 17:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Call for Birmingham Artists: Fierce Jams - Fierce Festival Fierce Jams is a new, ongoing, and nomadic performance series that indulges in small-scale experiments in contemporary performance and live art. It is an excuse for Birminghamโ€™s performance community ...

Amazing ongoing opportunity for Live Art performers based in Birmingham from Fierce Festival!

wearefierce.org/fierce-jams/

20.01.2026 15:13 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Scanning, shooting, testing.. repeat! ๐Ÿ˜†

Here's a peek at the team experimenting with virtual production using some of the 3D environments scanned in the past couple of months.

#MBD #InnovateUK #3DScanning #VirtualProduction #BTS

19.01.2026 15:46 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Compensare: For the Swallows We Weigh Eastside Projects makes art public.

See dancer Kim Bormann who works on Displace Studio's Replica in this exhibition by Marley Starskey Butler at Eastside Projects in Birmingham on Friday at 6pm eastsideprojects.org/projects/mar...

20.01.2026 09:04 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

So much interesting stuff in here! Nice to see someone take the knife to big tech

19.01.2026 09:02 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Our deadline for our XR Developer role is on Monday at 12pm!

If youโ€™re passionate about XR, an expert in Unity and have coding expertise and love what we do at BOM, we would love to hear from you.

Read more and apply: bit.ly/4pDjNVr

15.01.2026 14:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Sound Arts UK (@pinkloudspeaker) Issue 113 out now with 49 exhibition and event listings across the UK and Ireland. In 2025 we listed over 1200 sound art exhibitions and events, wrote detailed features about the work of hundreds of a...

Comprehensive UK Sound Art listings & Exhibitions! substack.com/@pinkloudspe...

10.01.2026 20:16 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

@beyondbooleans.bsky.social hey! I've really loved everything you've made! Incredible work! Really love the dark retro vibes on these old point and click adventures

08.01.2026 21:02 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The video covers best practices for anchor placement, how to achieve content stability with world locking, and how to enable persistence and sharing using enhanced spatial services.

๐Ÿ“ŒAdditional Spatial Anchors ๐๐จ๐œ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง is available at:

Unity - bit.ly/4b4ymNn
Unreal - bit.ly/3Y8beGg

05.01.2026 21:20 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Interesting!

08.01.2026 19:05 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0