City Symphony

Introduction This article details the design and curation process underpinning creation of City Symphony, an augmented reality (AR) music experience overlaying Brisbane City, Australia. presents Symphony as autoethnographic case study how large-scale AR placemaking projects are crafted across multiple organisations so that public art with goals can be better understood evaluated. Transparency workflows is important because artists decide to represent places people, often explicit intention shaping perception those people towards such urban renewal, social transformation, or tourism. Stakeholder priorities impact on orientation these associated workflows. Bain Landau have expressed concern about artist voices potentially displacing community in activities (405-408). By exposing Symphony’s planning, creation, iterative technical development cycles for scholarly consideration, I hope energise conversation around what possible ethical within workflow experiences real places. Artistic Overview Project uses sonic storytelling techniques video games unpack Brisbane’s past, present, future. To do this, creators worked hundreds local members make a world from 65,000+ years human society. accessed through Android iOS mobile app responds listener’s location, orientation, real-time environmental data. Music story content shaped by interactions, creating unique mixes revealing stories, narrative journeys, based upon listener moves environment. treated like open-world game space sound enticing exploration interaction. For example, when crossing River via Goodwill Bridge, participants hear didgeridoo compositions acclaimed Ewamian / Western Yalanji man David Hudson. As walk bridge, they encounter diverse locals who recorded messages, prayers, secrets addressed Maiwar, Yuggera language name River. Upon exiting Welcome Country Traditional Custodians Ashley Aaron Ruska. If re-enter Bridge later, will new messages Maiwar different configuration. collected ongoing basis contributions added over time. designing time-based, location-reactive experience, we encourage repeated site visits, continued participant reflection, contribution most significant feature, means its people. asking contributors address river rather than official English-language name, encouraging reflection enduring Aboriginal custodianship land. collaboration between Textile Audio, studio making interactive audio experiences, Queensland Festival (QMF), organisation which enable transformation. Australia's third-largest city population. Like all international cities, it faces challenges globalisation, sustainability, cohesion. seeks foster positive change empathy engagement. Game used shape people's connection. An extensive series workshops were hosted craft themes, narratives, presented Symphony. combining best practices establish strategic interventions communities at scale city. Our artistic goal look up their phone screens, listen city, music, story, song. Ultimately, meet someone themselves feel more connected this place share. launches June 2022 Curiocity program World Science Festival. Placemaking The term was popularised 1960s describe increasingly consultative, collaborative processes involving varied groups share (Akbar Edelenbos 1, 8-10; Madden 1-2, 43-52). Lennon refers “expansive church” ranging direct government “bottom-up initiatives” (449). Authors Akbar position social, various actors (1-2). More applied definitions characterise approaches tools put “front centre deciding looks functions” (Courage, What Matters 2). A popular approach has been incorporate creative arts into fostering relationships achieving outcomes (Fleming; Courage Arts Place; Lennon; Calderon Takeshita). However, some authors consider arts-based narratives onto ends speaking (Bain Landau, 406). caution why exposed consideration article. While concept undergone criticism reinvigoration (see: Aravot; Lennon), being deployed part “smart city” methodologies (Potesta 234-239) seek contemporary technologies, particularly information computing technology, design, management Albino, Berardi, Umberto; Praharaj Hoon Han). Government deploying smart using Sanaeipoor Emami). purposes am Craig’s expansive definition something mediates ideas relational configurations humans computers (1). In practice, experienced adding digital real-world engagement (Craig, Council, responsible Brisbane, developing renewal initiatives: Smart, Connected Framework Design-Led City: Design Strategy Brisbane. Notably, Council major funding partner Curation Process remainder detail broadly mean drawing together perspectives kind "gatekeeping" (Jade, 1) and, according Storer, "a close speaks, whom, whom fundamentally curatorial work" (xix). created view behalf community, team needed embeds relationships. Consequently, formal developed. seven steps, thematic conceptualisation completion release, detailed fig. 1. At time writing, complete, stakeholders approved launch content, awaiting release Establishment Preceding following key steps: Initial design. Reconceptualisation contracting organisations. pitching festivals Fundraising grant applications, philanthropy, sponsorships partnerships. conversations locations work. initial occurred Audio's directors began simple question "what if we…?" After several brainstorming prototypes, solidified formally written pitch document circulation. Feedback circulating led further refinement prototyping. process, QMF approached partnership agreement formed, leading six-month fundraising both Importantly, consultative work commencement collection could not proceed until achieved. impacts project execution partners specify deliverables agreements. grants supporting performance indicators audience participation directed us specific engage development. Sponsorships required branding use software workshops. had budget achieve execution. Cumulatively, increases stakeholder requirements must negotiated balanced during phases. Obligation normal Australian industry, moving model commingling private (Meyer; Campbell et al., 13-16). also determines sustainability projects. intended multi-year growing lead-up 2032 Summer Olympic Games, host. longevity dependent achievement KPIs launch, numbers, critical review, general enthusiasm determining continuation maintenance. way, conservation computer-based artworks, vulnerable, complex, funding-dependent Noordegraaf al.; Engel Phillips). Overarching Considerations When explaining organisations, described combination sharing meals, drinking cups tea, having leisurely conversations, listening, music-making, writing code. create cultural diversity, potluck dinner Dinner Project. supports Australians facilitating shared meals homes migrants extend networks. few weeks interested attendees visited offices lunch in-depth migration journeys. Both transformed Reddacliff Place alongside recordings musicians JADE New Collective, intercultural ensemble residence located nearby Performing Centre. knew Place, location outside Council. reflected would council workers stories. generalised, description opens paragraph representative crafted. example illustrates, lacks review Audio considered foundations implication way history, future, live lived here. Creators mass artworks responsibility ensure representations responsive respectful environment depicted merely exercises place-based rebranding Eckenwiler Defining, Ethical; Richards Duif, 141-162; Zimmerman). care breadth depth history 65,000-year traditional owners, Turrbal Jagera peoples. Care foregrounded consultation primary establishing QMF. greater knowledge meaningfully provided expertise, twenty music-oriented transformation extensively Torres Strait Islander communities. Therefore, brought natural structure curation. managed site-based research, relationships, event engagement, contracting. oversaw output medium app. Overlapping responsibilities included editing, focus, visual marketing strategy, review. complex competing histories stakeholders, there no coherent straightforward depiction Given decided bespoke each seeking overlay holistic mode felt focus should emerge site's positioned experts (Madden, unlike Pokémon GO generic Geroimenko). We need include range our diversity represented. consulted visiting then events suited needs organisation’s members. Examples participated consultation, workshopping, include: With One Voice mixed ability choir rehearse inside Hall; Star Gayzers, LGBTIQ astronomy club; Lyceum Club women’s club CBD providing lifelong learning Another accessible represented Public Space, 5-8). structural decision free download, cross-platform, support older generations phones. From point view, numerous implications, Unity cross-platform rollout, size modes delivery, fine-tuning app's hardware resource requirements. broad inclusion overarching principle informing processes, note decisions result exclusion. likely exclude Deaf hard-of-hearing People without phones able participate. Not featured Symphony's due limitations. solutions exclusions writing. These known problems remain unsettled technology itself Carter Egliston 12-15). acknowledged exclusion managed, cyclic founded discussion, feedback stage. informed practice-led research methodologies, Smith & Dean's “iterative web" framework (19-25). App back posted Discord servers access. Multi-stage user testing reshaped location. speculative, resource-intensive time-consuming. necessary forming consensus balance representation sites. rigorous prolonged evaluation formation goals, genuine listening takes presence 163-214). Site Processes deploy structure, broken down stages. Each stage contained feedback, revision fig first phase established beginning theme. themes one factors: current historical site; significance time; landmarks features; surrounding features relationship developed; potential communicate audience; certain kinds factors influencing exclusion; and/or desire shift implied consultation. second consulting other stakeholders. Consultation requires strong adequately. QMF, already possessed deep supplemented state agencies identified particular inclusion. Information additional conducted, occurring third phase. Revisions hosting speculative leaders, members, artists. develop strategy. instances, incorporated directly experience. helped identify artists, strategies executed fourth Phases 1 4 took 3 6 months sites, instances longer processes. stages revisited again after editing occurred, considered, didn’t full consensus. curating acknowledge form theme neutral, ultimately reflect curators' Diamond). Persohn considers act methodology (37-38). embedded values comfort, inclusivity, sociability, connection foundational scaffolds Spaces, 3). shows influence values. Queens Gardens square Treasury casino hotel buildings. become protests contains grass generally cooler subtropical weather spaces King George Square. 2019 School Strike Climate, protest 30,000 (Stone Garcia). discussed protest, Climate march, take forward climate investigation phases 2, 3, (fig. 1). group high school students understanding change, hopes where relevant, protests. Conversations revealed teenagers anxious lives. Students consistently frustration adults decision-making dismissive young people’s concerns change. frequency team’s offered opportunity connect adult audience. Visitors occupy positions socio-economic privilege. short State Parliament hosts politically visitors. importance venue, lives expression may heard them. possibilities born intersections Fig. 1: Workflow. 5 7 reflective commercial difference user-testing largely open remaining confidential prior release. Recordings but own use. Where commissioned produce text, performances, retained copyright material, non-exclusive licence primarily moved fluidly editing. Iterative testing, lasted 2 months, depending complexity experiences. Reflective Conclusion: Cyclic Ethical Inside singing prayer River, singer's voice. They step rock concert next bass player, crowd's roar Take seat pot-luck clinking cutlery stories food cooked sitting table. Or drones whirrs spaceship looking planet Earth final represents rich reflecting First Nations, LGBTQIA, middle-Australian, intercultural, youth, elderly, environmental, historical, perspectives. exhaustive, project’s creation. Post-release, response determine whether successful city-wide intervention. Pre-release, overall strategy benefited individuals involved providing: locally personally histories; opportunities expression; training workshopping; paid employment COVID-19 pandemic. activities, desirable making, recall Bourriaud's notion micro-utopias, constitute interstice experimenting (44-45). total, 700 engaged doing intervention individual organisational level. Maintaining open-ended, iterative, reach utilising fixed time-restricted cycles, commercially-oriented prototyping relationship-building reciprocity order Formally embedding development, provide foundation It does expose interrogate artist's voice speaks whose excluded. References Akbar, Poeti Nazura Gulfira, Jurian Edelenbos. “Positioning Place-Making Social Process: Systematic Literature Review.” Cogent Sciences 7.1 (2021). 13 Apr. <https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2021.1905920>. 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