DOK Exchange XR 2026
DOK Exchange XR Conference
The DOK Exchange XR Conference brings together creators, producers and experts who are actively shaping how XR is made, presented and developed today. Drawing on their practices, the 2026 programme explores how archives enter immersive storytelling in different forms – from working with existing collections to creating new spatial records – and how creators and institutions can respond to technological change. Alongside artistic perspectives, the conference offers practical knowledge on developing and producing work with archives, navigating the evolving XR industry, and building sustainable career paths.
Language
English
Access
Guests with a Festival and Industry Accreditation and DOK Exchange XR Conference Pass are welcome.
When & Where
St. Trinitatis (Propsteikirche)
DAY ONE: 29 October, 10:00–12:50, 14:30–16:00
DAY TWO: 30 October, 10:00–12:50, 14:30–18:00
Keynotes
Felt Archive: On Embodied Encounters and Virtual Possibility
10:20–10:50
“How do we safeguard practices that were never meant to be contained?”
Lara Kobeissi's work shifts between staged encounters and open participation. Co-winner of NewImages' Grand Prix and Impact Award, her live VR performance “Nazar” was most recently showcased at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Lara has contributed to projects at the intersection of archival research and XR including “StoryFuture’s – StoryTrails” and Studio ANRK's “There Exists”.
Leuchtende Freiheit & Living Archives: Reimagining Leipzig’s Historical Legacy Through Immersive Art
10:50–11:20
“Memory is often a vibrant space. "Leuchtende Freiheit” merges German history with immersive art, breathing life into the documentary past and building a bridge to the emotional present.”
Marie Kuss is Curator and Project Manager at Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig, where she develops and realises immersive exhibitions at the intersection of art, tech and society. Her work focuses on digital art, XR and transdisciplinary projects that foster dialogue between innovation and culture. With a background in art history and experience in concept development, partnerships and storytelling, she explores how immersive formats can expand the boundaries of contemporary cultural experience.
The Mechanics of Distance in Mixed and Virtual Reality
11:20–11:50
“To activate the narrative potential of new technologies, we must develop expertise in the choreography of arrival and departure, and in the emotional politics of the near and far.”
Sacha Wares is an award-winning theatre and XR director. Her latest work, “Inside: The Childhood of an Artist”, won the INTER:ACTIVE Award at CPH:DOX 2026. Former Associate Director at the Royal Court and National Theatre Immersive Storytelling Studio, she brings extensive dramaturgical expertise to multi-sensory and immersive storytelling.
11:50–12:50
Masterclass by Joanna Kaliszewska
In the 21st century, film archives have emerged as institutions of critical importance within the cultural heritage landscape. As repositories of moving images, they serve as custodians of collective memory, safeguarding unique and often irreplaceable audiovisual evidence. Through digitisation, archival collections gain renewed relevance and accessibility, enabling the recovery of deteriorating materials and their integration into contemporary contexts. This masterclass will examine the evolving role of film archives in the digital age, their contribution to preserving cultural memory, and the opportunities created by advances in digitisation.
In partnership with the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute (FINA), Poland
Joanna Kaliszewska is a digital archivist and collection manager, specializing in audiovisual heritage preservation. She has worked on building and adjusting digital database and was responsible for the implementation of metadata standards for film and audiovisual collections in National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute (FINA), Poland.
14:30–16:00
Who has the right to create the archives of today – and who will access and use them tomorrow? This panel explores Living Archives in the age of AI and spatial data: from testimony created in conflict zones and data captured from space to artists transforming collections and producers preserving complex XR works. We ask who shapes archives, how institutions can widen access, and whether public computing and data centres can support new creative practices. What happens when AI enters the archive – and is there a place for deepfakes? How can future archives strengthen trust and democratic resilience?
In partnership with Creative Europe Desk BB
Moderator
Sara Francesca Tirelli (she/her)
Artist, Filmmaker & XR Industry Expert
Lecturer, Mentor
Website of Sara Francesca Tirelli
Panellists
Veronika Liebl is Managing Director of the Festival, Prix, and Exhibitions division at Ars Electronica, overseeing its international festival, exhibitions and award programmes. Since joining in 2011, she has led international collaborations across art, technology, science and society. She also serves on the Executive Board of Linz UNESCO City of Media Arts.
Emanuela Righi is a producer of documentaries and XR works. In 2017, she joined Providences, and in 2021 co-founded Novaya, an award-winning studio creating immersive AR experiences. Its production “Noire”, based on Tania de Montaigne’s work, has received multiple awards and been presented internationally. She also serves on the board of PXN.
After building his background in media engineering and the visual arts, Matvey now manages projects at the intersection of art, science and technology – especially in the realm of supercomputing. Currently at Media Solution Center Baden-Württemberg e.V. and HLRS High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart.
Gayatri Parameswaran is an Emmy®-nominated, Peabody-winning creator of immersive works. Born in India and based in Berlin, she co-founded NowHere Media. Her work has shown at Venice, Tribeca, SXSW, IDFA, Cannes and the UN. She is a Sundance New Frontier alumna and guest lecturer at FU Berlin, HMKW, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg and ZHdK.
10:00–11:30
Masterclass by Deborah Reinmüller & Anke Petersen
A working session on the financial side of immersive projects: cost structures, cash flow, and where the money actually comes from. Aimed at creators who need to talk to funds, investors and co-production partners on their own terms.
In partnership with MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein
Deborah Reinmüller coordinates Immersive Media at MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, supporting creators across film, tech, and emerging storytelling, and managing funding, events, and international partnerships. Since 2016 she works as an XR artist blending art, performance, and digital storytelling.
Anke Petersen used to work as a producer of commercials. For over 18 years she was an inherent part of Tony Petersen Film. In 2012 she produced her first documentary and subsequently established Jyoti Film in 2013, which is focused on international documentary co-productions, short films and digital projects. Anke is an alumna of Documentary Campus Masterschool and a certified green consultant.
11:30–12:30
Masterclass by Emanuela Righi
Using “Noire” and Montmartre, la nuit”, this masterclass explores how archives can become part of XR storytelling. In “Noire”, 1955 photographs and footage from segregated Montgomery contextualise Claudette Colvin’s story. In “Montmartre”, 1920s–30s archives of artists, cabarets, everyday life and the rise of fascism will interact with volumetrically captured characters. We will discuss rights, partnerships with archives and cost-effective sourcing, as well as how AI can support access to the real without fabricating it, respecting sources and testimonies.
Supported by the French Institute as part of the Novembre Numérique programme
Emanuela Righi is a producer of documentaries and XR works. In 2017, she joined Providences, and in 2021 co-founded Novaya, an award-winning studio creating immersive AR experiences. Its production Noire, based on Tania de Montaigne’s work, has received multiple awards and been presented internationally. She also serves on the board of PXN.
Archives in Transition: Key Insights from DOK Exchange XR Think Thank
12:30–12:50
Presentation of a short report bringing together key insights from the DOK Exchange XR Think Tank “Digital Archives in Transition: From Current Practices to Cultural Resilience in Audiovisual & Immersive Storytelling.” The Think Tank is hosted by DOK Exchange XR in collaboration with CPH:DOX and Kunstkraftwerk, continuing the meeting format developed and led by CPH:DOX.
The results will be presented by Stella Ntavara – Copenhagen-based cultural manager leading CPH:Lab and the the INTER:ACTIVE Exhibition at CPH:DOX – and Weronika Lewandowska, Curator and Coordinator of DOK Exchange XR.
Beyond the Downturn: New Paths for Games & XR in Europe
14:30–16:00
Games and XR are facing a difficult moment: shrinking investment, layoffs, changing political priorities and a loss of momentum around immersive technologies. This panel brings together perspectives from across Europe to ask what comes next. Where can Games and XR strengthen each other, which new opportunities are emerging, and what can European countries learn from one another about funding, education and support for independent creators?
In partnership with Games & XR Mitteldeutschland
Moderator
Tom Micklich (he/him)
Board member of Games & XR Mitteldeutschland, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Leipzig-based XR studio LEFX
Website of Games & XR Mitteldeutschland
Panellists
A culture manager and co-founder of Kultura Interaktywna Foundation. For over 20 years, she’s worked across film, games and creative industries, building bridges between culture, education and the games sector. She develops international initiatives supporting creators, educators and young game developers.
Creative Producer focused on XR and Games. A graduate of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Atelier Ludwigsburg-Paris and International Producing traineeship, she works at Reynard Films on XR projects across mediums and genres. She explores how technology can connect individual, social, political, and cultural contexts.
Cultural leader working across innovation, digital arts and immersive creation. Director of NewImages and recognized by Femmes de Culture in 2025, she champions an open, accessible and deeply human approach to XR and virtual worlds.
From Prototype to Perfection: Lessons from Audience Testing
16:15–17:15
The Panel will showcase XR creators from the Prototyping Zone reflecting on insights gained from testing and engaging with experts and and the professionals from the XR community. It will highlight the value of audience research and testing, offering practical tips on preparation and effective feedback collection.
Moderator
Weronika Lewandowska (she/her)
DOK Exchange XR Curator & Coordinator
Panellists
Case Jernigan makes films and games about vulnerability and healing. He’s exhibited at Slamdance, Hot Docs, and Animate Projects UK where he won the 2025 Audience Award. He’s making “Bub”, a stop-motion narrative adventure, which debuted at Day of the Devs 2026 and has been featured in The Guardian, Polygon and Game Informer.
Lucien Pin is a 28-year-old non-binary transmasculine transdisciplinary artist, a graduate of La Fémis (2022). His practice explores identity, bodily performance, and political struggle. Author of “BOÏ” and “TERF/ANTITERF”, he also researches the history of transgender self-portraiture at Sorbonne Nouvelle University.
Thanussayan Karunakaran is an artistic researcher and designer working across narrative, social practice, and emerging technologies. He builds live, participatory installations that make political tensions tangible in shared spaces.
Au Matt’s work subverts passive viewership into live and interactive experiences. After having worked as Creative and Art Director, they founded GAME, a decentralised multi-disciplinary creative bureau that has developed projects throughout Asia.
Keynote
Tech Correspondent: Speculative Future of Spatial Storytelling
17:15–17:45
“The future of storytelling is being negotiated now: not only through new technologies, but through decisions about data, ownership, agency and creative rights.”
Researcher and digital creative. At the Center for Critical Computational Studies at Goethe University Frankfurt, she explores playful approaches to AI literacy. Moving between traditional and experimental research formats, her work invites new ways of engaging with and thinking about technology.
DOK Industry is realised with the support of Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union, the Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM) and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media upon a Decision of the German Bundestag.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the MEDIA sub-programme of Creative Europe. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
