Monday, March 14, 2011
6:30pm – Midnight
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (near the Convention Center)
600 River Street, Austin TX  [map]
FREE to SXSW Interactive, Gold & Platinum Badgeholders (must show badge); $15 General Public
{Order advance tickets here}  All Ages Welcome.

NOTE ON PARKING: Parking is not available at the MACC and the streets are fairly packed. We recommend you walk or bus, but if you drive, you may park at Fiesta Gardens [map]. We will have a FREE shuttle bus continually running between the two.

Following the momentum generated by Plutopia 2010: The Science of Music, an official SXSW evening event held last March at Austin’s Mexican-American Cultural Center (which featured headliner DJ Spooky performing a world premiere of a piece based on Brian Greene’s Elegant Universe) Plutopia’s 5th annual extravaganza promises to deliver a whole new set of experience adventures under the theme “The Future of Play.”

The Future of Play will explore the concept of play as transformative, in terms of four key aspects: Social Play (including community and communication); Action Play (sports, gaming, etc.); Mental and Emotional Play (including exploration, adventure and imagination); and Sound Play.

To be held in Austin on Monday, March 14th, 2011, the event will be thoughtfully positioned as a well-crafted link between SXSW Interactive, Film and Music. Furthering our mission and intent to create unique “sense events,” this year’s extravaganza will include interactive installations, performances by world-renowned musicians / artists, talks, art exhibits, compelling projections, DJs, demonstrations, performance art, robots, projections, gaming fun, locally produced, artisanal food and beverages, and much more.

The entertainment, performances, talks and installations will include a wide range of emerging technologies, social and behavioral change, and affective processes. These will cover everything from sensory engagement, smart materials and architectures, robotics and augmented reality to interactive, socially and location-aware installations, gaming and stage performances. Plutopia 2011 will be rich in converging technologies and science with the arts and entertainment.

Our SXSW Interactive extravaganza features four experiential areas:

THE EXPERIMENT (Auditorium)

Bruce Sterling – Keynote (Italy, Science Fiction Author / Thinker)
Joe Tankersley - Keynote (LA, Walt Disney Imagineering, Expert on the Future of Storytelling)
David Merrill – Keynote (USA, MIT, co-founder Sifteo)
Bodytronix (Austin, Experimental Electronica)
Intimate Stranger with Telefunken (Chile, UK, US, Croatia, Music & Interactive 3D Audiovisual Show)
Playing with Fashion Show with DJ Big Face (Austin, Featuring designs by Tina Sparkles, House of Space, Malissa Long, Chia Guillory, Laisa Chavez, Jane Clarke, Amanda Fay, Jen Delk, and Shauna Maree Smith)
The Text of Light (NYC, Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Ulrich Krieger, Alan Licht & Tim Barnes)
Nullsleep (NYC, 8Bit Artist) with special guest, NO CARRIER (NYC, Real-time video artist)

THE IMMERSION CHAMBER (Black Box Theatre)

Switched On Music (Austin, Electronic Music Studio)
Dr. Strangevibe (Austin, Ambient Audiovisualizations)
XCHOX Project Launch (Austin, 3D Interactive Music Creation)
Total Unicorn (Austin, Audiovisual Entertainment Sensation)
Video Jack (Portugal, Interactive Audiovisual)
Shouwang (Beijing, China, Experimental Music Artist, Lead Singer of Carsick Cars)

THE HANGING GARDEN (Promenade)

Scenocosme (France, Interactive Biomechanical Audiovisuals)

THE PLAYGROUND (Zocalo / Plaza)

Siftables (MIT, Interactive Toys)
The Edge of Imagination Station (Austin, Interactive Stop-Motion Animation)
Austin Villa Robot Soccer Team (UT, Robot Gaming)
CozmicFunk Studio (Austin, Visuals / Animation / Film)
Professor Conrad and The Giant Brain (Austin, Robotics / Performance Art)
Interactive Entertainment Systems (Austin, Interactive Visuals)