Digital Culture & AudioVisual Challenges

The MUSense project is a unique effort to identify and collect innovative models and practices related to cyber and distance performances in the music industry and to provide training and education to music students, teachers, technicians, and staff on these new models. The project also plans to create an online repository as an open platform to organize and share the results of these efforts with higher education institutions and other stakeholders, providing a useful reference point. This paper presents the design of MUSense and its intended use, including the project's implementation strategies and expected outcomes. We also argue that the MUSense project has the potential to be extended to the broader world of performance and new media art, as many of the same principles and technologies that are being explored and utilized in the music industry can also be applied to other performance disciplines.

The music industry has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with traditional live performances being disrupted or altogether canceled. In response, many artists and organizations have turned to digital platforms and new forms of cyber and distance performances to continue reaching audiences and generating revenue. The MUSense project was initiated to identify and collect innovative models and practices related to these new performance forms and to provide training and education to music students, teachers, technicians, and staff on how to create and participate in these performances. However, our literature research showed that theater companies and dance troupes have also turned to digital platforms and new forms of cyber and distance performances in response to the pandemic, and could benefit from the knowledge and resources developed through the MUSense project. Additionally, new media art forms that involve interactive technology and online components, such as virtual reality installations or digital performance art, could also draw on the insights and tools generated by MUSense. Hence in this paper, we explore the possibility to expand the scope of the project to include a wider range of performance and new media art, as the MUSense team could help to facilitate the creation and dissemination of innovative and engaging content for audiences around the world.

The MUSense project is designed to address this need by identifying and collecting innovative models and practices related to cyber and distance music performances, and by providing training and education to music students, teachers, technicians, and staff on these new models. It is important at this point to see how the main project goals are addressed.

Identifying and studying international models and best practices in innovative forms of cyber and distance performances is implemented through a variety of research methods, such as literature reviews, online surveys, and interviews with experts in the field. To streamline this process, the team focuses on specific aspects of cyber and distance performances, such as technology platforms, audience engagement strategies, or revenue models, and uses key informant interviews or case studies to delve deeper into these areas. There are a variety of international models, approaches, and best practices in innovative forms of cyber and distance performances that have emerged in recent years in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors that have disrupted traditional live performances.