If you are an art connoisseur or are interested in art, strolling around an art gallery or engaging with somebody else who appreciates it as much as you do is often enough to keep you satisfied.
However, given the size of the art industry and the fact that millions of people have a somewhat less passionate viewpoint but still enjoy a casual trip to a gallery from time to time, there is a need for art that can engage, attract and maintain an audience that might not share the same level of intrigue.
Interactive art in gaming
Inviting an audience to participate in any capacity helps to keep people alert, interested and engaged. Video console gaming and casino gaming are good examples of how engaging with an interface or a platform can generate heightened levels of interest, making it less likely that a participant will get bored too quickly.
Mobile gaming has added another level to this, with many casino games using exclusive games in real time as part of their overall wider package and gaming experience . It’s not just casino gaming where this is prevalent, although roulette gaming, in particular, has been successful utilising live casino technology.
Other mobile games have also highlighted the strength of audience engagement. Free-to-play games using a touchscreen interface to control characters are another good example, while classic games such as chess or 8 Ball Pool allow you to line up your moves by engaging directly with your screen.
Interactive art defined
In an art gallery, interactive art can take many forms. You may have to put goggles on for an exhibition and enter an augmented or virtual reality world. Other examples include floors you stand on that light up in different colours or shapes. Likewise, a wall installation might change colour or emit sounds when you press certain parts of it.
Some video console gamers believe certain titles are so expansive, and feel so real that they could constitute interactive art. Once you stroll into the realm of characters making their own decisions and randomly generated events in a free-roam world that exists because of a decision you have made as the character, you can understand the appeal.
Why is interactive art so important?
Some people may think art is purely aesthetic or recreational, but many arts are vital for the human brain. Music, painting, singing, comedy, drawing, writing, and watching films all engage the part of our brain that responds to creativity. Interactive art combines essential elements of art, both visual and immersive. There are so many examples and so many prolific artists who specialize in interactive art that it’s a highly respected part of the industry.
Interactive art attracts people in droves, and just like any interest or hobby, there is usually a small percentage at the top who are ardent art lovers. However, the significant portion below this level simply wants something outside the box that will keep them engaged. Interactive art is one of the most effective ways of accomplishing this.
The practicality of engaging an art audience
Although some of the world’s top art galleries receive public and private funding, many rely on admission fees from the volume of people they get through their door. Interactive art is one of the most potent forces that helps drive audience engagement and promote organic word-of-mouth advertising.
It’s also a type of art that helps to bridge the gap between traditional galleries and people who learn by being more hands-on and practical. Galleries don’t allow you to suddenly start putting your hands on some of the great works of art they have on display, but interactive art flips that idea on its head – and it’s part of this rule switch that engages casual art audiences just as much as the pieces themselves.
Interactive art inspires creativity
Having downtime embedded in our busy schedules is crucial as it helps to reset the mind and engage other areas of the brain. Going to an art museum or a gallery is one of the best ways to do this, and interactive art that encourages audience engagement is one of the most effective ways to channel and inspire the creativity in all of us.
While it might not be the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of ways to get creative, it’s something to consider. It is often cheaper than other forms of entertainment and can be enjoyed with your family or friends.
