In October 2023, we partnered with the Innisfil IdeaLab, Uplift Black and Georgian College to bring live, XR production to Simcoe County with “The Adinkra Forest VR!”. Words Matter was an initiative of UPlift Black created to demonstrate the power of language. This was an event of spoken word, dance, music and a special immersive experience performed by members of the UPlift Black Artists Collective. We created a dynamic VR experience, produced by Debbie Deer Productions and Orion Digital Inc.

The Presentation

“The Adinkra Forest VR!” was a mythical, West African land based on the principles of unity. Live actors took the audience through a journey of voyage and self-discovery as you help them restore the forest with team work and empathy. Using a hybrid model that incorporates the Meta Quest 2 headset (for actors) and audience members (optional), our cast interacted with spectators in real time! Audience members could alter what happened on stage such as drawing figures and making audio commands. They could also learn about the Adinkra symbols which teach positive messages about life and community.