Curriculum
The GoggleWorks Virtual Reality (VR) Lab is the first-of-its-kind technology lab in the region that uses virtual reality solely for art creation. The studio also utilizes 3D printing, augmented reality, drones, 3D scanning, and other new technologies. Students of all ages learn how to paint and sculpt in VR and 3D print their creations. Artists from the studio have designed cutting-edge art installations and therapeutic applications. The lab is co-managed by Kris Jackson and Jason Morris, who have a combined 35 years of interactive experience, with a heavy focus on Mixed Reality applications. GoggleWorks is developing the core curriculum of multi-week classes for adults, while current anchor programs in VR are listed below.
Studio Features
-Two VR stations featuring the latest Oculus Rift headsets
-Google Tilt Brush
-Oculus Medium
-Access to 3D scanning and drone technology
-Four onsite 3D printers
ArtsBridge Outreach Programs
The VR lab partners with John Paul II Center to offer substantive arts programs to folks with physical limitations. By utilizing the most state-of-the art technologies, we allow children and adults with physical, intellectual, and developmental limitations to the VR lab the chance to create and explore incredible virtual landscapes with simple hand gestures or head or eye movements.
After School Art Programs (ASAP) and Summer Camps
Children and teens are among the most inventive students the VR Lab. Underserved students from Berks County schools take classes in the VR Lab free of charge through the GoggleWorks After School Arts Program (ASAP). Each summer, GoggleWorks offers week-long camps for kids and teens to engage VR in unique ways.
Other Programs
The VR Lab designs interactive installations for major events at GoggleWorks, including Arts Fest Reading, annual fundraisers, and Pumpkin Palooza. The VR Lab partners with traditional artists, including GoggleWorks Studio Artists, to make their work experiential and interactive, combining physical art with virtual landscapes inspired by the physical environment. GoggleWorks seeks innovative grant opportunities to allow for the design of new software solutions, marrying art design and education; currently, the Met Ed Fund of the Berks County Community Foundation is funding the design of a program to educate youth on energy conservation.