1A: Research Funding for IX
The session on research funding for immersive experiences brought together representatives from NWO, SIA, and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to discuss funding opportunities and strategies for immersive technology research. The panel, moderated by Monique van Dusseldorp, provided valuable insights into the current funding landscape and future directions.
Panel Discussion
The discussion opened with an overview of the current funding landscape for immersive technology research in the Netherlands. The panelists emphasized the importance of both fundamental research and applied projects, highlighting how these different approaches complement each other in advancing the field.
Overview
This session focused on the funding landscape for research in immersive experiences (IX), and how CIIIC aims to bridge the gap between researchers, makers, and other stakeholders. The session was moderated by Severus van Berkum and included a presentation by Isjah Koppejan (NWO/Regieorgaan SIA), followed by audience questions and open discussion.
Key Themes
1. Why Research in IX Needs Collaboration
The core issue addressed was the divide between researchers (often from technical or academic institutions) and creators (makers, artists, designers). Christoph Lutz emphasized that these groups often work in parallel rather than together. Researchers tend to focus on building new tools and improving precision, while creators focus on emotional impact, storytelling, and user experience.
There's a need to connect these groups better, not only in project design but also in mindset and workflow. The upcoming IX Labs — national shared infrastructure — are intended to help with this. They'll function like libraries for immersive tech: accessible places where creators can work with advanced tools without having to invest in them independently.
Illustration by Suus van den Akker
2. The CIIIC Innovation Agenda and Research Calls
Isjah Koppejan introduced the structure of the funding opportunities tied to CIIIC's innovation agenda. The agenda includes:
- Applicability and adaptation of immersive technologies.
- Impact and effectiveness of IX in real-world scenarios.
- Development and innovation, especially around platforms and tools.
- Public values, societal impact, and consumer behavior.
- Knowledge building and industry growth, including business development.
Calls are mapped across these domains, with each focusing on a different aspect of the research-creation process. A special emphasis is placed on public values and responsible innovation. Isjah noted that while budget structures tend to be linear, research projects rarely are — flexibility and communication with the funding bodies are crucial.
3. Real-world Examples and Collaborations
Pablo Cesar offered concrete examples from his work:
- Opera co-creation in Barcelona: A project involving the Liceu Opera House and local communities, resulting in a new opera that integrated neighborhood stories and won a national award.
- Museum exhibitions with Sound & Vision: Collaborative XR exhibitions allowing people to experience a museum visit together, even if not physically co-located. These required new tools for communication, behavior tracking, and experience design.
These examples showed how multidisciplinary collaborations can produce results that wouldn't emerge from one discipline alone — but only if the partners respect each other's workflows, timelines, and success criteria.
4. Challenges in Defining Success
One major tension discussed was the difference in expectations between artists and researchers. Researchers may define success as testing a hypothesis or exploring an innovative method — even if it fails — while makers often aim for a polished product or public experience. This divergence can create friction when both groups receive funding for the same project but evaluate outcomes differently.
Several panelists emphasized the need to set shared expectations early and to recognize when a project starts to shift from collaboration into a client-contractor dynamic — a red flag for research-focused grants.
5. Who Are the Labs For?
In the closing discussion, the question was raised: Who are the IX Labs really for? Audience members noted that many participants straddle multiple roles — researcher, maker, innovator, artist — and the labs should reflect those hybrid practices. Makers may benefit from access to academic research, while researchers can learn from practical, on-the-ground expertise.
SURF, for example, attended the session to understand how infrastructure could better serve creative and educational communities. Another audience member pointed out that everyone does research in their own way — whether academic or practice-based — and this shared ground could be a starting point for connection.
Final Reflections
The session underscored the importance of both funding and meaningful collaboration. Calls alone are not enough; people need to meet, talk, exchange ideas, and take the time to understand each other's methods and constraints.
Pablo Cesar's closing remark summed it up: "This is a unique opportunity for immersive media in the Netherlands. If we don't do it right now, we may not get another chance like this for 30 or 40 years."
Participants were encouraged to reach out, follow up over drinks, and — above all — start conversations.