Global XR Community

At this in-person event in Nieuwegein (Netherlands) we have several fabulous speakers who will talk about social augmented reality experiences. If you want to learn about
Social AR, Snapchat, Snap with Lens Studio, Meta with Spark Studio,and TikTok with Effecthouse, make sure not to miss this event.

Sessions:

• Technology, Design & Self-expression by Gijs Wahl
• Virtual Try-on (Sokos X Meta Case Study) by Isabel Palumbo
• The Exponential Growth of AR Tech by Max van Leeuwen
• Smile! You're on my augmented camera by Sander Veenhof

Walk-in is possible from 18:00.
Food (sandwiches) will be served until 18:45. Vegan options available.

The sessions at the event will be recorded and published several weeks later on our YouTube channel.

Watch the trailer on YouTube

18:00
Walk-in and food

18:45
Welcome by Alexander Meijers & Saskia Groenewegen

18:50-19:20
Technology, Design & Self-expression by Gijs Wahl
I would like to share some thoughts about the relationship between technology, design, and self-expression as I encounter it through my work in social XR.

19:20-19:50
Virtual Try-on (Sokos X Meta Case Study) by Isabel Palumbo
I will discuss the impact of a recent campaign I launched in collaboration with Meta and Sokos (Finnish department store) on Instagram using AR ads. I will touch on augmented reality as a marketing tool in the cosmetic industry by providing data and insights into how we managed to run a successful social media campaign using reels and AR

19:50-20:10
Break & Drinks

20:10-20:40
The Exponential Growth of AR Tech by Max van Leeuwen
Augmented Reality is gaining momentum, both in engagement and in the tech behind it. Mobile devices can now do in real-time what was not long ago hours of manual effort. I will go through examples of my own work - mainly Snap AR - that use new features, and how this helps create successful AR experiences from a technical perspective.

20:40-21:10
Smile! You're on my augmented camera by Sander Veenhof
The more we'll be using AR in our day-to-day life, the more we'll have other people in our lenses. If they're not knowingly part of the experience, can we record them? Should there be an option to anonymize them? Based on numerous own hands-on experiments of the past year, Sander Veenhof will demonstrate and reflect on the dilemmas and the opportunities he stumbled upon when creating social AR experiences.

21:10-21:30
Wrap up & Drinks

This event is kindly sponsored by Ordina.

The Choice: A VR Experience for Creating Real-World Impact by Joanne Popinska
Art in XR by Paige Dansinger

At this live online event, we have two fabulous speakers who will talk about virtual reality experiences. If you want to learn about impactful VR experiences, make sure not to miss this event. The broadcast will be live on our YouTube channel.

19:00 UTC+1
Welcome & latest news by Alexander Meijers & Saskia Groenewegen

19:15 UTC+1
The Choice: A VR Experience for Creating Real-World Impact by Joanne Popinska
The Choice is an interactive virtual reality series where women tell their stories—many for the first time—about choosing to have an abortion. In these powerful first-person testimonials, women share the complex emotions, inner dialogues, and events—visualized through delicate animation—that led to their decision. Virtual reality creates an intimate, personal encounter where viewers feel engaged in a conversation—rather than a debate.

In the first episode, viewers meet Kristen, a young Native American woman from Austin, Texas, who dreams of raising a family but instead finds herself facing a painful and dehumanizing system. It becomes clear that the title of The Choice has a double meaning: it is about the actual choice that women make, but also how freedom of choice is often denied.

This VR experience utilizes the unique psychological impacts of VR to create a strong and lasting bond between the audience and the storyteller. Participants are not merely watching Kristen's story; they are joining in on the conversation by asking her questions. Moreover, the VR headset immerses the participant in a quiet space with Kristen, placing her virtually five feet in front of the participant, creating a sense of personal connection that goes beyond debate.

By creating an intimate and personal encounter between viewers and storytellers, The Choice offers a new approach to discussing abortion that shifts attitudes and behaviors. In her presentation, Joanne Popinska, the director, will share the process of creating this impactful piece with the goal of creating a real-world impact.

If you haven't had a chance to watch The Choice yet and would like to, you can get in touch with Joanne Popinska for applab codes.

20:00 UTC+1
Art in XR by Paige Dansinger
Can Art in the metaverse create positive impact outside of the metaverse? Art is critical in XR community-building, wellbeing, and creating new revenue systems. Learn how Better World Museum and Women in Horizon are using art to build a stronger sense of belonging, identity, empowerment, and impact in community member's daily lives, and communities, outside of the metaverse. The art we create in the metaverse makes a better world in real life. People who watch this presentation will want to live for making art in the metaverse!

20:45 UTC+1
Wrap up by Alexander Meijers & Saskia Groenewegen

The Global XR Community is a free community around Extended Reality and organizes live events on YouTube and in the metaverse using AltspaceVR. We have monthly live sessions on virtual, augmented and mixed reality featuring new and seasoned speakers from around the world.