The festival showcases world-renowned artists alongside local creative talent. The majority of events are free.
"We'll be transforming familiar spaces and lighting up hidden places," says Jamie Wyld, Director of videoclub, the organisation that has produced the festival, formerly known as Brighton Digital Festival, since 2023.
"Dreamy Place is all about collective experiences and encouraging people to think about how new creative technologies can arouse curiosity and spark creativity."
Guest Curator for Dreamy Place 2024, Lexi Zelda Stevens, adds:
"Many of the artworks in this year's festival connect the ancient past with the future through playful use of cutting-edge technology.
"The artists' interests span the contemplation and celebration of light in ancient civilisations, to magic, witchcraft and collaboration - between non-humans and ordinary members of the community."
Dreamy Place Highlights:
Crawley: Friday 4 - Sunday 6 October
Pyramid light sculptures Vessels by Limbic Cinema in Queens Square will use atmospheric lasers and smoke to offer a modern take on monuments that brought ancient people together to contemplate and celebrate the sun. This is a rare chance to safely experience close-up the vivid, 3D forms created by high-powered lasers and engage with light in an almost tactile way.
Interactive holograms by artist Megan Broadmeadow will enchant visitors to Crawley Bandstand. Drawing on ancient magic and cutting-edge technology, Dewiniaith, meaning "Sorcery" in Welsh, uses video technology and artificial intelligence, mixed with Welsh folklore and song. Megan asks "What happens when the old meets the new? What magic will we rely on in the future, and who will be practising it?"
Dream World creative workshops by Exploring Senses: Guided by imagination, young people will explore creativity using 3D pens and iPads. Participants will digitally draw life forms, structures and vessels in 3D, embark on space journeys and discover hidden realms.
Artists' Talks & Workshops: A series of workshops to support artists and creatives, covering topics like Artificial Intelligence in art, project design and funding, and hologram-making.
Outdoor Film Projections: In collaboration with CFI Media, enjoy a trail of works by local filmmakers projected onto the walls of Crawley town centre, Saturday 5 October.
Brighton & Hove: Friday 25 - Sunday 27 October
Ammonite by Paris-based Collectif Scale - a group of friends working in different creative industries, pooling their expertise to make something unique. The latest version of a light and music installation that has toured the world, shows in the historic Cab Road tunnel under Brighton Station, not usually open to the public. The static structure uses light to give the illusion of organic movement and echoes the natural architecture of a prehistoric shell. Ammonite offers an otherworldly experience to visitors.
V1: Content Awareby Felicity Hammond: Housed in a shipping container in Jubilee Square, this artwork uses installation, collage and AI to connect geological and data mining. Exploring the journey from mineral to pixel, the work maps how photographic images are produced, distributed and consumed. Commissioned through the Ampersand/Photoworks Fellowship and showing in Brighton as part of Photoworks Weekender and Dreamy Place, this is the first iteration of Variations, an evolving series of installations by Felicity Hammond with future versions to be shown in London, Derby and Edinburgh.
Imagining Otherwise by Flexer & Sandiland: South East Dance presents an immersive, interactive, digital dance work, combining fast-paced choreography with poignant spoken text. The performance explores the infinite possibilities created by our daily decisions and wishes for change. Saturday 26 October.
Film Trails: Curated film trails across Brighton, including collaborations with Oska Bright Film Festival and Carousel, showcasing the talents of learning-disabled artists and filmmakers.
Days of Wonder Weekender at Hove Museum: A weekend of hands-on play with film and digital media featuring experiments with optical toys, analogue tech and filmmaking. Perfect for curious families.
Transmission by Tewa Barnosa offers a meeting of cities, a meeting of minds and an opportunity for transformation. Gallery Lock-in, a former back-street garage, will be transformed into an audiovisual portal for the first UK solo exhibition by the Libyan artist who is based between troubled Tripoli and apolitical Amsterdam. Using AI, audiences will embark on a journey through the meaning of language, from translation to misinformation, shared heritage and the constructed political situations that drive us apart.
Asian Futurism Talks: Sunday 27 October at The Old Market, discover how artists use creative tech to reimagine Asian heritage, in collaboration with Platform Asia and 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (Sydney).