Day two of XpoNorth 2021 was an interesting and engaging dive into topics such as technology in the arts, the switch from high-street shopping to online and driving change and innovation in tech.

The day started with an opening address delivered by Charlotte Wright, Chief Executive at Highlands and Islands Enterprise, who discussed the importance of technology in being able to hold the event this year.

Covid-19 has stopped the world in its tracks, and this year’s talks at XpoNorth have been discussing ways in which we can emerge from the other side better off.

Wright commented that the creative industries have a “core part to play” in recovery and growth in Scotland after the pandemic, and technology will play a major part in that.

Tech and culture

Day two of XpoNorth 2021 kicked off with a deeper look at how the creative arts can continue to use digital platforms to boost engagement, education, and entertainment for audiences of live events and cultural projects.

Technology has provided a lifeline to the arts, which has suffered from a lack of engagement and an inability for people to build community between artist and audience.

Additionally, digital has provided a way to introduce new artists with “low risk, high-reward” scenarios for the artist and audience, said Lisa Schwartz, festival and programming director at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, as well as allowing for collaboration between arts across platforms.

Art is now being streamed from venues to other places. According to the panel discussion, the arts have been able to continue because of technology.

However, some see the boost in technology as detrimental to the arts, and that it could have a negative impact on traditional elements beyond the pandemic. Schwartz disagreed. She said that the continued use of technology and digital is nothing but good: “It is an enhancement,” Schwartz said. “It is not just a plan B; it is the plan”.

But it is not just the creative arts that are seeing a major boost in tech adoption. Retail, too, has seen a marked increase in the use of digital systems during the pandemic that mitigate the lack of in-shop custom.

In a talk around the switch to online shopping and away from high-street, panellists took a deep dive into the impact of Covid-19 on the retail landscape. The experienced panel looked at future challenges, the future of retail and “online vs bricks and mortar” selling.

Despite a major jump in online sales over the pandemic, panellists said they still see a desire to “support local communities” and that we are still heading towards a “people-oriented environment”.

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Large retailers like Amazon have been threatened with an online sales tax by UK Chancellor Rishi to attempt to slow their domination of the retail market and to help the UK pay down the debts it has developed supporting businesses and industries during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, if a firm is attempting to sell a product in the future, they will have to work hard to beat these large online sellers or risk falling behind: “You can only stay relevant if the product is relevant,” said Andrew Jennings OBE, Senior Global Retail Executive.

David Edwards and Edward Hoffman discussed the concept of using tech in storytelling to teach and innovate. “Storytelling is the best way to learn,” said Hoffman, CEO, Knowledge Strategies, LLC. Storytelling can be useful for learning, creating dialogue and it can be emotional. And technology can be an important part of that.

Hoffman continued: “Technology is a good thing. Doesn’t matter if we need it, it is going to evolve.” In 2021, the advent of digital technologies and our current tech era is bringing us all together, said Edwards, scientist, inventor and writer from Harvard University. It is a “great enhancer” and should be used to “supplement the human condition”.

“Technology has changed how we tell stories in an accelerated way in a very short period of time,” said Hoffman.

“You can get a conceptual sense of what you are talking about with tech, but you cannot build trust if you are not together. Coming together builds that trust.”

Innovation and technology

XpoNorth 2021 closed with a discussion around innovation, changing customer expectations plus a deeper look at how technology can be used as a way to escape reality.

As Covid-19 has continued, it has cut off a lot of our senses – inspiration comes from absorption which you can only get from physically going to places, something we have lost during the pandemic.

Michael Reuger, creative director at the Ravensburger Innovation Lab, made a valid point about the fear of innovation prevalent even before the pandemic. The concept of making major changes to an organisation that had to happen swiftly last year would have been unthinkable.

“Innovation is also fraught with pressure because you have to overcome something,” Reuger said. “If something is working, why change it?”

Creative Strategist and Producer Katy Boungard commented that access to technology is still a major issue, even more than a year after the start of the pandemic.

Discussions moved onto gaming, and more importantly, virtual reality, which has become much more widely used over the last year. People are now spending more time staying at home and avoiding the pandemic, but the technology has also become more readily available through firms such as Facebook.

Additionally, the panel discussed the increased use of haptics. The fascinating technology creates an experience of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user which could be revolutionary for VR.

Applications for haptics and VR goes far beyond gaming. We are starting to see it being adopted in the professional enterprise space, such as in medical and exercise spaces, as well as for teaching.

“How users are responding to new technologies informs the next phase of it,” said Boungard, commenting on the increased adoption of these new technologies and AI ethics.

“Bringing more inclusivity into the processes is so important. I think in the last year that has been a big movement.”

Boungard continued: “Ultimately it would be in the best interest for brands to do so because that will only meet meeting wider audiences in the distribution.”

If you missed the event, you can catch up with the talks on the XpoNorth YouTube channel here.