On November 15, 2023, the Digital Arts and Health Workshop for the 22st International Federation for Information Processing — International Conference on Entertainment Computing (IFIP-ICEC 2023) came to an end. The workshop was co-hosted by Prof. Dr. YAO Cheng, Assistant Prof. XUE Mengru, International School of Design, Ningbo Innovation Center, Zhejiang University; Prof. Dr. HU Jun, Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, assisted by Assistant Prof. LYU Hui, HU Yuqi, International School of Design, Ningbo Innovation Center, Zhejiang University. The workshop was hosted simultaneously in Ningbo, China, and Italy, Bologna.

 

As one of the theme workshops for the IFIP-ICEC 2023, it aims at maximizing the potential value of digital arts for global health by addressing the possibilities and challenges presented by these disciplines. And XUE Mengru, LYU Hui, HU Yuqi, served as the host of the workshop that day.

 

Prof. Dr. YAO Cheng, Executive dean of International School of Design, Ningbo Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, delivered a speech at the beginning. He pointed out the purpose of this workshop, and welcomed all the attendees.

 

Jiabao Li delivered the keynote speech for this workshop， she is an artist, assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, co-founder and chief product officer of Endless Health, founding director of Ecocentric Future Lab, and a Harvard graduate. She creates works addressing climate change, interspecies co-creation, humane technology, and perceptions. In Jiabao’s speech, she uncovered how technology mediates the way we perceive reality.

 

Then, the ten authors reported their papers in turn, and the attendees actively joined and raised questions.

 

“We applied and got the chance to organize a special issue on ‘Aesthetics and Empowerment’ in the International Journal of Arts and Technology”, XUE Mengru said at last, “All of our previous accepted papers will be invited to submit an extended version for this special issue. Of course, we also warmly welcome EVERYONE to throw your excellent work to our special issue, with a deadline of June, 2024”.

 

IFIP-ICEC is the longest lasting and prime scientific conference series in the area of Entertainment Computing. It brings together practitioners, researchers, artists, designers, and industry on the design, creation, development, use, application and evaluation of digital entertainment content and experience systems. This event covers a diverse array of related research issues, including interactive art, game-based learning, XR technologies and ethical considerations associated with entertainment.