This year, the United Kingdom takes center stage at HUB Montreal 2025 with a delegation supported by Arts Council England, bringing together five leading studios in immersive and digital arts. Pioneering groups—Marshmallow Laser Feast, Anagram, East City Films, ScanLab, and Alexander Whitley Dance Company—will participate in a dedicated UK conference showcasing the latest innovations in immersive and experiential art. They will present creative approaches that combine immersive technologies, artistic performances, and sensory storytelling, highlighting the richness and dynamism of the British creative scene.
Owen Hopkin, Director of New Technologies and Innovation at Arts Council England, shares insights in a Q&A on the UK delegation’s visit to HUB Montreal, exploring opportunities for collaboration between the UK and Quebec creative industries.
Why was it important for you to build a bridge between the UK and Quebec’s creative industries?
Owen Hopkin: Because our ecosystems share values around innovation, public purpose and world-class creativity. The UK and Arts Council England are doubling down on createch, R&D and exports, and we’re looking outward: actively building international partnerships and targeting more creative trade missions. Quebec’s reputation in immersive, tech-driven creativity makes it a natural partner for co-creation, touring and investment.
From your perspective, how do you see the current state of the creative industries in the UK?
O.H.: Thriving and ambitious. The sector generates around £125bn GVA and supports ~2.3m jobs, with strong performance in exports and business investment. The UK government are backing growth through R&D labs, skills, finance and export support. It’s a very exciting time.
How can these two markets coexist and create new opportunities together, and how can Quebec’s expertise contribute?
O.H.: The two markets’ shared values – innovation, public purpose and world-class creativity – provides a very strong basis for collaboration. With Arts Council England’s support to ensure our most-forward thinking artists and creatives are given opportunities to explore forward-thinking markets like Quebec, practical routes for collaboration can hopefully be established.
Immersive experiences are a growing field worldwide. What are some of the most exciting immersive projects happening right now in the UK?
O.H.: I’m enormously biased(!), but stand-out UK creators include the studios in our delegation: Marshmallow Laser Feast, Anagram, East City Films, ScanLab, and Alexander Whitley Dance Company. Their projects span VR, interactive storytelling, LiDAR-based environments and tech-enabled performance. We’re enormously excited to have them share their experiences, and their work, with delegates at HUB Montreal.
What motivated you to bring a delegation to HUB Montreal this year?
O.H.: HUB Montreal is a genuine crossroads for the creative industries. It’s where we can showcase UK innovation, meet international buyers and partners, and connect UK studios with Quebec’s vibrant immersive ecosystem. It felt like a perfect synergy with Arts Council England’s aim to help our artists and creatives innovate and collaborate with the best of the international cultural sector.
Can you tell us more about the companies that are part of the UK delegation this year?
→ Marshmallow Laser Feast
Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF) is an experiential artist collective that believes in the power of stories to stimulate the senses and shift perceptions. Their work takes audiences on multisensory journeys where imagination and information collide.
→ Anagram
Anagram is a multi-award-winning creative studio specializing in thought-provoking interactive storytelling and immersive experience design.
→ East City Films
Founded in 2006, East City Films is a pioneering studio that pushes the boundaries of storytelling. Blending film, theatre, music, gaming, and immersive technologies, they create powerful experiences that move people emotionally, physically, and viscerally.
→ ScanLab
ScanLab is a pioneering creative practice that explores the world through precise and striking digital replicas of buildings, landscapes, objects, and events.
→ Alexander Whitley Dance Company
Alexander Whitley Dance Company is an internationally acclaimed artist-led creative studio that has been redefining the boundaries of dance for over a decade through its pioneering work with digital technology. The company produces work across stage, screen, immersive and interactive platforms, combining physical and digital elements to craft unique movement-based experiences.
What are you hoping to achieve by participating in HUB Montreal?
O.H.: The visit is about values as much as ventures: pairing Quebec and England’s immersive expertise, so artists and audiences on both sides of the Atlantic can experience more ambitious, inclusive and internationally resonant work.
HUB MONTRÉAL THANKS ITS 2025 EDITION PARTNERS
