The Adelaide Fringe returns this February with another cracking programme of theatre, comedy and more, taking over the city for 31 days and nights for its 60th birthday edition. As Australia's biggest open access arts festival, the Adelaide Fringe promises a diverse and varied range of performances from around the world, with forward-thinking concepts and innovative ideas always at the forefront. With this in mind, this year's festival sees a brand new addition to the programme in the form of Electric Dreams, a three-day creative industries conference (Wed 19–Fri 21 Feb) looking at how technology is changing the arts world, and a five-day virtual reality programme and immersive storytelling showcase (Wed 19–Sun 23 Feb).

At its heart, Electric Dreams poses the question of how we can all benefit from the creative and commercial opportunities of immersive media. Looking at how technology is transforming society, the conference brings together leading figures in art, games, films and entertainment to explore how creative changes can shape and design tomorrow's world and connect with audiences in new ways.

'Electric Dreams is a rare opportunity for us all to directly experience how technology is rapidly changing and growing the way we engage with and create art.' Adelaide Fringe Director and CEO Heather Croall says. 'Electric Dreams is a chance for creative practitioners to see how digital developments could be applied to their work, and for the wider public to see mind-blowing work from some of the world's most innovative immersive storytellers.'

Addressing trends in gaming, VR and AR, the programme will look at how these technologies are impacting theatre works, screen productions and other art forms. Highlights include Monkeystack and Yellaka's Yabarra – Dreaming in Light, an immersive work that uses projections, light and sound to allow you to walk into an Aboriginal Dreamtime story. Elsewhere, Industrial Light and Magic will show how the world of Star Wars is being brought to life using immersive technologies; Weta Gameshop, the Oscar-winning team behind Lord of the Rings, will survey how the future of games is playing against life-size 3D characters in your own living room; and The Royal Shakespeare Company, who have been collaborating with Andy Serkis's The Imaginarium, will demonstrate their pioneering use of motion capture in live theatre.

The Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni, a major supporter of delivering Electric Dreams, said: 'Emerging and immersive technologies are offering innovative ways for creative minds to connect with new audiences and we are thrilled to have the mix of innovators, entrepreneurs, technology creators and digital pioneers here at Lot Fourteen for the Electric Dreams conference. It's a great opportunity for South Australians to come together with the delegates and spark new collaborations into the future.'

If you're looking to connect with the wider creative community while also finding ways to be inspired to formulate your own visions for the future, this is the event for you. Electric Dreams ultimately provides an opportunity for everyone – from artists and technologists to performers and curators – to keep on top of the creative and commercial opportunities of emerging technologies, encouraging conversation, debate and interaction along the way.

The virtual reality experiences are scheduled to run from Wed 19–Sun 23 Feb during Adelaide Fringe 2020 (Fri 14 Feb–Sun 15 Mar). For more information about Electric Dreams, visit adelaidefringe.com.au.