Grand Opening Celebration —
OCTOBER 3-19, 2008

Celebrate the Grand Opening of the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) with three weekends of world-class artistic performances and workshops, premieres of commissioned artworks, eye-opening exhibitions of research at the frontiers of science, and social events ranging from black-tie elegant to come-as-you-are eclectic.

Grand Opening – October 3-19, 2008

Opening performances + installations include:

* EMPAC Commissions

Rensselaer student groups:

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Events

EMPAC events Since 2004, EMPAC presented genre-defying new work by media artists, composers, choreographers, theater directors, and others from around the globe. Visit the events archive. In October, our first season in the EMPAC building begins. For details of our opening and all future programs join our email list or subscribe to our RSS feeds.

Building

EMPAC building A single structure but incorporating four distinct and specialized venues under one roof, ranging in scale from a 1200 seat concert hall, to a 400 seat theater with a pair of black box studios which double as both production and presentation space.

The conception and construction include many firsts and exceptional attributes relating to acoustics, theatrical and media presentation, structural integrity, lighting, heating and ventilation.

The building is an extraordinary architectural statement. An international architectural competition led to the selection of the acclaimed British firm, Grimshaw, and to the building’s bold architectural conception.

» More about the building

Research

EMPAC theatre With an impact reaching across the entire spectrum of the Rensselaer experience, the research focus at EMPAC will provide students, researchers, artists, and audiences with opportunities for leading-edge science and engineering, performance technologies and the arts across disciplines. The spaces and infrastructure are equally enabled for research that links sensory perception and human expression with computational processes.

Research @ Rensselaer: Experimental Media and the Arts

Research Seed Program for EMPAC-Related Projects

Acoustic Modeling of Ceiling for New Concert Hall

Commissions + Residencies

tipton Advancing interdisciplinary artistic production at the intersection of technology, media and performing arts — commissions and long-term, project-based artist residencies enable artists to develop work that otherwise would be impossible. EMPAC supports complex, adventurous projects – utilizing existing or yet-to-be-developed tools and technology in a reciprocal relationship with artist-driven content and craftsmanship, and with a high degree of rigor and inspiration – from inception to completion.

Commissions that will premiere at the Grand Opening:

Commissions in progress:

Past commissions include:

Jobs

EMPAC is hiring!