AR Girls Virtual Workshop will be offered four Mondays and Fridays in July via Zoom for free, hosted by the Maine Math and Science Alliance, Waterfall Arts in Belfast; Fiddlehead Arts in Gray; Wintergreen Arts in Presque Isle.

Girls ages 12 to 16 living in Maine can use their creativity to produce their own augmented reality experiences to make communities aware of how to reduce waste such as food waste, fashion waste and plastic waste, according to a news release from the alliance.

Attend one or more sessions
• Session 1: Monday, July 6, 10-11:30 a.m., and Friday, July 10, 11 a.m.-noon;
•Session 2: Monday, July 13, 10-11:30 a.m., and Friday, July 17, 11 a.m.-noon;
•Session 3: Monday, July 20, 10-11:30 a.m., and Friday, July 24, 11 a.m.-noon; and
•Session 4: Monday, July 27, 10-11:30 a.m., and Friday, July 31, 11 a.m.-noon.

In the workshop girls can learn to use an AR app to overlay graphics, videos, audio, even their own art, onto the real world. Girls will even get to playtest their AR experiences with other girls around Maine. And non previous experience is required. Those who participate will be supported by an experienced team, which includes art educators at Waterfall Arts, Wintergreen Art Center, and Fiddlehead Art and Science Center.

The workshop consists of online Zoom activities and offline independent challenges. Monday will start with a 90-minute introduction to learning art and technology skills. Then girls will be tasked with a weekly design challenge. They can check-in with any questions or to get feedback during one to two optional open studios on Zoom mid-week.
On Friday, all will gather again for a game jam to play withnew AR experiences. Girls will need (1) mobile device (apple or android) on which to load the “Metaverse” app and access to a computer for creating AR experiences. If either are an obstacle, contact a local art organization for a possible loaner device.

Register for more information and access to resources and zoom links. Applications are on a first-come, first-serve basis. A waitlist will be created should spots fill up. For more information and to register, visit mmsa.org/projects/ar-girls.

AR Girls is supported by a National Science Foundation grant, and is a collaboration between the Maine Math and Science Alliance, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Harvard University, Oregon State University, and University of Wisconsin Madison. It’s free to all participating girls, and, those who participant don’t need any prior experience … just be ready to unleash creative potential.

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