UnBox fest in city with art, culture, tech, policy mix

Opening up explorations across art, design, culture, technology and policy, the multi-disciplinary ‘UnBox Festival’ will land in Bengaluru.

In its first foray outside the national capital, the fifth edition of UnBox will come alive at the Bangalore International Centre from February 15.

Capitalising on the city’s vibrant technology, start-up, and arts communities, UnBox is set to be a convergence of technologists, activists, policymakers and a mix of the creative community to ideate
and collaborate on the most pressing challenges India is facing today, said its organisers. The agenda is this: Three full days with workshops, labs, conference sessions and conversations over meals. Also on the list are evenings of performances and excursions into the city curated to inspire, provoke and imagine.

“With the burgeoning discussion around technology and the future, we felt it was critical to bring a different lens and perspective to these conversations, especially in the context of Bengaluru,” says the festival co-founder Babitha George.

Deep dive

UnBox 2019, she informs, aims to make space for serendipitous discovery, connections and learning by deep diving into stories of people, places, objects and ideas.

Here are a few themes lined up for exploration: Humanising Technology: Rituals of the Digital Age; Conservation & Ecology: The role of technology; Preferable and Emergent Futures; New Economies
and Practices; Blurring of Binaries; Inclusive Design; Storytelling for change and new narratives.

Incepted by Quicksand Design Studio in 2011 as an annual festival in India, and a fellowship programme since 2012, UnBox has its focus on the promotion of new thought and partnerships at the intersection of design, art, culture and social innovation.