Dive into the immersive world of the House of Digital Art in Mauritius

If you are in Mauritius, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the House of Digital Art (HODA), an immersive cultural space located in the heart of Port Louis, the capital. Inaugurated last June, this innovative destination offers visitors interactive exhibitions spread across several areas, providing immersive experiences through digital, sound, and kinetic installations.

Founded by Astrid Dalais and Guillaume Jauffret of Move for Art, HODA addresses the need for a sustainable cultural venue for Mauritians. Going beyond a simple exhibition gallery, this digital arts house offers workshops, artistic residencies, and various forms of collaboration, thus promoting the sharing of artistic talents and technical skills not only in Mauritius but also throughout the Indian Ocean region.

Karen Yvon, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Move for Art, explains: “HODA is at the convergence of art, society, design, and technology, aiming to give every artist, regardless of their medium, the opportunity to present their art and make it accessible to the public.”

In line with its concept, HODA plans to organize two themed seasons per year. For its inaugural season, the digital arts house hosts six interactive and immersive exhibitions that span the entire site. These exhibitions are either entirely digital or mixed, combining both digital and physical elements, with the goal of offering visitors a sensory and immersive experience.

Opening new perspectives for culture

While funding for cultural initiatives in Mauritius has traditionally relied on the government and local sponsors, access to grants such as those from the ACP-EU Culture Fund has opened up new possibilities. Karen adds: “The size of the grants has allowed us to undertake the project more smoothly and has also encouraged other cultural entities to adopt this funding model.”

In addition to supporting technical studies and strengthening its teams’ skills, Move for Art has used the ACP-EU Culture grant to fund the technical installations of HODA.

Present at the Zanzignite event in June 2023 – an ACP-EU Culture gathering for East Africa in Zanzibar – Karen is excited about the exchange of experiences and opportunities for collaborations and synergies with cultural actors from the entire region.

“It was also an opportunity for us, cultural practitioners, to reflect on the role that arts and culture should play in society, while better understanding our position as a region in terms of arts and culture.”

Additional Information

• Move for Art
• House of Digital Art

Photo credit: ©Ignite Culture

Don’t miss Karen Yvon’s interview during her participation at Zanzignite, the ACP-EU Culture regional event for East Africa.