PALO ALTO, Calif. (March 6, 2025) – Agog: The Immersive Media Institute and PHI announced today PHI Immersive: XR for Impact, an intensive four-week residency program designed to support creators whose practice imagines a more just future through extended reality (XR) technologies and immersive sound.
Agog and PHI are calling for creators, artists groups, and collectives to apply to the program. The new program is based in Montreal and will focus on work that presents the potential to drive social transformation. This groundbreaking program aims to help artists develop XR prototypes that address social justice issues and urgent global issues, from concept to impact, and to showcase the power of immersive media when technology and art intersect. Applicants must reside in North America.
“XR has a unique power to foster empathy, deepen connections, and shift perspectives in profound ways,” said Chip Giller, co-founder and executive director of Agog. “That’s why we’re thrilled to partner with PHI—to put XR tools directly in the hands of visionary creatives and change-makers. By equipping these innovators with immersive technologies, we’re unlocking their potential to design transformative experiences that bridge cultural divides and drive meaningful social change.”
The program will select one project to receive personalized support from the PHI Studio team, which is a studio specializing in production and the development of original content. The team whose project is selected will receive transportation, lodging, per diem, a stipend, access to a workspace at PHI Studios, the opportunity to connect with a community partner, and targeted resources to refine concepts, build prototypes, and prepare for potential production.
“At PHI, we believe in the power of immersive media to inspire change, ignite conversations, and challenge perceptions,” said Phoebe Greenberg, founder and chief creative officer at PHI. “Through this residency with Agog, we are fostering a space where artists can push the boundaries of XR and new media to address urgent global issues. This partnership is about amplifying voices, enabling innovation, and demonstrating how technology and art together can drive meaningful impact.”
Applicants must propose an immersive project in the concept phase, using XR technologies, artificial intelligence, or immersive audio/sound that is focused on exploring new pathways toward empathy, understanding, and activism. And they must live in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon Archipelago, or Bermuda. Applications close on June 24, 2025. To learn more, visit the PHI Immersive website.
ABOUT AGOG: THE IMMERSIVE MEDIA INSTITUTE
Agog: The Immersive Media Institute is a philanthropic organization founded by Chip Giller and Wendy Schmidt that helps people use extended reality (XR) to create human connection, cultivate empathy, and inspire action toward a more just and sustainable future. Agog brings together nonprofit leaders, thinkers, and creators to harness the power of emerging media like virtual and augmented reality to develop new ways to communicate, learn, inspire, and collaborate. Agog’s initial areas of focus include social justice and equity; high-impact storytelling and world-building; policy and ethics; education and outreach; and research. To learn more, visit agog.org.
ABOUT PHI
Founded and directed by Phoebe Greenberg in Montreal, PHI is a multidisciplinary cultural hub at the intersection of art, technology, and music. Focused on the future of art and its audiences, PHI champions radical ideas through collective experiences, social engagement, and audience interactivity.
PHI offers a dynamic and diverse program that includes exhibitions, performances, installations, immersive experiences and artist-in-residence programs, fostering unexpected encounters between artists and audiences. Committed to creation, dissemination, and support for contemporary artistic practices, PHI stands as a leading cultural destination in the heart of Old Montreal.
MEDIA CONTACT:
AGOG
Paige Lazarus
Email: bg_agog@brysongillette.com
m: 630.430.1513
PHI
Myriam Achard
Email: machard@phi.ca
m: 514.779.8868