Projects
Immig-rant: Immersive Journeys Through Identity and Belonging
Immig-rant: Immersive Journeys Through Identity and Belonging
I’m shaking up how theatre can be experienced by diving into virtual reality, 360 video and spatial audio.
My performance project Immig-rant began as a response to anti-immigrant rhetoric and the wider struggle to have underrepresented voices heard.
Experimenting with immersive technologies allows me to break barriers and create work that transports audiences into the worlds and stories I build, letting them step inside, experience, and engage with the narrative in a transformative way.
I’m excited to explore how VR and immersive tools can reshape storytelling, opening up new ways for audiences to connect with the stories of POC and underrepresented communities.
Explore
£5,000
Aims of the Project
This project is about expanding my practice as a theatre maker and writer committed to accessibility, inclusivity and amplifying underrepresented stories. I want to explore VR as the primary tool for immersive storytelling, to reimagine and transform the ways stories are told and the ways audiences engage with them, creating multi-sensory, interactive experiences that bring narratives to life.
Alongside VR, I will experiment with 360 video and spatial audio as part of an upcoming R&D for live performance. These technologies offer exciting possibilities to extend the immersive experience and overcome barriers that might prevent audiences from attending live shows, helping me explore new ways to make my work engaging and accessible beyond traditional theatre spaces.
To develop this practice I will attend workshops, performances and training in immersive technologies. I want to experience what’s possible, be inspired by other artists, and experiment with new approaches to storytelling.
Accessibility will remain central throughout considering varying audience needs. I’m particularly interested in reaching rural communities as a way to connect new audiences with the stories I tell and create meaningful shared immersive experiences.
"Perfection is the death of creativity" When I shifted to action and play I unlocked new ideas, discoveries and made a hell of a lot more progress.
How did they do that?
Attending The Big Thing event in Bradford at the start of the project helped me hit the ground running. I was exposed to a whole new world of immersive technology through seeing incredible performances, exhibitions, lectures, workshops and networking with other creatives which opened new doors of opportunity and learning.
Namely, Ali Eslami’s lecture and exhibition “DeathTolls Experience” showed me how VR overcomes the issues I had with scalability and access in live performance. I began to create the inside of a bank vault for my ‘Cost of Living’ installation, using basic blocks to map out the design and then utilising animation to build scale. Yet I underestimated the complexities of learning and using Unity. As a neurodiverse creative I felt overwhelmed and frustrated as my progress was minimal despite spending hours watching tutorials and troubleshooting.
Yet, having mentorship with the VR specialists at MBD was a key turning point. Having a direct line to ask questions, talk about the specifics of my aims, issues and project led to sound results and shifted my focus back to my creativity. I utilised pre-made assets in the Unity store to continue to build the installation quicker and now focus on the animation and fine-tuning.
I recommend to all artists to put yourself out there, go to events, shows, lectures and write to those you’re inspired by as I did. It opened doors, build new connections for future work and made the journey feel rewarding and fulfilling.
Next steps...
I’m still developing my VR exhibition and with additional support from Sampad Arts I have a R&D in February 2026 for the live performance aspect of Immig-rant.
Immersive Arts gave me the opportunity to explore, experience and challenge the ways in which I can connect with audiences in my performance and make my practice more innovative and inclusive.
Meet the artist
Meera Joshi
Lead artist
she/her
Meera is a working-class, neurodiverse actor, theatre-maker and spoken-word poet from the East Midlands. Her artistic practice is a fusion of artistry and advocacy grounded in community centric storytelling that strives to craft impactful, insightful performances that defy conventional norms and spotlight underrepresented stories.
She’s an alumna of IDSA, The National Youth Theatre, The Belgrade Ensemble, The New Perspectives and recent mentee at Tara Theatre. She’s currently developing “Immig-rant” her spoken-word and live art show that artistically interrogates the rhetoric around immigration & belonging through a multi-generational lens.
