Cutting-edge Catalan creativity on show at ISE

"It's not about doing technology for art or art for technology. It's really the meeting of these two points." 

Artist and technologist Maya Mouawad is describing the work of Hand Coded, a collective of creative designers and technicians who bring spaces and interactive art pieces to life. 

Her words could perhaps apply to any of the eight digital cultural companies invited to ISE – the world's largest audiovisual fair – by Catalan Arts, a government brand to promote Catalan art and culture internationally. 

In total, 85 Catalan companies are present at ISE 2025, up 8% on last year, with 32 exhibiting at the official Catalonia Pavilion. 

At the center of the pavilion is a custom-made 8m x 8m immersive cube, showcasing work from each of the eight creative studios. 

The Rhythm of the Ocean from Desilence and composer Suzanne Ciani is one such work. 

"We do all kinds of things, like video mapping, stage shows, live visuals, immersive experiences, light installations," explains Søren Christensen, who founded the studio in Barcelona twenty years ago with his partner Tatiana Halbach. 

Søren believes ISE is just one example of Barcelona being "a great place to be as a digital artist." 

"We are really lucky and happy to be surrounded by so many fellow artists, really great artists and studios," he says. 

He praises the Catalan government for "focusing a lot on helping digital artists," but also points out the role of "private galleries and venues that support local artists in Barcelona and in Catalonia." 

ISE opportunities 

Maya from Hand Coded explains they are on the lookout for new projects and collaborations at ISE, business opportunities that help fund their creative output. 

"Doing art with technology is difficult," she explains. "It's very expensive – the development, the materials." 

"We use our knowledge in tech to create branding or other projects that finance the art part that we love." 

Showcasing all eight studios' work, 'Immersive Horizons: A Journey Across Catalan Digital Creativity' will be shown continuously over the four days of ISE.

Catalan Arts hopes to surpass the 10,000 visitors who attended the 2024 edition. 

Beyond culture 

The cultural companies form just one small part of the overall offering from Catalan businesses. 

Some of the most eye-catching concepts include Blit's immersive entertainment with virtual reality headsets, drone art from Flock, and an AI-powered metahuman from Royal Renders. 

Catalonia ranks fifth for the number of participating companies at ISE, following China, Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom."