IMD New Works Incubator
IMD and Arts for All invite students to submit immersive art works, installations or performances to present as part of The Clarice’s NextNOW Fest in September 2026.
About the Program
The University of Maryland’s Immersive Media Design (IMD) program and Arts for All are seeking submissions of immersive media art works/installations/performances to present as part of The Clarice’s NextNOW Fest, a celebration of creativity and community taking place in September 2026.
Submissions will be reviewed by Immersive Media Design staff on a rolling basis through May 15, 2026. Space is limited, so applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals as early as possible. All applicants will be notified of their acceptance in the New Works Incubator by May 18th, 2025.
Accepted submissions will take part in IMD’s New Works Incubator (NWI), a nine-week summer development program designed to support the creation of new immersive media projects by students from across the UMD campus.
Schedule Overview
The New Works Incubator Program runs from June-September, 2026. Learn more about the program schedule below!
June 1-June 12, 2026
Two weeks of workshops covering a range of immersive media topics including experience design, VR/AR design and development, 3D modeling and printing, motion capture, and more!
The workshops are designed to support a range of skill levels and experience from students without previous immersive media experience to those in the IMD major.
June 15-24, 2026
Students will develop and refine project ideas through peer collaboration and mentor feedback. Projects may be brand new or based on pre-existing projects started in classes or other programs.
June 25-July 24, 2026
Students will build and share a prototype of their project for feedback from mentors and peers. Prototypes can test a specific aspect of a project like an animation sequence or interaction mechanic or they might test larger aspects of a project like the narrative journey.
July 25-July 31, 2026
The incubator culminates with Demo Day on August 2nd. Invited guests and staff from The Clarice Performing Arts Center will join students and mentors to experience the projects created over the course of the incubator.
August-September, 2026
Completed incubator projects will have the opportunity to be featured in NextNOW Fest in September, 2026. Projects will be presented at The Clarice Smith Performing Art Center and the IMD Brendan Iribe Center Lab on September 10 and 11.
FAQs
I’m not an IMD major, am I eligible for the New Works Incubator?
Yes! The program is open to all UMD students.
Can I apply with a team?
Yes! Please include all students that will be a part of the team on your application.
I’ve never made a work of immersive media before but I’m interested in creating something, should I apply?
Yes! Whether you want to expand on a project you started previously or explore a new idea, the New Works Incubator is set up to support your process as a creator. Whether your goal is to experiment with a new software platform or polish a pre-existing project for public presentation, the Incubator will give you the space and structure to make it happen.
How much does the program cost?
The program is free to attend.
Is there funding available to create my project?
Yes. There will be a limited amount of funds available to pay for project materials and equipment for works that will be presented as part of NextNOW Fest.
Where will the program take place?
Activities will take place in the IMD labs and classrooms in A.V. Williams.
I have more questions, how can I get more information?
Contact the NWI Program Manager, Jonathan David Martin at martinjd@umd.edu.
Presenters
The IMD New Works Incubator Program is supported by the UMD Immersive Media Design Program, The Clarice and UMD Arts for All.