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"Though he was no Arthur"
Artio is a large-scale immersive musical experience that reimagines Arthurian mythology through a contemporary feminist lens of ecology, identity, and transformation.
Rooted in the Welsh word arth (bear), the project explores the possible connection between Arthur and Artio, the Celtic bear goddess, presenting a bold new interpretation of the myth through spatial sound, cinematic visuals, and audience interaction.
Originally developed through the Media Cymru × Outernet Challenge, Artio premiered at Outernet London before being selected for the Cannes Film Festival 2026 Immersive Marketplace.
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Our Team
Artio was created by a multidisciplinary team of Welsh artists, musicians, writers, technologists, and immersive designers working across storytelling, music, spatial sound, and interactive experience design.
Bringing together backgrounds in film, theatre, live performance and music production, the project evolved through close collaboration.
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Ashley McAvoy
Creative Producer
Klaire Tanner
Creative Director
Alys Williams
Singer
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Steve Balsamo
Singer
Tracy Harris
Playwright
Matt Eaton
Music Producer
Owain Rhys
Welsh Lyrics
Kevin Ray
Technical Development
The Story
The project started with an idea from writer and producer Ashley McAvoy, an immersive Arthurian musical inspired by the possible connection between Arthur and Artio, the Celtic bear goddess.
From there, the project evolved rapidly through collaboration between story, music, visual development, and immersive design.
Early development focused on building the emotional tone of the experience. Storyboards, colour palettes, and visual references were used to shape the atmosphere of the piece, helping guide both the world design and the direction of the music.
Music & Recording
As the visuals developed, the soundtrack evolved alongside them. Ashley McAvoy, Matt Eaton, and Steve Balsamo collaborated on the music, with vocals performed by Alys Williams. Recording took place at Drama Road Recordings and Sonic One Studios in Llanelli.
Development Process
Work began inside Unreal Engine, where the environment was designed specifically for the scale and layout of Outernet London. The experience was built to move around the audience using light, motion, and spatial sound to guide attention through the space.
The Future of Artio
We’re currently interested in connecting with collaborators, immersive venues, distributors, cultural partners, and organisations exploring the future of immersive storytelling.
If you’d like to discuss Artio, future exhibitions, partnerships, or opportunities, we’d love to hear from you.