Theo Watson

Theo Watson, co-founder of Design I/O and openFrameworks, has significantly influenced interactive design with his work, which has been showcased at the Tate Modern, Ars Electronica, and included in MoMA’s permanent collection.

With Design I/O, a National Design Award winner, he has dedicated over 15 years to developing creative and human-centred installations, from emotion-based robot arms to the pioneering live-streamed VR music video album. Design I/O is a creative studio specialised in designing and developing innovative, immersive, and interactive installations, along with novel storytelling formats. It crafts digital experiences and installations for events, galleries, museums, exhibitions, and public spaces, emphasising engaging and meaningful public interactions.

At the Cleveland Museum of Art, his Studio Play 2.0 initiative replaced conventional hands-on activities with advanced interactive experiences suitable for all ages, promoting stronger links to the collection. During the pandemic, he employed AI to develop CMA’s “Share your View,” which connected people worldwide through the collection. Watson is now working again with CMA to reimagine this experience, emphasising immersion, inclusivity, and the stories behind the collections.

An artist, designer, and experimenter, his work is driven by curiosity and excitement in creating experiences that come alive and encourage play. Watson's projects range from developing new tools for artistic expression and experimental musical systems to immersive, interactive environments that involve full-body interaction. Recently, he has created TheEyewriter, an eye-controlled drawing device; Graffiti Research Lab's Laser Tag, a laser graffiti system; and Funky Forest, an immersive interactive ecosystem for children.

Watson also collaborates with Zachary Lieberman and Arturo Castro on openFrameworks, an open-source library for writing creative C++ code.

One nominator said: "A brilliant, generous, and inspiring creator, he continues to transform how audiences engage with art and heritage."