ABOUT | URBAN PROJECTIONS | Artist Rebecca Smith

Urban Projections is the work and collaborations of artist Rebecca Smith. Experimenting with how we perceive ourselves through immersive technologies, her work seeks to surprise and engage audiences with its playful tone and interactivity. Challenging and pushing the boundaries of her discipline, Rebecca cultivates human connection - inviting people to share experiences and find connection in beautifully crafted immersive worlds.

Artist Rebecca Smith (Urban Projections) stands in autumnal woodland, looking down to her side.

"I'm interested in how technology can offer ways of exploring the sometimes complex relationship between people, place and environment."

Rebecca’s projects have been seen in major venues such as the Saatchi Gallery, Tate, The Royal Academy of Arts, and The Royal Albert Hall, but they also find a home in public spaces and unexpected outdoor locations. Influenced by 90's club culture, and a love of abandoned places, she often uses forgotten spaces as her canvas.

Rebecca believes the most powerful moments happen when people come together through shared experiences. Her work transforms spaces into collective expressions, highlighting collaboration with underrepresented voices. Rooted in co-creation, her art brings out diverse perspectives and creates environments that spark connection and exchange. Using digital media and physical surroundings, she makes work that is both accessible and deeply meaningful.

With over twenty five years of experience as an audio-visual performer, Rebecca has led impactful projects, performances, installations, workshops and talks across commercial, educational, and community settings. Her practice is driven by a passion for art and technology, and she encourages innovation in new media. She is also a dedicated advocate for women and the LGBTQ+ community in the arts and technology, championing greater representation across creative fields.

Rebecca’s creative journey began in the late ’90s, when she worked as a sound engineer at a local recording studio. With a love for electronic music, she quickly moved into music production and turntablism, founding a DJ collective that hosted events and offered technical DJ training. Her passion for visual and contemporary art, along with her skills in graphic and video design, became foundational to her live performances.

“Back then, technology in club culture was evolving in a way that naturally combined audio and visual elements. Transitioning from vinyl to digital formats on a laptop allowed me to bring together everything I loved. Suddenly, I could perform both audio and visuals live, using my digital production skills to create a level of expression I hadn’t experienced before.”

In the years that followed, Rebecca developed a distinctive visual style inspired by UK club culture and the post-industrial landscape she grew up with. As her visual practice matured, she honed her skills in animation, 3D design, projection, and video design, which led to collaborations in theatre, festival stages, international fashion weeks, public art commissions and the music industry. These projects provided the ideal space for her to experiment with early projection mapping software, quickly leading her to large-scale architectural mapping and immersive installations.

Collaboration has always been central to Rebecca’s work. In 2009, she joined forces with Modern Mural Painter Peter Barber to form Stylus, an experimental duo exploring the interplay of spray paint and projected light. Stylus gained international attention, pioneering the live performance of projection murals. Rebecca’s passion for street art also led her to create The Light Cycle, a project that brought guerrilla digital art to unexpected spaces.

Today, Rebecca’s studio is based at the historic Welbeck Estate, supported by the Harley Foundation, in Nottinghamshire, UK. Nestled in the heart of Sherwood Forest, it’s an ideal setting for experimentation, collaboration, prototyping, and innovation. Her work continues to push the boundaries of shared audience experiences, spanning projection, light, augmented reality, immersive design, and interactive technologies.

"I try to explore the spaces that exist between People, Place & Technology"