Main Directions of AR- and VR-Technologies Development in the Sphere of Culture

Introduction . The cultural sphere is a dynamically developing area, which quickly adapts to emerging economic, political, social and other factors of influence, as well as to the increasing demands of the ‘consumer’. With the development of modern technologies, changes are taking place in many spheres of social life, including cultural life. The purpose of this study is to examine how AR and VR-technologies influence the sphere of culture. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set: to analyse what multimedia technologies are used in socio-cultural projects, to identify and evaluate successful practices of implementing virtual and augmented reality technologies in various cultural areas, and to study the statistics of VR and AR-technologies application in recent years. Materials and Methods . A comprehensive analysis has been carried out using a variety of research methods. The case study method was used to examine the use of virtual and augmented reality technologies on specific examples. A statistical analysis was conducted to identify the demand for further development of multimedia technologies in culture. Results confirm the idea of active digitalisation of creative industries and allow us to conclude that the cultural sphere is currently one of the most promising areas for the development of virtual and augmented reality technologies. Discussion and Conclusion . The case studies analysed in this article can be used by cultural institutions that are at the initial stage of introducing VR and AR technologies into their cultural products. The topic of application of modern technologies in the cultural sphere requires continuous and long-term analysis. Future research may explore the use of artificial intelligence in the cultural sphere.