Balanced Forces is an AR art collective that turns streets, parks and beaches into open-air galleries. Since 2025 it has run six community exhibitions across North America and Europe, and every one of them is built on illust. Artists make their pieces in illust’s AR Studio, and visitors open them on their own phones, in place, with no app to download.
Who is behind it
Balanced Forces began as a one-time exhibition in Port Moody, Canada. After a few meetings, the people behind it saw what their combined skills could do, and the collective was born. The team brings together artists, marketing experts and illust as the technical partner, across the US, Canada and Germany:
- Crystal Koskinen, Creative Director, Curator and Artist, Port Moody, Canada
- JBR Visuals, Co-Founder, Artist Relations Manager and Curator, New York
- Sven Schölermann, Graphic Designer, Curator and founder of 23 Artists, Hamburg
Artists are partners
“Artists are not content providers; they are partners,” as Balanced Forces puts it. The collective covers the AR software and hardware for participating artists and runs education and workshops. illust supports every show with:
- The AR Studio web app, where artists build and place their work
- A step-by-step onboarding guide
- Office hours with the illust team
- Online AR Studio tutorials
- Information sessions and exhibition recaps on illust’s YouTube channel
Many artists come back show after show. LM Designs8, Trish Gianakis and Zen Materialist have shown work in all six exhibitions.
Six exhibitions so far
- GO WEST, Vlaardingen (from August 2026): 40 artists in Krabbepark, the collective’s first exhibition in Europe.
- Echoes of Freedom, Jersey City (July 2026 to June 2027): 20 artists at Liberty State Park, part of the America 250 AR Art & History Tour. Open now.
- ARtivism, Austin (March 2026): 36 artists using AR subvertising to challenge established narratives.
- CODE:BLUE, Miami Beach (December 2025): 43 works chosen from more than 110 submissions, shown on South Beach during Miami Art Week.
- BF X PEACE, New York (September 2025): 55 artists in Bryant Park and Tompkins Square Park for the UN’s International Day of Peace.
- ART OUT SIDE, Port Moody (July to August 2025): more than 40 artworks along the Shoreline Trail, artists from 18 countries, over 700 visitors.
Partners
Balanced Forces works with 23 Artists, JBR Visuals, RAKKHAUS ART+DESIGN and NFT-Merch.io, with illust as its technical partner. The collective also qualified for Season 6 of Artizen, where every Artifact collected goes back to its artists.
Running an AR exhibition?
Turn your city into a gallery.
Balanced Forces has run six shows on illust, on two continents. Whether you are a collective, a festival or a city arts program, we will help you plan the AR side, from artist onboarding to opening day.
