The Ammerman Center for Arts and Technology 16th Biennial Symposium

Intersections

February 15 - 17, 2018

Proposal deadline for commissioned work: October 3, 2017 - CLOSED

Proposal deadline for general submissions: October 16, 2017 - CLOSED

Submission Guidelines 

The Ammerman Center at Connecticut College seeks submissions for its 2018 Biennial Symposium on Arts and Technology being held February 15-17, 2018 at Connecticut College. The aim of the symposium, now in its 32nd year, is to create an inclusive forum for multidisciplinary dialogue at the intersection of arts, technology and contemporary culture. The symposium brings artists and researchers from a wide range of fields together to engage, interact and share ideas as they present new works, research and performances in a variety of formats. Featured events include a keynote address by Krzysztof Wodiczko, an exhibition by Natalie Bookchin, several multi-disciplinary works commissioned by the Ammerman Center, panel discussions and paper presentations, workshops, artist talks, gallery exhibitions, music concerts, installations, screenings, public interventions and live media performances.

Please Note:  All Submissions must be submitted using the standard submission form. - SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED

See Accepted File Types and Formats.

Symposium Theme: INTERSECTIONS

It is increasingly understood that our lives are pushed, pulled and interconnected by a range of intersections among multiple factors of identity and experience including: gender, culture, race, sexuality, and economic and technological contexts among others.

For the 16th Biennial Symposium in Arts & Technology, the theme INTERSECTIONS seeks to question categorizations, to experiment with new and emerging mediums while deferring to the original definition of Intersectionality, as coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in relation to the intersecting dynamics of race, class and power. The symposium will explore the infrastructures and imaginaries pushing and pulling our techno-culture into an ever more precarious relationship with the social and ecological fabric on which our intersectional beings are founded.

Scholarships

In keeping with the symposium theme, scholars and artists from marginalized communities from the northeast region are especially encouraged to apply, including independents and adjuncts. A limited amount of full and partial scholarships are available upon request (See below.)

Thematic Threads

While we are open to any number of interpretations of this year's wide-ranging INTERSECTIONS theme, we encourage and invite participating artists, theoreticians and researchers to relate their work to this theme through the guiding threads listed below:

Alternative futurisms: New narratives of the Future being crafted and told in any medium, with an emphasis on alternatives to the story told by Silicon Valley, Wall Street and TED.

Experimental systems for awareness, equity and justice: Leveraging existing and emerging technological mediums, tools or systems for questioning power and / or promoting increased connection, awareness, equity and justice by activists and artists

Hybrid bodies: Bio-politics and borders, intersectional identities, chimeras, and cyborgs

Commissioned Works and Residency

Proposals for new, original, multi-disciplinary works in any medium will be accepted for a "Commissioned" category, each of the 2-3 accepted commissions will be awarded $3000 and featured in the symposium. Preference will be given for proposals by by teams of two or more.

We encourage proposals that incorporate the symposium theme. Proposals must combine at least one area of creative expression with a major technology component: whether as subject matter, medium, tool or environment.

The selected teams will be granted a weeklong residency leading up to the symposium including a presentation, student involvement and performance or presentation of the completed work. View Commission guidelines. The proposed project must not have been previously published, performed or exhibited in its current form.

Awards will be granted at the discretion of the Program Committee. Submissions not accepted for the commissioned category may also be considered for the general submissions category if the submitting team has indicated their interest in this option on the application form.

Submissions

Categories of submissions include: Exhibition and Installations/ Site Specific Installations and Performances/ Screen Based Art/ Music and Sound/  Dance, Theater and Performance/  Paper presentations/  Workshops and Demos/ and Panel Proposals.

All Submissions must be submitted using the standard submission form

All submissions must include the submitter’s personal information, a basic title and description of the submission and any additional information and supporting materials as required by the submission category.

All submissions are limited to 2 per person, with the exception of panel organizers.

Accepted File Types and formats:

Images: .jpg (not to exceed 1280x720), maximum 10 images, compressed in a ZIP file.
Documents: .pdf, .doc, .docx ; one page maximum, except in the case of extended abstracts for papers that are limited to two pages.

Maximum combined duration for time-based media is 5 minutes. We may only view or listen to the first 5 minutes of your piece; however, you may indicate a different 5-minute segment of your piece, if you feel that would be more representative of your work for our consideration.

Audio: .mp3 encoded at 320 kbps.
Video: share your video via a video sharing service with a maximum resolution of 1280x720. Please include the full link plus password, if password protected. Please make sure that the video is enabled for download.

Panels

Proposals for special sessions and panel discussions of 3-4 participants and a moderator are encouraged. To apply for such a session, a panel proposal must be submitted, alongside individual submissions for each of the speakers. These may be submitted by the speakers themselves or by the organizer of the panel on their behalf. Each individual submission must indicate that it is aiming to be part of a panel. Panels are expected to last for about an hour.

Required information: topic, description, names of possible panelists/contributors

Papers

This category includes scholarly work and reports on research, theory or artwork, artist talks, and position papers raising original and provocative theoretical or practical discourses and questions. The default duration of all paper presentations and talks is 15 minutes.

Required information: A two-page extended abstract or a complete paper must be submitted by the due date. Upon acceptance, a revised 4-8 page paper must be submitted as a PDF in provided format for publication in the Symposium Proceedings. All rights will remain with the author. Paper authors will give oral presentations during the paper sessions.

Workshops and Demos

Technology demonstrations and hands-on workshop submissions in all forms of media are welcome. These could include presentation of approaches to creative and experimental uses of technology, newly emerging technologies and collaborative project development. Demonstrations can be part of specific projects and could be formatted to solicit feedback from the audience. For demonstrations or workshops we assume that the presenters will provide the necessary equipment and materials. The Ammerman Center will be able to provide classroom space and a limited selection of tools and hardware.

Required information: an extended description of the workshop, including goals and duration (pdf); a technical rider (pdf) to include: materials and tools supplied by the presenter, complete technical needs from the Ammerman Center including workspace, seating, tools, software/hardware, lighting, power, and all other requirements.

Music and Sound Performances

Music and sound submissions could take many forms including: work for live instruments with electronic sounds and/or digital media, voice, interactive performances, live laptop improvisations, customized or hand-made electronics, or electronic sounds alone (fixed media). All works representative of any of the rich array of approaches, styles, and media possible within electroacoustic musics are welcome.

Works under 12 minutes will receive preference. Musicians, dancers and actors may be available for live performance pieces.

Two spaces will be available for performances and/or presentations of submitted works: a concert hall on the Connecticut College campus, as well as a smaller, black box / alternative venue.

Required information: a one-page description/abstract, complete technical, equipment and performance needs, what the artist will provide (i.e. laptop with customized software, hand-made electronics), indication of who will be performing (artist, additional musician/performer, fixed media playback), and accompanying scores/recordings as appropriate.

Exhibition and Installations

Potential media include the full range from drawings and objects to responsive environments, bio-art, kinetics, audio, video and hybrid installations, as well as socio-eco design including experimental architecture and environmental interventions. Works that challenge disciplinary boundaries are specifically encouraged. A series of smaller works may be considered as one submission.

Selected works will be presented in a group exhibition at the Hygienic Gallery in New London (see floorplans here), with the potential for site-specific installations on the Connecticut College campus or in New London. Complex projects may be presented in a paper and/or panel presentation, with a smaller accompanying work in the exhibition. Installation of selected work is the artist’s responsibility, and must be completed on-site between Feb 12-14, or earlier in the case of special installations. The Ammerman Center will provide a support technician to assist with issues as needed.

Required information: a one-page description/abstract of the work, dimensions and/or duration, technical rider if needed, and relevant digital materials.

Site-Specific Installations and Performances

Work in all mediums may be proposed as a temporary public intervention on the Connecticut College campus and in downtown New London. The interior atrium of Cummings Arts Center, where much of the symposium will take place, is available as a possible location.

Any preliminary installation work is the artist’s responsibility, and must be completed on-site between Feb 12-14.

Required information: a one-page description/abstract of the work, dimensions and/or duration, technical rider if needed, and relevant digital materials.

Performing Arts: Dance, Theater and Performance Art

Dance compositions, theater works and performance art pieces that incorporate technologies in meaningful ways are being solicited for performances, live demonstrations or for digitally recorded presentations.

Also of interest are proposals for workshops, demonstrations of software for dance or theater notation, choreographic analysis, interactive studies and/or multimedia studies of performance in dance and theater - see the appropriate submission categories for each (i.e Papers, Workshops and Demos, etc). Acceptance of performances will depend on financial considerations as well as technical and space needs.

Works under 15 minutes will receive preference.

Two spaces will be available for performances and/or presentations of submitted works: a concert hall on the Connecticut College campus, as well as a smaller, black box / alternative venue.

Required information: a one-page description/abstract, technical rider, complete technical, performance and spatial needs, plus digital media that show the work under consideration.

Screen-Based Work: Video, Film and Animation

Submissions of short single-channel, screen-based video or digital film are being solicited. Submissions may span a range of formats, from experimental, to documentary, video-essay, narrative short or other emerging forms intended for onscreen viewing. (For other types of moving-image presentation such as live cinema or installation see previous categories).

Selected work may be screened in one or more of the following venues: As part of an evening event at the auditorium; on large displays on the Connecticut College campus; as part of the Intersections group exhibition at the Hygienic Gallery in New London.

Required information: a one-page synopsis, duration, preferred screening format, credits and link (or uploaded file) to view the submission online.

Ammerman Independent Scholar/Artist Fellowship Program

The Ammerman Center seeks to award artists/scholars who demonstrate excellence in their work, and a commitment to their careers and artistic communities. Independent or adjunct scholars and artists, as well as graduate students may apply for reduced or fully sponsored fees through our Independent Scholar/Artist Fellowship Program.

Applicants need to submit a resume and statement of engagement with the symposium theme to Elizabeth Friedman, Assistant Director, eofri@conncoll.edu.

Recipients will have the opportunity to build connections with conference participants and stay connected to the Ammerman Center community through future projects and events.

Important Dates

September 30, 2017: Commission Submission Deadline
October 30, 2017: Commission Acceptance Notification
October 16, 2017: General Submission Deadline
November 30, 2017: General Acceptance Notification
January 5, 2018: Final Paper (pdf) Submission Deadline
February 11, 2018: Start of Residencies for Commissioned Works
February 11-14, 2018: Installation Period for Group Exhibition
February 15, 16 and 17, 2018: Symposium at Connecticut College