Spark Festival at the University of Minnesota
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Spark Festival at the University of Minnesota

A new call for new media art, video work and sound from the Spark Festival. There are several categories of submission, most of them revolve around music. Also there is the opportunity to publish scholarly papers about new media art in a festival publication.

MUSIC SUBMISSIONS

Music submissions will be accepted in four categories:

1. Concert works: Electroacoustic works with and without performers. Performance venues will accommodate 2-8 channel works and works with video. Although there is no strict limit of duration, pieces of fifteen minutes or less are encouraged. Note that Spark 2006 will feature guest performers Maja Cerar (violin) and Brian Sacawa (saxophone). Works written for solo violin and solo saxophone with digital music and/or images are especially welcome. Other instruments will be available, and details on available performing forces will be posted on the Spark website with the submission forms.

2. “Club” works: Experimental electronic performances in a “club-style” venue. Performers of various styles will be considered, including those influenced by IDM, hip-hop, glitch, jazz, and etc. Selected performers will be given sets of 15-30 minutes. Performance venue will accommodate stereo sound and video.

3. Installations: [See “Art Works” below]

4. Music with video [See “ Art Works” below]

ART WORKS

Submissions will be accepted in three categories:

1. Installations and gallery works: A number of installation and gallery exhibitions will be mounted in various spaces on the UMN campus, including the Weisman Art Museum. Please include technical and space requirements with submission. Installations may be physical objects, video and/or sound projections, or combinations thereof. Artists may be required to provide some or all of necessary technology to mount installations.

2. Radio: Spark Radio is a new addition for the 2006 festival, initiated and curated by Abinadi Meza, a Minneapolis-based artist. Submissions for Spark Radio may include sound art, samplism, field recordings, turntablism, pirate radio, sonic deconstructions, and other transmissions. Please submit on CD or CD-ROM.

3. Video: Experimental video works will be screened at multiple Spark events. Videos featuring digital music compositions (two-channel or Dolby 5.1) are welcome, but this is not required. Although there is no strict limit of duration, pieces of twelve minutes or less are encouraged. Please submit on DVD or VHS (NTSC).

4. Theater/Dance: A number of theatrical and dance works incorporating new technologies will be programmed at Spark 2006, with a special interest in shorter works that can be integrated into programs with music and video works. In addition, although not confirmed as of this writing, we hope to produce at least one performance in a dance theater with video projection and an Internet 2 connection. Please include performance venue and technical requirements with submissions.

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