Art 2012
Inspired by the 75th anniversary of the mass observation movement and the UN International Year of Co-operatives, the art strand of FutureEverything 2012 looks at the changing nature of collective action.
Hosted in the 1830 Warehouse, a Grade 1 listed building which forms part of the Museum of Science and Industry’s site in Castlefield, the FutureEverything exhibition runs for two weeks from 16 – 30 May 2012.
Recently it has become increasingly easy for people to participate in the media, whether in the form of reality TV, so-called participatory democracy, crowdsourcing, or social networks. Anybody who is connected to the networks can make media artefacts that can reach a vast audience, recombine other such artefacts almost limitlessly, share ideas, content and engage in debate all over the globe, and foster new forms of virtual community.
Technology has profoundly changed the ways people communicate and work together. Widespread web connectivity allows concepts such as crowdsourcing, where large projects are completed by the public in thousands of bite-size tasks. Mobile networks have fostered different kinds of collaboration, enabling swift and spontaneous protests or crowd actions across loosely connected groups. Media has changed too, with networks broadcasting news filmed from citizens’ mobile phones, and blogs enabling a networked population to share their own news and opinion globally.
The creative possibilities of these participatory technologies are extraordinary. Increasing numbers of creative projects are based in many people finding things, and creating something new from the things they find. New forms of art, and of artist, are beginning to emerge.
2012 is a good year in which to rethink these ideas. Both the Cooperative and Mass Observation movements have roots in Manchester. The political implications citizen-led content can be seen in Occupy Wall Street, the Arab Spring and Wikileaks. The art programme at FutureEverything 2012 will bring these issues to life through the work of artists, researchers and designers that provoke and inspire with new perspectives on this theme.
Art Open Call
Could your artwork be featured as part of the FutureEverything Festival 2012? FutureEverything is now inviting submissions to an open call for the 2012 festival art programme.
Project proposals should respond to the art theme and you should submit your entry using the Art Open Call form. The deadline is 9 January 2012.
FutureEverything 2012 takes place 16-19 May 2012. Earlybird conference tickets are now on sale with a 50% discount until 31 December 2011.
