The 3d International Contemporary Art Festival
«2012: The Beginning of the World»
The 1st Contemporary Art Festival ArtBatFest was organized in 2010 by a local initiative group of artists and businessmen In 2011 the Festival achieved international scale. The Festival’s direction — Public Art — includes such categories as installations (site-specific art), paintings and graphics, photo and video art, theatre, performance, various music styles. In 2011 the initiative group created public association “Eurasian Cultural Alliance”, which will be an official organizer of future ArtBatFest Festivals.
WHERE: Almaty, Zhibek Zholy (ARBAT) pedestrian zone, parks, squares, building facades, galleries and shopping centres
WHEN: May — June 2012
WHY:
1. To boost the development of Kazakhstan contemporary art.
2. To organize a traditional, annual and anticipated event drawing tourists both from other parts of Kazakhstan, and from other countries. Such events attract millions of visitors annually and have a serious impact on the development of tourism infrastructure.
3. To attract the attention of the international cultural society to this event and to contemporary Kazakhstan installation artists and creative youth.
4. To share the work of Kazakhstan and foreign artists with wide sectors of the population.
5. To participate in the process of developing the urban environment.
THE THEME:
2012: The Beginning of the World – What is the near future for the mankind?
Is it fraught with the real danger or it is just a PR campaign benefiting someone? How can we retain our spirituality and responsibility at the threshold of such significant changes? The theme of the Festival “2012: The Beginning of the World” is an attempt to gather large scale and diversified artistic creations of various genres at the exposition sites, and to set optimistic, positive images against pessimistic, dark worldviews. A bright future awaits us, and it begins for everyone right now – that is the main energetic and conceptual message behind the basic idea of the Festival.
WHAT WILL THE 2012 EVENT INVOLVE:
The Opening Ceremony and Carnival of contemporary song and dance groups, theatrical companies and performers.
- installations from famous Kazakhstan and international artists will be set up at Arbat, in Parks (Central Park of Culture and Recreation, 28 Guardsmen-Panfilovets Park and the Presidential Park), nearby Astana Square, in front of the Sports Palace, Republic Palace, School Children’s Palace, the Academy of Sciences and a number of shopping and entertainment centres.
- building facades requiring architectural and designer’s optimization will be set up.
- master classes and creative meetings with the participants in the Festival will be held in Almaty galleries.
- photo stands will be set up at Arbat and in public areas near Astana Square. Almaty’s galleries will house thematic exhibitions.
The Festival will close, with diplomas awarded and the participants honoured.
Potential participants: we accept requests from participants worldwide.
What: installations, sculptures.
Where: parks, squares, pedestrian streets in Almaty.
When: opening of the Festival will take place May 18-20, 2012.
Installations will be placed all over the city May 18 — June 18, 2012
Participation: We will select 30 participants from all around the world. The Festival will undertake production expenses of installations, as well as accommodation and meals for the participants.
Two ways of participation:
- participants provide Festival with installation’s production specifications (distant participation).
- participants arrive in Almaty and make installations by themselves.
Open call January 15 — March 1, 2012 (midnight GMT+6).
Contact person: Gala Koretskaya, co-curator of the Festival, gkoretskaya@gmail.com.
Conditions for participants:
1. Applications will be accepted from January 15 — March 1, 2012 (midnight GMT+6).
2. Along with application form you should send us:
- a sketch, photo or drawing of your work,
- installation’s technical design specifications
- your passport size photograph.
3. Participants pay their transportation costs.
4. If you can afford travel expenses and want to come and make the installation yourself at the Festival’s production base, the Festival will pay your accommodation, meals and transportation around Almaty during 10 days.
5. If you are unable to arrive in Almaty, you can take part distantly, presenting your work.
6. The Festival organizes visa support.
7. The main criteria for the participation:
- installation should be in line with the theme of the Festival.
- unique idea and materials
- the time it took for set upproduction period (see Main Requirements for Installations).
- technical complexity of the production process (see Main Requirements for Installations).
- financial component (the Festival has a set budget for the installations).
8. On March 20, 2012, successful competitors will be notified of their selection to participate in the Festival. This year, the Festival will choose the 30 best pieces.
9. The Festival produces the installations and pays production costs. Installations will be produced based on the author’s sketches, in accordance with the technical design specifications.
10. Festival will provide the participant with further detailed information
after participation confirmation.
11. The applications, photo of the participant, technical design specifications, sketches or photos or drawings of the installation as well as additional questions about participation should be sent to Gala Koretskaya, co-curator of the Festival, at gkoretsksya@gmail.com
Main Requirements for the Installation:
1. The installation production period at the production base must not exceed 10 working days.
2. Technical complexity of the installation: no high-tech equipment or complex work, or expensive chips that would require the involvement of specialists.
3. The minimum size for the installations is 1.5 m.
4. The installation must be weather (rain, wind) resistant.
5. Although, all installations will be under 24-hour guard, they must be as resistant to vandalism as possible.
6. The Festival has a set budget for the production of the installations, so we can only select the 30 best works.
7. Special conditions with regard to the work will be negotiated individually with each selected participant.
