Dark Skies Festival - Central Australia

Deadline: 19/02/2021

Venue: The Earth Sanctuary  |  City: Alice Springs  |  Country: Australia  |  Anna Dakin

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Central Australia's Dark Skies Festival celebrates the clear views of the night sky we have here in Central Australia. We are looking for projection-based artworks about the night sky to exhibit outdoors at night during this festival.

The night sky in Central Australia is internationally significant, with views of the Milky Way clearer here than almost anywhere else, thanks to our dark skies. Seeing a clear night sky can be a philosophical experience and is an important part of being human. 

This brand new experimental festival of science and art takes place from the 6th - 14th May at The Earth Sanctuary just outside of Alice Springs in Central Australia. The Dark Skies Festival celebrates the unique views we have of the night sky, aiming to conserve them for future generations. 

The festival will include star talks by astronomers, telescope viewings, and artworks installed onsite. 

We are looking for projection-based artworks about the night sky by artists from anywhere in the world. The works will be projected outdoors at night at The Earth Sanctuary, onto domes, projection screens, and other elements within the environment.

When we have selected the artworks, we will invite local musicians to respond to them, so that we can put on a series of live performances with the projections in situ at The Earth Sanctuary.T

he audience will have the opportunity to look through telescopes and listen to star talks by astronomers before or after watching the performances. If your piece focuses on a specific celestial body, astronomers can tailor their talks to focus on them. 

Due to the remote location of our exhibition, proposals that are accepted will rely on the feasibility of logistics. We are requesting projection-based artworks in a digital file format that can be shared via DropBox. We will source projectors locally and will cover any costs associated with this. We can accept existing or developing work, but it must be completed by April, so allow time for the musicians to prepare their performances. 

 

Contact the curator
Who is eligible for this opportunity?
Artists from anywhere in the world are eligible for this opportunity, however, we are only accepting works that are time-based in nature and can be projected.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is Sunday 28th February 2021 at 8pm ACST.
How many works can I submit?
You can submit as many works as you would like, but we will only accept one per artist.
When is the delivery date?
Works must be ready by March 29th to allow musicians time to write their responses to them.
How much does it cost?
It is free to submit work to this exhibition.
Are there payments to artists?
Not at this time. It is likely we will ask you to do an artist talk which will be paid.
Is there a private view / opening?
There will an opening night of the entire festival.
What are the exhibition opening hours?
The exhibition will be open from 6pm - 11pm from the 6th - 14th May, pending weather, and changes to the festival schedule.
Does the location have disabled access?
Yes. The venue is outdoors, there are no steps, the ground is flat but a bit sandy.
What publicity will be provided as part of the opportunity?
The festival will be publicized in Australia, especially in Alice Springs.
Do I need to be present?
No.
What kind of proposals are you looking for?
We are looking for time-based projection works that can be projected onto surfaces and screens.

The work needs to address the night sky in some way. We are looking for pieces that help the audience to reflect on their own relationships with the night sky, and how significant it is that we can see the stars so clearly here. We want to raise
I can't come to Australia! Who will install my work?
We have an onsite technician who is dedicated to installing and maintaining your work.
Will Covid affect the event?
Central Australia has avoided community transmission of the Coronavirus. We can still safely have public events here. Provided nothing changes before May, this exhibition will go ahead with a physical audience as planned. If the event has to be cancelled, we will move the exhibition online.
I want to see my work installed but I can't come to the event! Can you help?
All works will be photographed and the photographs will be shared with the artists, who can use them in any way that they want - eg. on your website / social media.
Why only projection-based works? I want to submit work made in another medium
We are only looking for projection-based works for this event. Keep an eye on our Curator Space and social media accounts for future opportunities.
What kind of projectors will you use?
We will be using a selection of projectors. We can let you know more about the projector we use for your work closer to the time.
At what scale will my work be projected?
As we are projecting outdoors, it will most likely be relatively large. The curator will experiment with the work on-site and find the best scale. You need to be comfortable with somebody else installing your work to submit work into this exhibition.
My work includes sound, how will that work with the musicians performances?
The musicians will respond to your work - they may choose to incorporate the sound from your work into their performance, or they might ask to perform without the sound from your piece. All musicians and artists will able to contact each other.
Who is going to attend this festival?
The festival will be open to a physical audience - mostly comprised of locals and Australian residents visiting The Red Centre, provided it remains safe to attend physical events here in May.
What is The Earth Sanctuary?
The Earth Sanctuary is a 100-acre bushland eco-property in Central Australia, specialising in astronomy tours and environmental sustainability. It is situated on top of an ancient red sand dune and is home to a number of dome-shaped structures, including homes, tents, and telescope domes. Your work will be exhibited outdoors here, either onto a projection screen or directly onto an element in the landscape - eg. a dome-shaped tent.
What is The Artist Expedition Society?
The Artist Expedition Society takes artists outdoors. We run tours in Central Australia, and host exhibitions and events for artists and researchers who have an interest in the outdoors.

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