Urban Screens Conference – deadline 2 March 2007

Urban Screens Conference
Manchester 07

IT’S ABOUT CONTENT

11 + 12 October 2007

www.manchesterurbanscreens.org.uk

CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS – Closing date: March 2, 2007

The conference is accompanied by an inspiring programme of public events and exhibitions, including screening programmes as well as performance-based and participatory art projects which make use of the BBC Big Screens Network. We are looking for existing and potentially adaptable projects which employ one ore more permanent or temporary screen.

We are particularly interested in projects

- exploring web-based content and streaming media

- connecting screen audiences in various places

- interactive and participatory works using bodily interfaces and ubiquitous communication devices

- text pieces, video and animation which suit airing on urban screens

- performance-based works including audiovisual performance/VJing

For detailed information on the BBC screens’ system please see www.manchesterurbanscreens.org.uk

HOW TO SUBMIT

Please send project proposals in the form of a project description, illustrative material and the author’s CV by March 2, 2007 to:
CORNERHOUSE
Urban Screens Conference
70 Oxford Street
Manchester M1 5NH
United Kingdom

The Bigger Picture commissions – deadline 30 March 2007

THE BIGGER PICTURE ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR MAJOR PUBLIC REALM COMMISSIONS

National UK commissioning and production partners: Cornerhouse (Manchester), ENTER_ (Cambridge), Lumen (Leeds) & Site Gallery (Sheffield), with support from BBC, funded by Arts Council England

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS Friday 30 March 2007

The Bigger Commissions 2007, to be launched at Urban Screens Conference Manchester 07

The Bigger Picture exhibits artists’ film & video and interactive / participatory screen based projects on Big Screen Manchester, UK. Utilising this unique screening space, The Bigger Picture is able to present a host of artists’ works to large and diverse audiences reaching beyond the traditional gallery context.

Cornerhouse, working in partnership with BBC and Manchester City Council, delivers The Bigger Picture’s curated programmes, whilst additionally commissioning and touring large outdoor screen-based programmes.

The Bigger Picture is inviting proposals for the production of exceptional new public realm works to be launched on Big Screen Manchester at the time of the Urban Screens Conference Manchester 07 (11&12 October), and to tour to partner city Big Screens and public sites throughout 2007/8.

Four new works will be commissioned, each with an attached fee of £5000 (7400 EUR / 9700 USD) based on an agreed budget, of up to £10,000 for production (14,900 EUR / 19,500 USD).

This is a significant opportunity for film, video, new media and cross-disciplinary artists to explore unique new ways of creating and exhibiting work for a public context.

Each National Commissioning partner will lead on the production of one new work. Partners are particularly encouraging proposals of the following nature:

Interactive and participatory new work
Interdisciplinary new work (combined arts, performing arts, audiovisual)
Evolving or expanded work
New media and streaming technology
Film & Video

Artists previously commissioned by The Bigger Picture include Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor (desperate optimists), Kartoon Kings (Simon Grennan and Christopher Sperandio), plus Paul Melia, Hilary Jack, The Light Surgeons, Adele Prince and Louise K Wilson.

For more information on how to submit, including key information, guidelines & submission form, and BBC technical specifications, see http://www.cornerhouse.org/art/ongoingproject.aspx?ID=2&page=45255, or partner sites listed below.

Deadline for proposals 30 March 2007.

Partner sites:

www.cornerhouse.org
www.enternet.org.uk
www.lumen.org.uk
www.sitegallery.org

Links:

www.bbc.co.uk/bigscreens/
www.manchesterurbanscreens.org.uk

Big Screen Manchester, is part of a UK Big Screen network, operated by the BBC.

Design a flag for Leicester – deadline 16 March 2007

BBC Radio Leicester presenter Tony Wadsworth is campaigning for Leicester to have its own flag. Leicestershire already has one, but could you design one to represent the city?

The flag should represent the city, but what that means is up to you! It could be based on Leicester’s history, sports teams, diversity or anything else that you think is central to the city.

Take a look at some of the designs that have already been submitted..

The competition is open to all individuals, groups, schools and universities. The best design will be featured on the BBC Leicester website and the winning entry will be made into a flag, which will hopefully be flown with pride across the city.

So if you’ve got a design for Leicester’s flag, email it to leicester@bbc.co.uk or send it to:

Tony Wadsworth
BBC Radio Leicester
9 St. Nicholas Place
Leicester
LE1 5LB

The closing date for entries is Friday 16 March 2007, so make sure you’ve sent your design to Tony by then!

A bit of background

Like most counties, Leicestershire already has its own flag.

It is a banner of the county council’s arms, with each quarter representing well-known people in the county’s past like Sir Robert Dudley (who was made Earl of Leicester by Queen Elizabeth in 1564) and Simon de Montfort.

After a campaign by BBC Radio Derby presenter Andy Whittaker, a flag for the city of Derby was designed by a listener and made into a flag, so Tony’s hoping the same will be possible for Leicester.

The leader of Leicester City Council, Roger Blackmore, has backed the campaign to create a flag for Leicester and suggests it should have a purple background to acknowledge the city’s Roman heritage.

Sir Peter Soulsby, the MP for Leicester South, goes further and suggests the flag should have a background of blue (representing football), green (for the rugby) and white (for the cricket) with the city’s Coat of Arms in the centre.

Contributors on the BBC Leicester message board have also suggested that Leicester’s ethnic diversity, the area’s fox-hunting background or a recognisable landmark like the Clock Tower would be good aspects of the city to feature as well.