A live, socially-distanced walkthrough event for durational and/or looping live art and contemporary performance.
For 2020, on Sat 21 November, the 21st Emergency will take place in its seventh home - the brand new Contact - so new that this will be the first sneak preview audiences get.Necessarily, Emergency 2020 will be somewhat different. A socially-distanced, walk-through event for durational and looping performance. Small booked audiences will be guided through the building in gallery fashion, pausing en route to watch the work.
So Emergency 2020 is looking for durational, performance installation; looping + intervention-based live works that can run over a minimum period of 4 hours.
We realise this won't be for everyone as the ask is constrained by the current circumstances and we have to put the caveat on that it might just not happen - but we really think we should give it a damn good go! Please also bear in mind, this will be subject to lifting of local lockdown in Manchester.
*By durational we mean work that unfolds over its time period, by looping we mean short work that can repeat over and over (suggested max loop 10 mins).
Artists working in live art, contemporary performance, time-based media and interdisciplinary arts are invited to submit proposals for durational, performance installation; looping + intervention-based live works that can run over a minimum period of 4 hours.
Work can be in any relevant artform/medium, though some live presence is desirable; please note we aren’t looking for black-box type shows nor for online work.
The event’s objectives are to be:
· an informal free (donations welcome) public open submission platform;
· an opportunity for artists to meet, show and peer review work in socially distanced conditions.
Contact is a big multi-space building which has just undergone a major capital expansion and refurbishment. It will not reopen fully to the public in its finished incarnation until Spring 2021 and, for Emergency 2020, will not have fully installed technical infrastructure. Emergency 2020 will be taking a sited approach to the building, using it as a gallery-style space for a walkthrough audience journey. Technical provision will be basic and largely imported for the event.
Spaces available include a black box studio, a large + a smaller rehearsal rooms, a meeting room, a café-bar (not operating), various landings + alcoves. For Emergency 2020 we are specifically looking for durational, performance installation; looping + intervention-based live works. The audience will be taken on a one way journey through the building in timed slots - estimated journey time 75mins.
Please note: Emergency 2020 will offer an honorarium of £100 per piece selected, to cover fees/expenses. If your proposal need a higher level of budget, or additional access costs please talk to us via emergency@habmcr.org before applying.
The callout for proposals is open until Friday 9 October, 5pm. Selected artists will be notified by 23 October.
Please note:
• the building is not fully fitted out for theatre so our technology resources are limited, please bear this in mind when making a proposal;
• download the Emergency 2020 Open Call Guidance Notes (see attachment below);
• complete the Online Proposal form;