Call for Artists’ Proposals for a New Live Art Work for the Floating Cinema

About the Floating Cinema

The Floating Cinema 2013 is a unique cultural space based on London’s waterways during the forthcoming summer months. A bespoke refurbished barge designed by architects Duggan Morris, the Floating Cinema seats up to 12 people inside and has scope for indoor and outdoor screenings / interventions, live web streaming and multimedia events whilst afloat and moored.

Somewhere (artists / film-makers Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie) has developed an event and screening programme for this second year of the project, following its huge success in 2011.

The 2013 programme theme is ‘Extra-Ordinary’ and events will range from a Horror Marathon to Micro-Chat shows to diverse special commissions and educational events.

“The Extra-Ordinary theme offers a celebration of the overlooked and ‘ordinary’ in life, and brings to the fore the brilliance to be found on London’s doorstep.”

— Project Directors – UP Projects / Commissioner – Legacy List / Curators – Somewhere

Performance Brief

The Floating Cinema is commissioning a new site specific piece with the Live Art Development Agency – a performance or live event that will take place in the week commencing 29 July 2013 and which will engage with audiences on and/or off the vessel whilst moored or moving near the Regent’s Park, London Zoo to Paddington Basin.

This commission builds on the success of artist Ian Giles’ 2011 commission for the Floating Cinema, A Smaller Sound, A Bigger Crowd, which took place at Canary Wharf.

We are inviting proposals for a new live work that takes advantage of the magical, unexpected qualities of the Floating Cinema and that, in some way, responds to the specific contexts of the area, its history, location or daily life. The project can also respond to the Floating Cinema’s 2013 programme theme of ‘Extra-Ordinary’, and we invite applicants to consider that broad theme in their proposal as they wish.

Depending on the proposal, we envisage that the performance/event could be presented several times during the week of 29 July (for example, repeated to audiences daily) as well as being webcast live to online audiences.

Regrettably the Floating Cinema is not accessible to wheelchair users and whilst applicants must consider this and the other restrictions of the venue in their proposal, we very much welcome inventive, inclusive and bold uses of both the vessel and of the location.

The successful artist will be selected by UP Projects, Somewhere and the Live Art Development Agency.

Budget £3,500 (inclusive of artist’s fees, personal and production expenses & taxes)

Time-scale & Practicalities

The performance will premiere during the week commencing 29 July 2013 – all seated places on board the Floating Cinema will be advance booked and tickets priced in line with the Floating Cinema Accessible Ticketing Policy.

The length of your work should be proposed by you and there is no set minimum or maximum duration expected.

Canal & River Trust are obliged to place certain restrictions on external activities, such as limiting daytime audio volume for local habitats. “Adult-orientated” content will need to be ‘sign-posted’ appropriately and in collaboration with the curatorial team. It is possible to set a minimum age for audience members if appropriate.

On board technical assistance & AV equipment is provided for the performance: a projector, screen, DVD player, sound system, and a laptop are permanently installed aboard. Although space on the Floating Cinema is restricted, there is a small private room within the boat and the interior space is flexible and can be modified to the specifications of the performance.

An advance site visit to the Floating Cinema by applicants may be helpful. Please contact UP Projects to request this from [email protected]. Alternatively, plans and images of the boat can be emailed on request to applicants.The performances will be recorded and made available online at the Floating Cinema project website and may be screened at other FC events. This documentation will also be made available to the artist for their own archive and deposited in LADA’s Study Room research facility.

About UP Projects

UP Projects is a London-based non-profit creative organisation that delivers unique artist interventions in urban and rural areas of regeneration, heritage landscapes and public space. Its work aims to engage the widest audience within communities, through a series of participatory programmes to increase knowledge and awareness of local places and their unique heritage.
UP Projects is a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) of Arts Council England.

About Somewhere

Led by artist / filmmakers Karen Guthrie & Nina Pope, Somewhere programmed the 2011 pilot Floating Cinema. They make a wide range of public realm projects including the garden, What Will the Harvest Be? at Abbey Gardens and have recently completed their third film, Jaywick Escapes.

About Live Art Development Agency

The Live Art Development Agency (LADA; London) offers Projects, Opportunities, Resources and Publishing for the support and development of Live Art in the UK and internationally. LADA works strategically, in partnership and in consultation with artists and organisations in the cultural sector.

Questions?

Please contact UP Projects initially with any queries about the Commission, on[email protected]

Deadline for Proposals

Proposals must be received by 9am GMT on 28 May
Proposals should be emailed to [email protected]
Proposals must include a written statement of 500 words maximum on the nature and rationale of the proposed work. Please include an up to date CV or biography and links to examples of work online. We may ask applicants to discuss their proposals informally (possibly by phone or Skype), and we will notify the successful applicant by 10 June

More Info

www.floatingcinema.info
www.portavilion.com

Other Links 
www.thisisliveart.co.uk
www.somewhere.org.uk
www.upprojects.com
www.thelegacylist.org.uk