- July 16, 2005
- Posted by Marc
Call For Sumbmissions: The Anti-Mascot Project
//THE
ANTI-MASCOT PROJECT//
NEXT WAVE FESTIVAL 2006
The
href="http://http//www.nextwave.org.au">Next Wave Festival is an established
arts festival based in Melbourne, Australia, supporting emerging artists under
the age of 30 working in a wide variety of art forms including the visual arts,
experimental media, theatre, new music etc from around the globe.
In
March 2006, the Next Wave Festival shall be launched alongside the Commonwealth
Games in Melbourne. In response to this, the chosen theme for Next Wave 2006 is
‘empire games’, the original name for the Commonwealth Games.
The
Anti-Mascot Project was conceived in Melbourne, Australia as a proposed arts
project for the 2006 Next Wave Festival.
The Anti-Mascot Project is a
successful Next Wave Kickstart grant recipient. Kickstart provides financial
assistance and support in developing an arts project for inclusion in the Next
Wave Festival 2006.
THE ANTI MASCOT PROJECT
To work within
the context of the Next Wave Festival’s 2006 theme, ‘empire games’, the concept
of the Anti-Mascot Project has been developed. The project stems from interests
in character & toy design, consumerism and the use of symbolism in mainstream
culture.
Participating project artists are given the opportunity to
create their own original characters or ‘anti-mascots’. Their work may examine
and reflect upon the concept and meaning of a national mascot, analyse the use
of character design and icons in consumer culture or perhaps utilise their own
character as a means to respond to contemporary issues in their own society.
/>
The anti-mascots may be political in stance but are also free to exist
in an entirely different context of the artist’s choice.
The Anti-
Mascot Project will reference the merchandising and memorabilia existing in mass
sporting events and contemporary culture through various project applications
and outcomes. Utilising the artists’ work, consumer goods will be appropriated
and remixed to create an independent line of anti-mascot products - including
handmade toys, badges, publication and stickers to be dispersed throughout
Melbourne and participating overseas countries. Downloadable goodies could also
be created, including desktop pictures, screensavers and stencils, ensuring the
global dispersal of the Anti-Mascot Project.
The project has
potential for expansion, including a curated exhibition with a gallery space in
Melbourne, Australia. Interstate & overseas travel of the project could also
occur. The opportunities for applications and outcomes are wide and varied and
can exist in numerous contexts on a global scale.
The Anti-Mascot
Project is an innovative, cross-cultural and collaborative arts project which
values the voices of young people from many countries leading to original,
diverse and engaging outcomes. It provides emerging artists the opportunity to
make new work, reflect upon contemporary issues in their own society and expose
their project outcomes to a broad and varied audience.
HOW CAN I GET
INVOLVED ?
If you would like to submit work for inclusion in the
Anti-Mascot Project you must be an emerging artist under the age of 30. Please
contact Estelle Ihasz for current submission guidelines.
If you would
like more information about the 2006 Next Wave Festival please contact Marcus
Westbury, Next Wave artistic director.
CONTACT DETAILS
/>Anti-Mascot Project
Estelle Julia Ihasz
estelle (at) ihasz
(dot) com
href="http://www.antimascotproject.com/">www.antimascotproject.com