Open Call Interview

The title of this open call is aaaaaah! How do you pronounce it? 

aaaaaah! Well, depending on who you ask, you’ll probably get a different answer. There is no universal pronunciation, or so it seems. I generally like to scream it out myself. Aaaaaah! It’s also a popular stock sound effect for film from back in the day when effects were expensive and therefore often reused. [Enter the Wilhelm Scream]. 

So what does aaaaaah mean to you exactly?

To me, aaaaaah! is basically everything. It’s reading the news and thinking ‘Wtf is going on in the world?’ It’s also the sound often associated with ecstasy. It’s ‘Oh, now I understand’, ‘Damn that hurt’, ‘My thirst is quenched’, and ‘Stop, I can’t take this anymore’. 

In our team meeting about this open call, we were discussing how often people are too afraid to scream, yet it’s such an important skill in life for humans to have. Perhaps a ‘learning to scream’ workshop could be interesting! At least, we are discussing it. 

So this is an open call about emotions?

Yes! Because life is full of emotions, a huge spectrum of ups, and downs, on personal and societal levels. The August events are an opportunity for

alumni of School of MA to share whatever it is they have to say through art, technology, design, and human connection. We’re looking for pitches for exhibition works, performances, and workshops for public events taking place between 1. - 24. August in Berlin, DE. 

Basically, we’ve existed as an independent art and technology school for 10 years which is no easy feat considering we’ve had zero institutional funding to support our existence. Think about your own relationships. Lots of good and bad happens in 10 years. Lots of learning and growing. We wanna celebrate what the school is about and what humans are about right now in this specific and critical moment in time. 

A big theme occupying our brains is survival. How did we all survive the last 10 years and how can we help each other survive the next 10? Certainly there are more questions than answers so let’s ask the hard questions that need to be asked and see where it takes us. Joy and justice are key to survival.

We’re all doing the best we can. Hopefully we’re all learning from mistakes and evolving. 

Let’s laugh and cry together, peeps. Submit your application by 26. May and show us what you’ve got to share!

The application is below. For further questions, feel free to get in touch!

 

FAQ

How are projects selected?

We hope to showcase as many of the submissions as possible. Works may be excluded on the grounds of viability, space or technical constraints. We encourage submissions that fit the ethos of the school and the theme of our show. Time, future, community, survival, personal reflection, joy, and justice; all of these are current areas of interest. Have the courage to say something with your work! Share something you’ve been wanting an excuse to create! You know us. We are open for all of it!


How long does the exhibit last?

The show will run at Kunstquartier Bethanien from 10. - 24. August. 


When do you need to receive my work?

We can't guarantee the installation of any project received after 30th June. In special circumstances that require more time, please speak with us immediately.

Can I send something if I am not in Berlin? Do you cover the cost of shipping or travel from other countries? 

You are invited to submit digital artworks from abroad to be displayed within the exhibition, or physical objects, if you are able to deliver them yourself to Berlin. We are unfortunately unable to cover shipping or travel costs.

Can I exhibit a work-in-progress? 

Perhaps. When in doubt, submit a proposal and let’s see! 


Is there a budget for production? 

Currently there is no production budget. We applied for funding for this project but did not receive it so we are moving forward with it DIY style.  We do have some materials at the school which may be available but is first come, first serve so no guarantee of availability. Please inquire with us! 

That said, any artists taking part in this 10 year anniversary program in any capacity (exhibition, performance, workshop) will receive two free vouchers to attend any of our five-week online classes, valid for one year. Approximate value: €450.


Do you provide screens? 

We will provide screens or projectors for projects that do not come with their own. If you will be needing either of these, please mention these materials in the “what would it take to realize this project” section.

Can you say more about workshops? Time-wise, how long should a proposed workshop be? 

The exhibition itself will be free admission and open to the public. We may charge nominal fees for workshops and performances taking place at Kunstquartier Bethanien. If so, an artist or instructor fee will be discussed. Any event tickets will be made available on our website and will be first come, first serve.

For this series of events, we invite proposals for workshops that are two to three hours in duration. The workshop does not have to include an element of technology, but it can! If you will need materials for your workshop, please let us know in the “what would it take to realize this project” section. We can see if the materials needed are something we already have on hand. If that is the case, we are happy to discuss loaning these materials out to you. 

Do I get paid to run a workshop? 

Currently, there is no budget for workshops. If fees are charged, you will receive compensation. Additionally, you will receive two free vouchers to attend any of our five-week online classes, valid for one year. Approximate value: €450.

If the workshop goes really well, we are also happy to consider offering it again in the future for which you would be paid, assuming there are enough sign-ups to run the course. 

I'm not an alum, can I still apply?

If you are a human who has been following the school, perhaps reading the newsletter for awhile, and you feel like you really get who we are and why we do what we do, feel free to submit an application! The main point is to showcase works that share our point of view, namely, that it's important to put who we are and what we care about into our work and art.

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm!

 

Open Call Submission Form

Thank you! We are no longer accepting further submissions.