Call for participation - livecoding festival in Sheffield this summer, presentations and performances, with commissions available. Live patching / packet forth related submissions welcome!

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---------------------> LOSS Livecode Festival <-----------------------

Sheffield, UK -- 20-22 July 2007

http://livecode.access-space.org/

In association with Access Space, TOPLAP and lurk

When we improvise music, we are creating music while it is being performed. "Live Coding" is the creation of software while it is being executed; the software in turn generating music or video.

Thanks to dynamic programming languages, the live coder is able to modify and extend their program without restarts, their music and/or visual growing with the code that describes it. This way of working allows instant results for every sourcecode edit. Programming becomes a fast, creative process - expressive enough that a whole audio/visual performance may be created as software.

Live Coding began during the 1980s, primarily with FORTH and Lisp. In recent years new live coding environments and languages such as Chuck, Fluxus, Impromptu and SuperCollider 3 have appeared, with enthusiastic communities growing around them. Live Coding performances have also used Smalltalk, PureData, Scheme, Perl, Haskell, Ruby, Python...

In early 2004 the "Temporary Organisation for the Promotion of Live Algorithm Programming" (TOPLAP) was formed to support open dialog between all live coders. Since its early beginnings in a smoky bar in Hamburg, TOPLAP has reached 178 members worldwide, gaining coverage in mass media and collaboratively organising several international meetings.

In 2005 Access Space initiated the L.O.S.S. project (http://loss.access-space.org) to support free music creativity and distribution. It featured a series of commissions leading to a Creative Commons licensed audio CD and repository website produced entirely with open source tools.

Continuing their series of LOSS commissions and events, Access Space have teamed up with TOPLAP and lurk to create a three day international festival, bringing live coding musicians and video artists together to explore and showcase new approaches in live performing and participatory arts.

---> CALL FOR PARTICIPATION <-----------------------------------------

Your performance and/or presentation proposal is called for.

For the latest version of this call, please refer to http://livecode.access-space.org/

Commissions are available to help realise ambitious projects and performances. Presenters and performers will gain free entry throughout the festival, and those without institutional support may apply for a small bursary.

---> IMPORTANT DATES <---

* 14th March - Call for participation
* 14th April - Deadline for proposals
* 1st May - Notification of acceptance
* 16th June - Copy deadline for proceedings (to be confirmed)
* 20th-22nd July - Conference - schedule TBA 

---> PRESENTATIONS <---

Short (up to 20 minute) presentations during a day long symposium. The remit is broad, but possible subjects may include

* A demo of a novel live coding language/environment
* Historical context of live coding
* Live coding without computers
* Critique of live coding practice
* Live patching
* Reflections on live coding experiences
* Adapting general purpose languages to live coding
* Analysis of live coding performances
* Live algorithms that live code
* Life coding
* Portable live coding devices
* Reflective/self-modifying code
* Live visualisation of sourcecode
* Collaborative networked live coding
* ... 

Proposals do not have to be long - however much or little you need to explain your ideas is fine.

If you are unsure if you can make it, submit your idea anyway - we may be able to accommodate a small number of remotely streamed presentations for those unable to attend in person.

There will also be time for a brief (around three hours) introductory workshop. Please indicate if you would like to be involved.

---> PERFORMANCES <---

There will be at least two evenings of performances, ranging from 10 to 40 minutes. Please outline what you would like to perform, including technical requirements. We plan to have at least three data projectors, many pairs of small speakers for participatory improvisations, enough headphone amps for 100 pairs of headphones, and a big stereo sound-system for 'traditional' performances. Please state your preference, and feel free to be creative (see commissions below).

We are also thinking about a pre-event in London, UK some days before the festival, let us know if you would like to take part.

---> PROCEEDINGS <---

If your proposal is accepted you will be encouraged to submit short texts and images for publication in the proceedings. All speakers and performers will receive a free copy at the beginning of the conference.

---> COMMISSIONS <---

If you would like time or resources to develop a new way of performing, some new language or software feature, or something else interesting then please include a short estimated budget in your brief, which may include an artist fee. Note that due to funding constraints the project should have a strong audio component. The maximum commission will be of £1000 (about 1470 euro).

---> BURSARY <---

A small bursary is available to contribute towards travel and accommodation. Please include an estimated budget for your attendance and we will apportion this money based on need. Money is however very short, if you are a member of an academic institution we are keen to help you apply for local funding.

---> PROPOSAL SUBMISSION <---

Preferably in plaintext, but all common formats are accepted. Supporting material including web links to previous work, audio and video files are welcome but not mandatory.

Proposals should arrive before midnight, 14th April 2007.

Proposals are accepted by email (preferred):

livecode@access-space.org

Or by post:

LOSS Livecode
c/o Alex McLean
Access Space
1 Sidney Street
Sheffield S1 4RG
Royaume Uni

If sending via email please do not include large attachments - either include URLs or contact us in advance.

If sending via post include an email address so that we may confirm receipt.

---> MAILING LIST <---

As members of the "keep avant garde internet tidy" campaign, we keep our cross posts to a minimum. To continue receiving news of the conference, please sign up to our mailing list: http://lists.lurk.org/mailman/listinfo/lc/

---> ABOUT ACCESS SPACE <---

Based in Sheffield, Access Space is the UK's first "Free Media Lab"

• a community space equipped with locally recycled computers running

free, open source software. It provides a framework, resources and support for self-directed learning, arts and creativity. Taking part is totally free, and anyone can walk in and contribute: http://access-space.org

---> FOR MORE INFORMATION <---

Don't hesitate to email with questions to the submission address above. The conference website is not yet ready, but more information about live coding may be found at the official TOPLAP wiki: http://toplap.org/

Hope to see you in July!

LOSS Livecode is funded by Arts Council England, Yorkshire and The PRS Foundation.

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