*CALL FOR PAPERS / ARTISTIC WORKS / TRANSDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES*

*B**A**L**A**N**C**E**-**U*N/*B*/*a*L/*A*/_N_/*C*/*e**2011*

_http://balance-unbalance2011.hexagram.ca/_

*CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY* *Montreal - Canada* *November 4th and 5th, 2011*

_*DESCRIPTION*_

The BALANCE-UNBALANCE conference will seek to bring artists together with scientists, economists, philosophers, politicians, sociologists, engineers, management and policy experts with the intent of engendering a deeper awareness and creating lasting intellectual working partnerships in solving our global environmental crisis.

Using art as a catalyst, BALANCE-UNBALANCE 2011 will explore intersections between NATURE, ART, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY and SOCIETY as we move into an era of both unprecedented ecological threats and transdisciplinary possibilities. BALANCE-UNBALANCE will call for two days of reflection, debate, and the promotion of projects and actions regarding the environment and our human responsibility at this defining moment in our history. The conference will be held at Concordia University during November 4th and 5th of 2011. One of the main goals of this conference is to develop the role of the arts and artists in dealing with environmental challenges.

_*SESSION FORMATS*_ _* *_ *- PAPER* presentations: each paper will be presented in person by the author. *- ARTISTIC WORKS*: will be presented mainly at Concordia University's fully equipped, 380-seat proscenium DB Clarke Theatre, located in the heart of downtown Montreal_(http://finearts.concordia.ca/facilities/galleriesandvenues/performancevenues... works could include performances (such as contemporary music, dance, theatre and intermedia performances) and fixed media presentations (such as: video, and possibly photography and installations if conditions allows it). All proposals should have a contemporary artistic approach and be self-managed; we will provide the DB Clarke Theatre equipped with a video projector, a multi-speaker sound system as well as lighting, however technical assistance will be limited. There will be also a projector, a screen and an acoustic grand piano at the entrance lobby.

*- TRANSDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES*: this is an open format area of the conference that includes transdisciplinary workshops, creative activities or even the proposal of a roundtable with specific goals and participants, always focusing on key issues related to the main theme of the conference. Some examples of inter and transdisciplinary activities that will be held during the conference can be found at:_http://balance-unbalance2011.hexagram.ca/_

_*SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS*_

The 2011 BALANCE-UNBALANCE conference is being supported by a number of Concordia University academic areas as well as world renowned organizations and institutions. Dr. Ricardo Dal Farra, chair of the conference, comes courtesy of Concordia's Music Department; Dr. Paul Shrivastava and Andrew Ross contributions are possible thanks to Concordia's David O'Brien Centre for Sustainable Enterprise, and the International Chair in Arts and Sustainable Enterprise ICN Business School, Nancy, France. Current sponsors for the 2011 conference includes: the Hexagram-Concordia Institute for Research/Creation In Media Arts and Technologies, Concordia's Faculty of Fine Arts, the David O'Brien Centre for Sustainable Enterprise (DOCSE - JMSB), Concordia's Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture (CISSC), Concordia President's Office, the Electronic Arts Research Centre (CEIArtE) of the National University of Tres de Febrero, Argentina and the Ear to the Earth worldwide network for environmental sound art.

_*CONFERENCE ORGANISERS*_

The*Organising Committee* includes Concordia University faculty-researchers coming from a wide range of fields. With a still expanding list of remarkable contributors, the current members are:

• Dr. Sebastien Caquard, Dept. of Geography, Planning and Environment
• Dr. Carmela Cucuzzella, Dept. of Design and Computation Arts
• Dr. Ricardo Dal Farra, Dept. of Music /*Chair, Balance-Unbalance

conference*

• Dr. Andra McCartney, Dept. of Communication Studies
• Dr. Paul Shrivastava, David O'Brien Centre for Sustainable Enterprise
• JMSB
• Dr. Peter Stoett, Dept. of Political Sciences

The Operations Committee includes faculty members that will be collaborating mainly with the artistic and the transdisciplinary activities of the event. Its current members are:

• Dr. Georges Dimitrov, Dept. of Music
• Paul Scriver, Dept. of Music and Dept. of Design and Computation Arts
• Eldad Tsabary, Dept. of Music

_*DATES*_

-*Deadline* for reception of proposals:*August 2nd, 2011*(midnight, Montreal's time) -*Notification* of acceptance:*August 30th, 2011* -*Confirmation of attendance*: *September 16th, 2011* -*BALANCE-UNBALANCE 2011 conference*:*November 4th-5th, 2011*

_ _ _*SUBMISSION PROCEDURES*_ *- Paper presentation:* [1] an abstract (250 words or less); [2] a short biography ready for printing (250 words or less); and [3] links to your online CV and your web site. Only online submissions are accepted: http://balance-unbalance2011.hexagram.ca/Call.html

*- Artistic works*: [1] title of your piece, duration, indication whether the presentation will be a live performance or a presentation using fixed-media support; [2] a short description of your proposal (250 words or less); [3] a short biography ready for printing (250 words or less); [4] detailed technical needs; and [5] links to your online CV and your web site. [6] also includes links to sample material (audiovisual, etc.) hosted in a non-expiring URL.*Please DO NOT send your material using/yousendit/ or any similar applications, and DO NOT send your reference material by email, only include the links with your submission.* Only online submissions are accepted: http://balance-unbalance2011.hexagram.ca/Call.html

Artistic works could include performances (such as contemporary music, dance, theatre and intermedia performances) and fixed media presentations (such as: video, and possibly photography and installations if conditions allows it). All proposals should have a contemporary artistic approach and be self-managed, meaning that we will be able to provide Concordia University's fully equipped DB Clarke Theatre with a video projector, a multi-speaker sound system as well as lighting, however technical assistance will be limited. There will be also a projector and a screen at the entrance lobby of the same theatre as well as an acoustic grand piano.

*- Transdisciplinary activities*: [1] an abstract ready for printing (250 words or less); [2] full description of your proposal (750 words or less); [3] detailed technical needs, if any (250 words or less); [4] a short biography ready for printing (250 words or less); and [5] links to your online CV and your web site. Only online submissions are accepted: http://balance-unbalance2011.hexagram.ca/Call.html

Send only proposals oriented to the goal of this conference as stated on its description above. *Only clearly focused works to that end will be considered* (please consider our: "intent of engendering a deeper awareness and creating lasting intellectual working partnerships in solving our global environmental crisis").

*The conference organisers are not able to provide funding support for travels or lodging, or fees for the presentations.*

_*CONTACT and INFORMATION*_

Email:balance.unbalance2011@gmail.com The BALANCE-UNBALANCE 2011 conference web site:_http://balance-unbalance2011.hexagram.ca/_ _ _

*B**A**L**A**N**C**E**-**U*N/*B*/*a*L/*A*/_N_/*C*/*e**2011*