Birth and Acknowledgements


Symposium:


Introductory / Welcoming Notes Title:
  • Birth and Acknowledgements

Introductory / Welcoming Notes Presenter(s):

Category:


Abstract:

  • Enter three WITCHES:
    When shall we three meet again?
    In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
    a unique global forum across the fields of electronic arts and sciences;
    about dialogue across boundaries;
    the site for new international networks and collaborations;
    about overcoming the fears associated with new technologies;
    essential preparation for the next millennium;
    the cutting edge of developments in practice and content;
    celebration of Revolution through Innovation and creativity.

    DIVERSITY:
    ISEA brings together many leading artists. writers, theorists activists, and provocateurs from around the world engaged with the artisic, cultural, social and poilitical implications and manifestations of electronic arts. The Department of Fine Arts at Manchester Metropolitan University. organiser of ISEA98TERROR, made a commitment to a diversity of voices being heard at the debate by offering bursaries to those who otherwise could not attend.

    ACCESS:
    1) INTERNATIONAL BURSARY PLACES were available to enable attendance at BOTH IISEA98REVOLUTION, LIVERPOOL 2-4 September , and ISEA98TERROR in Manchester 5-7 September 1998.

    2) NATIONAL AND LOCAL BURSARY PLACES were available to enable attendance in Manchester only 5-7 September.

    3) OTHER OPPORTUNITIES: Student Volunteers were welcome, particularly those involved in Electronic Arts, to help with ISEA98TERROR organisation In return for free attendance at the Manchester Symposium.

    4) CHILDCARE SUPPORT: This was. offered to enabie single parents to access the symposium

    SUPPORTING SPONSORS: The Department of Fine Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University, Diversity Initiative is supported by the Inter-Society for the Electronic Arts (ISEA), Montreal, Manchester City Council, and North West Arts Board.

    In all English pub that used to be a post office, trapped there hy the increasing storm which bounced rain to waist-height off the road, after attending a disappointing debate. Professor John Hyatt, of Manchester Metropolitan University. and John Byrne of Liverpool John Moore University resolved to make a bid to host the International Symposium on Electronic Art in I998. John H. suggested ‘Revolution’ as a theme, mapping back onto the Industrial Revolution which had Manchester and Liverpool as its heart. The rain continued into the night. Much talk about Walter Benjamin, football, the Doors, etc. with the local alcoholics: beer-talk. The dice were drunkenly cast and work began on the ark of ISEA98. Work proceeded on the bid with the significant input of Lowena Faull (then working for FACT, since moved to Manchester to work for the Manchester Telematics and Teleworking Partnership, MMU and MCC) and Keith Brown (Head of School of Sculpture, Time-based and Digital. Media at MMU). We fell out and we came back together much wiser.

Acknowledgements:

  • Great credit must be due to those who variously worked on the project: Colin Fallows. Jon Brady, John Byrne, Sean Cubitt and the staff and students of LJMU; Eddie Berg, Alison Edbury, Cindy Hubert and the team at FACT: Professor Roger Wilson, Professor John Hyatt, Keith Brown. Bev Bytheway, Graham Parker. Ray MacCauley. Stewart Cook, Janet Bezzant, Tracey Sanders-Wood., Franz Otto Novotny. John McCartney and his technical team; and the Interactive and Fine Art staff and students of MMU; Dave Carter and Steve Avery of Manchester City Council; Eleanor Muirhead, Anna Ridley and Gina Feay from Marketing Matters; Jonathan Mobberley, Tom Neville, and Tom Greenhalgh from Ellipsis. There were others too numerous to mention and many who. attended public meetings. Even then, that is only the tip of the iceberg. ISEA98 has touched us all as is has touched the Titanic of euphoria which distorted our views of the horizons of ‘electronic arts’. We love that term ‘electronic arts’, though many, en route, have wanted to change it or update it – we love it because it’s clunky, anachronistic. functional. and cute. We did the impossible: one major event shared across two neighbouring cities, in the process, overcoming a rivalry of hundreds and hundreds of years between them – let it be an example to the world.