ISEA2010 RUHR Preface

• ISEA2010 RUHR Preface

• Andreas Broeckmann
• Stefan Riekeles

Category:

• Introductory & Welcoming Notes

• When the decision was made by the European Union in April 2006 to appoint the Ruhr region Cultural Capital of Europe 2010, for some media artists and curators in the district it was clear that here was the opportunity to bring ISEA International Symposium on Electronic Art to Germany. ISEA, which since 1988 has staged symposiums in numerous countries around the world, is the largest and most significant international event in electronic art. The  medienwerk.nrw, a professional network of twenty regional facilities concerned with various aspects of media art, initiated a bid with the International ISEA Foundation to host the 16th symposium. At the same time, important sponsors were found in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the City of Dortmund and RUHR.2010 GmbH who were all willing to support the event and generously assisted in the years of preparation. For the medienwerk.nrw and the whole region this resulted in the opportunity to focus immense creative potential in the field of art and new media on the Rhine and Ruhr. For RUHR.2010 European Capital of Culture and the City of Dortmund, the ISEA2010 RUHR is moreover a spectacular introduction for the new centre for art and creativity, the Dortmunder U. As a location for art, cultural education, research and creativity in the future, the centre reaches far beyond the boundaries of the city limits to demonstrate structural change from the coal and steel industry to industries of know-ledge, culture and ­creativity. ISEA2010 RUHR takes place in an en-vironment where the major industries of the past as well as the technology and culture of the future are equally visible.

  The symposium places artistic and scientific themes on the examination table which, due to new technological development experience a particular urgency and thus contribute to the sustainable transformation of this unique region.