OPEN CALL FOR SPEAKERS

The Lancashire Arts Exchange will return this Autumn for its seventh year, from Friday 17th September – Friday 1st October 2021, coinciding with Lancashire Encounter, the county’s annual celebration of Lancashire’s cultural offer.

This year’s programme will take place both online and offline as we continue to explore the issues and innovations impacting arts and culture.

Themed Augmented Creativity, with a focus on Arts & Tech, we’ll be hosting a series of panels, guest speakers, and public dialogues alongside a programme of digital artworks and interventions exploring how new technologies artificial intelligence, and new technologies are challenging and enhancing how artists and audiences, make and share art, and access and participate in the arts.

Arts Lancashire seeks relevant and interesting speakers from different domains such as neurology, machine learning, generative art, innovations, philosophy to explore how ML/AI and cutting-edge tech impact life and creation. Speakers should bring their own original perspective on the topic of merging arts and technologies, and how data, AI, machine learning could be used as a source for creativity and art creation.

With an expected 250 participant artists, creative industries and IT workers, university students, policymakers and, media attending the Lancashire Arts Exchange programme, our aims are to raise awareness for media arts and innovations, discuss new solutions for the future of the arts, to bring together communities of artists, technologists and researchers, strengthen links between the arts and industry, and most importantly, educate and inspire our audiences.

Details of the full programme of the Lancashire Arts Exchange will be launched in August 2021. For any further questions or information, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email at artslancashire@gmail.com

 

SESSION INFORMATION

Lancashire Arts Exchange 2021 is planned for 17th September – 1st October 2021. Events will take place both online and offline in Preston, Lancashire (subject to government Covid restrictions).

Arts Lancashire will cover UK travel (if needed) and a fee for 1-2 selected speakers. International speakers will be expected to deliver through our chosen online video conference platform.

Presentations should be delivered in English.

We’re happy to accept talks by commercial companies seeking to showcase apps or tech, but the focus needs to be sharing actionable insight, not making a sale.

We would prefer talks with just one speaker and would not accept any application with more than two speakers.

For online sessions we would be open to pre-recorded sessions which we will supplement with live Q&A’s.

 

SPEAKER SESSIONS

We’re happy for you to present a session about your experiences or something you’ve done, but we also strongly encourage interactive sessions that generate conversation with the audience, group discussion, or hands-on experiences such as:

Case Study

A presentation and discussion of real-life (not theoretical) experiences of the application (or mis-application) of relevant techniques. Case studies include some discussion of lessons learned and an indication of how novel the work is.

Talk

A presentation and discussion of a specific topic or issue. Talks do not have to include sharing of real-life examples or experiences.

Workshop

A (virtual) hands-on working session focused around a specific topic, tool, technique, or issue. Primarily led by the speaker, workshops usually include some elements of interactivity or individual/group exercises. These are usually best suited to a Zoom meeting format. Please indicate if you need to cap numbers.

Discussion                                                       

A more informal session that allows the participants to bring thoughts, ideas, questions, and problems on a topic that you facilitate.

 

SPEAKER TERMS

We’re happy to accept talks by commercial companies seeking to showcase apps or tech, but the focus needs to be sharing actionable insight, not making a sale.

We would prefer talks with just one speaker and would not accept any application with more than two speakers.

For online sessions, we would be open to pre-recorded sessions which we will supplement with live Q&A’s.

 

HOW TO APPLY

The deadline for submission of proposals is THURSDAY 29th JULY 2021.

Please, submit your proposals via Google Form:APPLICATION FORM

Selected proposals and speakers will be contacted by MONDAY 19th AUGUST 2021, at the latest.

 

Access Support

We are committed to ensuring our opportunities are open for people who experience barriers to inclusion. We recognise that you might need additional support to participate in the application and/or interview, whether that is technical equipment, access support, or adjustments to the process.

If you require any support or adjustments, please contact us at artslancashire@gmail.com.