art + bits is an international festival presenting phenomena bordering on art, design and technology. The event brings together developers and researchers working in the fields of new media, network operations and technological experiments. The festival’s participants are encouraged to attend exhibitions, workshops, lectures and audio-visual presentations.
The exhibition of new media works will take centre stage as the focal point of the festival. It will be accompanied by an array of events with many special guests. These will include inspiring lectures and presentations divided into thematic blocks, a discussion panel on the history of new media art, and a series of workshops designed as an opportunity to experiment with art and technology under the guidance of experienced mentors. The new building of the Academy of Fine Arts will host the top new media art graduate projects from art school across Poland. An additional event will be an audio-visual performance and afterparty, both to be delivered by the Katowice Sound Department. The three festival days will also feature screenings of animations, video works and selected project documentations of selected projects.
Festival events are divided into five thematic sections:
1. New Media Canon: Over the last few decades, new media have gained the status of a full-fledged genre of artistic creation. The milestone projects in the history of new media will be presented in the form of a specially prepared publication, supplemented by a discussion panel and video screening of selected works.
2. Speculative design: A rapid pace of social and technological changes creates a new role for design. It is not only a solution for our today’s problems, but also a way to predict new phenomena and situations. Design turned out to be more than a tool – it shapes a the way of thinking about the future.
3. Hacking Culture: Hacking can be understood as proficiency in the use of modern, physical and digital tools, knowledge of the way they operate and the ability to adapt them to one’s own needs. This type of technical competence is the foundation of the business, critical, social and artistic activity presented as part of the panel.
4. Data Visualisation: The ever-growing amount of information on the Web makes it necessary to create new tools to help build a clear and engaging message. Of increasing importance is the problem of the acquisition, processing and presentation of large data sets. An interesting aspect of this process is its effect on the model of knowledge production in network society.
5. Digital Public Space: Advances in miniaturisation technology, mobile media and connecting new types of devices to computer networks have meant that the computer has ceased to be self-contained object. Thanks to the increasing fragmentation of digital tools, new social phenomena and new opportunities for civic engagement have emerged.
Organisers
art+bits is the only Polish art and technology festival that is delivered by several different organisations: Katowice’s most important cultural institution that is Katowice: City of Gardens, Poland’s largest medialab (Medialab Katowice), a leading Polish schools of art and design (Academy of Fine Arts, Katowice) and a premier creative sector company in the city (Netizens).
Institution of Culture Katowice: City of Gardens was founded as a result of Katowice’s bid for European Capital of Culture 2016. Although the city did not win the title, the proposed program of celebrations won recognition among residents and city authorities. The institution’s activities go far beyond traditional artistic projects, such as festivals, exhibitions, or concerts. An important role is played by educational and social projects as well as projects aiming to redefine the public space of Katowice. In 2015, the institution is implementing the programme of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the city’s foundation.
Netizens Digital Innovation House works on interactive installations and software. It is formed by a team of professionals who develop innovative solutions connecting on-line and off-line worlds and implement IT projects on a large scale. Netizens is working with polish and worldwide brands, advertising agencies and IT departments, including Tauron, Saint-Gobain, Nexteer, Lexus, WSIP, ConceptX, Peppermint, etc.
The Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice trains students in its Faculty of Design and Faculty of Art. In addition to traditional arts, innovative fields of art linked to new media, cyberspace and the latest means of communication have also been undergoing rapid development. The core training curriculum is supplemented by workshops and courses with led by acclaimed Polish and international artists and designers. The Academy’s Roundabout Art Gallery is home to exhibitions, meetings, academic conferences and concerts by recognised international artists, which are delivered alongside shows by young artists and students aspiring to establish themselves professionally.
Medialab Katowice is an experimental project combining creative, research and education activities. Participants of interdisciplinary projects placing themselves at the intersection of art, design and technology use digital media to research the city and create new narratives for Katowice. Medialab is a forum for the exchange of ideas and knowledge, meeting inspiring artists and designers, as well as a collaboration platform for artists and institutions from different countries: universities, NGOs and creative-sector companies.
