Some explanation regarding the terms used in this archive. The naming of events is derived from the categories of events and presentations at the ISEA symposia themselves.
We use ‘symposium’ for a single events and ‘symposia’ for the plural. Same for medium and media.
1. Presentations
Under this header, the academic presentations are mentioned. Also the artist talks are considered part of this section. Usually the presentations go on for 3 days, the ‘academic part’ of the symposium. Presentations typically consist of:
1.1. Keynotes
These are invited speakers that are considered top experts in their field, or top artists. Invited by the symposium organising committee.
1.2 Papers
Often divided in long (for example 40 minutes) and short (for example 20 minutes) presentations. Papers are invited via a Call for Papers & Participation and selected via peer review by the International Programme Committee (IPC). The IPC is compiled by the organising symposium (in consultation with ISEA International) and is supposed to consist of internationally recognised experts in their field.
1.3 Panels
Panel proposals, including the names of the panel members are invited via a Call for Papers & Participation and selected via peer review by the IPC.
1.4 Roundtables
For a Roundtable, only a subject is described in the proposal, together with information about the proposer, who will, usually, be convening the Roundtable session. Symposium participants can participate in the Roundtable session, in principle via inscription at the symposium registration desk. Roundtable proposals are selected by the IPC
1.5 Posters
Poster sessions are presentations of research- or work-in-progress, sometimes literally on the basis of posters, compiled by the proposer. The proposer will at a certain slot in the symposium programme give a presentation at the location of the poster. Sometimes the poster session consists of short ‘ordinary’ presentations (of research- or work-in-progress, 10-15 min, typically). Poster proposals are selected by the IPC.
1.6 Institutional Presentations
Institutional Presentation proposals are only checked (by the symposium’s organising committee) on relevance for the electronic or emergent arts. The IPC has no involvement. While speakers in all the other categories have the right to request a fee waiver for participation in an ISEA symposium, speakers that represent institutions, have not, in principle. Institutional Presentations typically are short (10-15 minutes).
1.7 Artist Talks
These are presentations on art works that maybe or maybe not be shown at the same symposium. They usually have a 20 minutes duration. The proposals are not selected by the IPC but by the Art Jury (see 3.).
1.8 Miscelaneous
Some ISEA symposia contain events that are considered part of the academic side of the symposium, but do not fall in one of the above categories. Examples are Meetings, Summits, Book Launches, etc.
2. Workshops and Tutorials
Workshops and Tutorials typically (but not always) precede the 3 day academic part of the symposium. Workshop and Tutorial proposals are selected by the IPC or the Art Jury. They can last half a day, a whole day or 2 days. Often they are also open for non-symposium participants (and seperately billed).
2.1. Workshops
They are typically hands-on sessions. They can be for beginners or for advanced participants. They can last from 1 morning or afternoon to 2 full days. They are usually organised just before the acadfemic part of the symposium starts.
2.2. Tutorials
Tutorials are often more theoretical and meant to introduce participants in a subject. They can be used to introduce new symposium participants into the different fields of the electronic/emergent arts. But it can also be an introduction in a new field of art and/or technology, like quantum physics and it’s possible relevance for the arts.
3. Art Events
Some of the art events maybe invited, but most of them are selected by the Art Jury, from the proposals received on the basis of the Call for Papers & Participation. The Art Jury is compiled by the party that organises that year’s ISEA and consists of international artistic experts of which a number is local (in order to assess the proposal in the light of the local circumstances). Parts of the Art Events maybe organised by co-operating parties, for example local art galleries that will feature curated electronic art as an extension of ISEA. Or a radio station may organise a concert by musicians that proposed to ISEA. The first three categories may all be open to the general public (usually seperately billed). That is why they are called Public Events. Art Events typically consist of the following categories:
3.1. Art Exhibitions (a.k.a.Art Shows)
This is the ‘museal’ part of ISEA, often (partly) taking place in a local museum. There are often invited components, but the majority of the exhibited works are selected by the art jury, on the basis of submitted proposals. Of course the ISEA exhibitions consist of all thinkable shapes and materials, like 2D and 3D prints, video, interactive or non-interactive installations, biological materials, etc, etc.
3.2. Concerts and Performances
This category contains concerts, theatrical productions, dance, performance art and other time-based events. They often take place in the evenings of the symposium days. Beside possibly some invited components, the concerts and performances are selected by the Art jury from proposals, submitted by artists.
3.3 Screenings
Apart from video shown on the exhibition flor, there are often special sessions where films and videos (either art works or documenting art works) are shown on a large screen, in a cinema setting. This was once called ‘film & video show’ and later, when interactive components slipped in, ‘electronic theatre’.
3.4 General Events
The category of General Events consists of events that are in public space and free to access. Examples are a try out performance in public space in 1990, street events in 2006 and 2010, and a drone show in a freely accessable court yard in 2019. The public events are often chosen (by the Art Jury) from submitted proposals and sometimes invited. The purpose is to link the ISEA event to the local community. Public radio and TV broadcasts, as well as publicly accessible webcasts, are also considered General Events.
3.5 Public Event
Open to non-ISEA-participants, ticketed. Can be the Exhibition, the screenings, public lectures, even the Workshops or Tutorials.