FORMAT News: 1 month to go
FORMAT21: Control | 12th March - 11th April 2021
Virtual multiplayer gallery to host FORMAT Festival
Undefeated by the pandemic and lockdown FORMAT have been busy finding a way to present FORMAT21 as a digital festival. Director Louise Fedotov-Clements is delighted to announce FORMAT's collaboration with California based virtual gallery, New Art City, on the creation of a multiplayer, online space for art as the new digital venue for FORMAT21.
FORMAT's collaboration with New Art City enables the festival to push the boundaries of its work, to develop new programmes online in a truly innovative way.
The new space will present exhibitions, events and participation for FORMAT21. The exhibitions include over 160 international artists alongside a selection of the 40,000 images submitted from over 90 countries from the #massisolationFORMAT archive created during the Covid-19 pandemic, presented in collaboration with The People's Picture, PARC and London College of Communication.
New Art City is a toolkit and community for online exhibitions. Every show is a 3D multiplayer environment, in which visitors can see each other and chat while exploring the exhibitions.
Popular shows support hundreds of visitors at the same time from all over the world to access shows on any desktop or mobile device and web browser, without registering, downloading or configuring anything.
FORMAT has been supported in the build of the digital venue by ACE and the Art Fund’s Respond and Reimagine grant.
NB - when UK government regulations allow galleries and museums to open safely, a selection of FORMAT21 will be exhibited in venues across Derby.
“We are building a system which empowers artists to realise the impossible, and dream of a new type of art.” - New Art City Founder digital artist d0n.xy (Don Hanson)
Dates for your diary
FORMAT21 Portfolio Reviews
Friday 19th & Saturday 20th March
With over 70 international reviewers from 25 countries, FORMAT's annual portfolio reviews are a must for any photographer looking for critical feedback on their work.
The booking office will be opening very soon, so check in to the website to be the first in the queue to secure your slot.
FORMAT21: All day Conference
Friday 12th March
The University of Derby are delighted to co-present the FORMAT21 conference looking at the festival theme of control.
Taking place entirely online, this all-day event will commence this year’s festival calendar. Tickets to be released soon.
Books for the bookshelf
Mythologies, Identities and Territories of Photography: FOREVER//NOW edited by Gemma Marmalade and Dr Philip Harris, from the University of Derby, is available from Cambridge Scholars here.
This new publication provides an edited selection of essays and presentations delivered at the conference for FORMAT19: Forever/Now
Themes include ethnicity, gender, materiality, the archive, memory, age, national identity, technology and Brexit.