Call: Banff New Media Institute seeks locative media artists for residencies

Almost Perfect 2008: "Call and Response" Locative Media Residency

The Almost Perfect ‘Call and Response’ residency at the Banff New Media Institute is an annual, concentrated four-week experimental prototyping lab that explores the creation and context of location. Practitioners from all walks of locative and mobile media practice are encouraged to apply to the programme. We are particularly interested in practice that extends beyond the device out into the environment, be it landscape or datascape.

The massive scale of Banff National Parks Rocky Mountains and the expanse of the Great Plains to the east provide a unique opportunity to un-tether yourself from the usual coordinates of place. Geographies of time, scale and great disruption lay exposed, lending themselves to the call and response of technology and nature. This residency allows for the time and space to consider how modern pervasive technologies allow us to disconnect from our desktop cells and interact with the world in a whole new way.

Through a combination of dedicated studio time, group discourse, peer critique, design exercise and studio visits Almost Perfect ‘Call and Response’ looks to explore location-based artwork and the repercussions of producing work for place and in-particular in outdoor and non-urban contexts. The residency will be led by established locative media practitioners Plan B (Daniel Belasco Rogers and Sophia New), Christina Ray (Glowlab NYC) and Angus Leech. Almost Perfect ‘Call and Response’ will not only support the open conceptualisation of new works, but also re-visit influential pieces from this emerging medium's history.

For general information on on-going locative media research happening at the Banff New Media Institute please visit the BNMI’s ART Mobile Lab website http://www.artmobilelab.ca/

Application Deadline: Friday August 15, 2008 Notification Date: Wednesday August 27, 2008

The deadline for applications is August 15 and we are willing to expedite the application process for you so that you may apply for the necessary funding to join us in Banff. If you are interested, please contact me directly with a short project proposal (about 200 words), your technical requirements and your cv. You may reach me at +1 403 762 6649 or by email at lindsay_macdonald AT banffcentre.ca.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about Almost Perfect or the application process!

Job: Full-Time ART Labs Researcher Position open at the Banff New Media Institute

GENERAL INFORMATION

Organization: The Banff Centre
Position Type: Full-Time
Position Name: ART Labs Researcher
Reference #: 07-053 UOS
Location City/Town: Banff
Country: CANADA
Position Start Date: 2007-06-01
Position End Date: 2010-06-01
Term Length: 3
Term Length Units: Year(s)
Target Audience:

- Computers & IT
- Arts & Science - Fine Arts

Target Levels: Alumni - Doctorate

COMPENSATION

Pay Range: To be determined
Per: Year
Currency: Canadian Dollars
Benefits:

Use of extensive arts facilities as well as the Sally Borden
recreational facility.

ORGANIZATION PROFILE

Organization Profile:

The Banff Centre is a multi purpose not for profit organization
specializing in Arts programming, Mountain Culture, Conferences and
Aboriginal Leadership.

REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES

Qualifications and Requirements:

We are looking for an inspired individual who demonstrates high
research potential and an enthusiasm for art+science based research and
creative practice and more generally for research collaborations
involving multidisciplinary teams. As a result there is a range of
different backgrounds which would be of interest to us. These include a
Ph.D. or equivalent in areas such as computer graphics, visualization,
virtual reality, multi-media, interaction design, or tangible
interfaces, or a strong background in post-secondary interdisciplinary
research in art, science and media research. We would also consider a
strong interdisciplinary degree in related fields or an
interdisciplinary combination of the above. Strong intellectual and
research leadership skills coupled with strategic planning capacity and
the ability to blend a depth of personal research and creative
direction with the more general research vision at The Banff Centre
will enable success in this role. We want someone who will flourish in
an interdisciplinary art and science environment, and who demonstrates
evidence of strong research potential. We are prepared to listen to you
make a case for the type of research you are interested in.
Duties and Responsibilities:

The Banff New Media Institute (BNMI) has an opening for a full time
research staff position as the Advanced Research Technology (ART) Labs
Researcher.
>
>The Banff Centre has a well established history as an international art
centre of exceptional excellence and a particularly forward looking
approach. As part of this, BMNI has been on the forefront of several
art+science collaborations in new media arts including collaborations
among visiting artists, industry, university based researchers, other
learning communities, and government. The ART labs were founded to
strengthen this direction and the position of ART Labs Researcher has
been created to provide the research lead.
>
>This position offers several incentives including:
>. Existing dedicated lab space: The lab is currently equipped with a
virtual reality passive stereo cave with 5.1 surround sound, and a
motion tracking system.
>. Secured capital infrastructure upgrade grant: the successful
applicant to this position will be involved in directing and realizing
these upgrades.
>. Related on-campus research cohort: This lab is one of a network of
three BNMI Advanced Research Technology Laboratories (A.R.T. Labs) that
support research and project work in the areas of visualization,
collaborative systems, and mobile media.
>. Existing strong university research relationships: BMNI has a growing
relationship with the University of Calgary and this and other such
relationships will be supported and encouraged.
>. Involvement with the BMNI Co-production Program: Involvement will
include opportunities to provide input into the selection process and
where appropriate to work in collaboration with these artists.
>. Banff Centre Workstudy Program: This successful internal program for
young artist researchers, offers the opportunity for the successful
applicant to apply for funding for research assistants internally.
>The ART labs research position includes responsibilities in research,
collaboration, mentoring, and administration. The research
responsibilities involve establishing and developing your own research
direction. The collaboration responsibilities include involvement with
the BMNI co-production program, often working closely with
internationally renowned artists to realise successful works. The
mentoring aspects include supervising workstudy students to further
research directions. Administration responsibilities include successful
fund raising to support and further ongoing research, and involvement
with the planning, selection and adjudication other BMNI programs as
appropriate. The BNMI has a successful research track record and there
will be support and encouragement for seeking research funding of
individual and mutual interest. Within a balanced framework of research
and administration the Art Labs Researcher is responsible for
developing ongoing research initiatives and the creation of a dynamic
and collaborative work environment.

HOW TO APPLY

Submission Method:

Submit to employer by e-mail to
Jobs@banffcentre.ca


or

Submit to employer by mail to
Martin Baender
The Banff Centre, station 19
PO Box 1020
107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Banff AB
T1L 1H5


or

Submit to employer's website online at
www.banffcentre.ca/careers/careers/


or

Drop off in person to
Martin Baender
The Banff Centre, station 19
PO Box 1020
107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Banff AB
T1L 1H5


Documents Requested:

- Cover Letter
- Resume (References Optional)
- Additional Documents (see Additional Instructions below)

Additional Instructions:

Deadline: The hiring committee will begin reviewing applications
commencing April 16th, 2007 and will continue to accept applications
until a suitable candidate is found.
>
>Application: send cover letter, curriculum vitae, and three letters of
recommendation, selected supporting material on CD, DVD or web links.
>
>This is a Management position and the salary is under review at this
time
>
>The Banff Centre respects, appreciates, and encourages diversity.

DATES

Posting Start Date: 2007-03-27
Application Deadline: 2007-04-16 16:30:00