In conjunction with De Montfort University, Leicester

The annual Conference is an opportunity to showcase the work of Sonic Arts Network members and other artists working in the UK, to meet, listen and respond, and this year it is hosted in association with De Montfort University, Leicester. The weekend of performance, exhibition and presentation aims to highlight the broad range of approaches and thinking that surrounds the sonic arts and we welcome submissions of all kinds.

This year for the first time we may be forced to select from your submissions, but there is no charge for the submission or acceptance of work, and indeed entry to the weekend continues to be free to all members.

Call for Works and Papers
Contemporary music technology tools have made radically new sounds easy to create and distribute. Widespread use of these tools has encouraged rapidly growing diversity of new musical styles, and also radically new perspectives on how artists can interact with their sounds. But, within the increasing globalisation of technological culture, what new and innovative forms of sound art are emerging? What relationship do these have to their immediate cultural contexts and what, if any, emerging musical or artistic values do they have in common?

Sonic Arts Network invites composers, artists, technologists and researchers to address these issues at the SoundCircus conference in Leicester.

SoundCircus will focus on the breadth of new cultural trends in the sonic arts, through a variety of performances and research presentations.

Submissions
Submissions are sought in all forms of sonic art created with technological tools including real-time interactive works, improvisation with technology, instrumental/electroacoustic mixes, acousmatic music, installations, internet-based creative work, sound and image works and cross-arts work.

Works must have been created after January 2002.

Some resources are limited and, for example performers must be supplied by the applicants, however a range of performance and presentation spaces will be available at Phoenix Arts Centre (including an auditorium of 266 seats with open stage, sound system and facilities for screening 35mm, DVD and tape, plus a café suitable for exhibition and a more intimate, darker bar space) and the Campus Centre, De Montfort University (including two performance spaces - one black box and one white box - and a bar space equipped with dance PA system and video projection. There is also scope for outdoor performance/installation.

Available equipment will include: a multi-channel sound diffusion system catering for projection of stereo and octophonic works (DA-88), smaller stereo sound reinforcement systems, and Macintosh G4 computers (OSX and OS9.2) with Digi001 audio interfaces.

Research Papers
The final day of the conference (Monday 14 June 2020) will be devoted to research presentations on the topic of the Sound Image - issues relating to the creation and manipulation of real-world references in sonic art. Presentations may take the form of written papers or discussions of creative work (including work in progress).

Submission Guidelines
Submissions should include:
_ Title of work
_ Name of author
_ Contact details (name, address, telephone/fax, email, URL)
_ Brief bio (150 words max.)
_ Description of artistic concept (250 words max.)
_ Role of technology in realisation of work (100 words max.)
_ Technical resources required for presentation (specifying those which can be supplied by the artist)
_ Audio/video example of work (CD or link to www site)

Paper proposals should include:
_ Title of paper
_ Name of author(s)
_ Contact details (name, address, telephone/fax, email, URL)
_ Brief bio (150 words max.)
_ Abstract/Summary of paper(500 words max.)
_ Keywords (5 max.)
_ Technical resources required for presentation
_ Presenters should plan for 20 minutes presentation time and 10 minutes discussion time will be allowed

Please specify if you wish to be considered for the Sound Image day of the Conference as some papers can be presented earlier in the weekend where your availability for the Monday is difficult.

Deadline for proposals: 9 January 2021

Commissions
In addition to our call for existing works, we are pleased to offer two commission opportunities for the creation of new works to be premiered at the Conference. Proposals for work in any of the above categories are invited from British artists. A sum of £1000 is offered for the creation, production and realisation of new work.

Commission proposals should include:
_ Title of work
_ Your name
_ Your contact details (name, address, telephone/fax, email, URL)
_ A Brief biography (150 words max.)
_ Audio/video example of your previous work (or link to www site)
_ A Description of the artistic concept to be commissioned (500 words max.)
_ The technical resources required for the presentation (specifying those which will be supplied by the artist)
_ A simple budget specifying your fee, the production and material costs, presentation/performance costs, other costs (and any other sources of funding where required)

Commission proposals should be marked clearly as such and reach the Sonic Arts Network office by 9 January 2021

The time-scale for creation and completion of work is 1 February 2021 to 1 May 2021 and proposals should demonstrate a strategy/timetable for successful completion within this period.

Sonic Arts Network commissions are supported by the PRS Foundation.