[artinfo] International festival of Radical Communication

[Memefest]

Dear Friends, For those of you who may not know, Memefest is an annual
festival of radical communications that is now four years old. It was
started because we feel that positive ideas- memes- can and should spread
just as easily as negative and commercial ones. But this canít happen out
of nowhere; and so, every year, we ask students, artists, graphic
designers, activists, and anyone with an interest in counter-culture to
put their talents to good use. They (this means you!) can choose to
submit your works to one of our four categories: communication studies,
sociology, visual arts (all open to undergraduate and graduate students
of any discipline), and BeyondÖ, open to students and non-students alike.
The first two require a written response to a critical and current text in
cultural studies; visual arts asks for static, moving or interactive works
in response to another (different, though equally relevant, piece), while
BeyondÖrequests a response whose form breac! hes mainstream academic and
art conventions- it can be anything, so long as 
its message is positive- and infectious!

Please consider this a personal invitation for each and every one of you
to take part in this yearís festival in some way. The text for the
communication and sociology category is an excerpt from Douglas
Rushkoffís ìNowhere to Hide,î which deals with the subversive attempts of
advertisers to stay ìone step aheadî of even the most conscious (and
cynical) consumer. The text for visual arts and BeyondÖ is ìThe Peopleís
Communication Charter,î an insistent proclamation for an utopian society
where all citizens have equal access to communication.

The jury for all four categories continues to be comprised of
world-renowned scholars, artists, and devoted activists. Beside
traditional Jury members like art critic, activist and translator Brian
Holmes and Adbustersí producer and art director Paul Shoebridge, new
additions this year include Chris Habib, Sonic Youthís photographer and
designer, who was instrumental in New Yorkís Liberty Street Protest, and
is the co-founder of Protest Records, Claire Pentecost, who runs the
Critical Art Ensemble Defense Fund and new media artist and multimedia
essayist Giselle Beiguelman.

Check out our site, and see what weíre about. And, check out pieces and
writing from students of the last few years. Memefest 2004 received more
than 350 entries, from 36 Countries and this year 
we hope to top that; but, we need your help!

The contest is run completely on-line and all the required texts and
registration can be found at   www.memefest.org/en
Drop us an e-mail if youíve got some ideas, some 
questions, or would like to collaborate.

Deadline for submissions is May 20th, 2005.

Subvert, Create, Enjoy!

The Creators of Memefest 2005 www.memefest.org/en