ONLINE  GENEROSITY  

With the maxim ‘If you’re not paying then you’re the product’ readily used to describe the business model of companies such as Facebook and Google, the unique potential for generosity that the internet provides (massive distribution reach with minimal distribution costs) is often rightly subject to suspicion and qualification. Nevertheless, with other publishing frameworks commonplace online (such as that offered by Free and Open Source Software and other, not always legal, modes of free distribution), it’s striking to reflect on the significant adjustments to an understanding of generosity that the internet has facilitated. When the results of If you’re not paying… are distributed online, the audience of the works produced will be asked to consider the possibilities of digital gift in a context where they will not be kept informed of future offers that might be of interest to them, do not have to agree to the use of cookies, and can click on a link knowing that we – at least – aren’t harvesting their metadata…  THE  COMMISSION  

Thanks to financial support from Arts Council England, Giving in to Gift can offer four £800 commissions to create new audio performances that will be freely distributed online under a Creative Commons Non-Commercial Share-Alike license1. Each commission will be created for the audience to listen to in a specific situation (e.g. whilst using Facebook, in the Post Office queue, when hungover), and it is expected that a significant part of each audio work will be spoken text. This text will be recorded by the commissioned artist (or another individual they have recruited in their stead), with Giving in to Gift supporting the production of atmospheric/background/supporting sounds/music as necessary. (Should the proposed work require additional voices, Giving in to Gift will assist where possible in finding suitable people, but the ultimate responsibility for these additional voices lies with the proposing artist.) Once completed, the works will be marketed online and through social media, through the print press, and via a series of posters distributed throughout Liverpool.      

                                                                                                               1  See  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-­‐nc-­‐nd/3.0/  

If you’re not paying… Information Pack

     

TIMELINE    

Applications, made using the If You’re Not Paying… application form, should be submitted by midnight on Monday 28th October. Artists will be informed if their proposal has been selected by Monday 4th November, and will then have two weeks to produce a detailed script / cue sheet for the recording session2. This recording session will take place in Liverpool with Barry Han, on a mutually convenient date, in the last fortnight of November. (Travel expenses up to £60 will be paid to facilitate making these recordings). The project will be launched on Sunday 8th December, with posters being distributed throughout Liverpool in the week prior. WHAT  WE  PROVIDE  

In addition to the fee of £800, the commission includes the recording session in Liverpool with sound artist and musician Barry Han, as well as marketing support as outlined above.  BUDGET  

• Commission: £800 for each artist • Travel expenses: £60 for each artist

WHAT  WE  ARE  LOOKING  FOR  IN  APPLICATIONS  

Though we are open to proposals for a range of audio works, Giving in to Gift is looking for work that has a distinctly performative element; rather than being predominantly musical / soundscape in form the proposals should feature spoken voice. The performativity of the proposed work is open; it can lie in the recording, or could be generated in the space of the listener (by giving instructions to them for instance). Work must be designed to be listened to in a specific situation, and how the proposed work interplays with this situation is a key factor. Whilst proposals do not need to explicitly reference either digital generosity or gift more broadly, should there be an instance in which we receive two proposals of equal quality, those which acknowledge such themes will be prioritised.                                                                                                                  2  Alternative  forms  of  preparation  for  the  recording  session  can  be  discussed.  

     

TO  APPLY  

To apply, please send a completed application form to admin@givingintogift.org. Forms available from www.givingintogift.org/if-youre-not-paying. Deadline for applications: Monday 28th October 2013

    www.givingintogift.org  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Giving   in   to   Gift   is   funded   by   Arts   Council   England   and   supported   by   the  Bluecoat  in  Liverpool.