_Background
In the past 3 years the Multimedia Institute in Zagreb worked in the field of new media culture by presenting a variety of international productions to the local audience. These programs included some of the most well known European institutions in this field like, Ars Electronica, ZKM - Zentrum fur Kunst und Medientechnologie, V2_ Institute for unstable media, C3 - Center for Culture and Communication, as well as many individuals and art projects.
Occasionally within our limited resources we have hosted US new media artists and researchers who were visiting Central/Eastern Europe and therefore were available to us: Timothy Druckrey, Golan Levin, Sandy Stone, Ricardo Dominguez, Wolfgang Steehle, Natalie Jeremijenko, Alexander Galoway, Institute for Applied Autonomy, RTMark, Carol Hobson and Lisa Moren.
Additionaly we have had an opportunity to meet some of the most prominent new media culture professionals from US while participating in international events: Lev Manovich, Ted Byfield, Ben Fry, Negativland, Tamas Banovic, Survaillance Camera Players and many others who have shown an interest and commitment to participate in our future programs and projects.
Multimedia Institute is a fairly small cultural organisation of 7 professionals (coming from a community background) and 10 part time staff with a volunteer base of 20 members. We operate as a non-profit organization, and raise money through various local and international cultural funds. We also provide media design and custom software development services for hire.
Due to the high cost of international programs we are ususally limited to working with partners in the region of Austria, Germany and the Nederlands with occasional projects with the UK and Baltic countries. To work with US individuals and organisations we have relied on their visits to our region when we can then discuss and organize ad-hoc programs that are practical without the cost of intercontinental travel. Now, however, we are initiating a small number of long-term programs with US partners that we would like to realise during 2004/2005.
_Proposed Projects
With Lev Manovich, Visual Arts Professor at the University of California San Diego, we are discussing a Croatian edition of the book "Language of New Media." Additionally we will work on developing a co-production project (engaging Croatian artists) with his recent software project, SoftCinema, which enables videomakers to produce multiscreen and variable storytelling video pieces for DVD or installations.
We have already acquired some funding (1500Eur) for the book translation work, and we are further applying for a total amount of 10 000 Eur which will cover all the production costs and initial promotion. This Croatian edition of the book will be updated by the author with some abridged sections. A new design will include a rich graphic layout to make it better suited for the educational market that we are targeting. This edition will be the first fundamental media theory volume published in Croatia and will be essential for students of Visual Art Academies, Design Schools, Computer Science programs and Comparative Film/Media studies in country. Unfortunately there are no Media Art programs in Croatia at this time so this resource is even more important in the context of a growing dialogue. The book will be published in the first quarter of 2005 by the Multimedia Institute.
In Addition to this we would like to develop a program of engaging Croatian artists in the SoftCinema project along with an educational workshop at the Art Academy in Split. Multimedia Institute would take over the role of local technical support and producer. This would include both technical, methodological and research preparation. The project will result in a collection of works that firmly reflect our local situation and the unique aesthetical sensibilities of individuals from ex-socialist Mediteranian countries. A DVD on this theme is planned for publication by ZKM in December 2004.
Over the past few years the Multimedia Institute has also been engaged with UCSD in joint streaming media events. We would like to further this collaboration through the development of new media forms using the high bandwith multicast network established by project Marcell , of which we are both a part, for 2004/2005. There are other artists/academics in southern California who we would also like to develop collaborations. Natalie Bookchin teaches at the California Institute for the Arts in the Los Angeles area and is involved in using new computer game formats. And at UCSD, future associate professor Natalie Jeremijenko will continue her work in long-term video surveillance streams.
Aside from these specific project and collaborative goals, we would like to organise public presentations on the work of Multimedia Institute to organisations in the southern California region that work in new media culture. These will serve as a foundation to invite artists/educators/students from US to submit proposals for future collaborative projects. The Multimedia Institute has operated a media lab facility in Zagreb for the past 18 months and we are now interested in finding new projects in the field. We have funding to offer short-term residencies (1-2 months) to individuals interested in working in Central and Eastern Europe.
This outline of specific and future projects is broad and ambitious. It is meant to further develop a strong base for future collaborations and building our networks. This effort will strengthen our networks and funding opportunities while building our role within the international field.
_Timeline
It is anticipated that at least two visits to San Diego are needed to pursue and advance these projects. Meetings at UCSD will take place in the spring to meet with Manovich to further develop the book and SoftCinema project ideas, and with Jeremijenko to begin discussions about her project's evolution. A public presentation will be coordinated on campus, and talks at graduate seminars and with new media faculty will be scheduled. A return visit in the fall/winter of 2004 will allow for more project development and refining both the book and DVD publication. The geographic proximity of San Diego to the greater Los Angeles region will provide opportunities for other artists in the area, like Natalie Bookchin, to attend meetings or participate in presentations and planning dialogue.
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