Wednesday 12 June 2013

ISEA2013 showcases Australias electronic arts practice

Chair of the Australia Council for the Arts, Rupert Myer AM, today addressed some 450 delegates of the International 19th Symposium of Electronic Art (ISEA2013) at the gala reception held in Sydneys Powerhouse Museum, in a celebration of innovation and creativity in the arts and in our society.
Presented by the Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) and held alongside Vivid Sydney, ISEA2013 showcases the best media artworks from around the world, while bringing together engaging presentations and thought-provoking speakers, providing a platform for the lively exchange of future-focused ideas. Speaking at the gala event, Mr Myer described the Australia Councils $325,000 investment in the ISEA2013 public program as a long term investment in the future of creativity in this country. ISEA2013 presents a dazzling array of contemporary electronic arts practice by creative pioneers working at the intersections of art, science and technology in increasingly imaginative ways. It also affords a wonderful opportunity for dialogue and collaboration between practitioners the world over, Mr Myer said. Digital and new media has become an integral part of artistic creation, presentation and distribution in the 21st century, and the Australia Council is delighted to be supporting artists working in the media arts space across all artforms. We are particularly pleased that ISEAs 2013 public program showcases the breadth of Australias media and interdisciplinary practice for both local audiences and for ISEAs visiting global audience of peers. This event reinforces our view that national funding organisations such as the Australia Council ought to be shaped by the creative experimentation and directions pursued by artists rather than the categories defined by bureaucracies or notions of traditional media, Mr Myer said. Mr Myer said the Australia Council recently reaffirmed its commitment to fostering and supporting artistic innovation in electronic arts and media arts practice with the dedication of a standalone Emerging and Experimental Arts section of Council. That is what the new structures and processes soon to be implemented at the Australia Council represent a platform that reinforces the centrality of the artist and seeks to raise the profile of the artist in everything we do, he said. 2013 marks 21 years since the event was hosted in Australia, with the 3rd International Symposium on Electronic Art (TISEA) hosted in Sydney in 1992, providing the opportunity to reflect on 21 years of rapid development and change in digital practice in the arts.

The 19th International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA2013) is held Friday 7 to Sunday 16 June 2013 at venues across greater Sydney. http://www.isea2013.org

Media contacts Cameron Woods 02 9215 9030 | 0412 686 548 c.woods@australiacouncil.gov.au

Brendan Wall 02 9215 9166 | 0427 689 910 b.wall@australiacouncil.gov.au

The Australia Council for the Arts is the Australian Governments arts funding and advisory body