Nature's Toolbox - Call for Entries

NATURE’S TOOLBOX : call for entries

ART WORKS FOR CHANGE INVITES VIDEO ARTISTS TO SUBMIT SHORT VIDEO ARTWORK
FOR CONSIDERATION FOR EXHIBITION IN CHINA AND JAPAN, 2010

Art Works for Change (www.artworksforchange.org [1]), in cooperation with the United Nations Environ-
ment Programme is pleased to announce a call for entries for “Nature’s Toolbox,” an art installation to
be exhibited at the United Nations Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, from July 4-31, 2010. In addition, the
work may be shown in Nagoya, Japan, as part of the United Nations COP10 meeting on biodiversity in
October 2010.

We will be creating a multi-screen digital media installation addressing the theme of urban biomimicry
and biodiversity, incorporating state-of-the-art technologies.


WHAT IS BIOMIMICRY?

Biomimicry (from “bios,” meaning life, and “mimesis,” meaning
to imitate) is a new discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and
imitates these designs and processes to solve human design prob-
lems. Studying a leaf to invent a better solar cell is an example.
Think of it as “innovation inspired by nature.”

The core idea is that nature, imaginative by necessity, has already
solved many of the problems humans are grappling with. Animals,
plants, and microbes are the consummate engineers. They have
found what works, what is appropriate, and most important, what
lasts here on Earth. This is the real significance of biomimicry:
Over the past 3.8 billion years, nature’s designs provide the secret
to survival for humans and other species.

http://biomimicryinstitute.org/about-us/what-is-biomimicry.html [2]


VIDEO CRITERIA
1. Up to 3 minutes in duration.
2. Visually compelling video artwork
3. Tell a simple story about an urban creature (a plant, animal, microbe, fungus, insect) and show
 how it teaches us lessons for solving humans’ pressing problems — environmental, social, food,
 shelter, water, etc. Include an urban context.
4. The story can be reality-based, visionary or science fiction
5. We want to stress the importance of what we lose if these “critters” disappear
6. Animation and entertainment are encouraged
7. We discourage the usage of words or language. Music or abstract sound is acceptable.

For guidance, visit the website of the Biomimicry Institute (http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/ [3]) or their
Ask Nature database (http://www.AskNature.org/ [4]), which provides hundreds of examples of how nature
inspires design solutions.

For more information on Art Works for Change and its programs, visit www.artworksforchange.org [1]

ENTRY FEE: None


ELIGIBILITY
This call for entries is open to all individuals, groups, companies, or non-profit organizations globally.
Each group or organization is considered to be one applicant.


REQUIREMENTS
1. Applicants may submit up to two entries.
2. All entries must be from 1-3 minutes in length.
3. Works must fit the theme of Biodiversity/Biomimicry referenced in the description.
4. DEADLINE: Works must be sent to us by May 15, 2010 at 12am PST.
Work uploaded after this time will not be accepted.


SUBMISSION DETAILS
Each work must be uploaded to your own FTP space or sent
via Yousendit.com (or other similar service). Create a folder
on your computer with your name and place your CV, a short
description of the video, and your video entry into the folder.
Compress this folder into one file and upload or send to us.
Make sure to include all contact information on your CV
including email, phone Number, and Address. Your short de-
scription should be no longer than 5 sentences and include
the title and year of the work.

Once you upload your file, send us the file link on your
space. If you send the file via Yousendit.com or other similar
service, send the file to awfcnt@artworksforchange.org [5].
All entries should be less than 100mb in file size. If your
work is selected and the actual file size is more than 100mb,
we will provide instructions for resubmitting the final, hi-
resolution file.


AWARDS
Final work selection and notification date June 15

All selected works will be presented at the Shanghai Expo from July 4-31, at the Convention on Biologi-
cal Diversity and the Aichi Art Triennial in Nagoya, Japan in October, and will join the larger traveling
exhibit, Nature’s Toolbox, on a world tour through 2014.

A first place prize of US$2500
Second place US$1500
Third place US$1000

Works are the sole property of its owner/creator. Each work will require that a loan agreement form
be filled out and signed once the artist is notified of their selection. Prize funds will be provided to the
applicant upon signing of the loan agreement contract. Works that are not selected will be kept on file at
Art Works for Change for future consideration.


For further details, contact awfcnt@ArtWorksForChange.org [6]


Support for “Nature’s Toolbox” is provided in-part by Adobe.