Animate OPEN – call for submissions
The Animate OPEN sets out to celebrate, subvert and confound expectations of what animation is. It will bring together different artistic approaches that connect through their exploration of the concept of animation, both as a contemporary art and craft practice. We are looking for artists’ animation that explores form and technique and has an experimental approach.
We are looking for single screen, experimental animation, made by artists and animators based anywhere in the world since September 2022.
As with the two previous OPEN exhibitions, Digitalis and Parts & Labour, we have a theme – ALL THAT IS SOLID – a phrase from the Communist Manifesto.
All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and [people are] at last compelled to face with sober senses, [their] real conditions of life.
The theme is deliberately broad; we’d like to see a range of work that reflects or responds to the world today – community, activism, protest – urging us to become agents of a future, better world.
The Animate OPEN is a partnership between Animate Projects and QUAD, Derby, and the exhibition will launch in February 2025, as part of QUAD’s current annual thematic programme, New Worlds, New Discoveries. We also plan to screen the works with other partners, in cinema and gallery spaces. An exhibition guide will include information about the artists and works, and commissioned writing. An online talk will take the OPEN as a starting point for a discussion on experimental animation practice today.
All selected animations will be eligible for the Jury Award (£1,000) and Audience Award (£1,000). Selected artists will be paid an exhibition fee of £300, for the gallery and touring screenings, for a period of 12 months. For the exhibition opening in Derby, travel and accommodation will be covered for UK-based artists.
Follow these links for more information about our two previous Animate OPENs here:
Details
- This is an international call, for single screen, experimental animation, made by artists and animators, since September 2022.
- There is no limit on running time, but we expect to choose a selection of works that can tour as a single screen cinema programme. We have previously selected a few longer works to show alongside the main programme.
- There is no premiere status requirement. Work can be available online.
- Work made as current student is not eligible; graduate work is eligible.
- Works commissioned by Animate Projects or QUAD are not eligible. Other work made by artists that either organisation has previously commissioned is eligible.
- Work made using Artificial Intelligence tools is not eligible.
- Work must be complete. Work-in-progress will not be considered.
- If the work has dialogue in any other language than English, the preview copy must be subtitled in English. If the work is selected, we will require a time coded script in English.
- You can submit multiple works.
- There is a submission fee of £15 GBP per film.
- Works will be selected by the Animate and QUAD teams.
- We only accept applications via the FilmFreeway platform.
- Deadline for submissions: Tuesday 15 October.
- Artists will be notified of the result via FilmFreeway in December 2024.
- Full delivery instructions will be provided on notification of selection.
- The decisions of the selectors and Jury are final.
- We are sorry that we do not have the capacity to provide individual feedback.
- Selected artists will be paid a fee of £300 GBP.
- All selected works will be considered for the Jury and Audience Awards.
- An independent jury will decide on awards from the selected works.
How to submit
Submit through FilmFreeway: https://filmfreeway.com/AnimateProjectsOPEN
Deadline for submissions: Tuesday 15 October.
Image: Brain Lapse, Jake Fried, Animate OPEN Jury Prize winner 2016.
