Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art is now accepting applications for our 2013 Summer Institute featuring faculty: curator Oliver Botar (Winnipeg, MB) and artist Ken Gregory (Winnipeg, MB). Visiting artists will include Roy Ascott (UK) and others.

July 2 to July 28, 2013
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Deadline for applications (postmarked): February 22, 2013

The Summer Institute is an international post-graduate artist residency for professional artists working in all disciplines and media. The 2013 edition of Plug In ICA’s Summer Institute invites participants interested in collaborating in works related to art and alternative media. The Summer Institute core faculty, art historian Oliver Botar, and artist Ken Gregory, will lead the Institute along multiple parallel trajectories. Artists, as always are invited to pursue their own practices and interests. Faculty and participants may also undertake research towards a multi-faceted project, including an exploration of works in alternative and new media, particularly as it relates to  László Moholy-Nagy’s work and ideas.

A number of other visiting artists, curators and theorists will visit the Summer Institute for lectures, discussions and studio visits.

Plug In invites applications for participants who will work collaboratively in a peer-to-peer environment based upon their own interests and projects, as well as by exploring and aligning their work with collaborative or group activities which will be planned during the session.

This critical discursive opportunity will take place in Plug In ICA’s new purpose-built facilities, with an adjoining workshop, art research library, gallery, bookshop and café. Plug In ICA is located at the perimeter of the University of Winnipeg campus, adjacent to the Winnipeg Art Gallery, and in the heart of an urban environment.

There is no application fee for this program and everyone is welcome to apply. Accepted participants must pay a tuition fee of $300.00 CDN + taxes on or prior to July 2. All other costs associated with participating in this program must be borne by the artist: meals, accommodation, travel, travel insurance, materials and related production costs. Participants must also be Plug In ICA members in good standing, for an additional fee of $25 CDN (artist members). Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by April 1, 2013 or sooner.

Plug In ICA is able to offer accommodations through the University of Winnipeg at McFeetors Hall. A limited number of single occupancy rooms are available, costs vary according to dates and duration of stay and room type. Rooms will be offered on a first come first serve basis.

For more information please visit http://uwincampuslife.wordpress.com/

For current information and updates please visit: www.plugin/org/summer-institute

Oliver Botar is an art historian. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in urban geography at the University of Alberta in Edmonton; and a Master of Science in urban and regional planning, a Master of Arts in art history, and a Ph.D. in art history, all at the University of Toronto. He has taught art and architectural history at several Canadian universities. Since 1996 he has been professor of modern art history at the University of Manitoba, where he teaches a world survey of art and architecture, modern and contemporary art, post-war Canadian art, and art in new media. He has been Professor since 2011. His research, writing and exhibition curating have focussed on early to mid 20th century art, architecture, photography and media art. This work has been international in scope, with concentrations on Weimar Germany, Hungary, Canada and the United States. The art and ideas of László Moholy-Nagy have been a focus throughout his career. He has lectured, published, and has curated exhibitions in Canada, the United States and Europe. He lives and works in Winnipeg.

Ken Gregory has been working with DIY interface designs, hardware hacking, audio, video, and computer programming for over 15 years. His creative performance and installation work has shown publicly in Winnipeg, other parts of Canada and many international media and sound arts festivals. Anything is part of Gregory’s palette, and by using cut-and-paste techniques, random juxtapositions, and careful manipulations, he crafts unique art works. These works are presented in the form of gallery installations, live performances, live radio broadcasts, and audio compact discs. A recent career highlight amongst others is the exhibition of wind coil sound flow, a large sound installation at San Jose’s City Hall Rotunda as part of the 2010 01SJ Biennial.

Plug In would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of the Manitoba Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Winnipeg Arts Council, The Province of Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, The Winnipeg Foundation, our donors, members, and volunteers.