Global Locations For Unique Festival in Cyberspace

Global Locations For Unique Festival in Cyberspace

Thirteen locations around the world from Wellington to Buenos Aires will be hubs for a unique international performance event, the 121212 UpStage Festival of Cyberformance, taking place from 5-12 December.

The festival features more than 100 artists from around the world presenting online performances in real time and culminates in a 27-hour marathon event on Wednesday 12 December (and crossing intoTuesday 11 and Thursday 13 December depending on time zones).

While all performances are accessible online and free to attend, "real life access nodes" provide opportunities for audiences to come together and experience the festival in a group.

This year there are 13 nodes confirmed so far, with locations in Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Coimbra, Portugal; Munich, Germany; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Oslo, Norway; Pancevo, Serbia; Montpelier and Nantes, France; Hostebro, Denmark; Amherst, Massachussets, USA; Linz, Austria; and Wellington and Christchurch in New Zealand. Each node operates at differing times according to their own schedules.

UpStage festival architects Helen Varley Jamieson and Vicki Smith say the nodes operate in a variety of venues including galleries, museums, and theatres. Festival shows are projected on a screen where people can watch, hear and participate through text chat, with some nodes providing wireless internet access to enable audiences to interact from their own laptops.

"New Zealand has had a range of nodes every year. For 121212, the UpStage Festival will screen for 12 hours from noon to midnight at the Physics Room in Christchurch in conjunction with a sound and light event; while in Wellington’s CBD, there will be a MOMA screening into Glover Park with Citylink providing a local wireless network – bring your laptop!,

"On the other side of the world in Coimbra, the performances will be projected onto the outside of a theatre building; in Eindhoven the node is part of an exhibition on alternate realities; and in Buenos Aires, a large outdoor screening will operate for the entire programme on 12 December. The performance Since the End of the World will be performed from this node."

Aberto Vazquez, host of the Buenos Aires node, will co-ordinate online greetings between the nodes and to online audiences, during breaks in the festival schedule.

Now in its sixth year, the UpStage Festival of Cyberformance is unique, offering creative people from a range of backgrounds the opportunity to perform online for a worldwide audience. Most cyberformance troupes are made up of multiple nationalities and in many cases, the group members have not met in real life.

"Where else could you bring together multi-national groups performing live from all corners of the world for a global audience?” said Helen. “The festival breaks down the barriers of time and distance.”

121212 Upstage Festival of Cyberformance is in two parts: Walking Backwards Into The Future, a retrospective of 17 shows from past festivals from 5-11 December; and Testing 1 2 1 2 1 2, 19 new live performances premiering on Wednesday 12 December online and at the 14 nodes. For the full schedule and information about each show, node locations and hours visit www.upstage.org.nz or email info@upstage.org.nz.

ENDS

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