Submission Information: Installations FAQ

Where is the installation space situated on campus? Is it in a high traffic area? Which departments are near it?

The installation space is in the Atrium of the CICSR (Centre for Integrated Computer Systems Research) building which currently houses the computer science department and ICICS (Institute for Computing, Information & Cognitive Systems - www.icics.ubc.ca). The space is physically attached via an open walkway joining the Atrium to a new building (the ICICS building) which is opening in January. The new building plus the current CICSR space will be used for interdisciplinary information technology research. The core departments are computer science, electrical & computer engineering, and mechanical engineering research groups, however, the new space will also house colleagues from Medicine, Music, Education, Psychology, Commerce and many other departments working together.

There are no classrooms in the ICICS parts of the building. The other parts in the basement house undergraduate laboratories. When classes are in session, a significant amount of undergraduate traffic occurs through the Atrium, however, during NIME, there should only be faculty, staff, and graduate students. As well, the NIME jam sessions will be held in the Atrium during NIME and people will be expected to spend some time hanging out in the space to experience the installations. The posters, paper sessions and demos are planned to be one building over.

Is there somewhere I can go to see photos of the atrium?

Yes, we have posted some photos of the atruim space here.

What are the lighting qualities? Is there natural light in the space? Will visuals projected on the walls or the floors show up?

There is natural light in the space so we are currently discussing measures to improve projection. So far we have spec-ed the projector to work well even in ambient natural light. Direct sunlight will interfere with the projection but that only occurs for about 30 minutes during sunset.

What physical elements of the atrium could be used for the installation?

Areas that could be used might include:

• tables on the raised platform
• ramp and rails leading to the raised platform
• seats around the platform
• floor of the platform that will be made of various materials (wood, metal and glass)
• hand rails on the walkways of floors above the space

Other elements and areas can be seen in the photos taken of the atrium.

How configurable is the space - can we mount speakers, microphones, projectors and cameras in various locations or are the possible locations for these kinds of equipment fixed?

The goal of the atrium is to create a very flexible interactive sound and video space so we are making an attempt to avoid too many fixed configurations. Still, there will be limits determined by such things as length and number of cables, number of mounts, etc. We will be available to work with the artists in fitting the space and their installations together.

What are the speaker configurations available?

There will be 6 speakers on a ring which can be moved up and down from the ceiling. There are 4 pillars in the space which will each fit 2 speakers in high and middle positions. We will have at least 4 other speakers available to place where you might need them. There are also compartments under the seats for the 2 subwoofers that we have. The seats are also designed to have speakers behind built in sound vents.

How many submissions will be selected? If more than one, how will they be scheduled (how long will the space be available and what time of day will installations run?

The number of submissions accepted relies heavily on how many are submitted. Ideally we will accept all submissions and then they will be scheduled according to how many there are (hopefully 3-5). In this case we will allocate about 1 to 1/2 day for each installation that will either be spread out during NIME or all at once depending upon what makes sense. There will only be one installation taking place at a time.

In the event that 3-5 submissions are accepted, the installation schedule may get pretty tight. What will happen if some installations require a substantial amount of setup time?

The submissions received will really dictate what is possible. Some may be a simple matter of starting a Max/MSP patch while others may require significant setup time. Depending on what is submitted/accepted, we will adjust appropriately and coordinate setup times.

Are any travel, accomodation, or registration expenses of the installation artists paid for by NIME?

We expect artists to pay travel, accomodation and registration as NIME does not have a budget for artists at this time. We are currently setting up credit card payment and determining what the fee will be. We are also trying to raise funds so we can reduce registration costs as much as possible.