Commission for “Realities Festival”
Seeking Interactive Installations About Misinformation
Realities Festival
Realities Festival is a dynamic interactive exhibition about one of the biggest issues of our time: Misinformation. Audiences will explore the themes and tactics of deception that feed the misinformation machine received via our news and information platforms which bombard our minds all day, everyday, down to the micro second. From fake news to deepfakes, from astroturfing to sanewashing, this exhibition addresses the question “Can reality itself be trusted?” In doing so it will reveal deceitful media methodologies and give participants the opportunity to arm themselves in the fight to hold onto reality.
The Brief
Medea is excited to invite innovative artists from the UK and beyond to propose projects and works that address themes of misinformation through interactive play. This is your chance to explore and challenge the systems that make misinformation so prolific and so damaging to individuals, communities, civilisation and our planet. Your installations will form the heart of the festival and will act as a conduit to rally our audience and ignite connections. If you believe that your work can help audiences to re-examine and reimagine our current and future realities then please put your proposal forward!
For a full pdf of the commission brief please email linseigh@medeacreations.com
Key Information
Application Deadline: 2nd Febuary - 11:59pm
Artform completion deadline: April 3rd
Exhibition Dates & Location: 19th - 26th April; London Zone 1
Number of commissions: 3
Budget: Up to £10k per commission
Medea Curators: Matthew Bennett & Linseigh Green
Email: linseigh@medeacreations.com
Eligibility: The application is open to artists, artist collectives or arts organisations.
The Ask
We are looking to commission new concepts or projects currently in development.
The works will initially be shown at the Festival of Realities. In addition to debuting at the Realities Festival, successful submissions will also have the opportunity to be showcased at future Medea events such as our flagship immersive experience, Storehouse in London, which will run from May - Sept 2025. We are seeking a variety of formats, including:
Immersive/interactive installations
Browser games
Digital toolkits & takeaways
Deepfake art
…and more!
Any form of art or technology will be considered but we are particularly keen to see pieces that are interactive in nature, are great to watch even if you are not the participant, feature personalised outputs, and/or have shareable takeaways.
Themes
Pieces must cover one of the following areas of misinformation themes or tactics:
Cult of personality
Gaslighting / Cherrypicking
Scapegoating / Smearing
Emotional Arousal / Fearmongering
In-group and out-group Bias / Bandwagons / Peer groups / Black-and-white fallacy
Astroturfing / Firehosing of Falsehood / Information Overload
Division / Polarization / Othering
Emotional Manipulation / Limbic System Manipulation
Share Culture / Attention Economy / Overstimulation
Flag-Waving
Sanewashing
Values
The most successful submissions will align with Medea’s values:
Shining a light on the issue, revealing the inner workings of misinformation themes and tactics so the audience gains the tools to protect them from deception.
Information is power; understanding its flow is crucial in today's world.
Critical thinking can be developed through engaging, artistic experiences.
Everyone has the capacity to become a more discerning consumer of information.
Playfulness and serious learning can coexist in transformative experiences.
Tone
Artists are encouraged to submit playful, engaging Trojan horses that subversively educate audiences about misinformation and its relevant themes and tactics. The aim of this exhibition is not to leave audiences feeling hopeless, but to invite them into the discourse surrounding misinformation, inspire a motivation to take action, and subtly arm them with the necessary tools for critical thinking and questioning.
The ideal tone would be “fun Black Mirror”. Revealing wisdom amid shadowy worlds. 'Playful, comedic experiences set within the dark realities of corrupt systems. For example a bleak absurdity that builds resilience through play would be more effective than presenting sheer dystopian warning. The work should nourish the audience with new ideas or information which empower them to take on the responsibility to act one step at a time.
How to Submit
Interested parties are asked to submit the following to linseigh@medeacreations.com by 2ND Feb at 11:59pm.
A proposal / proof of concept for your project (including required materials & breakdown of costs).
A PDF document would be preferred but you can also share via any form which is comfortable for you.
Please include proof of concepts if you have them.
A cover email or video (3 min max) explaining:
how you believe your proposed work will effectively engage audiences in discourse around misinformation & the chosen theme or tactic from the list above.
Any particular details or needs not disclosed in your proposal.
Where you are based — if not in the UK, what is required to transport your work to London?
Biography and/or CV
A top line budget breakdown including; your own fees, transportation to London Zone 1 and installation & breakdown & transport to storage within London Zone 6.
About Medea
Medea is a new innovative live arts organisation that harnesses the power of art, technology, and storytelling to create transformative experiences. We consider misinformation to be one of the most critical issues facing society today. Our mission is to empower individuals to navigate and challenge today's complex information landscape through engaging, artistic encounters. Our aim is to surprise and engage audiences then arm them with tools and actionable steps for change.
OUR INFINITE CAUSE: To dramatically shine a light on the production, circulation and impact of information so that people can be empowered to make informed choices. We help people to think critically via The Arts through highly playful, personalised, awe-inspiring experiences: this is impactful storytelling with purpose.
https://www.medeacreations.com/
FAQ’s
What are the next steps after submission?
Applicants with proposals that could work for the exhibition will be contacted for an interview to discuss the project in more detail. Successful applicants will be chosen by Feb 14th 2025.
Who will own the physical version of the art work/installation?
Medea will own the installation itself so that it may be exhibited at our other events in the future.
We may also consider loaning your artwork for the exhibition fee in which commissioning costs are prohibitive, but this would be an exception. Applications where Medea is the final owner will be given priority.
Who owns the Intellectual property of the art work/installation?
The artist retains the intellectual property (IP) of the artwork unless otherwise agreed, respecting the artist's rights. The artist will always be credited whenever exhibited and all supporting written material composed of artist approved text. For works fully commissioned and owned by Medea, the organisation requires either: a) Shared IP rights, defined as joint ownership between the artist and Medea, or
b) A license in perpetuity, granting Medea the non-exclusive right to exhibit, promote, and use imagery of the artwork for educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes. This is to ensure that we have the right to exhibit and use imagery of the artwork. Details around use and scope will be drawn up at the contracting phase and are negotiable. More details about this can be shared on request.
Who is responsible for storing the installation after the exhibition?
Medea will be responsible where Medea is the final owner of the commission. In the rare case of an exception where we have loaned the artwork from the artist it will be the artist who would be responsible.
Can I submit an idea that has not been made yet?
Yes. You will need to communicate your idea clearly. We should be able to see your expertise in making your idea a reality through your CV or examples of past work.
Can I submit a work I have already made?
If the work fits the brief then yes. You can also adapt a work you have already made to fit the brief better.
Can I apply with more than one proposal?
Yes, you can submit multiple proposals, provided each submission includes all required materials and fits within the scope of the brief.
We are happy to discuss these questions or any others you may in more detail either in advance by email or during the interview stage. Please contact Linseigh on linseigh@medeacreations.com for any enquiries.