Submit your arts for the Cairo Electronic and New Media Arts Festival

About

Cairotronica – Cairo Electronic and New Media Arts Festival opens the call for submissions for its fourth edition Out-Natured, which will take place in May 2024. The call is open for artists, students, individuals, collectives and groups to submit their work and projects.

The festival will present artworks selected from the open call, as well as invited artists. The festival program will feature a series of exhibitions, talks, screenings, performances and workshops.

Cairotronica 2024: Out-Natured Theme 

The theme of Cairotronica’s 2024 edition, ‘Out-Natured,’ opens a critical dialogue at the intersection of technology, nature, and society. This exploration is not simply a thematic choice but a reflection of the urgent environmental and societal shifts we witness today. In this inquiry, we delve into the paradoxes and complexities of our techno-natural existence and dependence. 

At the core of this edition’s theme lies the recognition of the asymmetric power dynamics that have shaped our planet’s ecology. This edition serves as a lens through which we examine the often unseen consequences of unprecedented technological advancement, especially as they manifest in regions like the Middle East and the global south, where they are most acutely felt. Here, the effects of environmental degradation and technological imposition are not distant theories but lived realities. 

‘Out-Natured’ challenges the narratives of technological determinism and environmental neutrality. It questions the role of human agency in this era, probing the ethical and political dimensions of our entanglement with both technology and nature. This edition is a call to critically reassess this relationship, moving away from dominance and exploitation towards more sustainable and equitable models. It is an invitation to reimagine our collective future; to consider how art and technology can coalesce to forge pathways that are ecologically sound and culturally inclusive. 

Through this lens, ‘Out-Natured’ encourages a reevaluation of our roles as stewards of the Earth. It urges a consideration of a future where our technological advancements and our natural environments do not exist in opposition, but in a state of harmonious coexistence.

This theme invites artists, technologists, and thinkers to present works that not only reflect on these tensions but also offer new perspectives and possibilities. The festival seeks to showcase how innovative artistic practices can inform, challenge, and expand our understanding of environmental issues. It is a space where immersive installations, digital art, and interactive experiences act not just as representations, but as active participants in the discourse on sustainability and technological ethics.

Submission

• Applications can be submitted online through the following link: Out-Natured Application Form 
• Deadline for the submission: 25 February 2024. 
• Submissions can be filled in English or Arabic. 
• All applicants will be notified of the status of their applications via email by 10 March 2024.

Conditions and guidelines

• The call is open for students, artists, individuals, collectives and groups. – The festival does not offer a fee for successfully selected work/s. 
• For individuals and groups submitting more than one work, please note that you need to submit a separate application form for each submission. The number of submissions is limited to two works or projects. 
• If your project/artwork is selected, your submitted images and text material will be used within all promotional materials and publication, with all copyrights reserved. We ask you to carefully prepare your participation data. 
• All submissions will be reviewed by an appointed selection committee. – For video work in languages other than English and Arabic, please provide English or Arabic subtitles. 
• Accepted applicants are expected to confirm their participation and send any further requested material within a week from acceptance. 
• Submissions with incomplete or missing information won’t be considered by the selection committee.

For any questions regarding the submission and open call, please don’t hesitate to contact us: contact@cairotronica.com