marginal

The Innovation Pool 09 funds projects that are, in the broadest sense, marginal, that come from the margins, deal with the marginalized or express their subject matter in a marginal form.
Deadline for entry is Monday, 9 February 2009

Submitted projects are expected to pick up culture from the margins. However, they can also show where or how culture is marginalized and how it emerges specifically there – not only as a sector (along with trade, traffic, etc.), but how it exists as contemporary culture, for example, beyond the margins of highly funded “high culture”.

Beyond the margins of the big cities, no matter how far ahead something may be culturally – it is marginalized all the more for that very reason. This is why it would also be innovative to make the mechanism behind this comprehensible, perhaps even vulnerable. This mechanism not only stalls entire movements in culture, but also in business and politics, for instance. And not only movements: this mechanism especially hinders individuals and small units that are just starting to move; those that are still marginalized but no longer want to be…

Purposely remaining marginal, on the other hand, can also be an expression of a culture that is either innovative itself or worth innovatively shifting to the center of attention specifically in its marginality. – Then the margins would be an excellent location for creativity, individuality, distance from everyday life or for self-reflection.

One marginal criterion is compulsory for all submitted projects: they must take place outside the margins of Linz!

Criteria for Subject Matter:
The KUPF Innovation Pool invites projects to be submitted, which

· take place in Upper Austria (this year with the exception of Linz) or can establish a strong connection to Upper Austria in their subject matter;
· are located in the field of contemporary culture and/or art and relate to the announcement text;
· have a strong regional or local relevance;
· are intrinsically sensitive to gender issues;
· give preference to socially disadvantaged groups and individuals as activists and/or target group.

Formal Criteria:
· Entrants can be independent cultural initiatives or individuals or groups, regardless of origins, residence or nationality. Individuals can submit projects in a collective or in cooperation with a cultural initiative/association. Entries will not be accepted from regional administrative bodies, public departments, churches, political parties, employees and board members of the Upper Austrian Cultural Platform (KUPF) or the KUPF itself.

· Deadline for entry is Monday, 9 February 2009 (postmarked)

· Applications must be sent to the KUPF in 10 copies (for jury, sponsors, etc.) on paper.

· The juried projects must start in 2009. Projects that have already been started or realized cannot be funded by the Innovation Pool. Projects that have already been funded by the Province of Upper Austria/Department of Culture can no longer apply for funding from the KUPF Innovation Pool (double funding!)

With projects involving both migrants and majority Austrians, the jury will pay particular attention to the process of cooperation (power relations and imbalances in power, task distribution, whether there is a reflection process, financial distribution, how participation is made possible).

Guidelines for Entry
The project entry must include the following sections so that it can be judged by the jury:

· Project description: a detailed description of the project, the motivation for it and its relevance to the theme and the regional situation.

· Self-presentation of the entrant: who is responsible for the project, which cultural/art projects have already been realized.

· Budget: realistically calculated project costs and revenues; need for financing from the KUPF Innovation Pool. Do not forget fees for your own work!

· Brief description of the project (max. 500 characters) and short version of the self-presentation (max. 300 characters) in electronic form for the publication of all entered projects on the KUPF web site and in other media.

The project description and self-presentation should not be longer than 10 pages in total.

Jury:
A five-person jury of regional and transregional experts in the field of contemporary art and cultural work will make a selection from the entered projects in an open jury meeting on Thursday, 26 and Friday, 27 March 2009, which they will recommend to the government of the Federal Province of Upper Austria for funding.

Grant:
The KUPF Innovation Pool is provided with at least 75,000 Euro from the Cultural Support Fund of the Province of Upper Austria. KUPF will endeavor to secure additional project funding. Payment of the funding will be made beginning in June 2009 at the earliest.

Consultation, Information and Publicity:
The KUPF team offers consultation for potential submissions.
A short version of the announcement is also available in several foreign languages from the KUPF web site.

The KUPF offers a meeting for interested entrants to discuss questions about content and organization:
Wednesday, 14 January 2009, 7:00 pm at the KUPF office, Untere Donaulände 10/1, 4020 Linz.
Registration is requested: birgit@kupf.at

To support the translation of project ideas into a professional project concept/funding application, the KUPF Academy offers a two-day workshop “Training Camp. Funding Applications in Art and Culture” on
For registration and further information, please contact office@kupfakademie.at or (0680) 21 68 104.

Legal Regulations
The decision of the jury is final. The submission of a project does not entitle the participant to any legal claims. The entrant retains all copyrights. The KUPF is not responsible for any costs arising for the participant due to participation in this competition. The KUPF assumes no responsibility for submitted project materials. Such materials become the property of KUPF without recompense.

The funding to be awarded comes from the public funds of the Federal Province of Upper Austria. Projects already funded by the Federal Province of Upper Austria under the title Cultural Funding are therefore not eligible for additional funding from the KUPF Innovation Pool. The award and accounting of the funds will comply with current regulations of the Federal Province of Upper Austria.
The selected projects are obligated to attach the logo of the Federal Province of Upper Austria and the Innovation Pool logo along with the remark „Funded by the Federal Province of Upper Austria in conjunction with the KUPF Innovation Pool 2006“ (templates will be provided by the KUPF) to all advertising material and products in conjunction with the realization of the project and to indicate funding through the Innovation Pool in all of their own press releases and press conferences.

Contact:
KUPF – Kulturplattform OÖ
Untere Donaulände 10/1, 4020 Linz
Tel.: (0732) 79 42 88
it@kupf.at