futureplaces 2010 FAQ for invited artists
Where am I staying?
Invited artists, speakers, and performers and festival staff will be staying at the Quality Inn Porto. The hotel is well-situated in central Porto and is a very short walk from the primary festival venues. The street address of the hotel is Praça da Batalha, 127 – 130. The main hotel number is (351) 22 339 2300.
What should I do when I arrive in Porto?
Please take a taxi or public transit to the Quality Inn to check in. Due to festival staffing limitations and the number of people participating in the festival, we are unable to pick guests up from the airport or train station.
A taxi from the airport to the hotel will cost approximately 20 €. Public transit information is below.
Once you are checked in, you may wish to walk over to the festival’s primary venue, Maus Hábitos, at Rua Passos Manuel 178, 4º. This is three minutes from the hotel. Turn left as you leave the hotel, and proceed down Rua de Santa Catarina for about 1.5 blocks, then turn right on Rua Passos Manuel and walk about 95 m. The door to Maus Hábitos will be on the right side of the street.
What are the public transit options?
The city of Porto also offers a few different modes of public transportation. The primary system is the Metro do Porto, a light rail line with five major lines, one of which goes to and from the airport. The main website of the Metro system offers a downloadable map and timetable.
The Metro’s violet line connects the airport to the city and the Metro stop is right in front of the arrivals zone of the airport. This site has additional information on taking the Metro from the airport.
http://tinyurl.com/ydfuvtp (Metro do Porto, From the Airport to Everywhere)
The Metro stop closest to the Quality Inn is the Bolhão stop, about 3 blocks or 500m from the hotel.
Where will the installations be exhibited?
The festival exhibition will be held at Maus Hábitos, a large, multi-roomed exhibit space and coffee house that is a key institution in the Porto arts community, on the web at http://www.maushabitos.com. Festival coordinators will decide the best location for each installation, depending on its space and infrastructure needs.
What does the exhibition venue look like?
A video of Maus Hábitos is available on YouTube, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hnloCoJ9BQ
In addition, photos of past events at Maus Hábitos are available at
http://www.exporuimtemorgen.nl/archief/transhabitos/site/09-05.htm
and
http://www.exporuimtemorgen.nl/archief/transhabitos/site/10-05.htm
Are there any basic materials or equipment, such as headphones or DVD players, I can expect to be available?
The festival coordinators are working with participants on a case-by-case basis, so please be sure all of your technical and infrastructural requirements have been submitted. Preparations will be streamlined if you can please bring whatever equipment you can reasonably travel with. Please inform us if you are bringing some of the items listed in your tech rider, so we can focus on obtaining other needed items.
Will I be able to attach visual materials like posters and photographs to walls?
Yes.
My installation requires low or no ambient light. Will it be possible to create these conditions at the installation site?
Yes.
Will I need to share a room with another installation?
This may happen depending on the nature of the project being presented. However, rest assured that all efforts will be made in order to accommodate individual needs.
When is the deadline for setting up installations?
Pieces must be set up by the 1pm on Thursday, October 14. The exhibition will open at 18:30 that evening.
When can finalists begin to set up their entries?
Finalists may begin to set up their installations at Maus Hábitos on October 9. Finalists may come earlier to see the site, but no actual set-up may be initiated until October 9.
Will finalists make presentations of their entries?
Yes, invited exhibitors are asked to talk about their projects in a session on Friday, October 15 between 15:30 and 19:00 at Maus Hábitos. Please be prepared to speak informally for a few minutes about your work and answer questions. Workshop outcomes will also be presented in this session.
Do I need to submit any other information?
Yes! A wiki is being created, and finalists are asked to submit information about themselves and their entries, including one or two photos and optionally, contact information.
Who can I contact in Porto if I have an urgent question or a problem?
Contact phone numbers for the festival coordinators will be distributed via email to finalists.
I am submitting a video to the festival. Does it matter what format it is in?
Ideally, your video will be in the PAL region 2 format. If this is not possible, though, we can easily convert it.
Should I submit a video DVD or a Data DVD?
If you can, submitting both is a good idea.
When can I take my installation down?
The festival closes on October 16, and installations may be taken down on October 17, between 12:00 and 22:00.
Will the installations be secure?
Security cameras and invigilators will be on site. However, festival participants must ultimately take responsibility for their own belongings, and may wish to consider getting their own insurance.
If the participants are receiving support from external sponsors, what are the existing rules for identifying the sponsor?
We will identify the sponsor on a label near the piece as well as online.
Can I participate in a workshop?
To attend the workshops you must register. There are a limited number of places available; please consult the festival site at www.futureplaces.org for more information and to apply.
Who can I contact in Porto if I have an urgent question or a problem?
Please contact Daniel Pires at (351) 91 966 7656.
I have more questions. Who can I ask?
The US-based organizer is Karen Gustafson, who can be reached at kegustafson@gmail.com
The local manager of the festival is Fátima São Simão, and she can be reached at fatimasss@gmail.com
For information and assistance regarding the venue and exhibition conditions, please contact Daniel Pires (danielpires @ maushabitos.com) or Ana Carvalho (anasilvacarvalho @ gmail.com.)
