Call for Proposals — People in Space

WHAT: Call for Proposals — People in Space
WHERE: Shanghai, China
DEADLINE: August 17, 2010
WHEN:  September 1-14, 2010
WHO: Creative thinkers

The 2010 World Expo in Shanghai anticipates 70 million attendees who will wait in lines for hours to catch a glimpse of the ideas and innovations that will shape our future. Hosted in the most populated city on the planet, the Shanghai Expo will be one of the largest events in history. In an effort to address sustainable urban development 189 countries have built temporary multi-million dollar pavilions addressing the theme: "Better City Better Life." Yet few Americans know its happening.



What Are We Waiting For? is a curated project by Daniel S. DeLuca and Sandrine Schaefer as a facet of the People in Space Project - An interactive artistic research delegation to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

What Are We Waiting For? invites creative thinkers from a variety of backgrounds to consider the context of waiting in lines as an opportunity to spark the imagination through unexpected actions and interactions. We are looking for ideas that are simple to implement, have a strong concept, and engage the people waiting in line. Proposals that are selected will be performed by a team of expert practitioners in and through the lines present at the Shanghai World Expo Pavilions. You come up with the actions and we implement them as your surrogate!


Submissions will be evaluated on: 

1. Utilization of the long lines: Some of these lines consist of several thousand people who may wait up to 4 hours before entering a popular pavilion. Other lines are much shorter. How will your idea engage and take advantage of these dynamics? Imagine your idea being perpetuated in a single line throughout the entire day!
2. 

Simplicity of design: We will complete and document as many as 100 actions for this project. We encourage people to submit ideas that are simple to implement but have an impact on the participants. Actions should require no or extremely limited materials. We ask you to consider the potential of utilizing the accumulative bodies and voices. Think about taking advantage of what these people will already have on them: cell phones with cameras/access to the Internet, wallets, keys, umbrellas to shade the sun,etc. 


3. Clarity of concept: The question: "What are we Waiting for?" can be used as a filter for ideas relating to the context of the line itself as well as concepts of sustainability and urban development. We encourage applicants to address these themes and or any others that have particular significance within the context of the Shanghai World Expo: i.e visions of the future, innovation and imagination, technology etc. Pavilions will be selected for each piece unless otherwise indicated in proposal.

Please submit the following information by August 17, 2010.
- Full Name

- Email contact

- Project Description (250 words or less) 



Email submissions to: Proposals@PeopleInSpace.US
Artists selected will be notified by August 21st. Works will be generated at The 2010 World Expo in Shanghai between September 1st-14th. 

For more information about What Are We Waiting For? or People In Space visit www.PeopleInSpace.US