The Australia Council for the Arts today announced its latest virtual world initiative – MMUVE it! – offering up to $30,000 for a collaborative arts project in any massive multi-user virtual environment (MMUVE).
Following its groundbreaking Second Life artist residency, MMUVE IT! will see the Australia Council cast its virtual world net wider, offering a team of up to three artists the opportunity to develop inter-disciplinary artwork engaging the human body in a MMUVE of their choice.
With more than 73 million participants in MMUVE’s such as EverQuest, Second Life and World of Warcraft, and the recent introduction of motion-sensitive controllers such as the Nintendo Wiimote, there is great scope to develop innovative artworks in a highly networked environment that incorporates body movement and its relationship to real and virtual environments.
Australia Council inter-arts office director Andrew Donovan said opening an arts initiative to all virtual worlds was the logical next step for the Australia Council’s exploration of new digital environments.
‘Virtual worlds offer artists a rich platform for exploration and creation. It’s incredibly important we continue to encourage and support new digital creative practices with initiatives like MMUVE IT!.
‘Creative professionals worldwide are using these platforms to create cutting edge artworks; MMUVE IT! offers Australian artists a timely and valuable opportunity to explore and build the sophistication of art and physical movement in virtual worlds.’
As part of its overall strategy, the successful team of artists is required to harness both the chosen virtual world and ‘real life’ audiences, engaging the human body through an interface that allows movement, and developing public exhibition opportunities for the artwork in Australia.
The initiative is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents. Applications close on May 16, 2008.