PDCON:Start

Disclaimer: this is not the official Website for the Pure Data convention 2011 instead it is a page to collect information for and about Weimar's application to host this event in 2011. To my knowledge London is the only competition. Priority at this point is to find partners and secure funding for the event.

What is Pure Data?

Pure Data Icon

Pure Data (abbreviated: Pd) is a dataflow programming language. It is inspired by the way early telecommunication switchboards and modules of analogue synthesizers were interconnected by patch cords. Programs written in Pure Data are flowcharts visualizing their function. Musicians and artists are using Pd to perform, create music and artworks. Pure Data is free open source software and developed by University of California, San Diego's Professor Miller Puckette and a global community. It runs on Linux, OS X, Windows and even mobile devices.

What is a Pd-convention?

A Pure Data convention is an event where users and developers meet, discuss and present their research and artworks. It consists of

A Conference program where developments are presented,
Workshops for in-depth instructions from professionals aimed at interested beginners, ambitioned users and specialists.
Concerts and Performances with music made with Pure Data
An Exhibition of artworks/installations

Previous conventions have been in Graz (2004), Montréal (2007) and São Paulo (2009). The upcoming convention would be the fourth installment of this venue.

Why Weimar?

The close collaboration between Bauhaus-University and Music Academy Franz Liszt where computer science, music, media-arts and media-culture meet is the perfect situation for a Pure Data convention. Weimar has a solid tourist infrastructure with accommodation from budget hostels to 5 star. Weimar is a small place which has many venues and places of interest but is small enough not to get lost or to loose much time in transportation from one place to another.

Involving the public

To interact with the public and integrate the citizens of Weimar a number of initiative-projects should be developed. For instance Radio-Lotte could host a live concert with possibilities for interaction. The porcelain bells of the town-hall could be played remotely in some way. A call for works could be issued to encourage the production of artworks which open up ways to interact with the general public.

When?

The convention should take place after the summer semester 2011, in August.

Production costs

Travelling for non-institutional participants	20,000.-
Lodging for invited participants in budget class	750.-
Production cost/support for artists	2000.-
Equipment for exhibition and performaces	sponsored
Venue SeaM Werkstattstudio	sponsored
Venue e-werk	sponsored?
Printing, PR: Flyer, Posters, Bags, Accessories	3,000.-
Catalogue	2,000.-
Website	200.-
Translations/proof reading of website and print	600.-
Contract work (Werkvertrag) 4 x 1,500	6,000.-
Secretary	1,300.-
Postage and communication	1,000,-
Catering, Referentenessen, Buffet	3,000.-
TOTAL estimated production costs	39,850.-

When talking to the organizers of the previous Pd-conventions I realized that the costs calculated here are probably too low as the previous venues spent almost double the budget.

Funding

The funding situation seems difficult. Volkswagen Stiftung for example only fund conferences to one specific question with speakers focussing around this. May be that one panel can be condensed something what the Stiftung is willing to support. DFG only funds conferences according to how many speakers have PhD or equivalent. In the last Pd conventions there were only a few. Kunststiftung Thüringen might be another possible partner. EU Funding for Festivals. Sponsors could help to keep the costs at a low level. A travel agency should be among them.
Examples of similar conferences (and their funding) are LAC Köln, LAC Berlin, LAC Karlsruhe, SuperCollider Symposium Berlin
Musikalmanach index of german trusts for funding

Funding barometer

not yet funded

Partners

Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Studio for electro-acoustic music
DEGEM Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Elektroakustische Musik e.V.