INVITATION

FOREWORD	INVITATION	GUIDELINES
SUBMISSION

ZSOLNAY LIGHT FESTIVAL 2025

INVITATION

Purpose of the competition

The organizer of the 2025 Zsolnay Light Festival announces a tender to participate in the festival's program. The submitted works can be both new and previously presented, but it is important that they must be adapted to the conditions and ideals of this tender in every respect.

The primary goal of the Zsolnay Light Festival (hereinafter ZSFF) is to present works of art using light as a means of artistic expression.

This competition provides an opportunity to be included in the program of the 2025 Festival, but the organizer reserves the right to implement both self-developed and invitation-based projects.

In addition, the organizer reserves the right to apply modifications to the selected works by mutual agreement with the artist, which do not affect the artistic concept, in order to ensure presentability and feasibility.

Applicants

ZSFF is looking forward to receiving works from artists who have already participated in the festival as well as new artists for this competition. An art degree and previously created works are not the only conditions for a successful application, but professional skills and experience can be an advantage.

The competition is open to both individual creators and creative groups.

Categories of the Contest

Applications can be submitted in 3 categories:

ROUTE OF LIGHT

Works made with digital or analog projection technology and lighting technology that are closely related to the theme of the festival. Entries submitted in this category will primarily appear as independent venues at the Festival, but the Organizer reserves the possibility to present certain works in groups if approved by the artist.

It is important that the works submitted in this category must be viewable for large crowds during the entire festival, for four days, 4-5 hours a day, and must provide a constant experience.

LIGHT ARTISTS' CAMP

In this category, we primarily welcome the works of students currently actively participating in higher education in order to provide an opportunity for artists starting their careers, related to light art and digital art.

We welcome the following types of creator applications:

light art
digital art
Augmented reality artwork
video art

An important element of the project is that in addition to the implementation of the winning applications in the category of Light Artists’ Camp, we also provide a consultation process and technical assistance.

PERFORMING

In this category, we expect productions that can be presented both publicly and indoors, which are connected to light in some form as a medium or as a device. In the case of entries in the category, it is an advantage if the performance can be repeated several times and can be easily presented at several locations.

THE ZSOLNAY LIGHT ART VIDEO MAPPING COMPETITION IS NOT PART OF THE COMPETITION, THESE WORKS ARE SELECTED THROUGH AN INVITATIONAL SYSTEM.

Theme of the competition

ZSFF is looking for works of interest to a wide range of audiences that captivate, inspire, educate and engage audiences in an interactive way while reflecting on our preferred topic.

The theme mentioned below is authoritative, but not exclusive, but works reflecting on it will be preferred when choosing.

NO//BODY

For the first time in its history, the Zsolnay Light Festival invites future artists to think collectively on a given topic.

We are looking for connections between disembodied life, immateriality and elusiveness, reflections on the changes taking place in our everyday lives in real and virtual space, through the possibilities inherent in light art and digital arts.

Light, as a means of artistic expression, is extremely closely related to the themes of disembodied existence, immateriality and elusiveness.

We choose the symbolism of light as the central element of our investigation, since light itself is intangible, yet it is able to give shape, change our perception of space, affect us, yet cannot be physically touched.

In cyberspace, our bodies are capable of anything, we can experience experiences that are unimaginable in real life. We want to know if these experiences can be experienced in real space, by creating new types of light environments.

Where is the line between physical and virtual experiences? Can these boundaries be resolved with the help of light? Are we able to create effects in a physical environment similar to those we experience in virtual space?

Award criteria

All proposals will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

Original idea, content and implementation
Creative concept and artistic value
Location specificity, the relationship between creation and space
Audience experience
Use of the theme provided
Technical feasibility
Economical implementation
Eco-conscious implementation

Form of aid

In the case of the winning entries, ZSFF undertakes to fully finance the presentation of the work according to mutually agreed conditions. Only items closely related to the presentation of the work are admissible in the application.

The budget submitted with the application is an important element of the selection, the applicant undertakes that the items included in it can be considered final, and the budget increase can only take place in exceptional cases after submission of the application. ZSFF reserves the right to negotiate budget items with the selected applicants, and if the purchase of a tool or service can be carried out from its own resources, it may reduce the budget by these items by mutual agreement.

The organizer provides the amount of support only after completion, against an invoice, with a deadline of 30 days. A maximum advance payment of 50% of the grant can be requested after the conclusion of the contract.

In addition to financing the budget, the organizer provides accommodation for the staff essential for the realization of the artwork during the preparations and the festival.

Submission of the tender applications

To submit your application, register and fill out our online application form, which you can access via the "Submit Your Application" link.

Only complete applications submitted through this system will be considered, applications submitted after the deadline or by e-mail will not be considered. Before filling in the application form, please make sure that you have carefully read and understood the details of the call for proposals and the Application Guide.

Application deadline: 15 January 2025 24:00 CET

Questions regarding the submission of the application or the filling out of the application form are welcome at the fenyutja@zsolnayfenyfeszival.hu address.

We welcome all requests regarding the feasibility of tender projects, site-specific questions and any other assistance. If necessary, we also provide on-site visits and personal consultations.

Application submission

Decision-making and announcement of results

The ZSFF team makes its decision with the involvement of technical and artistic consultants.

Once the decision has been made, all applicants will be notified of the result by email.

Date of announcement of results: 31 January 2025

CONNECTION

We are happy to assist you during the compilation of your application. You can send your queries to the following e-mail fenyutja@zsolnayfenyfesztival.hu.