xCoAx 2016: 4th International Conference on Computation, Communication, Aesthetics and X (July 2016, Bergamo Italy)

Dates: 7-8 July 2016
Location: Bergamo, Italy
Website: http://xcoax.org/
Deadline for submissions: 31 January 2016

xCoAx is an exploration of the intersection where computational tools and media meet art and culture, in the form of a multi-disciplinary enquiry on aesthetics, computation, communication and the elusive x factor that connects them all.

Since 2013, xCoAx has been an occasion for international audiences to meet and exchange ideas, in search for interdisciplinary synergies among computer scientists, artists, media practitioners and theoreticians at the frontiers of digital arts and culture.

The focus is on the unpredictable overlaps between the chaos and freedom of creativity and the rules and determinism of algorithms, between human nature and machine technology, with the aim to evolve towards new directions in aesthetics.

In 2016 xCoAx will go back to where it started: the S.Agostino campus of the University of Bergamo, a familiar place made fresh by exquisitely renovated premises where we look forward to hosting you and your work.

The xCoAx Organising Committee is very proud to announce that the keynote speaker will be Computer Art pioneer Frieder Nake, with a talk titled “The Disappearing Masterpiece”.

Topics:

You are invited to submit theoretical, practical or experimental research work that includes but is not limited to the following topics:

• Computation
• Communication
• Aesthetics
• X
• Algorithms / Systems / Models
• Artificial Aesthetics
• Audiovisuals / Multimodality
• Creativity
• Design
• Interaction
• Games
• Generative Art / Design
• History
• Mechatronics / Physical Computing
• Music / Sound Art
• Performance
• Philosophy of Art / of Computation
• Technology / Ethics / Epistemology 

Important dates
Submission deadline: 31 January 2016
Notifications: 21 March 2016
Registration deadline for first authors: 18 April 2016
Delivery of final versions for publication: 18 April 2016
Exhibition opening: 6 July 2016
Conference: 7-8 July 2016

Additional information and submission details

• All works must be submitted via EasyChair — https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=xcoax2015  
• Submissions must be original and will be rigorously reviewed by an international and multidisciplinary scientific committee, in a process that will assess originality, relevance, aesthetic and technical achievements;
• Reviewing will be double-blind for papers, single-blind for artworks and performances, please omit all information about the authors in double-blind submissions;
• Papers may be up to 10 pages long, following the format in the Word template — http://xcoax.org/xcoax2015template.docx;
• Artworks and performances should be accompanied by a two-page abstract formatted using the same template and by one or more URLs for access to relevant media assets;
• Submissions should be presented as .pdf files with all the media files embedded or linked to online resources. Final versions for publication should be delivered in .docx with all the images and other media files attached as independent files;
• All images and media assets must be cleared for publication by the authors;
• At least one of the authors of each contribution must register to the conference before the first author registration deadline in order for the work to be published in the proceedings;
• xCoAx’s working language is English;
• xCoAx’s conference proceedings (with ISBN) will be published online,
• A selection of works will be published in a forthcoming special issue of CITAR’s Journal of Science and Technology of the Arts;
• Please contact the program chairs at info@xcoax.org with any questions regarding submissions. 

Conference format

Wednesday, July 6: Opening of the exhibition, reception cocktail.
Thursday, July 7: Conference and keynote. Presentations will be organized in panels chaired by a moderator that will lead a final discussion with authors and audience. A guest keynote will close the sessions for the day.
Thursday, July 7, evening: Performances.
Friday, July 8: Conference.
Friday, July 8, evening: Conference dinner.
Friday, July 8, night: Algorave.

Registration

Full registration: € 150 — before April 18th (one author per paper; includes entry to conference and performances, does not include conference dinner)

Reduced registration: € 50 — (non-presenting co-authors, authors without academic affiliation, general public; includes entry to conference and performances, does not include conference dinner)

Conference dinner: € 25 — (not included in the registration, also open to non-registered accompanying persons).

Scientific committee

Alessandro Ludovico, Neural / Academy of Art Carrara
Alex McLean, Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Research in Music, University of Leeds
Alice Eldridge, University of Sussex
Alison Clifford, University of the West of Scotland
Álvaro Barbosa, University of Saint Joseph, Macao
André Rangel, CITAR / Portuguese Catholic University
Andreas Muxel, Köln International School of Design, University of Applied Sciences Cologne
Andreas Zingerle, University of Art and Design, Linz
Arne Eigenfeldt, Simon Fraser University
Bongkeum Jeong, m-iti — Madeira Interactive Technologies Institute
Carlos Guedes, New York University Abu Dhabi
Chandler McWilliams, UCLA
Christian Faubel, Academy of Media Arts Cologne
Christoph Illing, sinuous.de
Cretien Van Campen, Netherlands Institute for Social Research
Cristina Sá, CITAR / School of the Arts, Portuguese Catholic University in Porto
Damian Stewart, Artist, Vienna
Daniel Schorno, STEIM
Diemo Schwarz, IRCAM
Francesca Pasquali, University of Bergamo
Francesco Monico, Ars Academy Research / Planetary Collegium
Francisco Cardoso, Lima Independent Artist, Aveiro
Heitor Alvelos, ID+ / Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto
João Cordeiro, CITAR, University of Saint Joseph, Macao
Jason Reizner, Faculty of Computer Science and Languages, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
Jon McCormack, Monash University
Julio D'Escriván, University of Huddersfield
LIA, Artist, Vienna / FH Joanneum, Graz
Linda Kronman, Danube University Krems
Luís Gustavo Martins, CITAR / Portuguese Catholic University
Luísa Ribas, ID+ / Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Lisbon
Manuela Naveau, Ars Electronica
Mario Verdicchio, University of Bergamo
Martin Kaltenbrunner, Kunstuniversität Linz
Matthew Aylett, Royal Society Research Fellow, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh
Miguel Carvalhais, ID+ / Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto
Mitchell Whitelaw, Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra
Monty Adkins, University of Huddersfield
Nathan Wolek, Stetson University
Nicolas Makelberge, Symbio
Nina Wenhart, Linz
Pablo Garcia, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Paulo Ferreira Lopes, Portuguese Catholic University, School of Arts
Pedro Cardoso, ID+ / Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto
Pedro Tudela, i2ADS / Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto
Penousal Machado, University of Coimbra
Philip Galanter, Texas A&M University
Roxanne Leitão, The Cultural Communication and Computing Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University
Rui Torres, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Porto
Simone Ashby, m-iti — Madeira Interactive Technologies Institute
Teresa Dillon, Independent Curator, Artist, Research & Educator
Tim Boykett, Time's Up
Titus von der Malsburg, University of Potsdam
Thor Magnusson, University of Sussex / ixi audio
Valentina Nisi, University of Madeira
Yolanda Vazquez-Alvarez, University of Glasgow

Organizing committee

André Rangel, CITAR / Portuguese Catholic University
Alison Clifford, University of the West of Scotland
Graeme Truslove University of the West of Scotland
Jason Reizner, Faculty of Computer Science and Languages, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
Mario Verdicchio, University of Bergamo (Conference Chair)
Miguel Carvalhais, ID+ / Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto
Pedro Tudela, i2ADS / Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto

Contacts
info@xcoax.org
twitter: @xcoaxorg
http://facebook.com/xcoax.org