InDialogue Symposium 2016

Abstract

InDialogue is not just a title, it is an identified way of working for Jones and Connelly to be ‘in dialogue’ with each other, with the field and with other researchers and artists. InDialogue is articulated by Dr Rhiannon Jones as both a research process and a project. InDialogue 2016 galvanises the success of 2012 and 2014 International Symposiums andnd the result is the 2016 iteration in which InDialogue was defined as existing to extend Dr Rhiannon Jones and Dr Heather Connelly’s own artistic research into how artists and researchers use dialogue in their work. As such, InDialogue 2016 was created to continue their collaborative investigation into dialogic practices through a methodological framework (InDialogue) in order to provide themselves and other artists and researchers the opportunity to engage with this dialectic and discursive research process /activity. The resulting outcome is that InDialogue in 2016 shifted away from being a bi-ennial symposium from pilot events in 2012 and 2014, and in 2016 it became an established form of practice-research through which their own research enquiries can also be supported by this unique platform and hospitable environment. As a result, InDialogue 2016 research topics were designed by Jones and Connelly, who proposed across three discussion panels which were intended to stimulate a dialogue around the most immediate issues. So, for example, the first was devoted to Speaking through the voice of another, Transcultural Dialogues and We Have A Situation – all re-considering their interests in performative, linguistic and digital aspects to the dialogic enquiry. This framework supported a setting for others artistic research, experimentation, interrogation and discussion about and through dialogue, which resulted in a new understanding for InDialogue, as a driver not just a facilitator or a conversation starter for other. By doing this, it addressed the question of how an ongoing research project, such as InDialogue, can interrogate how arts researchers and cultural organisations use dialogue in and as practice. It did this by generating a dialogical framework – co-designed Jones and Connelly created a programme that had three specialist panels that focused upon the curators' specific research interest, and alongside this were presentations, papers, performances, interventions, workshops and discussions. This was to allow for the exchange of research across cultural, intellectual and social levels. A series of connected research provocations created by Jones and Connelly to be addressed were: • Dialogue as knowledge and production • Dialogue as artistic and curatorial process • Interactive and collaborative dialogic practice • Dialogic bodies: haptic communication, gestures and exchange • Dialogue as an embodied methodology • Motivations for participatory & dialogical practice locally situated • Agendas of institutions in promoting engagement • Reflections on power relations and how collective practice is authored. • Transcultural and transdisciplinary dialogic practices. It is important to note that the above formed provocations are set out of a series of research agendas and questions that the cofounders Dr Rhiannon Jones and Dr Heather Connelly devised together - through and out of their own research interests. These research interests offer a collaborative framework and focus for the dialogic field of enquiry; and call for participation as set out by InDialogue. In order to extend the frame of reference and knowledge exchange in the field for the enquiry Dr Rachelle Viader Knowles was invited to the curatorial team as her research interests aligned with the themes set out. Professor Steve Swindells was invited to act as Chair due to his extensive knowledge of the dialogic field. Papers were peer reviewed by InDialogue 2016 partners from Birmingham City University, Nottingham Trent University, Coventry University, Nottingham Contemporary, New Art Exchange, Dance4. Reach: The 2016 event took place at Nottingham Contemporary (NC) and New Art Exchange (NAE), with an evening of performances in association with Dance 4. It was also supported by Nottingham City Council, which has recently been named UNESCO city of literature of which InDialogue aligned with this accolade for the city of Nottingham. Nottingham City Council (NCC) marketed it through their inhouse team – it featured on the events landing page, in their Whats On weekly emails (reaching 26K), Facebook (15k) and Twitter (7k). Dance 4, Nottingham Contemporary and New Art Exchange also promoted the event and we featured in their brochures and websites and social media campaigns reaching art audiences of approx. 25K. The event was also marketed through our InDialogue mailing list, social media and JISC mail. (10k). InDialogue was chaired by Prof. Steve Swindells, University of Huddersfield, with guests Prof. Grant Kester, University of San Diego, and panelists Helen Varley Jamieson (Germany and New Zealand) with over 50 presenters taking part over the 2 days, featuring a range of presentations from across the ADM faculty and academic institutions from around the UK, EU and USA: Birmingham University, Coventry University, De Montfort University, Loughborough University, Lincoln University, Nottingham Trent University, Southampton University.