Archiving the Arts

The Association of Moving Image Archivists Student Chapter at New York University and Independent Media Arts Preservation invite submissions for…

Archiving the Arts: addressing preservation in the creative process.

This symposium will explore the relationship between media artists and audiovisual archivists. Archiving the Arts allows for a dialogue that can enhance mutual understanding between both constituencies. By exposing these communities to best practices, working methods, and the technological and industrial realities faced by members of each group, we hope to foster a discussion, improve the current conditions, and widen awareness of preventative preservation for the long term.

The combined problems of born-digital works and media obsolescence intensify the urgency of preemptive preservation practices. Film and video archivists know all too well the risks media artworks face. At the same time, artists face the same concerns—not just with completed works, with the raw materials of film, video, audio, digital objects—that are essential to their ongoing creative process. But often these two groups lack a common language and a way for their communities to interact and develop tools that serve all parties. Archivists don’t necessarily understand the creative process. Artists don’t always think about their work in terms of its preservation.

Archiving the Arts promotes dialogue between working professionals, artists, students, and other interested parties whose goal is to prevent avoidable loss of creative works by integrating preservation strategies into moving image creation and production.

The day-long symposium of panels, screenings, and workshops will tackle the practical, theoretical, and technical issues that affect the artist and the archivist. Working across disciplines will result in a dynamic conversation and create a deeper understanding of the importance of preventative preservation.