In 2017, Pixelache will present Empathy as Resistance, an open working group that will meet throughout the year, every other month.

Empathy as Resistance explores how empathy can be employed for constructive and direct political and social action. Picking up from the theme of the 2016 festival (Interfaces for Empathy), as well as the recent emphasis on this topic in the local and international culture community, EaR seeks to wield empathy like a weapon (as paradoxical as this may seem) for concrete effects on policy, institutional structures, and daily life.

This project was conceived in early 2016, intending to question if empathy (generally seen as an internal, personal trait) could be converted into something external, without its very nature changing into something polemic or divisive. As the year progressed and the liberal concepts of progress and democracy began to melt down (vis-à-vis Aleppo, Brexit, Trump, etc.), the EaR concept is now bathed in a sense of urgency that is only likely to increase.  

Each session of Empathy as Resistance will be led by a different facilitator (or group of facilitators) and tackle a specific topic, with a goal to create a decisive output. This open call seeks facilitators (from any background) and ideas. All EaR meetings will be open to everyone, but with the hope that participants will return each time to build deeper, lasting collaborations with each other. The sessions can take any form: workshop, direct action, game or contest, collaborative creation, etc. and their length can range from a few hours to a few days - it's up to you.

Note: The September session will meet as part of the 2017 Pixelache festival, and thus will have a potentially different audience and visibility.

Our budget is still unknown due to funding decision timelines and the usual precariousness, but we will be open and direct with all facilitators as soon as the situation becomes clear. 

Deadline for proposals: 1 February 2017

UPDATE: Some further information about the project -- please read this before applying!!

Thanks for your interest!

About Pixelache

Pixelache Helsinki is a transdisciplinary platform for emerging art, design, research and activism. We have been producing an annual festival since 2002 as well as numerous year-round activities, projects, residencies and other events. For more information, please see our detailed 'about' page. To get a better sense of the types of content Pixelache works with, please check out our projects, have a look through our past festivals, get to know our members, and check out our Facebook page.