Up Here 5

The more things pull apart, the stronger the invisible force becomes to pull it all together.

In particle physics, they call it The Colour Force. We ain't no particle physicists, but we liked the metaphor so we’re making it our theme for Up Here 5.

Colour Force is intangible. It’s invisible, but you can see its effect. It’s the glue that keeps it all together. It’s as much about the simple power of art as it is about mutualism and symbiosis in nature. It’s magic. It’s fairy dust. It is whatever you want it to be. The theme is meant to serve as loose inspiration. Take it where it takes you.

Up Here is a laboratory festival for the creation and presentation of new art. We're looking for music projects, muralists and installation artists to help us create the festival experience. Let the resources below serve as an inspiration for you and your project (or completely ignore it if you've got a really cool project to propose, whatever).

Submissions to Up Here 5 closed on January 31st, 2019.

All submissions are reviewed by discipline by the Up Here Artistic Committees and based on artistic merit, timing of latest releases, pertinence of the project with this year's theme (slightly less pertinent for music projects) and pairing with other artists in the lineup.

We receive over 500 artist submissions every year. Every submission will be listened to and reviewed but due to the high volume, only successful applicants will be contacted.

 

Inspiration

 
Every project wants to fall apart and every project wants to be bad. They have two instincts that you’re always fighting against. Make it better. Hold it together. That’s the job.
— Nina Jacobson
 
 

Past Themes

Cosmos, 2015
Terraformation, 2016
Micro, 2017
Mutations, 2018

Header photo by Vanessa Tignanelli