After five years of promoting and advocating computer based art Electrohype have to close down its activities. It both a sad and strange feeling to have to close down, especially when we are thinking of the fact that we right now are presenting the large exhibition in Malmo Konsthall. The exhibition Electrohype 2004 has been visited by more than 27000 person so far and the reviews have been very good, but it might also be the last things we are organizing. On the positive side maybe we can see it as a beautiful ending.
We had hoped and believed that this exhibition, together with previous exhibitions and other activities, should be a positive breaking point for the organization. But we were wrong.
A couple of weeks ago we were told by the Malmo City Art council that they turned down our application for funding for our activities for 2005. We had applied for 180 000 sek (20000 euro), to cover basic costs such as rent and phones etc, and a couple of smaller exhibitions. According to our plans additional funding could be raised for other activities from other sources during the year.
Electrohypes application for activities was also turned down last year, the period were we were heavily involved in the preparation for the ongoing exhibition in Malmo Konsthall. This together wit the fact that we also was denied project funding for the ongoing exhibition itself in Malmo Konsthall make us really disappointed by the attitude from the City of Malmo.
We should mention that we have been offered a consolation in the form of a project grantof 110 000 SEK (12 000 EURO) for our activities for 2005. This amount is just below the line of what is needed to cover basic expenses, and unfortunately it is another project grant.
During the five years Electrohype has existed we have managed to raise approximately 4 million SEK (450 000 EURO), This has covered all expenses for the organization, including project costs for the three biennials. Roughly200 000 Sek (or 22000 EURO) of this total is from Malmo City Art Council. In other words we have done many projects on very little money. We are able to do low cost productions but at the same time we do need a minimum just to exist.
After five years Electrohype has to move from project based to a more stabile funding situation. The best way to achieve this would be that we could receive funding for running the organization. It is also (in Sweden) that if an organization is granted this kind of funding that it is also seen as an acknowledgement of the organizations activities. We did not receive this acknowledgement from the city of Malmo.
During the next days we will have a discussion with the organizations board to try to make a decision on what to do, how to close down nicely. In any case the organization will not totally cease to exist but in the future there will be a radical change in the level of activities.
We deeply regret the situation. Not only for ourselves but also for artists working in the genre and for the art interested audience that has visited our exhibitions.
If any of you have any spontaneous reaction to this you are welcome to visit our website and give a comment in the guest book that we have established for this occasion.
http://www.electrohype.org/support
Anna and Lars
Electrohype
Lars Gustav Midboe
lars.midboe@electrohype.org
www.electrohype.org
Electrohype office +46 40 780 20
mobil/tel:+ 46 705 198817
Electrohypes kansli 040 – 78020
mobil/tel:+0705 198817
Website: http://www.electrohype.org/support
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