KIBLA Multimedia Centre

In 1996 KIBLA Multimedia Centre opened as Slovenia's first presentation and production institution in dealing with multimedia and new media art within an ongoing cultural programme. Since then KIBLA's programme has focused on new (contemporary) educational, cultural and artistic practices, connecting education and research, culture and technology, arts and sciences. In particular, KIBLA aims to emancipate and demystify new media as a creative tool in education and new forms of art.

In 2007 a complex proposal under the name Čista energija [Pure energy] was prepared by KIBLA and collaborating institutions from the city of Maribor and neighbouring towns in the region. The proposal won the nomination of the European Commission European Capital of Culture for 2012.

Background and location

When KIBLA Multimedia Centre was first founded its programme highlighted computer education and access by offering free Internet access, e-mail addresses and web space for non-profit organisations and individuals. In 1998, KIBLA gained the legal status of an Association of Culture and Education (ACE). Located in the ground floor of the premises of the Narodni dom Maribor, today ACE KIBLA comprises KiBela Art Space for various exhibitions, Za:misel Bookstore known for its selection of student books and KiBar cyber café complete with 10 computer terminals with Internet access.

Since 2001 ACE KIBLA also runs a dislocated Information and Communication Point (KIT) at Glavni trg 14 in Maribor. KIT offers Internet access, consulting and educational programmes regarding information and communications technology.

Programme

ACE KIBLA's extensive programme includes exhibitions, performances, concerts, festivals, theatre, lectures, symposia, fairs, and workshops. Through its KiBela Art Space it collaborates with Slovene artists and institutions and also with contemporary artists and arts organisations in Graz, London, Zagreb, Belgrade, and the USA, presenting new approaches through new media as well as classic fine arts.

ACE KIBLA's festivals include the Izzven Jazz Festival, Maribor (November), the KIBLIX Linux IT Festival, and the acclaimed Skrite note [Hidden Music Score] Festival programmes of avant-garde music. It also cooperates with numerous other organisations in Maribor, Ljubljana (Ljubljana Jazz Festival, Druga Godba Festival) and abroad. The 3rd edition of the Festival ljubezni [Festival of Love] (usually organised each spring and always in a different Slovene town) is also part of the events marking the Ljubljana, World Book Capital 2010 in April 2010 in Negova Castle.

Regular literature events in KIBLA are organised throughout the year within its Za:misel Bookstore programme.

KIBLA is a founding member of the M3C Multimedia Centres Network of Slovenia and has contributed to the network's development of the Dravoskop cultural portal, which features the latest creative happenings in Slovenia's Podravje region and also presents cultural organisations in all municipalities.

International cooperation

KIBLA is a member of many international networks and engages in numerous complex international projects, co-funded by the European Commission and its funding bodies (for example, the projects TRG-Transient Reality Generators, Travel in Europe, and the Guild for Reality Integrators and Generators). In 2009 Kibla co-organised ASEUM, the 1st International New Media Art Festival in the Philippines, together with SABAW Media Art Kitchen (Philippines) and Asia-Europe Foundation.

International cooperation (temp)

Through KiBela's distribution channels many Slovene artists have been presented over the years in different art spaces around the world. Thus KiBela as an art space is known as a partner of many international projects of similar organisations from Graz, London, Zagreb, Belgrade and the United States, who present new artistic approaches through new media as well as classic fine arts.

One of the recent projects X-OP - eXchange of art operators and producers was intended to gradually nurture a network of artists, researchers, operators, producers, and centres with the aim to establish a European platform for creation of art and exchange. By long-term cooperation the partner centres are establishing and further developing infrastructural and information supportive environment in relation to information technology, digital culture and art creation in wide aspect from art production and presentation to research and education. Alongside Kibla the partners in the consortium are Museum Lapidarium (Novigrad, Croatia), Media in Motion (Berlin, Germany), Egon March Institute (Ljubljana, Slovenia, MoKS – Kunsti ja Sotsiaalpraktika Keskus, Center for Art and Social Practice (Mooste, Estonia), CIANT – International Centre for Art and New Technologies (Prague, Czech Republic), Politechnic of Tomar (Tomar, Portugal), MAA – Taidekoulu, Art School (Helsinki, Finland), Apartment Project (Istanbul, Turkey) and Rahmenwerk – Transforming Freedom (Vienna, Austria).

In 2009 sessions were held in Berlin (DE), in Novigrad, and in the Philippines at the Asia-Europe New Media Art Symposium. As it goes about the project from Ace Kibla, the role of the KiBela Art Space is to give its exhibiting place for presentations – such as the improvisational audio-video performance between Tengal (Manila), Marko Batista (Ljubljana), and Ana Pečar (Maribor) which took place in November 2009.

Awards

In 2008 ACE Kibla joined the ranks of Alcatel Space, Amadeus, Brainstorm Multimedia, EVS, Navicore, Nokia, OpenBC, Strato, Young Digital Planet, Zanox and others when it was awarded a silver European Seal of e-Excellence by the European Multimedia Forum. The seal recognises ICT and digital media companies with an excellent track record in developing and marketing innovative products and services.

External links

Kibla website
Dravoskop cultural portal
European Seal of e-Excellence 2008 winners
Pure Energy – Maribor, European Capital of Culture 2012: the winning proposal's website

Gallery

Love Festival organised by KIBLA Multimedia Centre in 2009 in Ptuj

Folio Magazine cover, no. 1, 2009

Folio Magazine, No. 1/4, 2011

David Carson's Paganini of Typography, a creative workshop/exhibition in the KiBela Art Space, KIBLA Multimedia Centre, Maribor 2002

Ballettikka Internettikka: Portraits illuminated pictures (lightbox, image on transparent film and rotating light) by Igor Stromajer & Brane Zorman, 7th KIBLIX Linux IT Festival, 2007

Robovox - your vote an interactive sound installation by Martin Bricelj installed in Maribor public space for 4 days during the 7th KIBLIX Linux IT Festival 2007

Guest lecture about the implications of wireless networks by Sascha Meinrath, scientific research director at the New America Foundation's Wireless Future Program for the 7th KIBLIX Linux IT Festival in Maribor, 2007

Level head, exhibition by Julian Oliver (NZ) interactive project dealing with spatial memory, KIBLA Multimedia Centre, part of the project gRIG (Guild for Reality integrators and generators), during KIBLIX Festival, 2008

KIBLIX Linux IT Festival has been run by KIBLA Multimedia Centre in Maribor annually since 2002, more recently renamed 'Kiblix' reflecting a broader approach to digital media and open source technology

All about Lesotho new media project by Vlado G. Repnik, Robert Klančnik, Lana K. Gotvan and Stefan Doepner in the KiBela Art Space, Maribor 2006

Junction protocols exhibition by Dragan Živadinov, Dunja Zupančič and Miha Turšič, KiBela Art Space, Maribor 2007

Jure Zadnikar's exhibition Towards the sun in the KiBela Art Space, 2008

KiBela Art Space interior; Jure Zadnikar's exhibition Towards the sun, 2008

Narodni dom Maribor exterior

KIBLA Multimedia Centre

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