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Trans_European Picnic: The Art and Media of Accession

Trans_European Picnic is an international event that takes place on the accession day of ten Central and East European states to the European Union. Through a series of media art and culture events pinned to the day of EU accession, Trans_European Picnic looks to define the status, emergence and transformation of electronic media arts and culture along this newly created trans-national edge. Event brought together artists, theoreticians and media practitioners that are exploring the changing cultural and artistic landscape within and beyond this new conglomerate of competing cultures, economies and identities.

May 1 2004 is the day when the first states of the former eastern block entered the European Union. However, this fundamental shift in Europe's geopolitical landscape also results in creation of new borders, new regulations and strengthening of the notions of an emergent Fortress Europe, delineating those on the outside from those on the inside. Accession to the EU also implies the acceptance of standards, norms, and regulations often resulting in the ceding of local identities in the name of streamlined administrations, pacts of stability and subsidized trading alliances, rather than the creation of truly common principles of identity and common values.

A series of events, beginning with a two-day international media arts gathering followed by the Trans_European Picnic on May 1st 2004 was held a few kilometers beyond the EU's new territorial boundary in Novi Sad, Serbia. Picnic will examine artistic practices related to the issues of standards, transition and transformation, mobility and dialogue defining the EU's new external edge, through debates, video projections, street actions, music performances and unique concept of celebrating may 1st in serbia as an occasion for picnic!

Producers of Trans_European Picnic:
New Media Center_ kuda.org, novi sad
V2_Organization, Institute of Unstabile Media, Rotterdam, www.v2.nl/

Organizers of Trans_European Picnic in Novi Sad:
New Media Center_ kuda.org
Citizens' Pact for South-Eastern Europe
Cultural Center of Novi Sad

Detailed description of the project, themes and participants: www.transeuropicnic.org

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