News
UWS academic plays key role at leading international festival of new cinema and digital culture
30 Sep 2009.
Professor Andy Miah of University of the West of Scotland’s School of Creative Industries, chaired four key seminars as part of a major international festival of new cinema and digital culture which was held last week in Liverpool.
The inaugural Abandon Normal Devices (AND) festival, which took place from 23-27 September in 24 venues throughout Liverpool, is a new collaborative partnership between three of the UK’s leading institutions working with art and digital culture - Foundation for Art and Creative Technology (FACT), Cornerhouse and Folly.
The AND festival formed part of WE PLAY, the Northwest cultural legacy programme for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The festival saw Professor Miah, who is based at UWS’ Ayr Campus, chairing four debates that formed the critical reflective space for the event from 24-27 September.
They brought together experts from the worlds of science, health, sport, media and culture considering notions of social justice, human rights and equality.
Commenting on the event Professor Miah, who is a Fellow of the UK’s leading new media institution, FACT, said: “At a time when our University is moving forward into greater collaborations nationally and internationally, our link with this ambitious programme further connects us with peers who are at the forefront of new media art and design.
Also, in terms of the history of Olympic and Paralympic Games, what we’re achieving through the debates is unprecedented.” Abandon Normal Devices exists to create a space where artists and filmmakers can offer striking new perspectives, and visitors can enjoy, discuss and interact with ideas, in a festival that questions the normal and champions a different approach..