GENERAL INFORMATION
submissions are now closed
Stories and Science: Eco-justice, Action, & Hope
Empower your mind. Empower your spirit. Empower your very soul.
Stories speak to the head through the heart, and our hearts are aching a lot these days as fires, floods, droughts, typhoons, a loss of biodiversity, heat islands, COVID and a questionable future plague our every waking minute. In addition to these miseries, the ongoing racial injustice that feels endemic to our nation, is crushing the health and spirit of many black, brown, and indigenous communities. These issues are not separate, and this year’s Earth-Up conference will focus on creating and sharing stories about this essential intersection. We want to leave this conference with stories that we can use in our communities, legislature, and local governments to wake everyone up to this confluence and compel us all to commit to a clean, just future.
PROPOSAL SPECIFICS
April 8-10, 2022, NSN will bring together a virtual international group of artists, scientists, teachers, students, and activists to explore the use of story in addressing the climate crisis and issues of environmental justice. Often when facts do not succeed, stories can align the listener with a human experience and allow for new understandings.
NSN will curate three types of storytelling performances. Each type has a different agreement. Please read and submit your material in the category which suits your work.
1. INDIVIDUAL STORIES of up to 20 minutes each, to be combined in a group show (Olio).
Submit an INDIVIDUAL STORY if you are hoping to have your story or combination of stories (totaling no more than 20 minutes) featured alongside other international storytellers sharing parallel themes. High quality pre-recorded video submissions are expected in this category. You may submit more than one story, but the total time may not exceed 20 minutes. Note that one or more may be chosen for the final show.
2. SPOTLIGHT SHOWS for artists with one complete show (up to 75 minutes)
Submit an application for a SPOTLIGHT SHOW if you have developed a single, cohesive, 60-75-minute performance by yourself or with a performance partner. An eco-story tour of your geographic area can be submitted as a Spotlight Show. Spotlight shows will be offered on-demand from April 1, 2022 to April 10, 2022. A finished full-length video is not required to submit this application, but relevant work samples and a detailed outline will be required. If your spotlight proposal is accepted, you will be required to submit your full, edited video to NSN no later than March 15, 2022 (but earlier is better).
3. SHOWCASES for curating your own Olio (up to 75 minutes) featuring 3-6 tellers.
Submit an application for a SHOWCASE if you will produce a group show (60 to 75 minutes) featuring 3-6 tellers and a host. Relevant work samples and a detailed outline will be required. Performances can be live, or pre-recorded (submitted to NSN no later than March 15, 2022 – but earlier is better).
CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROPOSALS
You are welcome to submit more than one story or group of stories, but can only be selected to present in one Showcase. Those telling stories in Showcases may also be selected to present a Workshop, Panel, or Master Class, provided separate proposals are submitted and selected for each category. Tellers will not be selected to perform in a showcase and to curate another showcase. Participating in other NSN events outside of the conference does not prohibit participation in Connected.
submissions are now closed
COMPENSATION
WHAT WE OFFER YOU: NSN wants to support artists while financing its existence.
Storytelling performances will be compensated as follows:
- Individual stories: $100 flat fee (up to 20 minutes)
- Spotlight shows: $250 flat fee (60-75 minutes)
- Showcases: $100 for each teller/host/emcee/producer for up to FOUR? tellers and a host (60-75 minutes)
All presenters will also receive a 40% discount on full package registrations or a 20% discount on single day registrations.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 11:59pm Wednesday, January 12, 2022, Central US Time.
Fill out the form below with all relevant information and attachments.
You will be notified of the results by February 28, 2022
You will receive a copy of your proposal in your email after submitting. You will also be able to edit your submission after submitting it – up to the January 12 deadline – by saving the link after submission or through the email that will be sent automatically.
NEW THIS YEAR: You may now save a working draft of your proposal by scrolling to the bottom of the form and selecting “Save.” Users are responsible for maintaining their own drafts and remembering to submit their completed proposal before the deadline. NSN will not be able to recover lost drafts.