Press Release : OPEN CALLS FOR ARTIST IN SCHOOL

“The Return of Culture Town – Kajang Community Art Carnival 2008”is initiated and presented by New Era College. This is an art carnival that hopes to re-create the past glories of Kajang as a culture town through interaction with the local community.

“Kajang Community Art Carnival 2008” is an event held in conjunction with New Era College 10th Anniversaries Celebration. The event curated by Dr. Wong Oi Min will happen in May and June 2008. Artists from different art practices will be invited to become “artists in school” in kindergarten, primary schools and secondary schools in Kajang. Artists will work together with students in schools to create a work together that will be presented on 7th of June in the form of a mobile pageant. Joining this event is the renowned Puppet Theatre PUK from Japan. 2 puppet artists from the theatre company will collaborate with children from local schools in Kajang.

Currently, the “Kajang Community Art Carnival 2008” is calling for submissions for the “Artist in School” project. 4 local artists from respective practices, that is visual arts, music and dance will be selected by a selection committee comprises of the curator and representatives from participating school. Any artists that was born, grew up, living in or has other relations with the Kajang community are welcome to send in applications.

Selected artists will be working daily with school children from 23rd May to 6th June 2008. Artist Honorarium will also be provided.

For application, please fill in the application form and mail the application together with curriculum vitae and sample of works to New Era College. Application form could be get from New Era College or download from http://artcarnival08.blogspot.com.

Residents of Kajang are also urged to participate and sponsor this event that brings art to local community. For enquiries, please contact (03)8739-2770 (ext. 6231) or e-mail to artcarnival08@gmail.com

活动目的和方式

目的
（1）普及艺术文化活动；
（2）发掘加影市内的艺术家，加强加影市艺术家与新纪元学院的联系；
（3）促进新纪元学院与社区实质的互动与联系；
（4）期盼吸引全马各语媒体、各界的注目，提升对社区艺术文化的意识。

方式

（1） 驻校艺术家 Artists-in-School — 5月23日至6月6日

公开招募遴选4位加影市内的艺术家，以及邀请2位海外的艺术家在以上的期间到加影市内有关的联办学校/单位（幼稚园、中小学校）进行为期2周的“artists-in-school”的活动。让艺术家透过其专长引导及激发参加学生的想象力，共同创作。

（2） 艺术游街 Mobile Pageant — 6月7日

以呈现一出规模500人的移动式户外演出（pageant）作为与社区同欢共庆的节目及活动的成果展现。。

缘起

新纪元学院是昔日加影华侨学校的所在地，当年他们非常热心于教育，也吸引了不少海外的华裔子弟来此地留学。除此之外，华侨学校的戏剧活动也非常地活跃，而且还带动了加影城的文化活动。由于当时的文化、教育活动的兴盛与蓬勃，让加影赢得了“文化城”的美誉。可是，在1948年6月英殖民地政府颁布的 紧急法令之下，华侨学校停办，一切的文化活动就从此消声匿迹……。

50年后的1998年，新纪元学院在加影的设立，象征了高等教育文化在加影社区的萌芽。

2004年，新纪元学院在此地增设戏剧与影像系，并在翌年建设黑箱剧场，让演艺活动在加影拥有了一个发展的平台。这一连续的事象，似乎是延续了昔日加影“文化城”的渊源，象征着专业演艺文化活动在加影的重生与滋长。

由此，藉着新纪元学院在筹办创设10周年纪念庆典之际，换言之，在文化城消逝60年后的2008年里，提议举办一个社区艺术嘉年华会作为一个开发加影社区文化的契机与开端，希望透过与社区实质的互动和激荡，有朝一日能再次创造另一个属于当代的文化城！