Critical Animals

  • News
  • What is Critical Animals?
  • Venues
  • Publications

What is Critical Animals?

The Critical Animals Creative Research Symposium is an annual conference that takes place over the first weekend in October in Newcastle, NSW. It’s a part of This is Not Art, one of Australia’s leading contemporary and emerging arts festivals, celebrating emerging and experimental practices.

Situated at the intersection of arts and research, Critical Animals is a space to share ideas, develop practice and form connections. The symposium brings together students, researchers, writers, artists, academics and thinkers who are critically engaged in creative and experimental art practices. It is an opportunity to present papers, research material and creative practices with an aim to generating discussion and collaboration.

Critical Animals partnered with This is Not Art way back in 2002 to fulfill the creative research aspect of the festival. Over this time Critical Animals has grown to count hundreds of artists, researchers and creative as part of our alumni, attracting audiences of over 5,500 from across Australia. This year Critical Animals is co-presenting at TiNA alongside Crack Theatre Festival and National Young Writers Festival.

For many academics this is the beginning of their conference experience and Critical Animals provides a supportive environment for those stepping out on the research symposium circuit. The symposium provides a breeding ground to develop long-term networks and partnerships, formed between artists, audience, festival coordinators and the This is Not Art festival at large.

As a not-for-profit and entirely non-commercial festival, the symposium offers all its events for free to artists and attendees. Critical Animals would like to thank all our artists for their involvement and invite everyone to join in this wonderful, growing festival.

Featured Events

  • a completely unified theory of you (me)

    Here it is then – an attempt to understand ourselves...

  • Artist-led

    From blogging and making artwork, to boycotts and pranks, Artist-led...

  • Ceremony for Lost Natural Connections

    In this temporary activation, mosquito coils are burnt at dusk...

  • Feminist Pop Tarts: (De)constructing Pop Culture

    Four academics and artists talk about the intersections between pop...

  • Criticism for Accountability

    What is the responsibility of the critic to advocate for...

Latest News

Project Curator Callout

Project Curator Callout

Curator Callout! Have a good idea or two and a bit of curatorial experience under your belt? Been dreaming up the perfect collection of artists and … [Read More...]

Critical Instagram!

  • @nywf artist applications for @thisisnotart 2019 are now open!! We’re doing staggered artist call outs this year so keep your eyes peeled 👀 for the Critical Animals 2019 artist call out 😱
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
#Repost @nywf ・・・
Get those pitches and bios ready because our artist callout is now live. Link in the bio for more. [image description: a black and white photo shows a person standing up at a microphone reading from a piece of paper. Two people sit behind him waiting to read. Over the top of the image yellow text says: Artist Applications now open. Festival theme is foundations. Applications close March 10].
  • Check out these great highlights from @thisisnotart this year!! 😍🔥
#Repost @thisisnotart
・・・
We thought you might like to reminisce about #tina2018. Here’s a little vid we put together with @one_stop_productions showing a few festival highlights. Hope you enjoy watching it! Tag yourself or your friend if you are in the video 😀
  • I think he’s taking us to an alternate universe? - Regardless, I’m in. @grahammathwin performing ‘Crossing Parallel Lines’ at @thelockupartspace as a part of @criticalanimals program for @thisisnotart .
.
.
#soundart #performanceart #newcastle #tina2018 #critical2018
  • @criticalanimals Co-Director @hollyfalafel is currently hosting a panel on ‘Ritual’ with a whole bunch of artists including, @blakelawrence @luna_mrozik_gawler @genevieve_graham89 @justinelwalsh and @caitlin_eve For @thisisnotart at @thelockupartspace ✨These artists explore the concept of ritual in such different ways, it’s a real pleasure to hear them talk about why and how it comes into their practice.
.
.
.
#ritual #contemporaryrituals #catharsis #community #artandritual #performanceart #artisttalk #documentingritual #tina2018 #criticalanimals2018

About

  • What is Critical Animals?
  • Who We Are
  • Supporters
  • Venues
  • Past Festivals

CA 2017

  • 2017 Theme

Critical Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Contact Us

Email here...

Copyright © 2019 · Critical Animals · Site by Wind and Kite