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Frequently Asked Questions

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Kolaj Fest is a decentralized event happening all over New Orleans, July 12-15, 2018.

What is Kolaj Fest New Orleans?

Kolaj Fest New Orleans is a multi-day festival and symposium about contemporary collage and its role in art, culture, and society. Our mission is to create a platform that allows us to explore critical issues around collage (how it is curated and presented, its role in contemporary art, and the tensions between collage as a medium, a genre, and a phenomenon). Our goal is to create an event that attracts a variety of people working in various capacities, such as art professionals at museums, galleries, and centers as well as academics, writers, and artists. The general public will be welcome to join us for gallery visits, evening presentations, and collage making.

Why Kolaj Fest?

For over 100 years, we have been advancing, exploring, and disrupting visual art through collage. It is about time to give the medium its due. It's time to come together as a community.

What events are you planning?

Over the coming weeks, we will be announcing events and activities. At Kolaj Fest, you can expect Gallery Touring, Receptions, Presentations & Discussions, Slideshows, Evening Presentations, and, of course, Collage Making.

I am making travel plans when is the first & last event?

The first official event will be an Early Welcome Reception on Wednesday, July 11, 5-7PM. The last event will be a Strategy Session on Sunday, July 15th that will end around 3PM.

What is the philosophy behind Kolaj Fest New Orleans?

The program at Kolaj Fest will be a unique experience. We have multiple goals and are serving multiple audiences: We aim to breakdown hierarchy and foster dialogue among art professionals working in a variety of capacities. We aim to build bridges between the collage community and the larger art world; between the art world and the general public. Our hope is that participants will have fun, network, play, and socialize while engaging in deep, real talk about issues that are important to them. We aim that people will leave Kolaj Fest New Orleans connected to a community, armed with ideas for their art, the presentation of collage, their writing and curatorial work, or simply a deeper appreciation and understanding of collage and the people who make it.

What do you mean by "decentralized"?

If the standard hotel or university-based conference format is something you are used to, Kolaj Fest New Orleans is going to be a different experience for you. We are embedding in a city that has been an inspiration to artists for hundreds of years and we want to share it with you.

Events will take place at a variety of venues around the city. Most of the events will be concentrated in the St. Claude Arts' District in the Bywater/Marigny neighborhood. Some events may also take place around Arts District New Orleans, also known as the Warehouse Arts District or Julia Street in the Central Business District.

There is no expectation that participants will be staying in the same hotel or even the same neighborhood. If a traditional hotel is your preferred accomodation, we suggest the Central Business District. Bed & Breakfasts abound in the city, especially in the Bywater.

How will getting around New Orleans work?

New Orleans' famous streetcars connect the Central Business District and the Marigny/Bywater, with the French Quarter in between. The New Orleans Rapid Transit Authority offers 1, 3, 5 and 31-day "Jazzy" Passes to help you get around--available as tickets or on an app for your Apple or Android device. New Orleans is one of the most walkable cities in America...and there is so much to see and experience getting to and from places. In 2017, the city launched a bike share program. And, of course, there are taxis, as well as ride sharing services such as Uber and Lyft.

What is the format of the symposium? How will meetings and presentations take place?

A key goal of Kolaj Fest New Orleans is to create a platform that allows us to explore critical issues around collage. The program at Kolaj Fest will be a unique opportunity for academic researchers, art programmers, curators, gallerists, critics, and writers to share their research and engage with an enthusiastic community. Our aim is to breakdown hierarchy and foster dialogue among art professionals working in a variety of capacities. To that end, the editorial staff of the magazine and the advisory board of the event will work with artists and presenters to craft a program. That program will involve short presentations and ample Q&A and discussion with the event's participants. The time allotted for presentations will depend on the content and how it fits into the overall program of the symposium. We will work with presenters who have a specific workshop that they wish to present. Throughout Kolaj Fest we will have a dedicated space for collage making that can support artist demonstrations.

Ultimately the program will depend on you, on those who submit to the Call for Papers and the Call to Artists and the types of presentations and stories people want to share at Kolaj Fest New Orleans.

Will projection and screens be available?

Symposium spaces will have projection equipment and screens that will allow us to share images of artwork.

How do I get involved? How do I support Kolaj Fest?

Register for Kolaj Fest, come and be a part of the event. If you want to volunteer at the event, send an email and let us know. Most importantly, come and be part of the event.

Who is supporting Kolaj Fest New Orleans?

Kolaj Fest New Orleans would not be possible without the support of Press Street, Antenna Gallery, Kolaj Magazine and Kasini House. Kolaj Fest New Orleans is made possible through a generous gift from Laurie and Doug Kanyer.

Kolaj Fest New Orleans made possible through a generous gift from Laurie and Doug Kanyer.

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About Kolaj Magazine

Kolaj Magazine is a quarterly, printed magazine about contemporary collage. We are interested in how collage is made, how collage is exhibited, and how collage is collected. We are interested in the role collage plays in contemporary visual culture. Kolaj is a full colour, internationally-oriented art magazine. Kolaj is published in Montreal, Quebec by Maison Kasini. Visit Kolaj Magazine online.

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