About

Animate Projects explores the relationship between art and animation, and the place of animation and its concepts in contemporary art practice. We offer artists a unique space to create work, and develop initiatives that allow an international audience to engage with the work via broadcast, gallery, cinema, and online


Opportunities

We expect to announce the AnimateTV 2008 Open Call for Proposals in April, with a deadline in May. This is subject to confirmation of funding. Look out for news at the end of March or subscribe to our email newsletter or RSS feed at Animate Projects

Our co-commissioning projects are generally not open submission, and we cannot consider unsolicited proposals

For information about public funding for artists’ moving image and animation, try your Arts Council or Screen Agency


History

Established in 1990, Animate has commissioned over 90 innovative and challenging films by artists. It is the longest running broadcast-linked project ever supported by Arts Council England, and the most consistent commitment ever made by Channel 4 to the independent production of experimental and artist’s work. Selected through an open call for proposals, the commissions are broadcast by Channel 4 and have gained critical and popular success at international festivals and achieved television sales around the world

Animate was conceived by David Curtis, then Artists’ Film and Video Officer at the Arts Council of Great Britain, and Clare Kitson, the Commissioning Editor for Animation at Channel 4, following conversations with producer Keith Griffiths. Initially the Arts Council administered it with an independent production advisor appointed to support the commissioned animators and artists. Dick Arnall was the first Production Advisor, with Maggie Ellis taking over in 1996. In 1999, Camilla Deakin took over as Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor for Arts and Animation

In 2001, Dick’s production company Finetake successfully tendered to manage the project, and, working with Maggie Ellis, Jacqui Davies, Gareth Evans and Philip Ilson, developed its online and exhibition programme. At the same time, the executive producer roles were taken over by Ruth Fielding at Lupus for Channel 4, and Gary Thomas at Arts Council England

In 2006, following an Arts Council commissioned report, Finetake embarked on a review of Animate’s programme and organisation. When Dick died in February 2007, Animate Projects Limited was set up to take on development of the Animate project

Animate Projects is building on and extending the existing commissioning programme, developing new partnerships and collaborations. We aim to: realise the potential of the Animate Archive; exploit the opportunities of digital distribution; develop participatory projects, and foster critical debate.


Dick Arnall

'A marvel and a diamond', (Stuart Hilton)

Dick Arnall, who died in February 2007, was closely involved with Animate from the very beginning - as its independent production advisor, from 1990. He took a break, to return to producing films in his own right, including Jo Ann Kaplan’s Anatomy of Melancholy for Animate, and Robert Bradbrook's multi-award winning Home Road Movies. From 2001, Dick's company Finetake ran the project, taking it in new directions, setting up animateonline and the Animate Artists Award, and developing Animate’s extensive exhibition programme, taking the work to unexpecting audiences in new contexts

More than anything, he'll be remembered as the artists' staunchest champion, supporter, and friend


Links

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MySpace

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