Digital Sparks

DS MATRIX
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Matrix Interface. Selection of Digital Sparks Award Winners: Nora Krug How to Bow, Julius Popp: Bit Fall, Jana Linke Click and Glue, Markus Kison: Roermond Ecke Schönhauser, Martin Frey: Cabboots, Ralf Baecker: Rechnender Raum
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DS Trailor08
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Digital Sparks Map
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DIGITAL SPARKS : STUDENT CONTEST 2001 - 2008

The "Digital Sparks Matrix" is an interface for browsing all of the projects submitted to the " Digital Sparks" student competitions between 2001 and 2008 funded by the German Ministry for Research and Education BMBF.

The web based DVD of the "Digital Sparks" image matrix serves as an information and research tool for students and teachers. The DVD contains videos and brief information on the authors, colleges, supervising college teachers, the title of the work, plus keywords relating to the project. Linked to the Internet platform netzspannung.org the user receives detailed information on the contents, technology and context of the projects.

”Digital Sparks” is a competition for students and graduates of all disciplines whose work is linked to media art, media design, media IT and media communication. The objective is to find interactive, experimental and theoretical work which demonstrates an innovative approach to digital culture technologies.
The aim of the competition is to foster a new media-cultural generation and give an insight into research and teaching in media-cultural education in German-speaking higher education institutions.
Particular Characteristics
”digital sparks” is different from other competitions because higher education lecturers act as mentors commenting on their students entries within the context of their teaching. This presentation and the project descriptions show how lecturers and their students thematicise, research and reflect design and concepts in their work.
All entries are › published on netzspannung.org. This provides an audience for the work of students and their lecturers in the media environment and makes it available to interested parties from the fields of culture, education, business and science for purposes of viewing and › searching. The nominated projects including review-commentaries are documented in annual booklets for download
Prizes
In the context of the ”digital sparks” award the MARS-Exploratory Media Lab offers production grants of 2.500 Euro each for the best students. The winners are selected by an independent panel of judges, and are given the opportunity to present their work in front of an international audience of specialists.
Production Grants
The concept of the digital sparks competition is to support selected and awarded projects through production grants. The works content is based on close cooperation of the grant holder with the » MARS-Exploratory Media Lab. The Lab supports the award-winners with expertise, knowledge and contacts and enables them to further their work and to develop new projects. The works developed in 2002 have already been presented on media art festivals and conferences and have even won awards.
http://netzspannung.org/digital-sparks/production-grants/?lang=en