The document provides guidance for rituals and processes for online artist events, outlining various touchpoints and stages for artists from initial contact through to post-event follow up. It explores opportunities for novelty in online event design through a novelty-driven rather than objective-driven approach. The document includes examples of online platforms and resources that could be utilized at different stages.

1. Rituals for Online
Artist Events
Christy Dena
for (undisclosed client)
8th Sept, 2020
Commissioned illustrations by Marigold Bartlett

2. ”Nothing could be worse than a return to normality.
Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past
and imagine their world anew. This one is no different.
It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next.
We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred,
our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind
us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world.
And ready to fight for it.”
Arundhati Roy, 2020

3. Doing Things Differently
Joel Lehman and Kenneth O. Stanley (2011) “Abandoning Objectives: Evolution through the Search for Novelty Alone,”
Evolutionary Computation Journal, (19): 2, pages 189-223, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

4. Objective-Driven Approach
(you check your design against your objective)

5. Objective-Driven Approach
(you check your design against your objective)
Novelty-Driven Approach
(sought things that have not been done before)

6. Usual:
How to Run
the Actual Event
Event

7. Touchpoints

8. Traversal Design
Opportunities v5
Call to Self
Before the connection with
artist begins in your
project, there is something
within them they feel called
to. What are you called to
in this project?
What is it out there in the
world that meets them?
Meets their interest in
their journey? How do
they find out about your
project? What are the
touch points where you
and them meet?
Journey
Signals
Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?
Evaluation
Your artist may need to
commit in some way, to
actualise their decision
to participate. How and
where can this happen?
Commit
If there is travel to your
event/project, what
could you provide to
guide that experience
and build up to the main
event?
Journey To
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry
During the main work, what
elements can be brought in
to augment & provide or
encourage different ways
of experiencing?
During
If there is travel from the
work, what could you
provide that guides and
assists this journey from?
Journey From
How are you attending
to what your artist
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
they connect & share?
What are you giving
them?
Exit
Build Up
Are there ways the work
can be then applied to
the artists’ life? What
could be ways you
encourage that? How do
you enable self-action &
community-action?
Application
What can
happen during
breaks?
Intervals
Christy Dena
End
You may give your artist
materials or assistance
that allow them to
prepare for, test, or to
sample in a way?
How are you attending
to what your audience
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
you facilitate their
enfoldment with their
lives?

9. Call to Self
Before the connection with
someone (audience,
player…) begins in your
project, there is something
within them they feel called
to. What are you called to
in this project? “It doesn’t matter how powerful the
experience is inside the room if most
people cannot or choose not to enter.”
“The more you start to matter to people,
the more they will desire opportunities to
go deeper into the room of what you
offer. They will come back and ask for
more.”
Simon, Nina (2014) The Art of Relevance, Santa Cruz, CA: Museum 2.0.

10. Call to Self
Before the connection with
someone (audience,
player…) begins in your
project, there is something
within them they feel called
to. What are you called to
in this project?
What are
things that
you have not
done before?

11. What is it out there in the
world that meets their
interest in their journey?
How do they find out
about your project?
What are the discovery
points where you and
them meet?
Journey
Signal

12. What is it out there in the
world that meets their
interest in their journey?
How do they find out
about your project?
What are the discovery
points where you and
them meet?
Journey
Signal What are
things that
you have not
done before?

13. Framing the Journey
https://www.conflicttransformationsummit.org/
https://www.presencing.org/gaia
What is it out there in the
world that meets their
interest in their journey?
How do they find out
about your project?
What are the discovery
points where you and
them meet?
Journey
Signal

14. Evaluation
Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?

15. Evaluation
Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?

16. Evaluation
dotdot.london
What are
things that
you have not
done before?
Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?

17. Evaluation
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/smoking-gun-tickets-106983169540#
What are
things that
you have not
done before?
Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?

18. https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/vcr-fest-art-x-access-is-digital-art-here-to-stay/
Evaluation What are
things that
you have not
done before?
Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?

19. Evaluation
https://guildhouse.org.au/project/revision-christy-dena/
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/christy-dena-rituals-of-online-artist-processes-tickets-119053705839
Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?
What are
things that
you have not
done before?

20. Languages
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gaia-global-activation-of-intention-and-action-tickets-100264501824#
Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?
Evaluation
What are
things that
you have not
done before?

21. Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?
Evaluation What are
things that
you have not
done before?
https://course.bayoakomolafe.net/

22. Your audience/player
may need to commit in
some way, to actualise
their decision to
participate. How and
where can this happen?
Commit

23. Your audience/player
may need to commit in
some way, to actualise
their decision to
participate. How and
where can this happen?
Commit
https://www.humanitix.com/au/
What are
things that
you have
not done
before?

24. Your audience/player
may need to commit in
some way, to actualise
their decision to
participate. How and
where can this happen?
Commit
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=628786
https://www.diversionary.org/product/boystream/
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/this-immersive-globe-a-virtual-
gathering-for-the-global-immersive-industry-tickets-112729488936
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/creating-tv-story-worlds-
timelines-and-episodic-formats-tickets-112858799708

25. https://thecondorandtheeagle.com/
Your audience/player
may need to commit in
some way, to actualise
their decision to
participate. How and
where can this happen?
Commit

26. Build Up
You may give your artist
materials or assistance
that allow them to
prepare for, test, or to
sample in a way?

27. Build Up
Also: “Using Zoom Virtual
meetings If You Are
Visually Impaired”
“Zoom Keyboard
Shortcuts”
What are
things that
you have
not done
before?
You may give your artist
materials or assistance
that allow them to
prepare for, test, or to
sample in a way?

28. Build Up
What are
things that
you have
not done
before?
You may give your artist
materials or assistance
that allow them to
prepare for, test, or to
sample in a way?

29. Perhaps make resources
opt-in. Those that need it
before can have emailed to
them, while the rest can
have them available
during, or after.
Build Up
What are
things that
you have
not done
before?
You may give your artist
materials or assistance
that allow them to
prepare for, test, or to
sample in a way?

30. “The Finnish Theatre Museum has published a guideline (Teatterimuseo,
2015) discussing issues like the possible sensory overload on their
premises. Other institutions allocate specific timeslots to welcome people
on the spectrum. With these measures, the visitors then do not witness
the usually crowded environment of the museum.”
https://melbournefringe.com.au/common-rooms/access-information/
Build Up
Prepare:
+ Your space
+ Headphones,earbuds
+ Lighting
+ ...
What are
things that
you have
not done
before?
You may give your artist
materials or assistance
that allow them to
prepare for, test, or to
sample in a way?

31. Build Up
Prepare self by
“composting your shit”
Cash Ahenakew advises that it is
important to “take responsibility for
composting your own shit— your
insecurities, projections, fragilities,
harmful entitlements, aspirations,
and desires for certainty, innocence,
authority, protagonism, and
validation.” (8)
Cash Ahenakew’s Towards Scarring
our Collective Soul Wound
https://decolonialfutures.net/towardsscarr
ing/
What are
things that
you have
not done
before?
You may give your artist
materials or assistance
that allow them to
prepare for, test, or to
sample in a way?

32. You may give your artist
materials or assistance
that allow them to
prepare for, test, or to
sample in a way?
Build Up
Appointment Tech Check
with Attendee(s)?
What are
things that
you have
not done
before?
“Crip Camp FAQ” https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-
1vT8bTiLrcVRc0rBqUsIu7TEXehLzPahsQ1PxsAdn8rAnh4s4SFzKFCsdDybIAdtagqsSELZJAAVjnKR/pub#h.xet07wk8ibrv

33. You may give your
audience/player
materials that allow
them to prepare for, or
to sample in a way?
Build Up
What are
things that
you have
not done
before?

34. If there is travel to your
event/project, what
could you provide to
guide that experience
and build up to the main
event?
Journey To
What are
things that
you have
not done
before?

35. What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry

36. Early Optional Tech Check
for Attendees?
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry What are
things that
you have
not done
before?
Also: “Artists Thrive - Zoom Tips” https://artiststhrive.org/uploads/attachments/cke1iao1y40wwrxnjc8ygdbbk-zoom-guide.pdf
- How to turn on the captions (if not automatic)
- How to pin the Auslan interpreters, so they remain visible throughout
the whole session
- How audio description will work throughout the session (e.g. speakers
will audio describe presentation materials themselves throughout)

37. Recording Announcement
& Consent
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry
What are
things that
you have not
done before?
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360026909191-Enabling-the-recording-disclaimer

38. Welcome / Acknowledgement of Country
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry
https://www.reconciliation.org.au/resources/
https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/articles/aiatsis-map-indigenous-australia
“General: I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional
Owners of the land on which we meet today. I would also like to
pay my respects to Elders past and present.
Specific: I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional
Owners of the land on which we meet today, the (people) of the
(nation) and pay my respects to Elders past and present.”

39. https://native-land.ca/
Acknowledgement of Countries
What are
things that
you have not
done before?
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry

40. https://native-land.ca/
Acknowledgement of Countries
What are
things that
you have not
done before?
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry

41. https://native-land.ca/
Acknowledgement of Countries
What are
things that
you have not
done before?
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry

42. Acknowledgement of Countries
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry
What are
things that
you have not
done before?
“Welcome to Country” - who is hosting, from a cultural Elder
“Acknowledgement of Country”
- Acknowledgement of the Country of those Organising/Speaking
- Acknowledgement of the Countries of those Present, by Host
- Acknowledgement of the Countries of those Present, by those Present
- Acknowledgement of the Countries of those Not Present
- ...

43. Dedication
Alexis De Veaux, “Writing New Worlds”, Allied Media, 25th July, 2020, https://youtu.be/i27YaBjzYqY
“Invite you to
dedicate your
participation in
this conversation
to someone who
is not in realtime
part of this
conversation that
you know of, who
is part of why you
showed up.”
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry

44. Safe Space/ Code of Conduct
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry
What are
things that
you have not
done before?
https://www.kulttuuriloukko.fi/loukko/loukko-in-
english/

45. Personal Check-in
https://hellosundaymorning.org/daybreak/
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry

46. During the main work, what
elements can be brought in to
augment & provide or
encourage different ways of
experiencing?
During

47. https://cripcamp.com/officialvirtualexperience/
During the main work, what
elements can be brought in to
augment & provide or
encourage different ways of
experiencing?
During

48. During the main work, what
elements can be brought in to
augment & provide or
encourage different ways of
experiencing?
During

49. Audio Description
Audio Description for “Fall of Icarus” by Daniel Savage, Platform Screen, Platform Live,
https://www.platformriverina.com/live (video: https://vimeo.com/433222095)
“A young man, lying on his
back on a stretch of grass,
seen from an aerial
viewpoint as if floating from
a few metres above
looking directly down on
him. His eyes are open,
and he stares upwards
with a fixed gaze. His arms
lying away from his body,
his feet slightly apart. He
wears a black and white
shirt, black jeans…”
During the main work, what
elements can be brought in to
augment & provide or
encourage different ways of
experiencing?
During
“This is Christy
Dena speaking, I
have long brown &
blonde hair…”

50. Rooms For Different Ways Of Experiencing
“#NoBodyIsDisposable Film Series: Sins Invalid An Unshamed Claim to Beauty”, Superfest, 14th August, 2020
Documentary site: https://www.sinsinvalid.org/documentary
During the main work, what
elements can be brought in to
augment & provide or
encourage different ways of
experiencing?
During

51. During - Private Participation
Some people are not comfortable with sharing
Some are not able to (not a safe environment)
Some cannot share (cannot access chat easily, etc)
You can have prompts that encourage private participation without sharing
Share easy to answer, non-vulnerable/non-revealing stuff. (eg: Writer in
Residence - what was your choice?)
(eg: Crip Camp Fireside Journaling not necessarily recognised by presenter in
zoom; Crip Camp After Party - “a space to gather and discuss the content”)
During the main work, what
elements can be brought in to
augment & provide or
encourage different ways of
experiencing?
During

52. During the main work, what
elements can be brought in to
augment & provide or
encourage different ways of
experiencing?
During
What can
happen during
breaks?
Intervals

53. END
How are you attending
to what your audience
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
you facilitate their
enfoldment with their
lives?
End

54. END
Q&A from original production
provided for new online
(asynchronous) screening
https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/community/content-hub/together-with-you/videos/jack-charles-v-the-crown
How are you attending
to what your audience
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
you facilitate their
enfoldment with their
lives?
End
Q&A

55. Post Talk: Entertainment
How are you attending
to what your audience
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
you facilitate their
enfoldment with their
lives?
End

56. Pay the Rent
https://paytherent.net.au/
https://overland.org.au/2020/06/being-a-caretaker-a-response-to-jk-rowling/
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/new-rules-for-modelling-
tickets-110124308772
How are you attending
to what your audience
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
you facilitate their
enfoldment with their
lives?
End

57. How are you attending
to what your artists
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
they connect & share?
What are you giving
them?
Exit

58. How are you attending
to what your artists
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
they connect & share?
What are you giving
them?
Exit
Hamilton, Mary (2014) Froth, metamedia, http://maryhamilton.co.uk/tag/froth/, 23rd Feb.

59. https://peopleshub.org/project/crip-camp-after-party/
How are you attending
to what your artists
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
they connect & share?
What are you giving
them?
Exit

60. If there is travel from the
work, what could you
provide that guides and
assists this journey from?
Journey From

61. Are there ways the work
can be then applied to
the artists’ life? What
could be ways you
encourage that? How do
you enable self-action &
community-action?
Application

62. Are there ways the work
can be then applied to
the artists’ life? What
could be ways you
encourage that? How do
you enable self-action &
community-action?
Application

63. Are there ways the work
can be then applied to
the artists’ life? What
could be ways you
encourage that? How do
you enable self-action &
community-action?
Application

64. Traversal Design
Opportunities v5
Call to Self
Before the connection with
artist begins in your
project, there is something
within them they feel called
to. What are you called to
in this project?
What is it out there in the
world that meets them?
Meets their interest in
their journey? How do
they find out about your
project? What are the
touch points where you
and them meet?
Journey
Signals
Your artists need
information to help them
consider if this is right
for them at this point in
time. What could help
with that process?
Evaluation
Your artist may need to
commit in some way, to
actualise their decision
to participate. How and
where can this happen?
Commit
If there is travel to your
event/project, what
could you provide to
guide that experience
and build up to the main
event?
Journey To
What frames the
experience? How is the
artist brought into the
experience? Tutorial?
Onboarding?
Entry
During the main work, what
elements can be brought in
to augment & provide or
encourage different ways
of experiencing?
During
If there is travel from the
work, what could you
provide that guides and
assists this journey from?
Journey From
How are you attending
to what your artist
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
they connect & share?
What are you giving
them?
Exit
Build Up
Are there ways the work
can be then applied to
the artists’ life? What
could be ways you
encourage that? How do
you enable self-action &
community-action?
Application
What can
happen during
breaks?
Intervals
Christy Dena
End
You may give your artist
materials or assistance
that allow them to
prepare for, test, or to
sample in a way?
How are you attending
to what your audience
needs to think, feel, do
at this time? How can
you facilitate their
enfoldment with their
lives?