Manifesto

Operation How, Now, Wow
A Festival of Dissent

1. An artist/activist initiative responding, engaging and challenging the
notion of the "war on terror" and the ongoing attacks on civil liberties
in the name of security.

2. Recognizing that culture cannot be separated from the political, this
festival brings together individuals who work within the cultural field to
organize events, works, activities that deal with the pressing questions
of this moment.

3. The now is the horizon of this festival i.e. operation, as in the
battle field, timing is an essential part of the equation, as in response
time. The fields we choose our battles to be in, are among others, social
and cultural.

4. We perceive shifts.  Shifts in the legal terrain, on the "fourth front"
of news, shifts in democracy, in resistance, shifts in our abilities to
organize, link together and consider, debate, dissent.  Are we able to
face the challenges ahead? How?

What is operation how?

1. Examples range from creative protests, to public art works,  online
projects and interventions,  screenings, discussions and panels.

2. How to manifest our dissent in the city, in the country. cities,
countries, how to make it visible to the public.  But more, how to
challenge, control, shape what is visible, audible, discernible as
alternatives to war and empire.

3. More than just the extension of the protests we experienced on the
streets of cities across the world, we are interested in opening up to the
many possibilities that the internet has opened up for creative acts of
resistance, for exchange, and contestation.

4. If the protests have been manifestations of successful resistance, how
can we create perspectives for real change in the future.

What is operation wow?

1. operation wow relates to both operations now and how. We do not project
our lives into a distant future in which we will be happier and the world
will be better.

2. The wow reveals the playfulness in our actions. Responsible
playfulness. We are aware that change does not happen overnight and that
our actions and struggles are the key to our happiness.

3. Our pleasure is based on effect. A happiness of the we over the I. One
we, two we(s), three and more we(s). a we effecting another we.

4. despite our suspicions of the we, we still say we. We still say we are
determined not to sleep.