About

KISMIF Conference (2014- ) is an international academic and artist / practitioner event based in Porto (Portugal) and focused on the discussion and sharing of information about underground cultures, DIY practices and related themes. KISMIF focuses on cultural practices that are often pitched against more mainstream, mass-produced and commodified forms of cultural production. Aligned with this is an anti-hegemonic ideology focused around aesthetic and lifestyle politics.

KISMIF is the first and so far, only conference to examine the theory and practice of underground DIY cultures as an increasingly significant form of cultural practice in a global context.

The conference has a multidisciplinary approach, welcoming contributions from the global community of scholars and activists working on all aspects of underground scenes and DIY cultures, and based on various methodologies — quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods analysis. The goal is to discuss not only music but also other artistic fields such as film and video, graffiti and street art, theatre and the performing arts, literature and poetry, radio, programming and editing, graphic design, illustration, cartoon and comic fiction.

The first edition of the the KISMIF Conference was held in 2014 and focused on “Underground Music Scenes and DIY Cultures”. The 2nd edition (2015) was dedicated to the “Crossing Borders of Underground Music Scenes”. The 3rd edition (2016) promoted the discussion around the “DIY Cultures, Spaces and Places“. The 4th edition will be held in 2018 and will be focused on “Gender, differences, identities and DIY cultures“. All KISMIF editions offer also a summer school/ advanced seminar, where participants can deepen discuss/study specific issues around these thematics.

Each KISMIF Conference edition, besides its scientific programme, is constituted by a diverse social and cultural programme, characterised by a series of artistic events, with special focus on underground music and other artistic expressions. The aim is to provide a unique experience in terms of the transglobal DIY cultures.

Reviews on KISMIF Conference

Robinson, L. (2016) – KISMIF: Process not subject – it’s the way that we rhyme. Now That’s What I Call History, 24 July 2016.

Feldman-Barrett, C. (2016) – Keep it Simple, Make it Fast (KISMIF). Crossing Borders of Underground Music Scenes, 13-17 July 2015. Volume !, 13(1), pp. 185-188.

Dines, M., and Gordon, A. (2015) – Keep it Simple, Make it Fast! Crossing Borders of Underground Music Scenes, International Conference, University of Porto, 13–17 July 2015. Punk & Post-Punk, 4(2/3), pp. 185-187.

Žakula, S. (2015) – Међународна летња школа и конференција Keep it simple, make it fast! Crossing borders of underground music scenes. Bulletin of the Institute of Ethnography SASA, 63(3), pp. 651-655.

Naharro, F. G., and Martínez, J. E. P. (2015) – Keep it Simple, Keep it Fast International Conference: Crossing Borders of Underground Music Scenes + Gettin’ Underground Together Summer School. Cuadernos de Historia Moderna y Contemporánea, 37, pp. 305-309.

Team

KISMIF Convenors: Andy Bennett and Paula Guerra.

KISMIF Scientific Committee: Alastair Gordon, Amélia Polónia, Andy Bennett, Augusto Santos Silva, Carles Feixa, Dick Hebdige, George McKay, Gina Arnold, Guilherme Blanc, Heitor Alvelos, João Queirós, José Machado Pais, Júlio Dolbeth, Manuel Loff, Mark Percival, Matthew Worley, Mike Dines, Nick Crossley, Paul Hodkinson, Paula Abreu, Paula Guerra, Pedro Costa, Ross Haenfler, Samantha Bennett and Will Straw.

KISMIF Organising Committee: Alexandra Carvalho, Ana Oliveira, Ana Rocha, Catherine Strong, Celeste Reis, Claire Hodgson, Emília Simão, Esgar Acelerado, Gabriela Gelain, Giacomo Botta, Gil Fesch, Hélder Ferreira, João Queirós, Lisa Nikulinsky, Lucy Robinson, Mary Fogarty, Matt Worley, Paula Abreu, Paula Guerra, Paulo Pintassilgo, Pauwke Berkers, Pedro Costa, Pedro Quintela, Raphaël A. Nowak, Ricardo Salazar, Robin Kuchar, Samantha Bennett, Sérgio Costa Araújo, Susana Januário and Tânia Moreira.

KISMIF Dissemination Committee: Airi-Alina Allaste, André Rottgeri, Asya Draganova, Charity Slobod, Christina Ballico, Cihan Ertan, Dulce Mazer, Evi Sampanikou, Fernán del Val, Gabriela Gelain, Gina Arnold, Hector Fouce, Hernando Cepeda Sánchez, Jonathan Crossley, Katie Rochow, Loïc Riom, Luiza Bittencourt, Mara Persello, Margarita Kuleva, J. Mark Percival, Martin Husák, Patrick Williams, Peter Webb, Piotr Zańko, Rodrigo N. Almeida, Rylan Kafara, Simone Luci Pereira, Simone Tosoni, Sonja Žakula, Victor de Almeida Pires, Voica Puscasiu and Zósimo López.