Submit your story

Submissions open ongoing

  • We're looking for people to contribute soundbites to a public art project that illuminates the impact of disinformation and fake news on our society. You can tell your story however you like, from the playful to the somber; we want to hear it all.

    What is Illuminated Lies?

    Illuminated Lies is a free immersive public art installation developed by Medea, a creative production collective, in collaboration with the public.

    The project, which will debut at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024, will combine projection, story soundbites from your contributions, and interactive performances to create an audio-visual experience.

    Why?
    Disinformation and misinformation are some of today's biggest challenges, with far-reaching effects that impact policy, public opinion, and the human experience.

    We believe that listening to each other's stories unlocks empathy, understanding and new perspectives, helping us become more discerning about the information we consume and the decisions we make.

    Through understanding the consequences of sharing disinformation, we can examine the impact of our daily choices and actions.

    Together we become illuminated.

  • We’re seeking audio contributions from individuals who have been profoundly affected by disinformation, fake news, or misinformed beliefs.

    We want to showcase a spectrum of stories—from the lighthearted and personal to the hard-hitting and expansive—to demonstrate the reverberating impact of the lies that we live with.

    You can use these questions as a jumping-off point:

    Have the misinformed beliefs of others impacted your life?

    How has disinformation shaped your opinions?

    Have you experienced an opinion presented as a fact that you have later discovered is untrue?

    Have you fallen for Fake News and had to pay the price later?

    What consequences have you experienced due to misinformed news stories you have been exposed to?

    Have your core beliefs changed after discovering disinformation?

    How did you react when you learned that you had fallen for disinformation?

    Have differing interpretations of information affected your relationships with friends or family?

    Have you witnessed the impact of disinformation on your community?

    Can you remember a moment where the interpretation of truth played a factor?

    You can share your story, experience, anecdote, observation, or memory via the submission form.

    You can share your story however you like, but for this project, we’re specifically looking for audio files to build up our immersive soundscape.

Dates

The submission are welcome continuously

Medea will review these at regular times within the year.

Key information

Send your story as an audio file. While we accept all story formats, we’re specifically looking for story soundbites for this project. You can submit audio artwork or simply a voice note.

Open to All. We welcome contributions from all, regardless of location. Still, we're particularly interested in hearing from people who live in the UK and Edinburgh.

Truth Matters. Your story must be based on true events.

Privacy Considerations. Please substitute names where privacy is a concern.

Everyone's a Storyteller. You don't need to be a professional in any creative field to participate—your personal experience is what counts.

Duration. Please keep your submission to under seven minutes (approximately 900 words).

Rights and Permissions. You must own the copyright to your submission and have the right to grant us permission to use it.

Ownership Stays Yours. You retain the intellectual property rights to your story.

No Cost to Participate. There is no fee to share your story, and we do not pay for submissions.

Selection Panel

Liana Patarkatsishvili 
Founder of Medea Liana studied Public Relations and Journalism at the  diplomatic school MGIMO in Moscow and received a Masters in Public Relations. She developed a program of TV pilots as part of a youth development program in her early career and subsequently worked in publishing and advertising. She served as CEO of IMEDI, an independent TV news station in Georgia. Liana eventually ventured to the arts to express themes of freedom of speech and the fight against the propaganda machine as a response to the manipulation of information she witnessed throughout her life. 

Aoife van Linden Tol
Creative Researcher and Producer at Medea, Aoife is an award-wInning artist, theatre producer, and researcher. Her work pushes the boundaries of technique, concept, and creativity across disciplines. Her artwork uses explosives and deals with themes of deep human emotion. She was Artist-in-Residence at the European Space Agency, and her artwork Copper Cosmos flew on the International Space Station. She has spent over 15 years creating immersive experiences, including art installations, theatre, and marketing.