"The Recycling Bins" is a new nonlinear story from Edward Picot, exploring the theme of small-town attitudes towards the environment, and including one song. It's now available at http://edwardpicot.com/binsindex.html for 25c via the BitPass micropayments system. (If you've never used BitPass, it only takes a few clicks, and they offer a wealth of interesting material such as online comics and music: see http://www.bitpass.com/ .)
Also new from Edward Picot: "The Bonfire", a prose poem with pictures; "Penguin Memories", a short piece for children with pictures and audio; "Sweetheart's Expedition", a short story with pictures, also for children; and a completely reorganised and updated links section, with links to many other exciting works of digital literature or new media. Please visit and browse at http://edwardpicot.com .
Please also visit and browse my other site, The Hyperliterature Exchange, which reviews and lists digital literature for sale: it's at http://hyperex.co.uk .
Happy New Year!
aside from the discussion about voluntary work
as i see it, its not about making pretty pictures for them so they can
showcase their technologies- they are offering us the opportunity to
get in there and create ethical discussion about what's happening with
these technologies by creating objects to begin discussion and
criticism.
i question the type of information that may one day be overlaid ( ar)
on my real world--do i want/needit and how can i create an alternative
one to the one that is imagined for me? and which one is being imagined
?
its an opportunity delve into areas of science that scientists no
longer have time to explore--but this is not about science benefiting
from the higher profile that art can give --its more about engaging
with science while questioning it and its manipulation of reality
--mediated reality.
its much deeper than just presenting awesome objects, its a wonderful
chance to seriously question" wonderful".
happy christmas
raewyn
On Wednesday, December 22, 2004, at 06:47 PM,
ada_list-request(a)list.waikato.ac.nz wrote:
> Send Ada_list mailing list submissions to
> ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz
>
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>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of Ada_list digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: HIT Lab artist fellowships launched (Jacquie Clarke)
> 2. Re: HIT Lab artist fellowships launched (Helen Varley Jamieson)
> 3. Re: HIT Lab artist fellowships launched (adam)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 14:54:50 +1300
> From: Jacquie Clarke <editor(a)thebigidea.co.nz>
> Subject: Re: [Ada_list] HIT Lab artist fellowships launched
> To: Aotearoa Digital Arts <ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz>
> Message-ID: <7753BB1E-53BC-11D9-A7DF-000A95C870C2(a)thebigidea.co.nz>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Received this letter from Eric Wood of HITLabNZ yesterday for your
> interest. I found it difficult to work out what was on offer so have
> not acted on it as yet. Am happy to forward through the attachment to
> anyone interested.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jacquie
>
>
>
> Hi .
>
> As you may know, the HITLabNZ is working with the Converge conference
> (planned for May 2005 in Christchurch) to support a series of artist
> fellowships. The goal is to develop collaborations with about 5
> artists, give them access to Human Interface Technology, and support
> them in the creation of new forms of art. See the attached flyer for
> details.
>
> I was talking to Deidre Brown recently about a this, and she mentioned
> that you might be able to help us by reccomending artists that would be
> ideal for the fellowships.
>
> The flyer attached is both an early announcement and an invitation to
> artists. There are three types of fellowships being offered - Full,
> Content and Unit Fellowships. Because this is an initial, small trial,
> we are keeping the invitations for applications for Full and Content
> Fellows somewhat limited (not publically advertising etc), but are
> making the Unit Fellowships available to all.
>
> Please give this announcement to any artists you would deem as
> appropriate as Full or Content Fellows. We are looking for applicants
> that are interested in or practicing with new technologies, who are
> good communicators and who work well in a collaborative environment.
> Applicants need not be technically proficient, but is important they
> are keen to learn and ready to explore new applications for technology
> in the arts. We do not indend to distribute this
> announcement/invitation too the general public, but will create a
> followup announcement of the Unit Fellowships for the general public.
> Please bear in mind that the deadline for applications is December 10,
> so that we can contact the successful applicants at the end of December
> and hold the first workshop at the start of January.
>
> Many thanks. Please contact me if you have any feedback or questions. I
> will endeavour to call you in the next day or two.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Eric
>
>
> Jacquie Clarke
> Editor
> www.thebigidea.co.nz
>
> On 22/12/2004, at 2:29 PM, Helen Varley Jamieson wrote:
>
>> the original deadline was 10 december, but on that day i heard from
>> them that they were extending it to the following wednesday, the 16th.
>> it looks like they still haven't got the kind of applicants that they
>> are after so they are still looking.
>>
>> it's a little misleading that they are calling it fellowships, as they
>> are only offering is travel & accommodation costs, there is no fee for
>> the artists. however you do retain ownership of the work that you
>> produce, so you can sell/exhibit it in the future as your own work.
>>
>> from what i understand, they are specifically looking for people to
>> work with the technologies developed by HITLab (there is information
>> about these on their web site).
>>
>> h : )
>>
>>> hi,
>>>
>>> I thought this had closed? when is the deadline Danielle?
>>>
>>> adam
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> HIT Lab artist fellowships launched
>>>> 20 December 2004
>>>> HIT Lab NZ
>>>>
>>>> Media Release
>>>>
>>>> 20 December 2004
>>>>
>>>> HIT Lab artist fellowships launched
>>>>
>>>> The HIT Lab NZ at the University of Canterbury has launched a
>>>> series of
>>>> artist fellowships to be offered in conjunction with Converge05 .
>>>>
>>>> Converge 05 (www.converge.co.nz) is an innovative new conference
>>>> planned to celebrate the creative explosion that occurs at the
>>>> convergence of art, technology and business. Over 500 of New
>>>> Zealand's
>>>> most creative people will attend the conference in Christchurch
>>>> from
>>>> May 28 to June 3.
>>>>
>>>> In conjunction with the conference, the HIT Lab NZ is offering
>>>> artist
>>>> fellowships that will allow artists to have access to HIT Lab NZ
>>>> technology, staff and students to create new interactive works for
>>>> display at Converge05. These new works should capture the theme of
>>>> convergence in some way.
>>>>
>>>> Selected potential applicants for the Full Fellowships and Content
>>>> Fellowships are being approached. However, Unit Fellowships are
>>>> open to
>>>> any applicant.
>>>>
>>>> Unit Fellows will be able to contribute virtual, 3D works that can
>>>> be
>>>> exhibited within an Augmented Reality book and in an online
>>>> gallery.
>>>> Tutorials and 3D software will be made available to any interested
>>>> parties and up to 30 works will be exhibited..
>>>>
>>>> Both Full and Content Fellows will be provided with travel and
>>>> accommodation funding that will allow them to work alongside HIT
>>>> Lab NZ
>>>> staff and students to make their creative vision a reality. All
>>>> Fellows
>>>> will also be able to attend a series of workshops over five months
>>>> (January to May 2005) that will expose them to HIT Lab NZ
>>>> technology
>>>> and explore how this technology can be used to create compelling
>>>> art.
>>>> The workshops will be as open as possible and the resources will be
>>>> made available to anyone unable to attend in person.
>>>>
>>>> The HIT Lab NZ (www.hitlabnz.org) is a leading research centre in
>>>> innovative human computer interfaces. Many of the technologies
>>>> being
>>>> developed by the HIT Lab NZ are ideal for use in interactive art
>>>> pieces. This includes technologies such as large touch screens,
>>>> computer vision based people tracking, stereo projection and
>>>> augmented
>>>> and virtual reality.
>>>>
>>>> The new art pieces created will be shown at the Converge05
>>>> conference
>>>> where the artists will have the opportunity to talk about their
>>>> work in
>>>> front of the leading artists, scientists and business people.
>>>>
>>>> Interested artists should send their portfolio/resume and a one to
>>>> two
>>>> page description of potential concepts for an interactive art piece
>>>> on
>>>> the theme of convergence. Examples of existing technological media
>>>> can
>>>> be found at www.hitlabnz.org/index.php?page=projects and
>>>> www.mindspacesolutions.com/imaginality
>>>>
>>>> ENDS
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Ada_list mailing list
>>>> Ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz
>>>> http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/ada_list
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Adam Hyde
>>> ~/.nz
>>>
>>> r a d i o q u a l i a
>>> http://www.radioqualia.net
>>> Free as in 'media'
>>>
>>> contact:
>>> email : adam(a)xs4all.nl
>>> phone : +64 21 1746 741 (new zealand mobile)
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Ada_list mailing list
>>> Ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz
>>> http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/ada_list
>>
>>
>> --
>> ____________________________________________________________
>>
>> helen varley jamieson: creative catalyst
>> helen(a)creative-catalyst.com
>> http://www.creative-catalyst.com
>> http://www.avatarbodycollision.org
>> http://www.writerfind.com/hjamieson.htm
>> ____________________________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ada_list mailing list
>> Ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz
>> http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/ada_list
>>
>
Kia ora koutou, Talofa lava, Hi everyone
Please pass this on to friends and colleagues who may be interested in this opportunity. See body text below/
Meri kirihimete me nga mihi mo te tau hou,
Danielle
Danielle Tolson
Assistant Arts Adviser
Creative NZ
PO Box 3806
WELLINGTON
ddi: 64 4 473-0184
Attention:
Creative New Zealand staff are pleased to offer information and advice to prospective applicants. However actual funding proposals are the sole responsibility of the applicant. Information provided by staff should not be interpreted as a guarantee of success.
This e-mail and its attachments are confidential and may be legally privileged. Please contact the sender before publishing or quoting information contained in this correspondence.
Tihei Mauri ora
Kaingakau ngä kaimahi ö Toi Aotearoa ki te arahi, ki te manaaki, ki te whakahoki i ngä patai a ngä kaitono pütea. Heoi, kei ngä kaitono te kawenga a ö rätou tono. Ko ngä täkoha körero kua hoatu e ngä Kaiwhakamaherehere Toi ki ngä kaitono kaua e pöhehe ka toa töu tono.
He take muna tënei imeera me ana körero täpiri a ka whai mana hoki. Whakapä atu ki te kaitono i mua i tou tä, to whakahuatia körero mai i tënei tuhinga.
HIT Lab artist fellowships launched
20 December 2004
HIT Lab NZ
Media Release
20 December 2004
HIT Lab artist fellowships launched
The HIT Lab NZ at the University of Canterbury has launched a series of
artist fellowships to be offered in conjunction with Converge05 .
Converge 05 (www.converge.co.nz) is an innovative new conference
planned to celebrate the creative explosion that occurs at the
convergence of art, technology and business. Over 500 of New Zealand's
most creative people will attend the conference in Christchurch from
May 28 to June 3.
In conjunction with the conference, the HIT Lab NZ is offering artist
fellowships that will allow artists to have access to HIT Lab NZ
technology, staff and students to create new interactive works for
display at Converge05. These new works should capture the theme of
convergence in some way.
Selected potential applicants for the Full Fellowships and Content
Fellowships are being approached. However, Unit Fellowships are open to
any applicant.
Unit Fellows will be able to contribute virtual, 3D works that can be
exhibited within an Augmented Reality book and in an online gallery.
Tutorials and 3D software will be made available to any interested
parties and up to 30 works will be exhibited..
Both Full and Content Fellows will be provided with travel and
accommodation funding that will allow them to work alongside HIT Lab NZ
staff and students to make their creative vision a reality. All Fellows
will also be able to attend a series of workshops over five months
(January to May 2005) that will expose them to HIT Lab NZ technology
and explore how this technology can be used to create compelling art.
The workshops will be as open as possible and the resources will be
made available to anyone unable to attend in person.
The HIT Lab NZ (www.hitlabnz.org) is a leading research centre in
innovative human computer interfaces. Many of the technologies being
developed by the HIT Lab NZ are ideal for use in interactive art
pieces. This includes technologies such as large touch screens,
computer vision based people tracking, stereo projection and augmented
and virtual reality.
The new art pieces created will be shown at the Converge05 conference
where the artists will have the opportunity to talk about their work in
front of the leading artists, scientists and business people.
Interested artists should send their portfolio/resume and a one to two
page description of potential concepts for an interactive art piece on
the theme of convergence. Examples of existing technological media can
be found at www.hitlabnz.org/index.php?page=projects and
www.mindspacesolutions.com/imaginality
ENDS
Dear All
Location One is a New York (Soho) based organisation dedicated to projects that involve the convergence of visual, performing and digital arts. Their programme includes residencies, exhibitions, performances and forums/symposia and support a range of levels of experience using new media/digital arts from complete novice through to seasoned or veteran users.
The Director of the international residency programme, Nathalie Anglès, has just sent me updated information about the programme and expressed her interest in receiving proposals from New Zealand artists. I have attached the information that she sent through, but you may also want to look at their very good website and the address is http://www.location1.org.
Best wishes
Elizabeth Caldwell
-----------------------------------------------------
Elizabeth Caldwell
Arts Adviser, Visual Arts & Craft/Object Art
Arts Services, Creative NZ Toi Aotearoa
P O Box 3806, 131-135 Lambton Quay
Wellington, New Zealand
Ph: DDI +64 4 498 0737
elizabethc(a)creativenz.govt.nz
www.creativenz.govt.nz
<<mission>> <<Sponsors for Location One.doc>> <<IRP fact sheet.doc>> <<ATT1690137.txt>>
Kia ora koutou, Talofa lava, Hi everyone
The Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Award is an award scheme for young artists and craftspeople, sponsored by the Commonwealth Foundation. Every two years, up to ten awards are made to craftspeople and artists, aged between 20 and 35, who show promise and initiative in their own country but who have had little opportunity of working in another country.
The award, which will range between £3000 and £6000 (depending on the country being visited and the length of the visit), is intended to help winning artists explore their art in another Commonwealth country by working alongside other artists or within another arts institution for a period of between three and six months. Normally the payment covers airfares, fees, living expenses and the cost of mounting an exhibition.
Closing date: 31 March 2005
Further information can be found at: www.commonwealthfoundation.com <http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/>
Mere kirihimete me nga mihi mo te tau hou,
Danielle
Danielle Tolson
Assistant Arts Adviser
Creative NZ
PO Box 3806
WELLINGTON
ddi: 64 4 473-0184
Attention:
Creative New Zealand staff are pleased to offer information and advice to prospective applicants. However actual funding proposals are the sole responsibility of the applicant. Information provided by staff should not be interpreted as a guarantee of success.
This e-mail and its attachments are confidential and may be legally privileged. Please contact the sender before publishing or quoting information contained in this correspondence.
Tihei Mauri ora
Kaingakau ngä kaimahi ö Toi Aotearoa ki te arahi, ki te manaaki, ki te whakahoki i ngä patai a ngä kaitono pütea. Heoi, kei ngä kaitono te kawenga a ö rätou tono. Ko ngä täkoha körero kua hoatu e ngä Kaiwhakamaherehere Toi ki ngä kaitono kaua e pöhehe ka toa töu tono.
He take muna tënei imeera me ana körero täpiri a ka whai mana hoki. Whakapä atu ki te kaitono i mua i tou tä, to whakahuatia körero mai i tënei tuhinga.
Dunno
I've just flicked thru their website and I can't find it... the dates in the message about workshops do sound a bit wonky, but they only sent us this press release on Monday so it should still be relevant
d
-----Original Message-----
From: adam [mailto:adam@xs4all.nl]
Sent: Wednesday, 22 December 2004 1:12 p.m.
To: Aotearoa Digital Arts
Subject: Re: [Ada_list] HIT Lab artist fellowships launched
hi,
I thought this had closed? when is the deadline Danielle?
adam
On Wed, 22 Dec 2004, Danielle Tolson wrote:
> Kia ora koutou, Talofa lava, Hi everyone
>
> Please pass this on to friends and colleagues who may be interested in this opportunity. See body text below/
>
> Meri kirihimete me nga mihi mo te tau hou,
> Danielle
>
>
> Danielle Tolson
> Assistant Arts Adviser
> Creative NZ
> PO Box 3806
> WELLINGTON
> ddi: 64 4 473-0184
>
> Attention:
> Creative New Zealand staff are pleased to offer information and advice to prospective applicants. However actual funding proposals are the sole responsibility of the applicant. Information provided by staff should not be interpreted as a guarantee of success.
> This e-mail and its attachments are confidential and may be legally privileged. Please contact the sender before publishing or quoting information contained in this correspondence.
>
> Tihei Mauri ora
> Kaingakau ngä kaimahi ö Toi Aotearoa ki te arahi, ki te manaaki, ki te whakahoki i ngä patai a ngä kaitono pütea. Heoi, kei ngä kaitono te kawenga a ö rätou tono. Ko ngä täkoha körero kua hoatu e ngä Kaiwhakamaherehere Toi ki ngä kaitono kaua e pöhehe ka toa töu tono.
> He take muna tënei imeera me ana körero täpiri a ka whai mana hoki. Whakapä atu ki te kaitono i mua i tou tä, to whakahuatia körero mai i tënei tuhinga.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> HIT Lab artist fellowships launched
> 20 December 2004
> HIT Lab NZ
>
> Media Release
>
> 20 December 2004
>
> HIT Lab artist fellowships launched
>
> The HIT Lab NZ at the University of Canterbury has launched a series of
> artist fellowships to be offered in conjunction with Converge05 .
>
> Converge 05 (www.converge.co.nz) is an innovative new conference
> planned to celebrate the creative explosion that occurs at the
> convergence of art, technology and business. Over 500 of New Zealand's
> most creative people will attend the conference in Christchurch from
> May 28 to June 3.
>
> In conjunction with the conference, the HIT Lab NZ is offering artist
> fellowships that will allow artists to have access to HIT Lab NZ
> technology, staff and students to create new interactive works for
> display at Converge05. These new works should capture the theme of
> convergence in some way.
>
> Selected potential applicants for the Full Fellowships and Content
> Fellowships are being approached. However, Unit Fellowships are open to
> any applicant.
>
> Unit Fellows will be able to contribute virtual, 3D works that can be
> exhibited within an Augmented Reality book and in an online gallery.
> Tutorials and 3D software will be made available to any interested
> parties and up to 30 works will be exhibited..
>
> Both Full and Content Fellows will be provided with travel and
> accommodation funding that will allow them to work alongside HIT Lab NZ
> staff and students to make their creative vision a reality. All Fellows
> will also be able to attend a series of workshops over five months
> (January to May 2005) that will expose them to HIT Lab NZ technology
> and explore how this technology can be used to create compelling art.
> The workshops will be as open as possible and the resources will be
> made available to anyone unable to attend in person.
>
> The HIT Lab NZ (www.hitlabnz.org) is a leading research centre in
> innovative human computer interfaces. Many of the technologies being
> developed by the HIT Lab NZ are ideal for use in interactive art
> pieces. This includes technologies such as large touch screens,
> computer vision based people tracking, stereo projection and augmented
> and virtual reality.
>
> The new art pieces created will be shown at the Converge05 conference
> where the artists will have the opportunity to talk about their work in
> front of the leading artists, scientists and business people.
>
> Interested artists should send their portfolio/resume and a one to two
> page description of potential concepts for an interactive art piece on
> the theme of convergence. Examples of existing technological media can
> be found at www.hitlabnz.org/index.php?page=projects and
> www.mindspacesolutions.com/imaginality
>
> ENDS
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ada_list mailing list
> Ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz
> http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/ada_list
>
>
Adam Hyde
~/.nz
r a d i o q u a l i a
http://www.radioqualia.net
Free as in 'media'
contact:
email : adam(a)xs4all.nl
phone : +64 21 1746 741 (new zealand mobile)
_______________________________________________
Ada_list mailing list
Ada_list(a)list.waikato.ac.nz
http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/ada_list
Some good essays and coverage in this issue...
x.d
------ Forwarded Message
From: Charity Bramwell <charity(a)experimenta.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 14:06:36 +1000
To: <fibreculture-announce(a)lists.myspinach.org>
Subject: ::fc-announce:: EXPERIMENTA MESH ISSUE #17: MEDIA ART IN THE ASIA
PACIFIC - online journal
EXPERIMENTA MESH ISSUE #17: MEDIA ART IN THE ASIA PACIFIC
Media Art Journal Launch
16 December 2004, 6pm onward
Linden Contemporary Art Spaces garden, 26 Acland Street, St Kilda,
Melbourne.
Available online from 17 December 2004 www.experimenta.org
Experimenta and Contemporary Visual Art and Culture Broadsheet, published by
the Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia, are delighted to announce
the combined launch of Experimenta¹s annual journal MESH and the final issue
of Broadsheet for 2004.
Experimenta¹s online journal, MESH explores critical issues and theoretical
frameworks for new media arts.
New Media Art¹ has become increasingly visible as a definitive field of
contemporary art practice, with dedicated festivals, conferences,
publications and networks springing up around the globe.
This issue of MESH examines current trends and possible futures of new media
art practice across a range of specific contexts in the Asia Pacific region.
What does New Media Art¹ mean where you live? How are new media arts
modifying contemporary art practice, particularly in local contexts? How
does new media arts practice address issues of cultural specificity,
translatability, collaboration and exchange?
Six key-note essays give overviews of the field from six key regional
centres. The remainder of the issue is dedicated to profiling selected
artists and media collectives.
For students, educators and those interested in the burgeoning field of New
Media Arts, MESH#17 makes an invaluable resource on current trends and
practice across Australia and beyond.
For more information, contact:
Charity Bramwell, Communications & Project Coordinator, Experimenta
26 Acland Street, PO Box 1102, St Kilda, VIC 3182, Australia
T: 03 9525 5025
E: charity(a)experimenta.org
W: www.experimenta.org
____________________________________________________________
Charity Bramwell | Communications & Project Coordinator | EXPERIMENTA
PO Box 1102
St Kilda South Vic 3182
P + 61 3 9525 5025
F + 61 3 9525 5105
E charity(a)experimenta.org
W www.experimenta.org
Experimenta - where creativity and technology meet.
Visit www.experimenta.org and subscribe to our free fortnightly e-bulletin
for the latest giveaways, opportunities for new media artists and
Experimenta news.
Experimenta gratefully acknowledges the support of the Australian Film
Commission, Film Victoria, the Australia Council and Arts Victoria.
_______________________________________________
::fibreculture::announcements::
To subscribe, please visit
http://lists.myspinach.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fibreculture-announce
and enter your e-mail address.
to unsubscribe from ::fc-announce::, send an email to:
fibreculture-announce-unsubscribe(a)lists.myspinach.org
http://www.fibreculture.org
------ End of Forwarded Message
hi
i am in the embarassing position of organising a meet up in .ak but now it
seems i won't be there....
opps!
there were only 2 or 3 ppl that could make it because of the proximity to
xmas...shall we postpone till after the new year?
adam
apologies for cross-posting
Received a few days ago and circulated with permission, the following seems to me to pick up very significant arguments for us in Aotearoa New Zealand: the comparisopn with Scotland is in some ways more persuasive than the comparisons with Finland and Ireland that are regularly evoked by ministers: two big cities, one commercial one political; a large rural hinterland; a long struggle to secure a 21st century economic base; a remembered history of land seizures; and a forgotten history of working class mobilisation . . .
sean
+++++++++++++
Beyond Social Inclusion
Towards Cultural Democracy
Scotland: Cultural Policy Collective, 2004
www.culturaldemocracy.net
Cultural democracy refers to a set of political arguments addressing inequalities in cultural provision and challenging the destructive influence of the marketplace. Although never aligned to a particular party, it has informed grassroots arts projects and radical approaches to cultural policy. By contrast, present government initiatives are premised on the top-down ‘democratisation’ of culture, a process aimed at engaging members of ‘excluded’ groups in historically privileged cultural arenas. Such a policy neither reforms the existing institutional framework of culture, nor reverses a process of damaging privatisation. Instead, it attempts to make the arts more accessible in order to adapt its target audiences to an increasingly deregulated labour market. Against this questionable form of democratisation, our arguments for cultural democracy emphasise people’s rights to public space and the public sector as domains of democratic expression. They challenge the dominance of both the market and the state in defining the existing avenues of cultural development.
Under the impact of globalisation, governments have identified cultural industries as sources of urban regeneration and cultural activity as an instrument of social change. But these policies are underpinned by neoliberal politics, promoting economic ‘flexibility’ and greater insecurity. Rather than confront growing inequality and social fragmentation, politicians focus instead on small-scale projects that demonstrate forms of ‘inclusion’ or ‘diversity’. These may appear to be democratic, but, we argue, they are market-led and tokenistic. For cultural policy under New Labour, various forms of co-option are the order of the day. Alternatively, we prioritise sites within the public sector as arenas for the development of democratic cultural expression. We discuss the reinvigoration of public service broadcasting in the form of a democratic television network. We emphasise the potential of an expanded network of public libraries as multi-use cultural centres, reversing the concentration of arts venues in urban areas. And we challenge the discourse of ‘cultural diversity’, arguing instead for a concentration on the histories and experience of immigration as the best means of opposing racism.
Cultural democracy emphasises the importance of reflective knowledge and meaningful communication for a healthy polity. Universal cultural provision is a right and is crucial to any process of democratic change.
theres an interesting review of Ars Electtronica in latest issue of
Contemporary Magazine
".....this year's many exhibitions made it clear that digital art has
turned a corner. The best works consciously distanced themselves from
the whizz-bang obsession with technology itself, moving towards a
more contemplative vision, where technology served as an invisible
vehicle for pure aesthetic experience."
http://www.contemporary-magazine.com/reviews68_2.htm
--
"I call architecture frozen music"
J.W.Goethe