Monthly Archives: July 2012

The Reverend Billy says OCCUPY and 350.ORG—You Come Down Here and Embrace!

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This post comes to you from EcoArtScotland

This is the cover story in Brooklyn Rail…

On Henry Street just uptown from Foley Square in Manhattan, there is a church called Mariners’ Temple. One Sunday we were among hundreds of folks listening while Mother Henrietta Carter preached. She stood up there, white-robed, and gestured out across the assembled faithful. “We need to see some embracing today,” Mother Carter said, and then she explained that two families were blessed just recently with newborn babies, in the same week.

She boomed out: “I want you two families—come down here and embrace each other! We’ll wait! Oh, you come down here! I know you two families been quarreling about something, you don’t speak much anymore. Oh we all know about it. Now—You come down here and you embrace each other. You bring those babies with you!”

The two families slowly came to Mother Carter and embraced. They were in tears. People called out “Praise!”

Embrace

As you see from the title of my little sermon, I am asking the people from two movements, 350.org and Occupy Wall Street, to do the same.  Read on…

Also of interest a review of Nature, the new volume in The Whitechapel’s Documents of Contemporary Art series.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.
Go to EcoArtScotland

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The Printed Version of “A Field Guide to Renewable Energy Infrastructure” Is Available In July!

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Since it became available in February, this free online PDF has been downloaded over 60,000 times!  A few changes to the PDF have been made in the past week and so you may want to consider replacing yours with this newly improved version.

There have been many requests for a printed version and it has been announced that as of mid-July, there will be hard copies available. As Karim Elgendy of Carboun pointed out, “It can only really be a field guide when you can take it to the field.”

download the latest online version of A Field Guide to Renewable Energy Technology

Orders are being taken from those who are interested in a printed copy ($20). It will look exactly like the image above and will make a great looking and useful accessory. If you’re interested in receiving a copy, please fill in the number of copies in the form below and click “Order Now”. We’ll be shipping copies in mid July 2012. You can also come to one of our events this summer, where we will have copies available.

If you are an institution and interested in purchasing more than 10 copies, please get in touch with us and we will provide a great bulk discount. Email us at lagi@landartgenerator.org.

Printed “Field Guide to Renewable Energy Technologies” :

If you have any trouble completing your order, please let LAGI know.

All proceeds go to Society for Cultural Exchange in support of the Land Art Generator Initiative.

Applications open for the 2012 Fringe Festival Award for Sustainable Production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

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CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE 2012 EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE QUESTIONNAIRE

The Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts (CSPA) announces the opening of applications for the 2012 Fringe Festival Award for Sustainable Production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The CSPA Fringe Festival Award for Sustainable Production is designed to reward sustainable practice in the production of a fringe show. The recipient will receive a plaque and a feature article in an upcoming edition of the CSPA Quarterly, the CSPA’s print publication highlighting the most exciting work being done in sustainability and the arts. This year’s award, presented for the 3rd time, is being coordinated with Festivals Edinburgh and Creative Carbon Scotland, who have joined forces to create the Edinburgh Festivals Green Venue Guide and will be bringing festival participants a series of high profile events at Fringe Central. The winner of the Award will be announced on Monday, the 20th of August.

The award is adjudicated by the CSPA Directors, Ian Garrett and Miranda Wright, along with CSPA affiliates. It looks at public communication and education, resource use and transportation in support of presenting a fringe show. The award has been developed to integrate the ground breaking work of Julie’s Bicycle’s IG Tools and San Diego’s Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company, who has created a comprehensive Green Theater Choices Toolkit with a generous grant from the Theater Communications Group. For the Edinburgh Fringe, Mhora Samuel and Tim Atkinson from The Theatres Trust’s European Regional Development Fund-backed Ecovenue project helped the CSPA adapt the criteria for a UK audience, providing guidance on UK equivalents to US name brands, as well as providing insight on measuring conventions and policy.

To be considered for the award, a production fills out an online questionnaire. Questions range from an inventory of materials used, to what public transportation lines run close to venues, to how themes about sustainability may be revealed in their shows. Because venues vary so greatly, and not all shows may be overtly about sustainable topics, all but the most basic questions are optional and all shows are encouraged to apply. Shows are encouraged, but not required, to provide a CSPA affiliate with tickets to their production to allow a trained eye to look at shows and projects as they exist in the real world.

The CSPA Award for Sustainable Production at the Fringe launched in 2010 at the Hollywood Fringe and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Previous recipients include:  The Pantry Shelf (Edinburgh 2010), a satirical comedy that takes place in any ordinary pantry shelf, produced by Team M&M at Sweet Grassmarket; Presque Pret a Porter (Hollywood 2010), produced by Dreams by Machine; and Allotment (Edinburgh 2011) by Jules Horne and directed by Kate Nelson, produced by nutshell productions at the Inverleith Allotments in co-production with Assembly. The CSPA just anounced that the recipient for the 2012 award at the Hollywood Fringe, which has been given to D is for Dog by Katie Polebaum and the Rogue Artists ensemble, directed by Sean Calweti. It is produced by the Rogue Artists Ensemble at the Hudson Theater and continues to play through August 4th.

To apply, fringe show producers can head over to the CSPA’s website at http://www.sustainablepractice.com/fringe or email fringe@sustainablepractice.org. Applications for evaluation will be taken up until the 19th of August, though it is encouraged to apply while it is still possible for a CSPA affiliate to view the show. All questions regarding the award by also be be directed to fringe@sustainablepractice.org.

In addition to the award, the CSPA will be supporting Festivals Edinburgh and Creative Carbon Scotland’s events during the Fringe. How to Be a Greener Fringe Show, on Monday 6th August (14:00), is a practical workshop, getting into the nitty gritty of greener shows including everything from touring to publicity, set design to audience engagement. Internationalism and the Environment, on Saturday 18th August (11:30) will be a  panel discussion with David Grieg, internationally-performed playwright, Kate Ward, General Manager of the London International Festival of Theatre, and Ian Garrett, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts. What’s the Big Idea? on Wednesday 22nd August (16:00) will be an open forum for a chance for you to air your views on how the arts can engage with environmental issue and how can we make next year’s Fringe the greenest Fringe  with provocations from Erica Whyman, Artistic Director of Northern Stage, and Anthony Alderson, Director of the Pleasance Theatre Trust. There will also be two Reuse and Recycle Days on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th August from 11:00 – 16:00 where you can bring Unused flyers, unwanted props, usable furniture, gorgeous costumes, venue and set construction materials for  A combination recycling depot and free rummage sale.

The CSPA was founded by Ian Garrett and Miranda Wright in early 2008 after individually working on each of the programs that now make up the multi-faceted approach to sustainability separately. It provides a network of resources to arts organizations, which enables them to be ecologically and economically sustainable while maintaining artistic excellence. We support the infrastructure of this network by supplying artists with the information, education and intellectual community they need to make the best choices for their sustainability. We do this through three independent programs: CSPA Knowledge Network,  CSPA convergences, workshops and granting. We extend these efforts with key partnerships with like minded organizations. Past and Present partnerships have included the University of Oregon, Ashden Directory, Arcola Theater, Diverseworks Artspace, Indy Convergence, York University, LA Stage Alliance and others. Under the umbrella of the CSPA, each program and partnership uses different tactics with their own mission to create a comprehensive and cooperative synthesis in artistic sustainability.

As an independent producer and designer, outside of the CSPA, Garrett has produced dozens of shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  Garrett also serves as the Festival Producer for CalArts Festival Theater, a program of California Institute of the Arts’ School of Theater that enables students and alumni to bring work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, now in its 9th year.

IMPORTANT DATES: 

Monday 6th August (14:00)

  • How to Be a Greener Fringe Show - a practical workshop, getting into the nitty gritty of greener shows including everything from touring to publicity, set design to audience engagement.

Saturday 18th August (11:30)

  • Internationalism and the Environment – a panel discussion with David Grieg, internationally-performed playwright, Kate Ward, General Manager of the London International Festival of Theatre, and Ian Garrett, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts.

Wednesday 22nd August (16:00) 

Monday 27th August (11:00 – 16:00) & Tuesday 28th August (11:00 – 16:00)

  • Reuse and Recycle Days - where you can bring Unused flyers, unwanted props, usable furniture, gorgeous costumes, venue and set construction materials for  A combination recycling depot and free rummage sale.

MORE INFO:

CSPA Fringe Initiatives: https://www.sustainablepractice.org/programs/fringe/

2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Questionnaire: https://docs.google.com/a/sustainablepractice.org/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFdDS2Z6NXBlQVVDdEROQ0NyMnNMb0E6MQ#gid=0

Edinburgh Festivals Green Venues Guide:  http://www.efgreen.co.uk/

Creative Carbon Scotland: http://www.creativecarbonscotland.com/

 

 

SEAD Call for White Papers on Science Engineering Art and Design Collaboration

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SEAD CALL FOR WHITE PAPERS on ISSUES FACING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SEEKING to ENHANCE COLLABORATION AMONG THE SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, ARTS and DESIGN

The US National Science Foundation -funded Network for Sciences, Engineering, Arts and Design (SEAD: http://sead.viz.tamu.edu/) is issuing an open International Call for White Papers from the community. The Principal Investigator is Carol LaFayette of Texas A&M University.

We are seeking to survey concerns, roadblocks and opportunities, and solicit recommendations for enhancing collaboration among sciences, engineering, arts and design. These position papers will be submitted as part of a report to NSF and the community from the SEAD network in the summer of 2013. With grateful appreciation for US funding, we recognize that activity connecting the sciences, engineering, arts, and design is international and, furthermore, that global involvements are essential in today’s economy. Therefore we are interested both in what US collaborators can learn from experiences in other countries, and vice versa, and also in how to foster collaborations that bridge beyond regions to nations. Cultural cross-fertilization via the SEAD network – whether from disciplinary, organizational or ethnic perspectives – is a vital component of our purpose and goals.

A SEAD White Paper Steering Committee has been assembled (http://seadnetwork.wordpress.com/sead-white-papers-steering-committee/), co-chaired by Roger Malina (ATEC, UT Dallas and IMERA, Aix Marseille University) and Carol Strohecker (Center for Design Innovation, University of North Carolina system). Submitted White Papers will be reviewed by the steering committee and posted on the open SEAD White Paper Web Site <http://sead.viz.tamu.edu/white_papers.html>. Authors of white papers will be invited to join the SEAD White Paper Working Group.

White Papers must address one significant roadblock or opportunity, in terms of the SEAD focus areas or a relevant topic of the authors’ choosing. SEAD focuses include: research and creative work, learning and education, productive partnerships across disciplines and organizations, and culture and economic development. Although a White Paper may be submitted by a sole author, we encourage collective authorship and group submissions. White Papers must include recommendations for actions to move the community forward. We welcome submission of already existing advocacy papers or reports. White Papers should be short: text up to 10 pages total, including all materials and type size no smaller than 12; video no longer than 10 minutes.

The Deadline for initial one-page Abstracts is August 15, 2012.
Submissions invited on the basis of the Abstracts will be October 15, 2012.

You may submit a White Paper via email to PI Carol LaFayette. If your submission is a video, email the link to its location in an open archive (such as uTube, vimeo, etc.) Note that White Papers in both text and video formats must include explicit recommendations addressed to specific stakeholders.

b) We welcome links to existing reports, which will be added to our compilation of precedent sources internationally <http://seadnetwork.wordpress.com/bibliography/>.

If you wish to be kept informed of the activities of the SEAD network, please email Carol LaFayette.

For further information or questions about White Papers in text or video format, contact Carol Strohecker.

Additional Guidelines for White Papers are available at http://seadnetwork.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/white-paper-guidelines . We welcome innovative ways of using online media to articulate the arguments of the White Papers. If you wish to explore experimental publishing approaches, contact Roger Malina.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No.1142510, Collaborative Research: EAGER: Network for Science, Engineering, Arts and Design (NSEAD) IIS, Human Centered Computing. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Creu Cymru partner with Julie’s Bicycle to help fourty two Welsh arts venues go green

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Whether a former miners’ institute, an Edwardian theatre or modern iconic buildings such as the Wales Millennium Centre or Galeri Caernarfon, arts venues occupy an important place in the communities of Wales. Today sees the start of a major, ground-breaking initiative to support forty two arts venues in Wales to become greener and leaner.

The venues are all members of Creu Cymru – the development agency for theatres and arts venues in Wales. They will be asked about the way they manage their use of energy and water, their waste disposal and other environmental issues. Those who choose to will take part in a more detailed investigation with on-going support.

Based on the results of the investigation venues will be given the tools and advice needed to strengthen their environmental, social and economic sustainability. By becoming more energy and resource efficient, managers of the venues will be able to save money. They will be helped to develop new strategies and communicate these to staff, contractors, suppliers and audiences. Overall, this initiative will make them fit for the future and better able to respond to the challenges of a changing world.

The initiative will address three areas;

  • energy and waste (consumption and treatment)
  • the supply chain (theatre production and touring)
  • communicating to audiences the issues and potential solutions (imagining the future)

The initiative is part of Emergence – an on-going programme of work led by Cynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales and Volcano Theatre Company that aims to make sustainable development a core organising principle of the arts in Wales. This Creu Cymru Emergence initiative has been made possible by the Welsh Government’s Support For Sustainable Living grant scheme through a partnership comprising Creu Cymru, Cynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales, the ESRC BRASS Research Centre (Cardiff University) and London-based arts and environmental sustainability experts Julie’s Bicycle.

BRASS and Julie’s Bicycle will provide the technical expertise. Both organisations have a track record of success in investigating and offering solutions for the environmental and social sustainability of the arts. Cynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales will use the information and learning that comes from the work to inform consultation on the development of the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Development Bill.

The Creu Cymru membership consists of Wales’ most cherished theatres and arts venues that have for generations acted as hubs of social and cultural activity. With this initiative, they will be able to continue to do this in the context of a changing world and make an important contribution to the development of a sustainable Wales.

Launch of The Theatres Trust People’s Choice Award 2012

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The Theatres Trust is pleased to announced at the ABTT Theatre Show 2012 that entries are open for The Theatres Trust’s third annual People’s Choice Award.

Entertainment industry manufacturers and suppliers are invited to enter one of their products for the People’s Choice Award. Products need to be making a difference to theatres sustainability, either through design, manufacture or operation.

Selection takes place at PLASA 2012 running from 09 – 12 September at Earls Court, London, where shortlisted products are displayed on The Theatres Trust’s stand and visitors to the show cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award.

Visitors to stands at both the ABTT Theatre Show 2012 and PLASA 2012 can also find information on the Trust’s European Regional Development Fund-backed ‘Ecovenue’sustainability project, which has been improving the sustainability of 48 London performing arts venues.

At PLASA 2012, after three days of visitor voting, the award will be presented to the winner on The Theatres Trust’s stand at a reception at 1700 on Tuesday 11 September. The presentation of the Award will mark the culmination of PLASA’s sustainability series of related Education Programme events that day.

In 2011 those shortlisted included Core Lighting, ETC, Martin Professional, Philips, ROBE and Robert Juliat. Last year PLASA visitors voted Global Design Solutions’ArcSystem the overall winner.  Matt Lloyd, of Global Design Solutions, which also took the 2010 prize, said “The People’s Choice Award is so important as it’s voted for by people in the industry – the people who actually use the equipment. It’s great for public relations, and a morale booster for the company.”

PLASA Chief Executive Officer & Director of Events, Matthew Griffiths, said “The Theatres Trust People’s Choice Award provides a chance for people in the industry to support the commitment shown by manufacturers to issues of sustainability in theatre and live entertainment. An award that is voted for by the theatre community carries real value to the companies dedicated to making a sustainable difference.”

Tim Atkinson, leading on delivery of the Ecovenue project, said “It was a closely fought competition last year. The enthusiasm of the visitors that voted demonstrated that improved product sustainability is high in the mind of users, buyers and manufacturers. I look forward to a competition just as close this year, with entries from a range of companies spanning the entertainment industry.”

Manufacturers or suppliers who wish to enter may pick up an entry form from The Theatres Trust stand at the ABTT Theatre Show 2012, or visit www.theatrestrust.org.uk

Diego Stocco – Music from Nature

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To celebrate Earth Day 2012 Burt’s Bees asked Diego Stocco to create a video performance in the style of my Music from a Tree.

To expand the concept he also included as “instruments” some of the ingredients used in their products, like honey, almonds, rice, and coconuts; also bees had a musical role in this piece.

He performed the whole composition by playing these natural elements, no synthesizers, samplers or additional sounds have been used.

Here’s a gallery on Behance with more info and pics: behance.net/gallery/Music-from-Nature-Burts-Bees-Earth-Day-2012/3698325

Synergy = Music + Sustainability

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Arts Earth Partnership (AEP) and NextAid are two long-standing Los Angeles-based nonprofit organizations that promote sustainability projects within the arts and cultural sectors.  AEP certifies cultural institutions throughout Los Angeles to make them more sustainable and reduce their environmental impact.  NextAid harnesses the power of dance music to support young entrepreneurs in urban centers in Africa, with a specific focus in Nairobi.  Both organizations offer tangible results to today’s most pressing environmental and societal problems.

In a spirit of collaboration, AEP and NextAid are coming together for first time to raise funds for their vital work!

Music by:

AND MORE

Saturday, August 4th

4pm -11pm

At a gorgeous private home in the Los Feliz.

GET TICKETS BY CLICKING HERE

Host Committee:

Gabriel Avenna, Brooke Bendewish, Mimi Campbell, Stuart Cooley, Lindsay Hawes, Janine Jordan, Joe Hernandez-Kolski, Lisa Lee, Jeffrey Levin, Heather Lounsbury, Mia Mayweather, Naomi Okuyama, Bonnie Powers, Jonathan Rudnick, Susan Von Seggern, Joel Shapiro, Dominique Smith, Lynn Tejada, Wamuhu Waweru, Carl Welty

———————-

Arts:Earth Partnership (AEP) has been in existence since 2008 and has created a user-friendly green certification program specifically for the arts sector and cultural institutions.  Endorsed by the cities of Los Angeles and Santa Monica, both have adopted AEP’s standards into their “official” Green Business Certification Process. Funds raised at the event will help AEP certify more facilitates in the greater Los Angeles area and lower the negative environmental impact of the cultural sector.  The money will also be used to implement the Los Angles Arts Environmental Impact Report (LAAEIR), a project that gathers data about the environmental impacts of arts organizations in the greater Los Angeles area. www.artsearthpartnership.org

NextAid is an 8 year old Los Angeles based nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of music, specifically electronic dance music, to support sustainable development projects that serve children, youth and women in Kenya and Sierra Leone. Currently, funds raised are going toward the completion of the Kawangware Vision Centre (KVC) in Nairobi, Kenya. KVC is a youth-driven, locally created and managed organization that runs an ecological business making silkscreened gift bags out of recycled paper for the tourism industry. NextAid partnered with KVC to build a new “green” workshop and multipurpose facility to expand their operation and ultimately serve more youth. Other NextAid partner projects include the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy which provides free high school to girls in Kibera, Nairobi and a Birthing Shelter in Sierra Leone, stated to be built this year partnership with the First Ladies Initiative and the First Lady of Sierra Leone. www.nextaid.org 

Liberate Tate action

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This post comes to you from EcoArtScotland

A group of artists and activists donate a symbol of alternative energy to the BP sponsored Tate Modern

The Turbine Hall – image from Liberate Tate blog – image by Ian Buswell

Watch the Vice News video.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.
Go to EcoArtScotland

Sonidos de la Tierra – Community and social development through music

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This post comes to you from Cultura21

http://youtu.be/cmp5E9gEYvU

Sonidos de la Tierra (Sounds from the Earth) is a project for children and young, created by Luis Szarán,through the formation of music schools, musical groupings and cultural associations, it facilitates the shortcut to the musical education to more than 3.000 participants of scarce resources, in communities of the Paraguayan countryside.

Sonidos de la Tierra, is based on the concept of “education through arts” and began in 2002 in 18 towns, with support from the AVINA Foundation. Today, with alliances with more than 100 other local, national and international institutions, both public and private, the program reaches over 72 communities throughout Paraguay.

In Cateura, one of the many communities where Sonidos de la Tierra has music schools, started a project whose aim is to build musical instruments out of garbage, this city is one of the poorest in Paraguay, and a great amount of garbage is sent daily there.  People who work in this project say that they aren´t “looking for good musicians, but for good citizens”. Last month, the Recycled Instruments Orchestra from Cateura performed at the Entreperneurship Forum in the New Economy during the Rio+20 summit.

To know more about the project, you can visit http://www.sonidosdelatierra.org.py/

Cultura21 is a transversal, translocal network, constituted of an international level grounded in several Cultura21 organizations around the world.

Cultura21′s international network, launched in April 2007, offers the online and offline platform for exchanges and mutual learning among its members.

The activities of Cultura21 at the international level are coordinated by a team representing the different Cultura21 organizations worldwide, and currently constituted of:

– Sacha Kagan (based in Lüneburg, Germany) and Rana Öztürk (based in Berlin, Germany)
– Oleg Koefoed and Kajsa Paludan (both based in Copenhagen, Denmark)
– Hans Dieleman (based in Mexico-City, Mexico)
– Francesca Cozzolino and David Knaute (both based in Paris, France)

Cultura21 is not only an informal network. Its strength and vitality relies upon the activities of several organizations around the world which are sharing the vision and mission of Cultura21

Go to Cultura21