apc.au blog

As we entered spring, and just prior to the fall of all the new Romes, we had been busy with a number of new projects.

We’ve been assisting the Cultural Development Network in an Arts and Disabilities survey, identifying where, how and what services are available within cultural sectors for people generally known to have “access” issues to them. This resulted in a review of tools available for mapping the results, specifically in Victoria, Australia.

We’ve also been looking at pooling web 2.0 technologies for a City of Melbourne project to host cultural events in tandem with the World Out Games to be held in Copenhagen, 2009. We’ve been impressed with the social network platform Ning and the flash based streaming service, Mogulus (who comes up with these names?). We’ve also had a brief discussion with the Cancer Council of Australia on development of an emergent online media strategy.

Given the dire need for alternatives to governance models that just do not work, we’ve been working on a information commons paper to assist in the strategic planning for the global Association for Progressive Communications.

And finally, I’m in Graz, Austria, my video installation, NOTHINGKNOWN, is introducing Austrians to the indigenous people of Sarawak and their lands rights issues.

Some of you may be trying to deal with quality in the media these days. Who can you trust? What information is heresay and what information has some basis in fact?

We are involved with Open Spectrum Australia and they’re hosting a symposium on “a radical new idea that may change the way we use and consume media in the future.” It’s going to be on Friday, October 17th at the State Library of Victoria’s Theatrette. You can find out more about the event at their website posting and, if you want to come along, send an email to info@openspectrum.org.au.

I’m going to be one of the presenters at the symposium and will also be taking part in the afternoon’s workshops to discuss the practicalities of the concepts being raised. It promises to be an interesting day if you’ve got any thoughts about the quality of the media you’re consuming.