AHA MEDIA celebrating the opening of W2 Community Media Arts Launch Pad with Favianna
Congratulations to all for a truly grand opening of the “W2 launchpad” at 116 West Hastings right in the Vancouver DTES.
W2 will bring together hybrid art forms, community art practices, individual human development and community cultural development in a single environment. It will be home to a diverse grouping of Vancouver arts and community service organizations offering developmental programs in writing, radio and television production, painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, video and cross-media.
The Centre’s objectives are to produce and present new works of artistic significance and social benefit; to empower individuals and communities (young and old alike); and to engage with technology and interdisciplinary artists as producers rather than consumers. Emphasis will be placed on cross-cultural sharing, artistic and social outcomes, as well as the quality of process.
The opening was very well attended, thanks to good planning of our leaders and the commitment of community operatives.
Above all shone the star of our example of what the interface of New Media and community can look like ‘par example’ through the voice of Favianna Rodriguez and her beautiful works of art and strong voice for making change.
Special thanks to Favianna Rodriguez: your standing ovation is well deserved!
For more information go to: http://favianna.typepad.com/
Event Description
The setting
The downtown eastside neighbourhood of a city, struggling with poverty, drug abuse, violence.Oakland, California.Vancouver.Oakland‘s Eastside Arts Alliance.
This vibrant young woman has just been named one of Utne Reader magazine’s Top 50 Visionaries. Rodriguez is an artist, activist, technologist, and organization builder.Mexico and across America, including at the recent Democratic National Convention. She is currently teaching in an artist residency at the University of Illinois. Rodriguez also leads TUMIS, a flagship of innovative web design for progressive campaigns. This company’s profits are donated back to the Oakland Eastside Arts Alliance.Vancouver in early March, Rodriguez will engage in a number of local projects, including workshops with union members.
See her “Designing for Democracy” show with VJ Reed Rickert, March 5 at District 319 (319 Main Street, $20/$15, sponsored by Web of Change). On March 6 at 9pm, Rodriguez and Rickert are special guests of W2 for their fundraiser “Techforms” (Northern Way Campus, 577 Great Northern Way, $25).www.sistahoodcelebration.com
The story
A young woman grows up in this neighbourhood. She and a group of artists start a successful technology and design collective. They launch a business and help establish a non-profit society. They raise the money to buy an old building and rehabilitate it. It houses their company, a bilingual daycare, a cultural centre, and 16 units of low-income housing. Their efforts are bringing social and economic development, music, art, and their community together. It’s an incredible transformation.
Where is this?
It’s an inspiring vision for what could, and should, be possible here in
On Sunday, March 8, the Sista’hood Celebration presents “Art, Resistance, and Community Transformation,” a public art presentation and community dialogue with Favianna Rodriguez, co-founder of
“Art alone does not transform the world. Mass movements do. It is the unique collaborations between artists, activists, and people that forge true social change,” notes Rodriguez.
Her work on such issues as immigration, racism, war, and globalization has been featured in
During her visit to
Sista’hood Celebration is a festival held every March that highlights women’s arts and issues.
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For all our photos of the day’s celebration, please check out the flickr stream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahamedia/sets/72157615044899688/
To see all our videos of Favianna talking please see our youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/AHAFilm
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