AHA Media

Vancouver, BC – Mayor Gregor Robertson will officially open W2 Culture + Media House on Wednesday morning, a media centre hosting independent journalists and bloggers from across the globe.

A morning reception with Salt Spring Coffee Co. and fresh croissants will take place from 9am to 10am on February 10, 2010, at 112 East Hastings with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9.30am with Mayor Gregor Robertson.

Located in the heart of the Downtown Eastside, across from the historic Woodward’s site, the W2 Culture + Media House is a 24 hour/day media centre for non-accredited bloggers and journalists to share their perspective on the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver with the world.

The 1903 heritage building provides infrastructure, resources and support for unaccredited media and features 13,000 sf (over 4-floors) of media production resources, daily morning press briefings and an epic mix of programming highlighting Vancouver’s diverse cultural scene. Fourty events over 24 days featuring 150 Vancouver and international artists working in creative technology, literary, music and interdisciplinary arts. W2 will present artists and producers from Nunavut, Quebec, USA, UK, and the Netherlands. The complete program is to be launched at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the Fresh Media Olympics Conference will be introduced, which will assess the impacts of Vancouver’s social media and journalism communities half-way thru the Games, on February 22.

Local and international media using the W2 Culture + Media House during the 2010 Games include: CNN iReport, CNN Chicago affiliate, CJSF Radio, CFRO Radio, 24 Hours, Vancouver Sun, Open Media, Vancouver Observer, The Tyee,  Rabble.ca, and bloggers from the UK, Norway, USA, Japan, and the Netherlands. More are registering each day at  unaccreditedolympics.eventbrite.com. The registration process provides subsidies for DTES and community media who are looking to share their view of this historic Vancouver event.

W2 is also inviting the Vancouver community to celebrate the opening on Thursday February 11th from 4pm – 7pm at the centre’s daily Cinq à Sept reception with wine provided by Ganton and Larsen Prospect Winery, hors d’ouevres and live music.

For more information on the W2 Culture + Media House, as well as W2’s upcoming programming and events, visit www.creativetechnology.org.

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Press Call – Wednesday, February 10, 2010. 9–10am – Official Opening with Mayor Gregor Robertson at 9:30am.

Opening Event – Thursday February 11, 2010. 4 – 7 pm  – W2 Culture + Media House, 112 W. Hastings, Vancouver

For more information visit www.creativetechnology.org. To arrange interviews or images please contact Rebecca Eames (Media Relations Coordinator) or Irwin Oostindie (Executive Director) of W2 Community Media Arts on: 604 689 9896, 1-877-689-9896 or email: irwin@creativetechnology.org

Notes to editors:
1.The W2 Culture+Media House operations are in addition to the busy work W2 is doing building a permanent 8800 sf community media arts facility across the street at Woodward’s—set to open in the summer of 2010. W2 is the lead community non-profit amenity for the Woodward’s heritage building at the corner of Abbott & Hastings, with the W2 Cafe social enterprise opening in a few months. W2 is not supported by core government funds and relies instead on community volunteers and contributions. As the Woodward’s heritage building construction will not yet be finished for the Olympics, W2 will instead present the W2 Culture + Media House, as well as programs such as Fearless TV, Real Vancouver Writer’s Series, Fearless City Mobile, OMGIMON.TV, exhibitions, and Abandon Normal Devices Festival with our partners in the UK.

2.The W2 Community Media Arts Centre is a highly anticipated project opening in the Winter of 2009-2010 at the landmark Woodward’s redevelopment in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. In the lead-up to opening, W2 is operating the 13,000 sq ft W2 Culture + Media House across the street at 112 W Hastings. It is intended to provide a vibrant and complementary focal point in the redevelopment of Woodward’s and act as a catalyst in the revitalization of the Vancouver Downtown Eastside by emphasizing the development capacity by and for the DTES residents.

3.Media registration is now live. Visit unaccreditedolympics.eventbrite.com to register for Full Media or Basic Media Access Passes. Through this site you can also purchase guest passes to our daily Cinq à Sept Receptions, purchase a Souvenir T-shirt and button, or sponsor a community member’s participation.

4. Daily press briefings at the 100 level of the media centre commence on February 10 – immediately following the opening. Mayor Robertson will return to W2 Culture + Media House for a briefing during Copyright Day on Feb 25, concerning the City’s move towards open data.

W2 Culture+Media House
112 W Hastings, Vancouver, BC, V6B 1G8
www.creativetechnology.org
irwin@creativetechnology.org
Office: 604.689.9896 Mobile: 604.644.4349
Twitter: @W2Woodwards @FearlessCity
Skype: irwin_oostindie