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AHA MEDIA is very pleased to see: W2 Community Media Arts Society presents W2 Culture + Media House during 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver
As reported in the Globe & Mail and by Bob Mackin in 24 Hours, W2 will open its doors to independent journalists and bloggers from around the world—and around the corner. The program will be launched the first week of January 2010 and feature 3-floors of media production resources and an epic mix of daily programming highlighting Vancouver’s diverse cultural scene. Participants can expect media events, receptions with international artists, screenings, live video streams from throughout the city, workshops, performances, conferences, and more from inspiring journalists and international artists in residence!
W2 Community Media Arts Society presents W2 Culture + Media House – 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 W2 Culture + Media House offers something for everyone, with three levels of engagement (Public, Basic Media Access, and Full Media Access). The services packages include a public access cultural space during the day, transformed each night for 40 different live shows and receptions. Registered individuals and media organizations have access to the upper 200 and 300 levels offering daily morning press briefings, high-speed wireless internet (upto 25Mbps), meeting space, complimentary Salt Spring Island coffee, fully wired computer work stations, broadcasting systems, and access to W2 silkscreening and printing services.
http://www.creativetechnology.org/profiles/blogs/launch-date-010110
http://www.creativetechnology.org/page/2010-media-house-1
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Online registration will open in January with a mix of Vancouver and international media outlets already confirmed to occupy space in the 10,000 sq ft heritage venue. The registration fees will provide participants with robust wireless, Salt Spring Coffee Co. beverages, daily press briefings by local and international NGOs, access to video editing resources, shipping and office support services, onsite letterpress/silk-screen/digital printing, access to media production equipment, interpretation services, knowledgeable local hosts, and tickets for conferences and festivals. It opens in January and will be at full capacity from February 12—28, 2010. A separate initiative focusing on the social media scene during the Olympics is being headed up by our friends at the True North Media House (TNMH)—which is not affiliated with the W2 programs. TNMH is “a media collaboration campaign to encourage social coverage of major events, highlight emerging media and provide a venue for discussing the increasing use of social media… at events of like the 2010 Winter Olympics.”
The W2 Culture+Media House operations are in addition to the busy work W2 is doing building a permanent community media facility across the street at Woodward’s—set to open in the Spring of 2010. While the Woodward’s heritage building construction will not yet be finished for the Olympics, W2 will present Fearless City Mobile screens at our future W2 Cafe site in the Woodward’s Atrium. This living streaming video wall will be operational throughout February and is located just 100 feet distance across Hastings Street from the W2 Culture+Media House.
For partnership and sponsorship inquiries contact:
W2 Executive Director irwin@creativetechnology.org
W2 Administrative Director lianne@creativetechnology.org or phone 604.689.9896.
Registration Inquiries
We invite your questions and interest in the W2 Culture + Media House.
Please direct your inquiry to:
Irwin Oostindie
Executive Director
Toll-free: 1-877-689-9896
Local: 604.689.9896
Skype: irwin_oostindie
Twitter: @W2Woodwards @FearlessCity
2010 Media House – Registration Inquiries
W2 Community Media Arts Society presents W2 Culture + Media House – 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 W2 Culture + Media House offers something for everyone, with three levels of engagement (Public, Basic Media Access, and Full Media Access). The services packages include a public access cultural space during the day, transformed each night for 40 different live shows and receptions. Registered individuals and media organizations have access to the upper 200 and 300 levels offering daily morning press briefings, high-speed wireless internet (upto 25Mbps), meeting space, complimentary Salt Spring Island coffee, fully wired computer work stations, broadcasting systems, and access to W2 silkscreening and printing services.
Local and international media already registered to use W2 Culture + Media House during the 2010 Games include: CJSF Radio, CFRO Radio, 24 Hours, Fresh Media, The Tyee, Open Media, and Rabble.ca. W2 is currently fielding registration inquiries from media organizations as far away as USA, Japan, the Netherlands and the UK.
Full Media Access Pass
Application required* for 24/7 access to levels 100, 200 and limited 300
- Recommended for individuals and teams who are looking for a home-base during the 2010 Olympics and require secure and dedicated media production supports and want complete 24/7 access to all media, cultural and social events to connect with media makers, artists and journalists. Add some serious bandwidth to a rich mix of work and socializing
- 1. Reserved access (includes complimentary beverages) to daily Cinq à Sept Receptions featuring guest hosts and daily speakers (from the sport, culture, media, NGO, and technology communities), live music and DJs, fresh video feeds, hors d’ouevres, and beverages. Cinq à sept refers to “five to seven”, pronounced “sank-ah-set,” is a Québec French term for a time in the afternoon intended to be spent with friends and colleagues.($180 value)
- 2. Complimentary guest passes for your friends and colleagues to daily Cinq à Sept Receptions ($120 value)
- 3. Reserved ticket to more than 24 separate evening events on 100 level ($300 value)
- 4. Reserved ticket to W2’s Social Media & The Olympics conference. Launching Jan 15, 2010! ($40 value)
- 5. Souvenir shwag! Bring home your choice of souvenir W2 Culture+Media House Tshirt and buttons! ($25 value)
- 6. Access to all levels of the House: 100, 200, and 300 levels. This includes exhibitions by: Dustin Rivers (Squamish Nation), fifty artists in the Hot One Inch Action button show, neighbourhood artists featured in the Downtown Art Walk, and many more!
- 7. Salt Spring Coffee fair-trade organic coffee – unlimited fuel
- 8. Daily press briefings between 9am and 12noon from local and international NGOs, with updates from Cultural Olympiad international and local artists and cultural presenters
- 9. Rendezvous and meeting space
- 10. Secure high speed internet (upto 20 Mbps
- 11. Dedicated fully wired computer work stations
- 12. Printing 5 cents/page b+w, 35 cents/page colour
- 13. Zip Courier service (at-cost rush courier to local and international destinations)
- 14. Photography and scanning service
- 15. In-house silkscreening print services (caps, patches, tshirts,..)
- 16. Final Cut Pro editing suites
- 17. In-house Technical support
- 18. Access to W2 TV broadcasting platform
- 19. Access to video footage from our 8 camera HD and mobile W2 TV crews
- 20. Interpretation services (Chinese, French, Spanish, Dutch…)
- 21. Local guides familiar with the Cultural Olympiad, socio-economic issues of the Downtown Eastside, and major issues of the 2010 Olympics.
- 22. Ticketing service for Cultural Olympiad events
Photo from December 30 and we are currently setting up the level 300 Final Cut Pro editing area and work-stations.
Operations: The W2 Culture + Media House operations are being scaled up throughout January with full media operations running throughout February, and basic media services during March.
Participation Fees
Daily $ call for details
Week $ call for details
Month $ call for details **
* Full Media Access Pass requires application and approval by W2.
**Sponsorship and barter exchanges available, please inquire.
For partnership and sponsorship inquiries contact:
W2 Executive Director irwin@creativetechnology.org
W2 Administrative Director lianne@creativetechnology.org or phone 604.689.9896.
Registration Inquiries
We invite your questions and interest in the W2 Culture + Media House.
Please direct your inquiry to:
Irwin Oostindie
Executive Director
Toll-free: 1-877-689-9896
Local: 604.689.9896
Skype: irwin_oostindie
Twitter: @W2Woodwards @FearlessCity
Revival of weekly Fearless City meetings, Wednesdays at W2 Culture + Media House
Orientation Meeting: Wednesdays 1-3 PM W2 Perel Gallery 112 West Hastings @Abbott
Fearless DTES residents are invited!
http://ow.ly/QM7n
W2’s Fearless City Mobile is recruiting DTES residents and artists for an exciting mobile video streaming showcase of ideas and views from our neighbourhood. VJs (video jockeys) will remix live videos created by participants and project a mashup on giant screens from the large window facade of the new W2 Cafe site inside the Woodward’s Atrium. W2 is slowly opening in stages in the heart of the Woodward’s project with the Cafe opening first.
Fearless City Mobile has a successful track record of empowering local residents with access to technology, and helped launch other projects in the neighbourhood like AHA Media. Funding for this February program is from CODE Live (Cultural Olympiad Digital Edition) and the City of Vancouver’s Bright Lights. For project background, check out these samples of previous test events: showing Fearless participants learning about mobile video and VJing are Vision Division; with mobile streaming from DTES locations and our shopping cart screen; mixing it up with VJs and DJs at Tech Forms; in Ottawa for BC Scene with VJs remixing streaming connections from seven galleries and layered social media together.
Orientation Meeting: Wednesdays 1-3 PM W2 Perel Gallery 112 West Hastings @Abbott. Weekly Fearless City Mobile training and peer support sessions (lunch included) every Wednesday. We will be providing an honorarium for Fearless City Mobile Project participants and we especially encourage our original 2008 Fearless City crew to come and work and create again.
April Smith of AHA MEDIA is a featured storyline in ” With Glowing Hearts” – WGH the Movie
Vodpod videos no longer available.
This storyline is from the Documentary ‘With Glowing Hearts‘. It follows April Smith on her journey building AHA Media as the preeminent news source for Vancouver’s DTES using social media for social justice. Along the way April faces many challenges including homelessness
” April Smith is an incredible young woman facing a boat load of challenges. She has graciously allowed us to follow her for the last 8 months and gather the footage we used to compile this story thread. Hers is a story full of both despair and inspiration. ”
A Social Media revolution has been brewing for the past five years on websites from FaceBook, to Wikipedia, to Flickr, and as it spreads throughout the Internet and into popular culture through an increasing number of portals, it is creating a new sense of community and empowerment amongst those who have embraced it.History has shown that poor and marginalized communities stand to gain the most from leaps forward in the democratization of information, so the excitement in areas like Vancouver’s maligned Downtown Eastside about the possibilities of Web 2.0 and beyond is palpable.
With the Winter Olympics less than a year away, billions have been spent in preparations and many poverty advocates are concerned about how the city’s several thousand homeless and working poor will fit into the equation as Vancouver puts on its best face for the world.
Against this background the film examines Social Media in action as a group named Fearless City embarks on a campaign to empower and protect its neighbours with cellphones, video-streaming, and the World Wide Web.
With great thanks to Director Andrew Lavigne and Producer Jon Ornoy !
April Smith of AHA MEDIA is very honored to be featured by Gillian Shaw – Digital Life Writer for The Vancouver Sun Newspaper on Christmas Eve 2009
By GILLIAN SHAW
23 DEC 2009 DIGITAL LIFE
As it comes time to wrap up 2009, I wanted to share the story of a journalist who has inspired me this year.
A citizen journalist – April Smith, who is making an impact not only for her work chronicling the news and stories of Vancouver’s inner city but also for giving back to her community by mentoring others.
April didn’t graduate from any journalism program. Hers was truly the school of hard knocks and her background one of hardship.
I first met April at WordCamp Whistler last January. She was a grad of the Downtown Eastside’s Fearless City Mobile project, which helped residents and artists of the neighborhood learn to tell stories through mobile media.
At the time April said the experience had been ‘life-changing.’
“I have moved from one side of the tracks to the other,” she told me.
The other side of the tracks was pretty ugly. It was a life of homelessness and struggling to survive on the streets.
April shares her story with eloquence and honesty that is all the more compelling because it is free of self-pity. Her optimism for the future is what comes through loud and clear.
You can listen to Vancouver’s CBC radio did with April. And you see her at work in an episode of With Glowing Hearts the Movie. She is @AprilFilms on Twitter.
WGHthemovie.ca -April Smith storyline from Andrew Lavigne on Vimeo.
The mentoring April received is being returned to the community many times over with the creation of AHA Media, a fledgling new media company started by April along with Hendrik Beune and Al Tkatch – AHA coming from the first letters of their names.
April is teaching and mentoring others in the Downtown Eastside, sharing her skills and enthusiasm in the hope of offering alternatives that will help improve lives.
April lives in a single room in the DTES and carries out her work and volunteering on a shoestring budget – no shoestring might be too generous to describe it. When I talk to April on the phone, I know that it’s using up precious minutes that she must buy to recharge her cell phone. I recently found out that the Nokia video phone that April was using in her work was borrowed and had to be returned. So I asked her what she needs to carry on.
While it has been a tough year for media organizations, not many list food and warm clothing on their wish list, but those are among the items AHA Media, which does volunteer peer training at the LifeSkills Centre near Oppenheimer Park, is seeking for its DTES neighbors.
The organization also needs: FIDO Pay as You Go Phone Cards for cell phones, digital cameras, SD memory cards, laptop and desktop computers, video cameras and audio equipment.
If you have any of these things kicking around, consider sharing them with others who will pay it forward many times over.
Some of AHA MEDIA status updates on Facebook and Twitter over 2009 in Vancouver + Downtown Eastside ( DTES )
@Ahamedia went and filmed our walkthrough of @Workspace!! Post tomorrow!
Going to film Press Conference at Golden Crown – Illegal Tenant Evictions
NEW POST! @AHAMEDIA filmed at Fight HST Rally at Canada Place on Sat Sept 18 – Over 5,000 ppl! http://tinyurl.com/nf2q3q
Will be helping to present at #BarCamp on @FearlessCity – Moble Media + @W2Woodwards – New Media Arts Centre in Vancouver #BCV09
Will be helping to do a presentation on Mobile Media Strategies at @FreshMediaMe at @W2Woodwards from 1:50pm to 2:40pm TODAY!
Just filmed a short segment of the the Sites of Empowerment tour in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside with Wendy Pedersen and CCAP volunteers. Nice to see Vancouver City Councillor George Chow with our group of 40 interested folks on life in our community! 🙂
Dear Friends, I just started @AHAMEDIA Fan page on Facebook. Please come join me http://tinyurl.com/yzw4sfz Thank you
Today AHA MEDIA will be filming Remembrance Day ceremonies at Victory Square in Vancouver
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