Utopia Festival: Women in Digital Culture Celebrating women in music on March 5, 2011 at Vancouver’s creative hub W2 Storyeum!

February 16, 2011 ahamedia Leave a comment

Utopia Festival: Women in Digital Culture

Celebrating women in music on March 5, 2011 at Vancouver’s creative hub W2 Storyeum!

Showcase and unconference featuring: Peaches, Tanya Tagaq, Isis Salam, Betti Forde, B-Traits, Librarian, Lynx, Zenobia Salik, She, Blondtron, Lady Lane, Tank Girl, Miss M, Just Sheila, Bles-sed, The Square Root of Evil, JNL, Miss Innocent, Tapes + more TBA. Media artists include VJ Electrabelle, Julie Gendron, Sebnem Ozpeta, Claudia Medina, and Krista Lomax.

Follow along on Twitter: @W2Utopia
Tickets available now at Beatstreet, Little Sister’s, Puff, Zulu, People’s Coop Bookstore, The Fall, W2 and online http://utopiafestival.eventbrite.com

The evening concert and showcase program is open to men and women, while the daytime is women-only. Note program subject to change.

Peaches (Berlin) by Lucia Eggenhoffer

For women interested in electronic music and media, Utopia Unconference wristbands provide all-access and 3 meals: Breakfast, Music Maker Workshops, Lunch, Mobile Dance Party, Unconference, Dinner Reception, Concert, and Showcase. We are anticipating 150 women participating in five creative streams: electro, hip hop, bass, electro-acoustic and live cinema.

Isis Salam (Toronto)

Check out this background article on Granville Online. Produced by W2, and curated by Betti Forde, Irwin Oostindie, Librarian, and Nina Mendoza.

The Festival coincides with the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day and its theme: 100 Women, 100 Artworks. Proceeds support W2’s Second Annual Girls Creative Tech Summer Camps (8-14 years).

Call for workshop proposals: DJs and live PA; media art performers & installations for this showcase of electronic leaders and emerging artists. Inquiries:irwin@creativetechnology.org or call W2 office: 604.689.9896

B-Traits (Vancouver/London) by Ryan Hodgkinson

SCHEDULE

Saturday, March 5, 2011
•    Purchase a Festival wristband if you wish to participate! Workshop details will be coming soon.
•    Unconference registration table opens 9am
•    Youth delegates welcome 9am-9pm
•    Childcare provided on-site 9am-9pm
•    While the unconference and workshops are open to women only, for everything else men are welcome.

10am-12noon Morning Music-Making Workshops Hands-on creative technology workshops electronic music production, turntabling, video production, music journalism. All levels of experience welcome including youth (15-19 year olds)

12 – 1pm Lunch

12:30 – 2:00 Mobile Dance Party

Public, free. Meet at Broadway skytrain 12:30pm for a live pirate radio broadcast and dance party down Commercial Drive in celebration of the 100th anniversary International Women’s Day Parade.

2-8pm Unconference

2:00 – registration opens

2:30 conference welcome

2:45 opening keynote

3:00 opening panel

3:45 open space intro

3:45 coffee break provided by W2 media cafe

4:00 open space sessions I + II – (5 concurrent)

6:00 production workshops (5 parallel streams: electro; bass; hip hop; electro-acoustic, live cinema)

7:00-8:00pm dinner reception

Tanya Tagaq by Brandon Wu photography

8pm Evening Program

Keynote address: Peaches (Berlin) and music by Tanya Tagaq (NWT) with guests, plus Women Writers – readings in association with W2 Real Vancouver Writer’s Series.

10:30pm Showcase!

Electro, Bass, Hip Hop starring Peaches, Isis Salam, Betti Forde, Librarian, Lynx, Tanya Tagaq, Zenobia, B-Traits, DJ She, Tank Girl, plus more! Media artists include VJ Electrabelle, Julie Gendron, Sebnem Ozpeta, Claudia Medina, and Krista Lomax.

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Downtown Eastside, DTES, Music, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside, W2, W2 Community Media Arts, W2 Storyeum, W2 Woodwards, Women

AHA MEDIA congratulates W2 for winning the 2011 Roger Inman Memorial Award for Community Economic Development!!!!

January 27, 2011 ahamedia Leave a comment

AHA MEDIA congratulates W2 for winning the 2011 Roger Inman Memorial Award for Community Economic Development !!! We are so proud of you!! 🙂

The Roger Inman Memorial Award

Background:
Annually, CCEC presents the Roger Inman Memorial Award for Community Economic Development (CED) in recognition of a project that has made a significant contribution to the economic development of the community. CCEC is committed to keeping our money and resources working in our community by actively supporting and promoting the development of strong, successful community businesses, projects and organizations.

Any group, business or individual affiliated with CCEC Credit Union is eligible for this special recognition/cash award.

Nominations are evaluated taking into account the following criteria:
Being self-directed; and basing itself in the co-operative principles:

Voluntary and Open Membership
Democratic Member Control
Member Economic Participation
Autonomy and Independence
Co-operative Education
Co-operation among Co-operatives
Concern for Community
Benefiting the community on a continuing basis
Defining a goal that addresses an identified community need
Benefiting the community in a broader nature than a purely economic one
Bringing together diverse awareness regarding community economic development

At CCEC we take all of “Community Economic Development” seriously. For us, the community part is essential to the economics, and we work to foster both for growth and change. It’s one of our basic principles. From the list of past winners you can see how they are working at CED in your community — from theatre to farms to loan guarantees. Every one of these groups is building community in creative ways, with courage and persistence.

Past winners are:

2010: Discovery Organics
2009: Vancouver Folk Music Festival Society
2008: East Vancouver Celebration Society
2007: Rhizome Café
2006: Fraser Common Farm Co-operative
2005: Spartacus Books Educational Society
2004: Theatre In The Raw Society
2003: Compassion Club Society of Vancouver
2002: Hebrew Assistance Association of Vancouver
2001: Your Local Farmers’ Market Society
2000: Vancouver Co-operative Radio
1999: Watari Research Association
1998: East End Food Co-operative
1997: Philippine Women Centre
1996: WomenFutures Loan Guarantee Fund
1995: Teaching Support Staff Union of Simon Fraser University (TSSU)
1994: Peer Assisted Lending (PAL) through Cal Meadow Foundation

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, Downtown Eastside, DTES, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside, W2, W2 Community Media Arts, W2 Storyeum, W2 Woodwards

Celebrate 2011 at W2 LIGHTS NYE in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)

December 30, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

W2 has tallied the unused W2 LIGHTS NYE tickets remaining after meeting our sponsor, media and artist commitments. Rather than releasing these at the door, we are announcing a purchase plan that gives twice!

As a largely volunteer-run Downtown Eastside (DTES) organization, we want to bring more benefits from what has become Vancouver’s hottest NYE ticket. We have decided to release these remaining tickets today, rather than making them available at the door which would cause uncertainty and lineups. No tickets will be available at the door. We want to maximize the benefits from the overwhelming demand for tickets, and hereby assist DTES charitable work at the same time.

We are releasing these tickets online at 4:00pm PST on Dec 23rd at http://w2lights.eventbrite.com/ and for a minimum $100 payment, one ticket will be made available to the purchaser and one to a DTES residents who faces economic barriers to attending. With this plan we help more people and bring a broader cross-section of people to celebrate bringing back the light with W2 LIGHTS NYE. Proceeds from this sale will also directly support four grassroots DTES organizations working for positive change by and for DTES residents. Making these tickets available to interested people will make a real and direct impact on community organizing in the DTES.

W2 would like to thank all of the artists and producing crews for participating in this major cultural event that raises crucial funds for W2 Community Media Art Society. Shout outs to: Beats Without Borders, Integrated Grime Unit, Bass Coast Project, Wet Mi Down, Low Indigo, Perception, Moo Crew, SHAHdjs, Lighta!, Ting!, as well as 75 volunteers helping produce the event.

W2 LIGHTS NYE is an unprecedented collaboration between Vancouver’s underground music communities in one large public space at W2 Storyeum, bringing back the light, and welcoming the new year. Five rooms filled with music, video, interactive media art installations, and performance. Plus participants will enjoy complimentary hors d’ouevres from W2 Cafe, a silent auction of cool gifts and artworks, a secure coat check, fresh air conditioners, and special refreshments, with their new and old friends! Conveniently located near Vancouver’s transportation hub (Seabus, Skytrains, numerous bus routes), car parking upstairs for designated drivers, all in the heART of the city.

This event is a special fundraising initiative to help W2 build an inner-city media centre for Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside – across the street – within the Woodward’s heritage building scheduled. Take a moment and see what we’re working on:
http://www.creativetechnology.org/

5 Rooms!! Are you ready Vancity?! First time ever!
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

An unprecedented collaboration between Vancouver’s underground music communities in one massive public space at W2 Storyeum, bringing back the light, and welcoming the new year!

W2 in association with;
Beats Without Borders
Integrated Grime Unit
Bass Coast Project
The Funk Hunters
Wet Mi Down
Low Indigo
Perception
SHAHdjs
Lighta!
Ting!

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Reggae / Dancehall /Funk / Dubstep / Drum and Bass / Glitch-Hop / Downtempo / Midtempo

The Lineup:
Agent Muldah
Basketball
Bevvy Swift
Calamalka
Daega Sound
Dewey Decibel
DJ Cure
Eradik
Holistic
Johnny Dubs
Lady Vishus
Librarian
Mandai
Max Ulis
Mista Chanta
Myles Away
Nils
Nog
Selecta Brown
Self Evident
Souns
Sweet Anomaly
Taal Mala
Tank Gyal
Tarron
That African
The Funk Hunters
Tusk
XI

Stay tuned for downloads, ticket release updates, and more additions to the lineup.

AHA MEDIA will be onsite doing livestreaming during W2 Lights NYE. See our livestream channel at http://www.qik.com/AHAMEDIA starting from 7pm onwards Friday Dec 31. 2010

Looking forward to seeing you NYE 2011!

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, Downtown Eastside, DTES, Livestreaming, Peter Davies, Richard Czaban, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside, W2, W2 Community Media Arts, W2 Storyeum, W2 Woodwards

W2 MEDIA MAKERS’ WORKSHOP at W2 Woodward’s Meeting Room for 7th Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival in Vancouver on Wednesday Nov 3, 2010

November 3, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

Workshop
W2 MEDIA MAKERS’ WORKSHOP
Wednesday November 3, 7pm-9pm
W2 Woodward’s Meeting Room
250–111 W. Hastings
Come visit the first part of the new W2 community media centre opening at Woodward’s and learn about media production opportunities. From 7pm to 8pm Sid Tan and Irwin Oostindie will introduce community television production opportunities and W2’s new community TV studio in the basement of Woodward’s. Then from 8pm to 9pm learn about W2’s new radio program that mixes up the voices of W2 members, current affairs and artist perspectives on inner-city life and the world around us, www.creativetechnology.org. Free

AHA MEDIA is very proud to help provide social media coverage of the 7th Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival in Vancouver from Pre festival events starting Wed Oct 20, 2010 through to the Main Festival during Wed Oct 27 – Sun Nov 7, 2010

http://www.heartofthecityfestival.com

AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of video or for additional footage, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

Please follow AHA MEDIA on Twitter , Facebook, Youtube and Qik
http://www.twitter.com/AHAMEDIA
http://www.facebook.com/AHAMEDIA

http://www.youtube.com/AHAFILM

http://www.qik.com/AHAMEDIA

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, Downtown Eastside, DTES, Fearless City Mobile Project, Irwin Oostindie, Livestreaming, Nokia N97 mini, Peter Davies, Richard Czaban, Sid Tan, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside, W2, W2 Community Media Arts, W2 Storyeum, W2 Woodwards

Learning, Freedom & The Web Open Lab Discussion at W2 Woodward’s Open Lab for 7th Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival in Vancouver on Wednesday Nov 3, 2010

November 3, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

Open Lab Discussion
LEARNING, FREEDOM & THE WEB
Wednesday November 3, 11am-2pm
W2 Woodward’s Open Lab,
250–111 W. Hastings
Learn about the open web, how it affects how we learn and explore local solutions such as creating a free community wifi for the DTES. The web surrounds us with a massive and remixable tapestry of perspectives, facts and data. It gives us the freedom to learn whatever we want at our own speed and in our own way. It lets us become our own teachers. Fundamentally: the free and open nature of the internet is revolutionizing learning. Come for a discussion that is also digitally connected to a live dialogue from Mozilla Foundation’s Drumbeat Conference in Barcelona. Free (optional lunch $5)