#QR_U and Me

I’m heading off to Vancouver to take part in the QR_U at Emily Carr University. This is a really interesting project/exhibition addressing a range of questions about the future of art education. The name stands for Questions, Responses and Unofficial conversations, and organisers Lois Klassen, Heidi May, Adam Stenhouse, and Elisa Yon have established a website where people creatively respond to a set of initial questions (? a-n, The Artists Information Company) asking after the tools, techniques andmeanings of open and collaborative learning in the arts.  It will feature live conversation with with with Fiona Bowie, Chris Jones, Glen Lowry, with Ruth Catlow Skyping from the UK, and invites further participation through the #QR_U hashtag.

For a bit of background, Share Workers (1) was a research project and conference intervention by a-n, The Artists Information Company and myself along with Ruth Catlow: Furtherfield; Dougald Hine: The University Project; Jack Hutchinson: AIR; Bridget McKenzie: Flow Associates; Marcus Romer: Pilot Theatre. The idea was to host a panel discussion at ISEA2011 focusing on the concept of sharing in the arts while sharing as much as we could of discussions beyond the conferencewalls (helping others escape, amongst other things, the heavy security and high attendance fees associated with participating in the event)

We asserted that with the arrival of social media and the wave of internet use known as Web 2.0, the ability for artists to share has grown exponentially, becoming a subject in and of itself, and generating experts in the techniques and meanings of sharing. We assembled a number of these experts to discuss everything from the practical to the philosophical in the collaborative use of digital tools for sharing and learning. From consolidating connections between artists and arts policy-makers to rewiring our educational and economic circuitry, this panel represented a wealth of collective skills for reaching out to others through technology. Meanwhile we used a Twitter hashtag (#shareISEA) to talk to people in and beyond the room and made a point about having to pay a full attendance fee for Marcus Romer who actually Skyped his contribution – receiving none of the benefits associated with the fee. I also asked all participants to document and share as much of their participation as possible using whatever tools and platforms made sense to them – therefore also sharing something of the conference experience itself with non-attendees.

Share Workers (2) will offer the same Twitter interactivity (#QR_U), will become a QR code in the exhibition, and will link up with the documentation of Share Workers (1) on a-n’s website. We would love to have you involved – especially if you can’t be in Vancouver – so do get in touch!

In addition to recreating Share Workers, I’ll also be something like a resident Share Bear at Emily Carr from 5th –7th December. I will be sharing any skills I can, joining classes, giving crits or talking publicly or informally on anything related to: social media in arts and education, academic and arts publishing, online art production and presentation, and career development. I can even share my most successful project briefs for art contextual courses including Flash Meninas and Dead Artist/New Voice, and discuss any aspect of my own experiences in the arts and education.