[artinfo] The Patchingzone Newsletter 02

[Anne Nigten]

Newsletter 02, March 08

Welcome to the 2nd newsletter, of The Patchingzone, a new praxis 
laboratory where PhD and master students work together with 
professionals on meaningful content in the field of creative 
technology. This newsletter informs you about our first 
pilot-project, who is working with us and furthermore we offer a 
sneak preview into our future plans.

The Patchingzone's first pilot-project Cultuur Lokaal in full gear

The Patchingzone recently started its first pilot-project: Cultuur 
Lokaal. In this project we work with Haagse Hogeschool lectoraat 
Society and ICT by Dick Rijken and professionals of three cultural 
institutions in Gouda; the Public Library Gouda, the Regional archive 
Central-Holland, Museum GoudA to investigate new opportunities for 
collaborations with (in)formal local networks. In this project we 
deal with contemporary issues that are connected with the 
re-positioning of cultural institutes in the digital age as well as 
the changing relation between professionals in the institutes and 
their audience. The work should encourage audience interaction and 
will be positioned in the augmented reality, where the museum or 
library rooms intersect with the public space and the virtual. A 
small group of six dedicated and prolific Master / PhD students from 
very different backgrounds work together, environment' from a 
physical workspace in Gouda and remotely, on the theme of 'local 
identity and the connection between the physical and virtual. We 
would like to introduce the Cultuur Lokaal student team to you: Piotr 
Adamczyk (US) Library and Information Science and Human Factors, 
Vincent Akkermans (NL) Music Technology, Marcia Nancy Mauro-Flude 
(AU/NL) Media Design and Performing arts, Mirella Misi (BR/NL) 
Performing Arts, Corinna Pape (DE) Performance and Game Theory, 
Vivian Wenli Lin (US/NL) Video art / Video Documentary. The 
Patchingzone student team has carried out several in-depth city 
explorations, field studies, documentary research and conversations 
with locals from different ages and backgrounds. The first public 
art-interventions and events were performed at the Gouda market place 
recently. Follow the project's progress at the frequently updated 
project site 
<http://cultuurlokaal.patchingzone.net>http://cultuurlokaal.patchingzone.net

The Patchingzone mentoring team

We would also like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our 
mentoring team; Kristina Andersen (DK/NL) is our concept mentor she 
holds an MA and an M.Sc (distinction) and is specialised in wearable 
computers and tangible objects in virtual spaces. Marc Boon (NL) is 
our all-round soft- and hardware engineer. Lyndsey Housden (UK/NL) is 
our assistant producer, she holds a BA in Fine Art and studies for 
her Master in ArtScience at the Interfaculty, The Hague (NL). Sandra 
Fauconnier (BE/NL) joins our team as an art historian and lecturer; 
she works as media archivist at Montevideo (NL). Dr. Sher Doruff 
(US/NL) is our guest lecturer, she is currently research fellow at 
ARTI lectoraat of the Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten. Our 
external jury members are: Dr. Lynda Hardman (UK/NL) who works at 
TU/e and C.W.I., Dr. Dirk Heylen (NL) who works at UT and CTIT, Dick 
Rijken who works at HHS. The Patchingzone team is lead by its 
initiator and director Dr. Anne Nigten. More info about our team can 
be found at the 'people' section at our website 
<http://www.patchingzone.net>www.patchingzone.net


Short news snippets and sneak previews

* The Patchingzone ambassadors network grows gradually, our 
ambassadors are: Hugo Bongers (director RRKC), Dick Kamphuis (Sales 
Consultant HP, NL), Ronald Koster (director Link-you), Drs. Harry 
Kotey (consultant at Alaris), Dr. Mettina Veenstra (Telematics 
Institute).

* We are negotiating the last details for an exciting collaboration 
with the Korean National Arts University (KNAU), to set the tune, the 
essay 'Innovative patches; stitching together methods and approaches 
to build experiences' by Dr. Anne Nigten will be published in April 
2008.

* We are in conversation with colleagues in Dordrecht (NL) and in 
Essen (DE) for our first European project in 2009-2010. So stay tuned!

* Our next newsletter, an interview with cultural staff from Gouda, 
the pre-announcement of our new projects and a new call for proposals 
expected by the early summer!