[spectre] Digital Graffiti; Plugged in to Jamaica

[ANAT Communications]

MEDIA RELEASE
**Apologies for cross postings

DIGITAL GRAFFITI; PLUGGED IN TO JAMAICA

The Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) is proudly
supporting Daniel Flood to deliver accessible technology workshops at
the pioneering Container Project in Jamaica in May 2008. A talented new
media, theatre and community cultural development artist and founding
member of the FRESH media group, Daniel will be presenting Digital
Graffiti; Plugged In. Digital Graffiti will examine the role of arts
and technology in engaging, animating and enlivening neighbourhood
spaces and the role that arts and culture can play in neighbourhood
revitalisation.

The Container Project is an innovative, arts-driven engine for
community empowerment through creativity. Based in a bright yellow
converted shipping container in the heart of Palmers Cross, a rural
township noted for its poverty and associated social problems; it is
the initiative of one of its own, digital artist mervin Jarman (sic).

To celebrate the Container's fifth anniversary in 2008, a series of
extended workshops have been organised under the banner "As We Move".
The aim is to introduce New Media Arts to the Jamaican population by
"taking participating practitioners from around the world into the
field and some unusual situations." The iStLab will be a vital
component of the anniversary program as visiting practitioners can take
their workshops into the field with all the tools they need.

The workshops will be a "launching pad for exciting research and
development of community resources in ICT and multimedia productions,"
mervin announces, "concluding with the Digitizing Culture International
Symposium in March 2009."

Discovering that art could provide an avenue out of the hopelessness
and lack of horizons experienced by underprivileged youth relegated to
life "on the corners", mervin decided to share his visions and creative
media skills with others. The result was the Container, launched in
2003 as a community-based media art and training facility.

This grassroots project has been proudly adopted by Palmers Cross
residents, who have taken on increasing responsibility for its
day-to-day running. "The project allows people from the local community
to become sensitized to the use of computer technologies and its
relationship to their everyday lives," mervin explains.

mervin continues, "many of our youths feel unwanted and have often been
described as fit only for dumping. The iStLab is a subsidiary of the
Container Project and is aimed at the many disadvantaged young people
on our street corners. The hope is to give these young people an
opportunity to make a difference in their own lives, and by so doing
help to make a difference in their communities."

The Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) believes we all
deserve access to the opportunities afforded by global digital culture
and are providing Professional Development Funding to enable Daniel to
deliver workshops over six weeks from May 2008. ANAT recognises the
need to enable diverse engagement in the digital world that we often
take for granted in privileged environments both in Australia and
around the world.

ANAT's Executive Director, Dr Melinda Rackham comments, "Container is
one of the most successful community driven empowerment projects
globally and Daniel's expertise will greatly benefit both the Jamaican
community as well as enhancing his work with disadvantaged Australian
communities".

For more details go to
http://www.mongrelstreet.org/5thAnniEvents/5thAnni.html or contact
mervin Jarman at containerproject at gmail.com or Amanda Matulick on
communicate at anat.org.au.

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ANAT is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia
Council for the Arts http://www.ozco.gov.au its arts funding and
advisory body, by the South Australian Government through Arts SA
http://www.arts.sa.gov.au and the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an
initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments.