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fibreculture meeting 2002

Networks of Excellence

Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
November 22-24 2002

Images from the conference >>>

Pre-conference program information>>>

Recordings from the conference >>>


A note from key conference organiser Chris Chesher
(posted to the Fibreculture list 11/27/02 2:28pm)

Subject: ::fibreculture:: Excellent Networking

Thanks to everyone who helped make the Fibreculture 2002: Networks of
Excellence event such an energising experience.

I think the conference went particularly well, thanks to the contributions
of everyone who attended. We had between 30-60 people at every session,
which created a critical mass of contributors. While there were
disagreements and differing positions, all the discussions were conducted in
a generous spirit, and my impression was that many people came away changed
by the experience. (I know I did!)

fibreculture conference 2002

was supported by


The School of Media and Communications
University of New South Wales


The Department of Media and Communications
Macquarie University

Sydney's

Australian Film Commission

The fibreculture discourse seems to have become more stabilised, as the confusions over language seemed to be less pronounced than last year. The panels were more focussed, and the efforts of the chairs and those who posted positions paid off well. I expect we will see some strong papers for the proceedings over the next couple of months.

The Public Forum worked well to give the conference some material to discuss. It juxtaposed five very different worldviews in the video
screening, and the four speakers. It was interesting to see that Senator Lundy gave some support to the establishment of NICTA, which she saw as 'catch-up' to the Federal Government's policy neglect of research and development.

The New Media Mystery Tour took 22 tourists to some equally diverse spaces. Our first stop was Olympic Park, for the Olympic Memories installation outside the Olympic Stadium. The second stop was Fox Studios, where we had lunch around a big table before splitting up: David Teh took one group to animatronics company Studio Kite. I took the rest of the punters to Animal Logic, where one of the designers talked about everything except the secret project: Matrix Unloaded. The final stop was the Powerhouse Museum, where we played with virtual objects in the haptic workbench and made funky tunes in the Soundhouse. This was a great start to the event, and was my first
experience of being a tour guide.

I had intended to write a more full report on the conference, but perhaps that's best left to those who attended. Posts of any length about your impressions of the conference are most welcome. Thanks already to Jon Marshall for his 'vague descriptions' of the conference.

Fibreculture facilitators met after the conference to discuss next year's conference in Brisbane, possibly as soon as July. Stay subscribed for more!

Also look out for the Fibreculture 2002: Networks of Excellence newspaper inside the upcoming edition of the free newspaper Real Time.

Chris


Meanwhile, for the record, below are those who made this event possible (apologies for the inevitable inadvertent omissions). Instructions: Just scroll this slowly up your screen like in the movies.

FIBRECULTURE 2002: Networks of Excellence

SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS

Department of Media, Macquarie University
http://www.media.mq.edu.au/

School of Media and Communications
Faculty of Arts
University of New South Wales
http://www.arts.unsw.edu.au
http://mdcm.arts.unsw.edu.au

Australian Film Commission
Industry & Cultural Development Fund
http://www.afc.gov.au

Museum of Contemporary Art
http://www.mca.com.au


FORUM SPEAKERS

Professor Arun Sharma NICTA
Julianne Pierce ANAT
Dr Terry Flew QUT
Senator Kate Lundy

NEW MEDIA MYSTERY TOUR DESTINATIONS

Sydney Olympic Park Authority
http://www.sydneyolympicpark.nsw.gov.au/

Animal Logic
http://www.animallogic.com/

Studio Kite
http://www.studiokite.com/

Powerhouse Museum (Soundhouse)
http://www.phm.gov.au
http://www.soundbyte.org/


CONFERENCE CHAIRS

Chris Chesher
Anna Munster (and Molly Hankwitz in absentia)
Lisa Gye (Sherman Young in absentia)
Kate Crawford and David Teh
Elaine Lally and Danny Butt
Graham Meikle and Geert Lovink
Ross Gibson, Esther Milne and Ned Rossiter


FIBRECULTURE FACILITATORS

Hugh Brown*
Danny Butt
Chris Chesher
Lisa Gye
Molly Hankwitz*
Geert Lovink
Esther Milne
Anna Munster
Ned Rossiter
David Teh

* couldn't get to the conference

EDITOR OF CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS (FORTHCOMING)

Andrew Murphie

PEOPLE WHO HELPED OUT -- THANKS!

MCA Staff

Jasmin Stevens

Brent Moseley
Gemma Smith
(+ volunteers??)


Volunteers from UNSW at the event

Emma Sampson
Mat Wall-Smith
Seamus Byrne
Adnan Lalani
Carly Harper

Colleagues at UNSW Media & Communications

Julie Miller

Gillian Fuller
Andrew Murphie
Ross Harley
Gay Hawkins
Philip Bell
Brigid Costello
Alyssa Rothwell
Scott Shaner

Colleagues at Macquarie University

John Potts
Peter Space (who set up the AV for the conference)
Sherman Young
Graeme Meikle


Thanks especially to everyone who attended and contributed to the
conference.