<nettime-ann> [ann] UNESCO DigiArts: Networking activities in Digital Arts for Africa and future developments

[Mirjam Struppek <struppek@interactionfield.de>]

------ Weitergeleitete Nachricht
Von: "digiarts" <digiarts@unesco.org>
Datum: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 19:14:27 +0200
An: <institutions-digiarts-clt@lists.unesco.org>
Betreff: [institutions-digiarts-clt] UNESCO DigiArts Press release:
Networking activities in Digital Arts for Africa and future developments



Press release: Networking activities in Digital Arts for Africa and future
developments

13 September 2005 

A one day workshop on networking opportunities in digital creative practices
in Africa was held on 4 September 2005 at Ars Electronica 2005 (Linz,
Austria). Discussions focused on pilot projects to support and develop
creative practices in Africa through the use of information and
communication technologies. Furthermore, an Africa Infopack, was also
launched in the Electrolobby on 5 September 2005. This Infopack is a tool to
find people to join the network of DigiArts Africa and to contribute,
participate and gain from the network of key network agents.

Digital practises in Africa are still limited in artistic expression and the
visibility of African digital artists in international festivals and
regional festivals are restricted. It is therefore difficult to obtain real
commitment from local partners to support digital arts, be it in terms of
exhibition spaces, equipment, funding or training opportunities. If
occasions are created through international festivals or funding, little
follow-up exist to take these prospects further and create sustainable
formal opportunities to work collaboratively crossing different disciplines
and geo-cultural borders.

African artists and other creative practitioners have very specific needs in
order to grasp the opportunities that information and communication
technologies offer in creative practises. The most basic requirement is
access to equipment and connectivity. Access is a constant challenge and the
awareness of the opportunities that the digital means offer, is a decisive
factor to the long-term sustainable development of digital expression.
Another basic necessity is communication channels for artists to exchange
among each other and have easier access to information resources and
practical training opportunities offered by international and national
festivals and residencies.

A variety of actors are addressing these needs and working towards promoting
digital artistic expression, such as museums, foundations, art festivals and
training centres. By joining the efforts of the different actors a more
efficient approach could be envisaged in order to promote digital creative
expression in Africa. The DigiArts Africa network seems like an appropriate
channel to mainstream digital creative practises, reinforcing the capacities
of a variety of actors in Africa and ultimately nurturing the development of
creative industries through cross-sectorial and inter-regional cooperation.

The Austrian National Commission for UNESCO and Ars Electronica festival
were key players in assisting UNESCO in extending the digital arts network
to Africa and work towards capacity building in information technologies as
emphasized in the Action Plan of the World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS).

Contact: digiarts@unesco.org

Useful links:

DigiArts Africa: http://www.unesco.org/culture/digiarts/africa

DigiArts: http://portal.unesco.org/digiarts

Ars Electronica Festival: http://www.aec.at/




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