Youth invited to apply by Thursday, July 20, 2017

BY PIETRO SAMMARCO

VIVO Media Arts Centre is one of Canada’s leading artist-run centres dedicated to the exploration, creation and dissemination of media arts. Since moving to Renfrew-Collingwood three years ago – at 2625 Kaslo street, between Van Tech high school and the Renfrew Skytrain station – VIVO has worked to become an integral part of this neighbourhood’s cultural community.

The centre strives to make media art a meaningful community experience through its exhibitions, its audiovideo production facilities and support, and its publicly accessible collection – the Crista Dahl Media Library & Archive – western Canada’s largest collection of media art and independently produced documentaries.

But did you know that VIVO also provides a variety of educational events in a friendly and supportive environment? This includes hands-on workshops, mentorships, study groups and public discussions.

Local artists offer the conceptual frameworks that enable you to apply technical knowledge in meaningful ways. They cover a variety of technologies and techniques, including video editing, sound design, projection mapping, media installation and computer programming.

Classes are kept small to ensure a quality learning experience for everyone. And VIVO is a diverse social place, too, where you collaborate with other creative people and are inspired by worldviews, perspectives and concerns that may be different than your own!

New youth project

VIVO has just announced a new youth mentorship project called The Reorganized Organ, set to run over 12 sessions in the fall. Creative people – whether you’re a musician, artist, designer, hacker or just generally curious – between ages 18 to 24 are invited to apply online to participate.

With the help of mentor-artists George Rahi and Marc St. Pierre, participants will collaborate to take apart and repurpose a discarded electronic organ and other wasted electronics. Reorganizing the components found within, the team will invent and create an orchestra of experimental musical instruments and other sound-making devices.

The Reorganized Organ uses music and instrument design as a fun and inviting way to approach the extraordinarily complex subject of discarded electronic devices and technological obsolescence, both in media arts and in our everyday lives.

This project allows for unusual collaborative explorations that stimulate novel thoughts and initialize fresh discussions about our dependency on electronic technology and its environmental impacts when it is discarded (as “e-waste”). It aims to help grow a more thoughtful technological culture.

Participants receive an honorarium for their hard work, and an artist fee for the final performance that will take place at VIVO. The project partners up with MakerMobile, Vancouver New Music and Free Geek Vancouver (all of which do really great work of their own, so check them out!).

For more details and to apply, visit http://www.vivomediaarts.com/reorganized-organ-application. The deadline for applications is July 20, so don’t delay!

VIVO encourages applications from self-identified members of underserved communities as well as visible and invisible minority groups.

For info on all of VIVO’s programs, visit vivomediaarts.com. Want to know more about upcoming educational events? Email education@vivomediaarts.com.

Pietro Sammarco is the education coordinator at VIVO Media Arts Centre.

Copyright (c) 2017 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News