Just in case you didn't believe us...

When we say the Technology in the Arts Podcast is a great resource for a wide span of people - artists, tech geeks, technophobes - we mean it. Yea, we know what you're thinking... we're biased. But the completely impartial Colin Marshall, author of The Sound of Young America's Podthoughts blog, recently wrote a great review for the show. An excerpt:

"One of my favorite aspects of podcasting is that it allows the listener to 'meet' a wide range of new people doing neato projects who they wouldn't normally run into. Technology in the Arts serves up quite a few of those, from the founders of Artlog.com [MP3] to the president of the Association of Arts Administration Educators [MP3] to the co-director of the art-space Future Tenant [MP3]."

And we didn't even pay Colin. In fact, we've never even met him. So check out the Technology in the Arts Podcast to judge for yourself.

Also, we'd love to hear from you at podcast@technologyinthearts.org.

Google's New Browser

Google, the great and powerful Oz of the Internet, announced Monday that its been working on a new open-source Web browser called Chrome. A beta version of the browser is expected to be released today for Windows with Mac and Linux versions to follow in the coming months.

So with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera and other browsers already available to users for free, what is the point?

According to this comic, Google feels browsers have grown to accommodate Web pages but not Web applications. Since most people use the Web to view videos, chat, play games and interact on a deeper level than ever before, Google decided to completely rethink the Web browser. Their plan, the comic states, is to build a tool that better serves the needs of the modern Web user.

If the beta releases today as expected, we'll see if early reviews project success. Since I, like everyone else, have consumed the Google Kool-Aid, I fully expect Chrome to be a winner. But I'll try to maintain a modicum of skepticism until I've at least played with the beta release.

Building a Web Site for Zero, Zilch, Nada, Nothing...

The Center for Arts Management and Technology receives calls and emails all the time from artists interested in creating a Web site for free. My first piece of advice is, "Check out WordPress.com." WordPress.com is the hosted version of the popular WordPress blog software, and they offer free accounts. The only caveat is that your site has to use the WordPress.com domain. (Hey, what's a domain?) For instance, my site would have to be something like bradstephenson.wordpress.com. However, you could throw a little cash at your site and use WordPress.com's custom domain. You can read more about that here. But that's not why you're here... you're here because you want it free. You're cheap, and I love you.

So I decided to set up a 100% free Web site for myself to demonstrate that it can be done. One thing that should be mentioned up front... If you have no interest in learning anything new with regard to technology, you should stop here and pay someone to set up your Web site. The virtual world is like the real world in that you cannot do something new without investing at least a modicum of effort.

1 - Domain Registration

If you can live without a .com or .org Web address, there are a handful of services that offer free domain registrations. I chose www.co.cc for this exercise.

2 - Web Hosting

There are countless free Web hosting services out there (including CAMT, but we offer the bare essentials for arts organizations), and you can get some pretty decent packages. For this activity, I selected X10Hosting.com, because they offer 300 MB of ad-free space. (Some free hosts force you to include their banner ads on your site, which will get you more space and perks but can be obtrusive to your visitors.) There is a searchable directory of free hosting providers at http://www.free-webhosts.com, and X10Hosting ranked very high on their list. Keep in mind that I had to wait 120 minutes after signing up to get confirmation of my account creation. Hoops to jump through? Yes. Can beggars be choosers? Up for debate.

3 - HTML Template

Assuming you don't know HTML and don't want to pay someone (free, remember?), you'll want to take advantage of one of the numerous sites that offer free Web templates. Themebot.com has some pretty nice templates of varying styles and languages (i.e., HTML, PHP, etc.) available as free downloads. I snagged an HTML template called Blue Cloud, as it was fairly clean in its structure. I clicked "Dowload" to receive a .zip package containing all the files I needed. This is what the design looked like before I modified it:

I then compared this to the index.html file from the .zip package, which looked like this:

If you don't know HTML, the simplest thing to do is open the .html file in a browser and in a text editor, then compare the two.

W3Schools.com offers a nice HTML tutorial for those who need some extra help.

4 - Making it All Work

When you create an account with a domain registrar, you should be asked for nameserver information. This is a series of letters and numbers that tell your domain (bradtheartist.co.cc, for example) where to find your Web files. In my case, the Web files will be hosted with X10Hosting.com, so I would simply log into my X10Hosting account, retrieve the nameserver information and enter it into my domain management interface.

When I set up my free Web hosting account with X10Hosting.com, I received FTP ("file transfer protocol") information, which I need to access my Web space. There are many free tools available for accessing an FTP account, but I recommend "FileZilla" for both PC and Mac. To access your FTP account, you'll need a hostname (i.e., ftp.mywebsite.com), username and password. Enter this information correctly into FileZilla, and you'll see a list of files and folders stored in your new Web space. You can then use FileZilla to transfer the HTML files from your computer to your Web site. Keep in mind that your Web space will look for an index.html or a default.html file to serve as your homepage.

My Recommendations

Yes, you can set up a Web site for free, but should you? It depends on your level of commitment to learning some basic HTML and your concern over having a non-standard URL (i.e., co.cc).

However, my recommendation would be to invest a few bucks into an easy-to-remember .com or .org domain. And if you don't want to learn HTML, set up a WordPress.com account and tie it to your new domain.

Try not to get frustrated, and feel free to contact us if you need some extra help.

Please note: This entry is just a demonstration of setting up a free Web site. I do not endorse any of the services listed above with the exception of FileZilla and WordPress, as these are trusted open source solutions with strong reputations.

Podcasting: Keep it Legal

I was recently directed to a great guide to ensuring that your podcast is legal. The Podcasting Legal Guide is hosted on the Creative Commons wiki and provides an overview of legal information every good little podcaster should know and understand. The Guide was created by the following parties:

Colette Vogele, Esq. Vogele & Associates http://www.vogelelaw.com/index.html Stanford Center for Internet And Society http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/

Mia Garlick Creative Commons http://creativecommons.org/ Stanford Center for Internet And Society http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/

The Berkman Center Clinical Program in Cyberlaw http://cyber.harvard.edu/

Also, remember that we have a Podcasting Fundamentals Tutorial available that will teach you the basics of creating and publishing your very own podcast.

Technology in the Arts - Now on Facebook!

When we consult with clients about social networking and other online tools, we always stress thoughtful planning and mission-driven solutions. Let me be the first to admit, though, that we didn't sit around whiteboards planning the Technology in the Arts Facebook page... we simply created it and started sending invites.

There are times when it's crucial to plan for the implementation of a new technology tool, and there are other times when it's important just to get it out into the world and allow it to take shape organically. In the case of Facebook, MySpace or any other template-based offering, it's easy to get rolling with little investment.

We invite you to become a Technology in the Arts Facebook fan and help us shape an online community dedicated to using technology to support the advancement of the arts.

Technology in the Arts Registration Now Open!

Registration for the 2008 Technology in the Arts National Conference is now open. The Technology in the Arts Conference is a resource for the arts community, sparking dialog around the role of technology in our planning and programming, discussing best practices as well as lessons learned, and providing hands-on, practical skills where possible. Explore the conference schedule for breakout and hands-on session information.

Click here to register now!

CONFERENCE RATES

General Registration: Early Bird Rate - $250 | Standard Rate - $300 | On-Site Rate - $350 General Registration fees cover all conference activities from Thursday evening’s Networking Reception through Saturday night’s Closing Party.

Hands-On Training Workshops: Either One AM Workshop OR One PM Workshop - $30 Both One AM Workshop AND One PM Workshop - $50 Fees for Thursday’s six Hands-On Training Workshops are separate from the General Registration.  Due to their limited capacities, you will be asked to select the hands-on training workshop(s) you would like to attend during the registration process.

Student Discount: College students with a valid student I.D. will receive an 80% discount on the conference and workshop registration fees.

1. To receive this registration discount code, send an e-mail request with the subject line “Student Discount” to David Dombrosky.
2. You will receive a reply message containing the discount code to use during the registration process.
3. When you arrive at registration, you MUST present a valid student I.D.

For more information, visit our Technology in the Arts National Conference resource area.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Presents an Arts Law Clinic

Are you a Pittsburgh-based artist or arts administrator with a legal question about your work? Take your questions to the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council's Arts Law Clinic on Wednesday, July 30, from 3-6 PM. Attorneys from American Eagle Outfitters will be on hand to answer your arts-related legal questions in the areas including Intellectual Property, Corporate Law, Contract Law and Human Resources.

This clinic, the first in a series to be provided by AE staff, is designed for people who have specific arts law questions. Applications to Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts will be available for those who require ongoing assistance after the clinic.

Wednesday, July 30, 3-6 pm Benedum Center, 7th Floor, 719 Liberty Avenue, Downtown

Presenters: Neil Bulman, Vice President & General Counsel; Rebecca Bibbs, Chief Counsel; Luke Paglia, Associate General Counsel; Kimberly Strohm, Assistant General Counsel; American Eagle Outfitters

To register visit ProArtsTickets online or call 412.394.3353. Registration Fee: $20 ($15 members)

Of course they chose Hendrix...

It seems the New York Philharmonic is taking a cue from American Idol. During a recent concert in Central Park, the Philharmonic asked the audience to text their votes to select the orchestra's encore piece. Naturally, the audience chose "Purple Haze." After all, what audience would prefer "Flight of the Bumblebee" over the Hendrix classic? Photo courtesy of froMJersey's Flickr photostream.

According to MobileActive.org, an online resource that examines the use of mobile technologies for social change, the Philharmonic has been using Kodime, a company based in the UK, as its mobile vendor for the past two seasons.

A couple of arts consultants...

I attended an arts consultant round table at the National Performing Arts Convention last month, and I wanted to provide contact information for a couple of my fellow attendees:

• Lisa Mount - Lisa led the session, and her firm's Web site is www.ArtisticLogistics.org. Lisa offers a broad array of strategic management services.
• Jane Hill (artSMART) - Jane brings more than thirty years experience as a professional arts manager to provide practical and successful approaches to the challenges faced by small and mid-sized arts organizations today. Contact Jane at hill.jane1913@sbcglobal.net.

A reminder... the Center for Arts Management and Technology provides technology consulting for nonprofit arts organizations. Read more about our services.

Note: CAMT does not endorse either of these consultants. All consultants in the session were given the opportunity to be listed here.

Community Theatre Conference - July 10-11, 2008

I will be visiting New York City later this week for the American Association of Community Theatre Conference. If you plan to attend, please visit me in exhibit hall room C. I'd be happy to spend some time chatting about your technology needs and providing a bit of free consulting.

Nothing ever happens in Blaine.

By the way, the image above is NOT meant to be offensive. I have acted in many a community theatre production, and I love every minute of it.

If you're involved in theatre and you don't love Waiting for Guffman, then shame on you!

Building a Web App in Four Days for $10,000

TechCrunch has a really interesting piece by Ryan Carson about building a Web application in just four days. Naturally, arts organizations don't have the human resources and $10,000 to throw around, but the read really drives home how quickly new apps can be deployed given current technologies.

The result of Carson's team's efforts is Matt (Multi account twitter tweeting). Useful? Maybe. Beside the point? Absolutely.

Weekend Update (Don't Sue Me, SNL!)

Just had a couple notes I wanted to share before the weekend: Click! Exhibit Results Now Available

The online gallery for Brooklyn Museum's crowd-curated exhibit Click!, which I wrote about in a Technology in the Arts blog entry, is now available.

The exhibit asked users to register and adjudicate work that was accepted as part of a March 2008 open call. The submitting photographers were asked to “consider Brooklyn’s transformation over the years, its past and its present, and submit a photograph that captured the ‘changing face(s) of Brooklyn.’”'

The Click! online gallery with a very cool adjudication results feature is now available.

ICANN Relaxing URL Restrictions

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which controls domain names on the Internet, has decided to relax its policy on domain naming conventions. Web site URLs will now be able to use characters other than Latin, as well as any combination of letters and numbers up to 64 characters.

Finally, I can register ethelslittleangles.sex, where my grandma plans to sell her handmade dolls. She's been bugging me about it for years. "Sex sells," she says. She's been watching too much TV.

Oh Grandma. You and your dirty mind.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Victory is... Not mine?

Pop Arts Marketing held their own iPod giveaway last week for the National Performing Arts Convention in Denver. But their contest required a bit more skill than ours, as they set up an online game called Harpsichord Hero, which riffed on the popular Guitar Hero. For most of the Convention, I held the high score, but someone finally bested me on the last day of the event. On Friday, I got what I thought was a perfect score and celebrated a bit more than any reasonable adult should. Then when I looked at the leaderboard, I realized that my adversary was still slightly higher than me in the rankings.

This is a photo of me in mid-celebration, before I was crushed by the realization of defeat:

I look more terrified than happy, really.

You can still play Harpsichord Hero and see my 2nd, 3rd and 4th place scores on the Pop Web site.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to the four winners of the Institue for the Management of Creative Enterprises iPod Nano giveaway. We collected business cards during the National Performing Arts Convention in Denver, CO, last week, and our winners were picked on Friday. The lucky quartet:

• Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, Managing Director, Westport Country Playhouse
• Julie Hawkins, Vice President of Public Policy, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
• Conrad Kehn, Composer/Vocalist
• Trevor Hunter, Technical Producer, Counterstream Radio

To all of those who entered but did not win, please remember this quote from William Shakespeare: "Having nothing, nothing can he lose."

Rocky Mountain High, Chorus America

We were fortunate enough to catch an impromptu performance of Rocky Mountain High by members of Chorus America, the national non-profit service organization for choral music. Rocky Mountain High.

We are also featuring the group's performance in our most recent podcast, Technology in the Arts #44, which is dedicated to interviews from this week's 2008 National Performing Arts Convention.

Asleep on the Job...

One of the big problems with having comfy couches in your exhibit hall booth space:

The Colorado Convention Center really needs to do a better job keeping hobos from accessing the exhibit hall.

Trade Show Booth Setup Blues

Though tomorrow is the first official day of the National Performing Arts Convention in Denver, CO, I had to arrive last night so I'd be ready this morning to set up our booth in the exhibit hall. Ain't she purty? Yes, that's a leather sofa.

Fortunately, everything arrived as scheduled, so there was no need for my late night cold sweats from anxiety about a crucial booth component getting lost in transit. But when I say "everything," I mean four large 100-pound crates, two large 50-pound boxes, a cylindrical container and a large flat box.

Why so much packaging? Well, this booth is a monster. For this particular show, we're exhibiting as the Institute for the Management of Creative Enterprises, which is the parent entity of our research center (CAMT.Artsnet.org), and two master's programs (MAM.Artsnet.org and MEIM.Artsnet.org).

During a particularly hairy moment this afternoon, one of the booth's walls toppled, nearly killing the guy at the neighboring exhibit space. If I had knocked him unconscious, my plan would have been to drag his body into a restroom, pack everything back up, and fly home to Pittsburgh. Surely he would have been hit hard enough to forget who or what had struck him, right?

Anyway, the booth is all set up, and I'm looking forward to the convention. I'm especially excited to tour the exhibit hall, as on display will be hundreds of amazing performing arts groups, technology providers, arts management companies, etc.

As you can see from the image at the top of this entry, our booth features a seating area with a leather couch and chair. I'll feel a little like Dick Cavett when I sit and chat with passersby.

Free Web Sites for Artists...

I know the subject of this post sounds like a bit of spam that might roll through your inbox, but thanks to Artlog.com, artists can create Web sites that are easy to use and offer some nice features. Most importantly, the sites are free to registered Artlog.com users (for the time being). Artlog.com is designed to connect people to art and artists to other artists. Their portfolio section is particularly intriguing because it not only allows artists to create their own Web sites with gallery, blog and resume modules; it also allows artists to use their own Web domains. For instance, if I create a site on Artlog.com, it can either be bradartsite.artlog.com (in which case, I don't have to own a domain) or bradartsite.com (in which case, I do have to own a domain).

Want more info about domain names? Check out this recent blog entry.

I recently interviewed the site's creators, Manish Vora and Dylan Fareed, for the Technology in the Arts podcast. Their interview will be released in episode #45 on June 27.

It always feels like somebody's watching me...

I recently interviewed podcast superstar Leo Laporte for the Technology in the Arts show, which was a great experience for a geek like me. Leo recently started broadcasting streaming video on a daily basis (about 2-7 PM Eastern, he says) at TwitLive.tv. Basically, he streams a video of his podcast studio constantly so you can catch all of his recordings live as they're being created. It's fascinating because you get to hear all the outtakes and pre- and post-recording conversations. Also, Leo's live stream features a chat window and in between shows, he responds directly to chat room messages.

There's something artistic about an empty studio, isn't there?

The amazing thing is that you can set up something similar to Leo's studio rather inexpensively, because there are a number of free streaming video services available. Leo uses Stickam.com, and UStream.tv is another very popular service. Obviously, Leo's equipment is very expensive, but anyone can set up their own broadcast empire on the cheap and with relative ease.

CAMT is tossing around the idea of creating a Technology in the Arts membership program, and we're in the process of laying out the services that would be available to members. One thing we've discussed is creating a weekly tech Q&A show for artists and arts managers using a streaming video service.

If you have thoughts on the structure of such a show or on other services we could offer Technology in the Arts members, please feel free to comment on this entry or email us.

By the way, my favorite UStream video feed is "The Ketucky Incident," which is basically set up to track the movements of bigfoot in Kentucky. I've yet to actually see Bigfoot walk past the Web cam... surprise, surprise.

But I have seen some unexplained things on Leo's cam late at night:

Your Second Life Avatar is Killing My Planet...

It was recently determined that a Second Life avatar uses as much energy as a real-life Brazilian. So try as you might to escape your polluted first life, you're doing even more damage as a Second Life user. The following campaign has been created in order to promote a campaign on the energy-conscious site Big Green Switch that urges Second Lifers to offset their avatar's carbon footprint.

Second Life users: Give a hoot and check out Big Green Switch.