Monday Morning Freebies...

Call me cliché, but Mondays stink. So I'm offering a couple useful sites to brighten your week. Zamzar: Free Online File Conversion

Zamzar.com is one of my favorite online discoveries in quite some time. The tool allows you to upload a file and convert it to another format of the same type. For instance, you can upload and convert a WAV audio file to MP3, a DOC file to PDF, a WMV file to MP4, etc. You can also upload a file and compress it to a ZIP file.

Once you've uploaded your file(s), you just select your desired conversion format and click "Convert." Within an hour (usually no more than a few minutes, depending on the number/size of your files), you'll receive an email with links to download your new files. The site even lets you convert multiple files at once.

Zamzar's free account lets you convert files up to 100 MB, but you can pay for premium plans.

Umbrella Today?

Sometimes the simplest things are the most useful. Such is the case with UmbrellaToday.com, a weather site that makes things easy.

It's always frustrating to visit a weather site, enter a zip code and get vague information and percentages. I didn't major in meteorology, and I don't want to read radar maps. Sometimes I just want to know if I'm going to get wet.

With UmbrellaToday.com, you simply enter your zip code to ask the question, "Do I need an umbrella today?" and the site gives you a big fat "YES" or "NO." You can also enter your mobile number and select a time to receive a daily text alert from the site.

Never again will my perfect quaff be ruined by Mother Nature.

Early Bird Extension and Other Conference Deadlines

Believe it or not, the 2008 Technology in the Arts Conference is only a month away.  I know how fast the days and weeks have been flying for me, so I wanted to highlight upcoming deadlines for those of you planning to attend (or thinking about attending): September 10th - Extended Early Bird Registration Deadline We've heard your requests and will be extending the Early Bird Registration deadline to Wednesday, September 10th. As a reader of this blog, you are eligible to receive 25% off all conference registration fees.  When combined with the Early Bird discount rate, your total cost for registering for the 2008 Technology in the Arts Conference is only $187.50.

To take advantage of this opportunity:

• Go to https://www.acteva.com/go/TITA2008 to complete the online registration form.
• In the box labeled "Activity Questionnaire," enter one of the following promotion codes.
  • If you have previously attended the Technology in the Arts Conference, enter TITA01.
  • If this will be your first Technology in the Arts Conference, enter TITA70.
  • Either code will deduct 25% from your registration costs during the online payment process.
• This discount applies to the Hands-On Training Workshops as well as general conference registration.

September 15th - Deadline to PA Residents to Apply for Conference Scholarships Thanks to the generous support from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, we are offering a limited number of registration and travel scholarships exclusively for artists and arts administrators living and working in Pennsylvania.  Click here to learn more and apply online!

September 16th - Hotel Reservation Deadline for Discounted Conference Rate Call 1-800-445-8667 and give them the group code - CAM - to receive the conference rate of $129/night.

OTHER CONFERENCE INFORMATION: Conference Schedule - Learn more about this year's conference lineup

• Hands-On Training Workshops
• Breakout Sessions
• Keynote & Awards Luncheon
• Social Networking Soiree at the 15 Minutes Gallery
• Closing Plenary

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.

Take Care with Facebook Use

I just read an interesting article in the Washington Post about getting banned from Facebook for using it too much. That's right. If your organization is using Facebook, excess legitimate activities (too many messages, too many pokes, too many wall writings, etc.) could get your account suspended or deleted. If your organization uses Facebook for promotional purposes, read the article and maybe check out the post on Get Satisfaction, 13 Reasons Your Facebook Account Will Be Disabled, that they reference in the Washington Post. Some of these points are outdated (I think you can friend over 5,000 people now), but they are all good guidelines in terms of Facebook usage.

If you're really interested, you can dive into the at the User Conduct section of Facebook's Terms and the Code of Conduct to review of the official "Thou Shalt Nots."

Update/New Topic (9/5/08)

In addition to overusage, it is worth mentioning another thing to consider when using Facebook. There have been a glut of recent worm attacks targeting Facebook users.  Details about the initial round of attacks and how they were executed can be found at TechCrunch. Though the attacks started in early August, there are indications that they may still be happening. Thanks to Amanda Beals at MainStreet.Com for the topic suggestion and a link to suggestions on how to protect yourself from the hidden dangers of Facebook.

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.

One Man Enters, Two Men Leave (Kinda)

It's not quite Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome -  there are no chainsaws, no axes, and no high pitched whistles - but the recently developed and now-on-the-market Aguru Dome does make things interesting. A person enters the dome. Bright lights flash. A cornucopia of photos are taken. Many, many computers think. And, Bob's your uncle! A digital, 3D model of their face is created. A rendering so good, it can be then used to create incredibly realistic digital effects in film (think action sequences), video games, and so on.

Now, I'm not a CGI expert, so you can get better details from the BBC article I read (thanks to artsJournal), this DV.com article, and the Aguru Images Web site. However, I have been known to be an actor from time to time. The Aguru Dome makes me feel just a wee bit uncomfortable. Why in the world would I step into that thing? (Not that anyone would want a 3D model of my face.) I get in, and you get a digital copy of my face that, theoretically, can replace me so well that people won't notice the difference. And you have it forever.

There has been debate about whether CGI could replace live actors for some time now. There have been cases of actors and their performances being digitized, but facial rendering has been one of the weak suits of CGI. This technology seems to get us closer to technicians being able to animate the human face, without needing a live actor to do anything other than sit still for a few minutes.

I wonder if the actors' unions have started talking about this yet.  The Aguru Dome ships out to customers in September 2008.

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.

Scholarship Opportunities for Technology in the Arts 2008

Thanks to the generous support from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, we will be offering a limited number of registration and travel scholarships exclusively for artists and arts administrators living and working in Pennsylvania.

• Scholarships are available exclusively for artists and arts administrators living and working in Pennsylvania.
• Two types of scholarships:
  • Full registration:
    • Covers registration expenses for the general conference as well as the hands-on training workshops
    • Eight of these scholarships will be awarded in 2008
    • Available to both previous and new conference attendees
  • Full registration plus travel expenses:
    • Covers registration expenses for the general conference as well as the hands-on training workshops
    • Also reimburses travel and lodging expenses up to $700
    • Allowed expenses include:  air or train fare, taxicab, car rental, gas, mileage, and hotel accommodations.
    • Five of these scholarships will be awarded in 2008
    • Available ONLY to new conference attendees
• Applicants will be evaluated on their ability to articulate how attending the conference will assist them in their work and professional development.
• Applications MUST be submitted online.
• Applications MUST be submitted by Monday, September 15, 2008.
• Applicants will be notified of their status by Friday, September 19th.

Questions?  Contact David Dombrosky.

Apply Online Now!

Technology and the Media Arts

Earlier this week, Southern Arts Federation posted a podcast conversation in which Allen Bell and I talk about tools for new media and the impact technology is having on independent film and the media arts. Listen Now: SAF Podcast #38 - Technology and Independent Media

This conversation is a companion piece to an article that Allen and I co-authored for the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture about the only remaining organized tour of filmmakers in the U.S.

Like a Moth to a Podcast

I've just discovered and started listening to The Moth podcast. The Moth, for those of you who don't know, is a non-profit storytelling organization that brings in people - actors, playwrights, comedians, poets, personalities, and the average Joe - to tell a story from their own lives. No notes. Just a performer, a story, a microphone, and an audience. The Moth has several different live performance series and programs around the country. Now, The Moth has been around since 1997, but I'd never heard of them until a few days ago. Why? Because 1) I live in Pittsburgh, instead of New York or LA, 2) I'm not hip, and 3) I often struggle to get my recommended daily allowance of culture.

Point is: I found them eventually. I found The Moth through iTunes. I found them through their podcast.

And now? I know for a fact that I will continue to listen to the podcast. I've enjoyed their podcast so much, I'm considering buying CDs and other schwag through their site. I’m writing a blog about them. I’ve told two friends about them. And so on...

It is so very important to have as many points of entry into your organization and its services as possible, and a quality podcast can be one. We’ve got a podcast tutorial here on Technology in the Arts. There are tons of resources and guides out there. It is worth the effort, the equipment, the navigation of the waters of rights and copyright, and the time to create a new point of entry to your organization to gather fans you never knew you had, like moths to a flame.

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.

Desktop Wallpaper As Art

I got bored with my standard, gray desktop today, so I went out in search of something new.  I found some great computer wallpapers that can only be described as art. The beauty I ultimately ended up plunking down on my desktop was at Smashing Magazine.  Every month, they have a new set of wallpapers, available for free download, that have been submitted by artists and designers from around the world; artists such as Vlad Gerasimov, who has created an online studio teeming with his digital artwork.

Along the way, I also found a blog called Kitsune Noir, run by Bobby Solomon, which recently concluded the Desktop Wallpaper Project where artists submitted their works (some great stuff there).  And, I found out that deviantART has a section devoted to artist submitted desktop images.

This got me thinking.  I found all of these great places where individual artists were translating their work (or developing work exclusively) for computer desktops as a way of getting their art out there.  Were any arts organizations doing the same?

I did some searching and almost drew a complete blank.  The only case I could find was the Tasmanian Theatre Company.  Are any arts organizations out there providing desktop wallpapers on their sites? I would have to think that it's a way to keep your organization and its brand in front of computer-bound patrons.

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!

2008 ArtsTech Awards - Call for Nominations

Opens July 7, 2008 - Closes August 8, 2008

The 2008 Technology in the Arts Conference convenes representatives from the full spectrum of arts community, from the local to national levels, to explore the intersection of the arts and technology.

In honor of this exploration, the ArtsTech Awards recognize three categories of leaders in the arts and technology: artists, arts organizations and funding organizations.  For the 2008 ArtsTech Awards criteria, guidelines and nomination forms, visit the following category-specific links:

• Artists (Individual or Group)
• Arts Organizations
• Funding Organizations

Nominations must be submitted through our online nomination forms.  Nominations must be received by 11:59PM EST on August 8, 2008.

The recipients of the 2008 ArtsTech Awards will be honored at the Technology in the Arts Conference during the Keynote and Awards Luncheon on October 10, 2008.

If you have questions about the ArtsTech Awards or the nomination process, please contact David Dombrosky.

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.