Diversity, Technology and Risk: One Man's NAMAC Conference
As a relative newcomer to the media arts community, I did not know what to expect from my first NAMAC Conference. I wondered how this convening would differ from the other arts conferences I had attended. What would I take back from this gathering that I had not encountered elsewhere?
Upon arriving at the Institute for Contemporary Arts for the opening reception, I noticed the first distinguishing factor of NAMAC’s Conference—diversity. At other gatherings, discussions typically emerge over issues of representation: How do we increase participation of marginalized communities in the arts? How do we attract and engage younger generations in the creation and administration of art? The vitality of the array of people present at the opening reception indicated to me that the media arts community is well on the way to successfully answering these questions.
I observed two traits over the course of the Conference that were integral to its strength in diversity. First, every voice and perspective was treated with equal respect and legitimacy. None of the familiar hierarchies of representation permeated the Conference design. Emerging leaders sat on panels with established leaders. Representatives from smaller, culturally based organizations presented side by side with individuals from larger institutions. Second, individuals from marginalized communities were recognized as more than experts on marginalization. Persons of color shared their expertise on everything from gaming culture to corporate media to innovative web environments—not solely on issues of race. Young persons presented vital information beyond how to market to their generation. These traits brought an energized dynamic and engagement to the conference; they also serve as a model for the field.
Assigned to cover the Content and Commentary track, I found the discussions of the practical applications for emerging technologies fascinating, and I began to envision new possibilities for my own organization to deliver content. During the session “Broadband, Net-based, and HDTV Distribution Alternatives,” Open Network’s Ken Jordan reminded us that additions have been made to the continuum of distribution. Because of the increasing prevalence of high definition digital video, peer-to-peer file sharing networks, cell phones, and other handheld devices, everyone needs to evaluate how their content might be delivered via these platforms. As an example of the synergy between content and new distribution platforms, Ted Passon told the story of how MOOV HD found a home for high definition, non-narrative video art on Dish Network. During a lively discussion following this session, one point in particular resonated with me: Cinema needs to reinvent itself with digital technology to keep up with other forms of distribution. In the battle between the power of communally experienced media and the convenience of media in the home (or in our hands), the playing field is much more balanced when the quality of the technologies are equivalent. As high definition digital video becomes a standard of quality in American homes, cinema and its venues will need to adapt to survive.
And what about the communal experience of sitting in a crowded theater watching a powerful cinematic work? Has technology propelled our culture into an era of electronic isolation? Are we moving away from “me and my community” toward “me and my gadget”? During my conference experience, these questions were echoed and answered in two related sessions, “Crowded House: Cultivating Community in the Internet Age” and “Digital Creativity.”
In “Crowded House,” panelists asserted that we are not moving into isolation. As social beings and storytellers, we seek out community, even on the Internet. In fact, web-based content delivery has provided media artists and organizations with the ability to develop geographically diverse audiences that could not have been reached through place-based programming. In “Digital Creativity,” the paradigm seemed slightly inverted. Rather than using web-based tools to develop community through content, thriving online communities have grown around the use of the tools. For example, Michael Verdi of freevlog.org discussed the emergence of an engaged community using video blogging to share personal experiences and social commentary. Here, the bond among “vloggers” begins with the use of the technology and is strengthened through the discussion of content.
Another distinguishing trait of this year’s Conference was the inclusion of the gaming community. For years, I have heard how video games are the death of civilized culture. Today’s youth are more engaged with their Playstations than they are with appreciating and creating art. This is the first arts conference I have attended that both recognized the art employed in the creation of multi-user online games and dared to ask the question, “How might we utilize online games to reach new audiences?” While I am still mulling over the potential intersections of online gaming and art, the Conference designers have encouraged me to think in a new direction.
Throughout the Conference, I found myself ruminating on the concept of risk. What are the costs of taking risks? What makes risk-taking sustainable? These thoughts reverberated during the session “Risk Takers Going All In.” I listened to inspiring and harrowing stories of risk from Out North in Alaska, Appalshop in Kentucky, and Democracy Now! in New York with the deepest awe and respect. How many of us are willing to risk our safety to challenge society and speak truth to power? What values do I hold to be worth that risk? How do my life and work embody these risk-worthy values?
My NAMAC Conference experience was not what I expected. I thought I would come home with validated, familiar patterns of thinking about art and my work. Instead, I am left with engaging questions, new possibilities, and a changed perspective. And for that, I thank you all.
David Dombrosky is the Contemporary Arts Manager for the Southern Arts Federation and a member of the Emerging Leaders Council of Americans for the Arts.
