FreqOUT!

FreqOUT! at FUSE

2010-05-17T08:57:00.004Z

FreqOUT! will be screening a selection of films made by young people at FUSE on the 25th July. FreqOUT! is delighted to be chosen to exhibit alongside the British Film Institute (BFI), The Serpentine Gallery and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). FreqOUT! will also be delivering creative digital workshops at the event!

You can find out more about FUSE here.

FreqOUT! Team Update

2010-05-17T08:41:00.002Z

FreqOUT! Project Manager Jenny Irish is taking a 6 month sabbatical leave at the end of May to continue her community development work through international volunteering opportunities in Sierra Leone and South East Asia. Natasha Armstrong will head up the project moving forward. Natasha is an experienced Project Manager and Educator with a wealth of experience in the sector, joining us from an LDA funded employability project for post 16 learners at risk of becoming NEET. The project used education theatre workshops to develop the skills needed for work and life. Welcome onboard Natasha!

Congratulations to 100 Community Members!

2010-03-30T08:26:00.005Z

FreqOUT! celebrated this month the achievements of over 100 community members on its Interactivity project. 36 participants between 16 - 82 took part intensively on the project across Westminster, from Church Street, Queens Park and Pimlico. They produced films, digital photographs and sounds to investigate the history of their local area. The project ran in partnership with Westminster City Archives where the groups researched material to digitse for their projects. You can view the final online work here.....

Queens Park Youth Group

Church Street Intergenerational Group

Pimlico Intergenerational Group

FreqOUT! Youth Film Screened at the Odeon

2010-02-11T13:40:00.006Z

One of FreqOUT!'s participants who took part in the Firstlight funded programme in 2008, has had their film chosen to be screened in the 2010 Firstlight Film Awards, which will take place at the Odeon Leicester Square on the 2nd of March. Kieran's produced his film when he was living at the Centrepoint hostel in Soho.

Small Screens Need Big Ideas: Dogma Mobile Festival

2009-11-24T11:40:00.009Z

This week FreqOUT! recommends…
Dogma Mobile International Film Festival is a new film festival that explores filmmaking on the mobile phone.
The festival is an ongoing online event and submitted films must have a specific identified topic.
The festival team inspires users by offering tips and tricks! There are also interviews with film professionals and experts, such as Aryan Kaganof, a South African filmmaker and artist, who made the world’s first feature film realised entirely on mobile phone (see Kaganof's webpage for more information) and Jens Arentzen, a Danish filmmaker and actor. (watch Jens Arentzen's Dogma Mobile film)

Poverty and Participation in the Media

2009-11-12T10:51:00.016Z

FreqOUT! recently attended an evaluation event delivered by Spectacle.
Poverty and Participation analysed how the media treats poverty and those affected by it.
The project questioned what type of stigmatisation and stereotyping does the media create and does it influence, bridge or increase the divide.
The project looked at the representation of poverty in programmes such as ‘Rich Kid, Poor Kid’, ‘The Tower’ and ‘The Secret Millionaire’, with interesting feedback from the communities involved in the making of the programmes.

You can review the films on the Spectacle blog, where the projects are analysed further.

Are you virtual emotional?

2009-11-04T16:44:00.007Z

FreqOUT! recommends SCIRIA, who are an interdisciplinary collaborative group of arts and science researchers.
The ‘Virtual eMotions’ project at SCIRIA investigates human facial expressions in order to create a visual platform to scale the expressions from happiness to sadness. The development of the project is connected with evolutionary aspects of human emotions. The practical work includes video and installation, print technology, visualisation of digital 3D work, animation, computer-mediated art, sound works and drawings.

If you are interested in how our emotions can be digitalised, you can find more information about the project here.

FreqOUT! Street View

2009-10-16T13:47:00.006Z

As part of the Summer Uni FreqOUT! project, young people created mini podcasts and vodcasts of their local area. Some interviewed local community members on how they were fairing up during the credit crunch, whilst some explored what it was like to be famous and followed by the paparazzi!

You can view the google map complete with creative work here

NESTA Case Study

2009-10-16T13:33:00.005Z

FreqOUT! has recently been included as case study in a recent pulication, funded by NESTA. Social by Social explores how new technologies are changing the way we engage communities, run companies, deliver public services, participate in government and campaign for change.
You can read the case study here

FreqOUT! Recommends…Social Innovation Camp

2009-09-04T16:33:00.002Z

Social Innovation Camp is an experiment in creating social innovations for the digital age.
The web and related technologies hold huge potential to change some pretty fundamental stuff. Discovering what people really need, meeting people who’ve had personal experience of something they’d like to change and building the technology that can help - that's what Social Innovation Camp (SIC) is all about.
SIC are looking for the best ideas that use the web to change something that matters.
Through unusual, creative events SIC bring together talented software developers and designers with social innovators to build effective web-based solutions to real social problems. By bringing together these two groups – technology and need – SIC are creating a community of practice where people can experiment, discover, prototype and become advocates for using social technology as a driver of positive social change.
Visit http://www.sicamp.org/ for more information about the project.

Explore Planet Science

2009-08-30T14:41:00.009Z

This week the FreqOUT! team have come across this site....
http://www.planet-science.com/
The site is run by the Future Innovators Team at NESTA and offers a variety of resources, ranging from games and feature articles to career information. The keywords here: enjoy the science, the technology and the innovation.
You can build your own indestructible planet, take part in a battle for planet science or investigate music-science by mixing and sampling.
You can be surprised by opening the magic box - there are top tricks that look like magic, but are in fact science; or try some science experiments at home.

A careers profile search is also a useful tool - the Planet Science database of scientists offers many opportunities such as the science library, full with science sites, news in science and technology; scientific organisations and museums.

We recommend you check this out for yourselves!

Summer Uni 09 Launched!

2009-08-25T15:00:00.006Z

FreqOUT! has launched its Summer Uni programme this week. 11 young people are working alongside new media artist Jonathan Hall on the 'StreetView' project. The group is working to make short films, record interviews and take pictures of the local area in attempt to challenge Google's 'StreetView' application. We are sure theirs will be much better!

Transitions Film @ Young Co-operative Film-Makers

2009-08-25T14:46:00.010Z

'Magic Number 13'n'23' has been selected for the Young Co-operative Film-Makers Festival in October. The short film made by 4 young people on the FreqOUT! 'Transitions' programme was produced by artist Rob Pyecroft Rainbow, formerly of The Light Surgeons.

The young people will travel to Bradford where they will watch their film along with an audience of 300!

Find out more about the Young Co-operative Film-Makers Festival here.

FreqOUT! on the Community Channel

2009-07-01T15:18:00.008Z

FreqOUT! has been chosen to feature in the Meet the Future, a month of programmes celebrating the talents and creativity of young people up and down the country. 'From the Inside' was made with young people from Centrepoint as part of the First light funded programme in 2008.

Programmes showcase the work of young people, giving the most marginalised a platform to get their voices heard and understood.

This special month ties in with SHINE Week, 6 – 10 July 2009, a national campaign to celebrate the talent of all young people.

FreqOUT! Footie Crazy

2009-06-18T16:24:00.008Z

Young people from the FreqOUT! project got to meet their hero Ray Parlour, who played for Arsenal. The group played a football match at the David Beckham Academy as part of the Private Equity Fundraiser. The trip was a thank you to the group who had worked incredibly hard on the project in the last year!

Make Your Mark with FreqOUT!

2009-06-01T13:35:00.006Z

FreqOUT! Project Manager Jenny Irish is featured on the Make Your Mark Website following FreqOUT!'s success at the Catalyst Awards last July. For more information on Make Your Mark and to read Jenny's profile visit this link. Following on from this article Jenny's image will be used in a new artwork displayed at a central London student residence. The piece is based on inspirational Londoners and created by a Central Saint Martin's Fine Art student.

FreqOUT! is Twittering!

2009-03-13T12:30:00.002Z

FreqOUT! has started to Twitter! keep up to date with the most recent updates on the project by becoming a follower!

Amy Robins in Conversation

2009-02-25T11:38:00.003Z

Former FreqOUT! Project Manager Amy Robins has written an article for Co-Pilot.net a shared online resource for peopel working at the intersection of art, technology and social change. You can read the full article here. The article titled 'Working with funders from the commercial sector' gives an insight into securing corporate partners for charity projects.

NESTA Award

2009-02-20T15:23:00.004Z

FreqOUT! is being supported by NESTA to consolidate research into the benefits of using social technologies to engage socially excluded young people. FreqOUT! will be comissioning the research across the next 2 months. The investment by NESTA will build the capacity of the FreqOUT! project to extend its services to more young people.

FreqOUT! Dazed & Confused

2009-02-17T09:17:00.005Z

FreqOUT! is covered by leading arts/fashion/music magazine's online 'DAZED DIGITAL.COM' You can read the full article here.

If you are a student and would like to get involved with the FreqOUT! project, London, please e-mail your CV and a covering letter outlining your experiences to Project Manager Jenny Irish at jirish@cwh.org.uk.

FreqOUT! Showcase at the London Coliseum

2009-02-02T10:23:00.004Z

An audience of 80 visited the FreqOUT! showcase at the London Coliseum to celebrate the achievements of the project over the last 3 years. The night was also a chance to watch 2 films made by young people from the Queens Park New Media Centre and Centrepoint. Both groups made their films under the professional guidance of MediaShed artists and film makers and were on hand to answer questions from event guests. The film project was funded by First Light Movies and Simon Marshall, Senior Programme Manager at First Light spoke about the scheme. Other guest speakers included Vicki Costello, Development Manager from NESTA, Donatella Grillandi, Area Business Manager from Centrepoint and Louisa Benjamin, Centrepoint Youth Worker. Vital Regeneration Chair of Trustees, David Bowler was delighted to introduce the event.

FreqOUT! hits local news

2008-11-24T17:04:00.001Z

This week young people's achievements were recognised by the Paddington, Marylebone and Pimlico Mercury. They have been working on the 'Video Sniffin' project with artists from MediaShed to make a film using wireless cameras. The project is supported by the Lottery through the UK Film Council's First Light Movies initiative. The film will be screened at Vital Regeneration's Awards Ceremony on the 27th of November at the Cockpit Theatre.

FreqOUT! visits the RSA

2008-11-24T16:55:00.000Z

FreqOUT! visited the RSA this week to listen to a debate surrounding how the advent of technology has opened up the potential for placing young people at risk. Speakers included award-winning teacher and star of “The Unteachables” Phil Beadle, international internet consultant on child safety John Carr; media literacy consultant, Cary Bazalgette; and Sarah Dyer, director of new media, Beatbullying. They asked; What structures can we put in place to reduce the risks and how do we draw the line between ensuring protection and allowing free access? And what is the role of government, regulatory bodies, parents and teachers? An interesting and lively debate ensued and you can listen to the comments here.

Reaching Excluded Communities Successfully

2008-11-24T16:41:00.005Z

The final showcase of 'Being Connected' at the Science Museum was truly inspirational! 13 young women from the London Tigers gave a musical presentation using their 'singing sculptures' made with artists from the 'Scrap yard challenge'. 50 members of the Bangladeshi community supported the young people on the night, many having never been to the Science Museum previously. One participant commented, "At first I thought hmm.. Science.. that is not for me, I don’t want to do it, it sounds boring! But then Jenny and Ruth showed us films and took us to the Museum to see the Listening Post and I thought it was amazing! I had never seen anything like it before and wanted to join in the project!"

Get Yourself Connected

2008-10-10T14:44:00.002Z

During the last week of October 2008, 10 young students from London Tigers will work alongside professional artists at the Science Museum in a creative exploration of how contemporary digital technologies transform the way see and understand our culture.

Drawing the inspiration from Listening Post, an acclaimed artwork by Mark Hansen and Ben Rubin, the week of activities will culminate in a final celebration that will show case much of the creative work that will be produced.

The artists that will be involved are Graham Peet, Furtherfield, MediaShed, Johan-Brucker-Cohen and Katherine Moriwaki.

FreqOUT! visits Dana Centre

2008-10-07T15:59:00.001Z

FreqOUT! visited the Dana Centre this week to debate 'Perverting Technologies'. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, creator of the installation Under Scan, talked about his work, which opens in Trafalgar Square in November. Project Manager Jenny Irish has also previously worked as a visualisation designer for 'Greyworld' who also talked at the event. 'Greyworlds' Andrew Shoben captured the crowd with his 'art for all' approach and subsequent discussions about community consultation in public art.

The Big GPS Draw!

2008-09-26T11:40:00.007Z

FreqOUT! will be running it’s own workshop focusing on GPS drawing. Young People will work with Jeremy Wood to make GPS drawings of the local area. Using the latest GPS receivers this is an innovative project that pushes the boundaries of drawing in the digital age.

FreqOUT! Partners with the National Portrait Gallery

2008-09-26T10:13:00.007Z

FreqOUT! is working in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery. A three day workshop entitled 50 Pieces of Personal Info will run daily from 29 - 31st October, 11.00 - 16.00.

Using digital equipment, artists will construct their own multiple data portraits, featuring some of the personal information required for the forthcoming ID cards. The course is inspired by the Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life, 1990-2005 exhibition and led by artists Melissa Bliss and Miranda Lopatkin. A screening of everyone's work will be held on Friday 31st October at 17.00.

Video Sniffin with Media Shed

2008-09-26T10:05:00.005Z

Artist collective Media Shed will be working with 20 FreqOUT! young people at the Queens Park New Media Centre to make films using CCTV footage. The young people will work with international artist collective Media Shed to devise films based on issues that interest them. The group will be discussing their projects at the Photographers Gallery on the 15th of November so come along and chat to them there!

My Movie - North Fulham NDC

2008-09-25T14:14:00.001Z

5 young people from North Fulham worked with film maker Lucy Williams to make a short film about issues they felt were important to them. They interviewed members of the community in Normand Park to uncover what they felt could be improved in the area. The young people showcased their final films at the Brunswick Club and put added their film online.

Accolade for youth media initiative!

2008-08-14T10:02:00.001Z

FreqOUT! has received coverage in Regeneration and Renewal magazine this month, adding to the wide coverage leveraged by the 'Catalyst Awards'. You can read the online article here. For more information on how you can volunteer with the FreqOUT! team contact Project Manager Jenny Irish on jirish@cwh.org.uk or call 02072452263.

FreqOUT! covered by the Society Guardian

2008-08-14T09:53:00.000Z

The Wednesday 30th July issue of the Society Guardian covered news of the FreqOUT!'s 'Catalyst Award' win with the article also available here for online readers. The article outlines the power of social technologies when working with marginalised groups. A wide community of interest is developing in this innovative area, with interest from NESTA, BERR, the Cabinet Office, Unltd. and the Council on Social Action.

FreqOUT! covered by NESTA

2008-08-13T15:19:00.002Z

This week the FreqOUT! project was covered in a press release issued by NESTA. The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts - a unique body with a mission to make the UK more innovative. NESTA invests in early-stage companies, inform and shape policy, and deliver practical programmes that inspire others to solve the big challenges of the future. You can view the press release here.

Westminster Summer University

2008-08-11T09:37:00.000Z

This week FreqOUT! worked with young people recruited through Westminster's Summer Uni Scheme to create a digital record of their local area. 7 young people worked with lead artist Jonathan Hall to take photographs, video footage and record sounds around Queens Park.

Using only mobile phones and MP3 sound recorders the group created a fantastic online story of their local area using Google Earth.

There are still some places on the Summer Uni scheme- call Jenny on 020 7245 2263 for more information!

FreqOUT! wins Catalyst Award

2008-08-06T14:03:00.003Z

FreqOUT! has been praised by the Prime Minister as it joined a list of winners at the inaugural UK Catalyst Awards this week. Vital Regeneration’s FreqOUT! project won the ‘Chalk & Cheese’ category for their groundbreaking technology projects which have worked with more than 400 young people in London who are disadvantaged.

Gordon Brown chatted with Vital Regeneration’s project team and beneficiaries before presenting the Catalyst Awards. Youth ambassadors for FreqOUT! explained to the Prime Minister how they use technologies such as GPS, PDAs, Web 2.0 and Bio-mapping to change society for the better and break the negative perceptions they often face. They illustrated how young people in Westminster worked with artist Christian Nold to investigate their perceptions of urban spaces using bio-mapping technologies. As a result, a report was presented to the local neighbourhood management team to inform plans for neighbourhood open spaces.

FreqOUT! Project Manager, Jenny Irish said, “winning a UK Catalyst Award is absolutely fantastic! This really rewards the efforts of the young people involved, who have got really involved and moved into areas such as market research, even setting up their own film companies. We are extremely proud to be recognised as a pioneer in the world of social technology and innovation. We are excited about the new relationships and opportunities that will arise as a result of winning.”

You can view photos from 'Make Your Mark' at the event here.

CATALYST AWARDS

2008-07-04T13:31:00.001Z

The UK Catalyst Awards recognise those who use technology to make a positive difference to the world around them. Our FreqOUT! project has been working since 2005 to provide young people with access to film and new media technologies, inspiring their ambition and increasing their employability.
Vital is nominated for the UK Catalyst 'Chalk & Cheese Award' which rewards work that brings two different groups of people together. One of the key successes of FreqOUT! has been the empowerment felt by our young people through access to cutting-edge technology, expert artists and innovative ideas.

Award winners will be announced on 24 July 2008.

Catalyst Award Nominee

Exploding Narrative!

2008-06-25T10:09:00.000Z

FreqOUT! visited the ICA to watch 5 finalists pitch their ideas for mscape location based games, stories and educational journeys. They are experienced on GPS-enabled PDAs and based on easy to use software developed by HP Labs. The finalists pitched their ideas to an audience who gave their feedback with the aim of improving the presentations for the final competition. You can watch the final videos here and vote for your favourite ideas!

http://www.just-b.com/btween/hp-labs

Mobile History Walk Pilot Phase Complete

2008-06-25T09:47:00.009Z

Artist and previous FreqOUT! intern Daniela Boraschi led members of the FreqOUT! Steering Group, Frank Longworth (Capgemini) and Charlotte Fergusson (Westminster Arts Service) around Victoria to mark the completion of the pilot testing phase of the Mobile History Project. The group listened to sounds, narratives and viewed imagery generated from the Westminster Archives; triggered at specific points on the PDA. Mscape software allowed the participants to become immersed in the history of the area whilst walking around the contemporary urban landscape. FreqOUT! is now in the final development stage before rolling the project out to local young people.

Westminster Arts Strategy - FreqOUT! a case study

2008-06-03T14:15:00.002Z

The FreqOUT! project has been included as a case study in the Westminster Arts Strategy which was launched at the London Transport Museum. Photographs taken by Jake Novak as part of the Perceptual Landscapes project were showcased alongside images from the Photographers Gallery in the theatre foyer. You can download a copy of the strategy here.

FreqOUT! at the Royal College of Art

2008-06-03T13:57:00.000Z

Jenny Irish presented the FreqOUT! project as part of the Design Interactions practitioner lecture series, alongside Steering Group Chair, Julie Freeman. Jenny is currently recruiting artists to collaborate with on FreqOUT! projects in the future. If you are an arist with an idea you would like to work on with the FreqOUT! team please contact Project Manager Jenny Irish at jirish@cwh.org.uk for consideration.

Innovation Exchange - Share Your Idea

2008-05-15T15:49:00.006Z

The Innovation Exchange is dedicated to fostering innovation within the third sector and as part of this, finding ways of improving relationships between third sector social innovators, public service commissioners and investors. The Exchange works through events, research, facilitation and online exchange. The Next Practice programme, provides the best innovations with support and access to a £200k fund from NESTA. This programme will enable evaluation, knowledge-sharing and seek to draw in further resources, helping cutting edge projects to develop and grow. FreqOUT! have launched a blog on the Innovation Exchange website where you can see an overview of our project and comment on future developments: FreqOUT! Innovation Exchange

Signs of the City

2008-05-15T15:23:00.002Z

Signs of the City employs digital photography and new media in a 15 month international project. The project explores sign systems in European Cities by creating a visual inventory of Berlin, London, Sofia and Barcelona.

As part of the London consortium FreqOUT! set up workshops alongside 3 other leading arts organisations; Watermans, Independent Photography and Space Media. Young people worked with award winning artist Melissa Bliss to take photographs of their urban environment using mobile phones. The images were then uploaded to social networking sites. The dialogue takes place virtually and physically through the images on an internet database, and as an exchange between young people, artist, youth art organisations and cultural institutions. FreqOUT! worked with young people from Cardinal Hume, Centrepoint, Marylebone Bangladeshi Society and Churchill Gardens to deliver the work shops.

The project runs from October 2007 to December 2008 with exhibitions of the work being displayed in public spaces and galleries in each of the participating cities. Final images from the FreqOUT! workshops will be displayed as part of the London exhibition at Watermans during October this year.

Mobile Movies - Team Building Days

2008-05-07T15:47:00.001Z

FreqOUT! hosted a corporate team building day on Friday 2nd May 2008. This was a pilot for a future project that will give corporate companies across the UK the chance to work with new technologies whilst developing key team building skills. The staff of Vital Regeneration were the first to try out this new team building experience. They started the day with a treasure hunt that involved taking photos and solving clues by texting back the answers to HQ. The afternoon was spent in groups making mini mobile movies that were edited and later showcased to the whole team.

“Great activities, nice to be out and about and getting to know the local area” (Fiona Black)

“I have learnt what blue tooth is and how to edit film clips on my phone” (Judith McKee)

The day was a success and marks a new venture for FreqOUT! Once we have developed and refined the pilot, phase two will be to roll out to other companies. Lookout for more news on our team building days here on our blog and if you’re interested in taking part contact Jenny Irish jirish@cwh.org.uk and we’ll put you on the waiting list.

Handheld Histories

2008-05-07T14:56:00.002Z

Freqout! Design Intern Daniela Boraschi recently undertook a research project to build a ‘Mobile History Walk’ around ‘The Devils Acre’ in Victoria. The project entitled ‘Handheld Histories’ used a PDA device donated by BT. Daniella devised the walk using the ‘Create-A-Scape’ software developed by Future Lab which was downloaded onto the PDA. Using the software and PDA she was then able to successfully access the Wireless City Network.

After the first phase of research the next step is to work with young people to help them to develop their own bespoke walks based on their local area. Young people will be able to log on wirelessly in the centre of London so they can access information remotely, they are then free to learn on the move without having to return to their youth club or base. The project creates new and innovative learning opportunities outside of the traditional school environment and opens up discussion and debate through interaction with location.

Westminster City Hall Exhibition

2008-04-30T13:54:00.000Z

Photographs from Mobile Movies, Perceptual Landscapes and Signs of the City were exhibited at Westminster City Hall between 21st April - 9th May 2008. The exhibition was part of Westminster City Council Arts Service’s exhibition to highlight the creative talents of some of the most disadvantaged young people living in the city.

Inspired Mobile Films

2008-03-19T13:47:00.000Z

Artist Melissa Bliss and the FreqOUT! team worked with young people from Churchill Gardens Youth Club this week to create short films inspired by a trip to the Tate Gallery. Four short films were made on the day and the group devised innovative ways to use mobile phones to capture issues of importance to them. This method of low fi film making is encouraging young people to think more creatively what they can do with technology that is accessible to them.

Perceptual Landcspaes Launches in Church Street

2008-03-19T13:15:00.000Z

Young people from the Marylebone Bangladeshi Society worked with artists Christian Nold, Daniela Boraschi and the FreqOUT! team to interview members of the Church Street community to find out what people thought about living there. The young peolpe used MP3 sound recorders to build a rich audio representation of their community. Christian and Daniela worked with the young people to transcribe their audio onto project laptops, and then created a digital diagram of the results in consultation with the group. The final maps will be exhibited at a display at City Hall in April alongside photographs from the workshops.

On the Margins of Technology

2008-03-03T07:39:00.003Z

FreqOUT! visited SPACE Studios on Friday to see the grande finale of 'Not Quite Yet'. Artists have responded to research with groups of older people in East London considering how the UK’s ‘ageing’ population can engage with future design processes of Technology. What if everyone had a role in deciding how society uses digital technologies? The growing relationship between networks and computer systems means the way we live is being increasingly determined by technology. The UK has an ‘ageing’ population who live with the implications of these design decisions. The artists have been invited to respond to a research project that engages groups of older people in East London exploring their relationship to technology and its development.

FreqOUT! Visits BETT 2008

2008-01-20T17:10:00.002Z

FreqOUT! Project Manager Jenny Irish took a trip to BETT this month at Kensington Olympia. BETT is the world’s largest educational technology event which spans both the National and the Grand Halls at Olympia, featuring 600 stands and close to 30,000 visitors. FreqOUT! visited the Futurelab stand which featured Reactable – an electronic musical instrument designed for use by several people at the same time. Developed by a team at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, the Reactable has a round surface like a tabletop, and users play it by moving or rotating different objects on the surface. We guarantee you will never have experienced anything like it!

FreqOUT! is showcased on the Futurelab website, you can find out more here

Future Lab Website

Oxford Street mobile phone takeover

2007-12-04T13:46:00.000Z

Project Manager Jenny Irish and Artist Melissa Bliss worked with young people from the Cardinal Hume Centre during the VIP event on Oxford Street during its pedestrianisation on the 1st of December. The FreqOUT! group were part of a range of acts and performances that lined the streets during the busiest day in the shopping calendar. The young people filmed the event and made short films on mobile phones that could be Bluetoothed to the crowd- to spread the FreqOUT! message.

FreqOUT! visits ITM Grande Finale

2007-11-30T10:24:00.005Z

The ITM (Inclusion Through Media) project ran in collaboration with Goldsmiths and worked with FreqOUT! during the 'Hidden Homeless' Film Project at the start of 2007. The Grande Finale was held at the BFI and included talks from The Uk Film Council, Nesta, Musicians In Focus, BBC and Real Time Video.

Adnan Hanzi worked with the young people from the 'Hidden Homeless' Project to teach them how to upload their films to The Broadcast Machine. This open source method of distribution enables free distribution online and has proven to be a successful way of distributing the fantastic projects created by the young people. FreqOUT! worked with a young person from the project to upload a database of films and sound work from Vital's history. You can view the films here: student films

FreqOUT! intends to incorporate this into future projects to empower yong people to get their work seen by the masses!

New FreqOUT! Project Manager Appointed

2007-11-01T08:56:00.000Z

Following an interview series by the FreqOUT! Steering Group, Jenny Irish has been appointed as the new FreqOUT! Project Manager. Jenny takes over responsibility from Amy Robins who has successfully driven the project since its start in 2005. Jenny trained in MA Communication Design at Central Saint Martins and has a background as an Installation and Media Artist. Jenny has been an instrumental part of the Vital Regeneration Team since 2005, "I am looking forward to the exciting new challenges that FreqOUT! brings and the impact the project will have on the educational aspirations of the young people we work with." To contact Jenny e-mail jirish@cwh.org.uk

Museum of the Moment- Harrow Road showcased on ITV London News

2007-10-31T15:50:00.000Z

Museum of the Moment- Harrow Road volunteers were interviewed by ITV London News crew on thier experiences on the project. The footage was broadcast on Monday and reported on the life time of the project. This media coverage further raises the profile of FreqOUT! and our work with local young people to improve social cohesion and quality of life and explore new possibilities for the arts.

So watch this space for further developments.

FreqOUT! attends NODE London

2007-10-31T15:40:00.001Z

Acting Project Manager Jenny Irish attended the NODE.London subscribers meeting at the Gasworks Gallery this week to discuss the direction of NODE over the coming months.

In order to raise the visibility of media arts practice in and around the capital, NODE.London [Networked, Open, Distributed, Events. London] has worked as an open organisation, using consensus decision-making and pooling ideas, resources and even people. It has sought to fortify existing media arts networks and to encourage production and experimentation, whilst assisting in the articulation of such innovative artistry to a wider audience.

FreqOUT! explores the implications of Web 2.0

2007-10-24T15:07:00.000Z

This week Acting Project Manager Jenny Irish visited the Arts Council to attend a presentation and debate that discussed the implications of the web 2.0 phenomena. Saul Albert (FreqOUT! Steering Group member) and colleague Mikey Weinhove presented 'Who Wants to Be..'. Based on the ask-the-audience feature of the popular TV game show 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' The project helps large groups of people to make suggestions, discuss an issue, and to vote on each step in a creative decision-making process. The discussion between panel members and the audience explored the implications of the web 2.0 with Andrew Keen author, broadcaster and entrepreneur, commenting on implications for the music industry and journalism in the future.

Futurelab Covers FreqOUT!

2007-10-19T10:10:00.010Z

As part of the Museum of the Moment- Harrow Road project- Futurelab has included FreqOUT! on its website as part of their Digital Inclusion review. You can find out more on the Futurelab website.

Future Lab Digital Inclusion

FreqOUT! groups visit music studios

2007-07-11T09:25:00.000Z

As part of FreqOUT! Museum Of The Moment - Harrow Road summer project in collaboration with artist Jennie Savage, young people from Westside Independant School visited two music studios in West London this week.

The trip to Eastcoates and Kensal Town Studios was organised to show the young people what career opportunities may be open to them if they wanted to pursue the sound recording activity they have begun with Jennie Savage. The group prepared questions to ask Studio Managers, Assistants, Engineers and Producers.

Many thanks go out to Phillip from Eastcoates whose stories about late night working and soldering irons were hugely entertaining and insightful, and to Nici and Iain from Kensal Town who backed up the message of the day which was if you want something and you are prepared to work hard, you can make it happen.

To find out more go to:
Eastcotes Studios
Jennie Savage

FreqOUT! Film Screening at the ICA

2007-06-08T11:41:00.001Z

Spring time at FreqOUT! this year involved delivering two documentary film training projects with young people at the Cardinal Hume Centre in Victoria and Churchill Gardens Youth Club in Pimlico. The projects were led by film makers Tanya Harris and Lucy Williams who did a fantastic job of organising, inspiring and cajoling the young people to complete the short films titled Hidden Homeless and About Bullying.

We were delighted to be able to screen the films for the first time at the Institute of Contemporary Art's (ICA) cinema last Wednesday night. You can watch the films and find out more about them at www.vitalregeneration.org

We would like to extend a big thank you to FirstLight Movies and UK Film Council funding who made the two projects possible, and to thise people who contributed their time to make the project a success.

FreqOUT! presents at SCIRIA

2007-06-08T07:54:00.000Z

FreqOUT! Project Manager Amy Robins spoke at Camberwell College of Arts Research Department's SCIRIA meeting yesterday. SCIRIA, or the 'Sensory Computer Interface Research & Innovation for the Arts' is headed up by Director Dr. Angela Geary and the talk was programmed by Research Fellow James Fuare Walker.

SCIRIA aims to challenge and develop the nature and role of the computer interface in the arts. The Unit explores and develops the potential applications of emerging tangible interface technologies, including haptics and biometrics. It aims to foster an interdisciplinary arts and science collaborative network to achieve outcomes of core relevance and usefulness in the fields of art, design, craft and cultural heritage interpretation.

Amy spoke about the aims of FreqOUT! and the challenges associated with introducing innovative technology to young people in a educational and creative context. The discussion that insued covered the future direction of public art and the potential of young people to teach artists and their teachers about technology.

To find out more about SCIRIA go to:
SCIRIA
Camberwell College of Arts
University Of The Arts, London

FreqOUT! comissioned by the BBC

2007-06-05T16:41:00.000Z

FreqOUT! has been comissioned to run 8 mobile phone video making workshops for the BBC Blast tour this summer. Leed artist Melissa Bliss and her supporting team wll be travelling around the country to BBC Blast events in Cambridge, Leeds, Bournemouth, Londonderry and more.

We will be hosting up to 15 young people for half day or day log workshops in the fold down Blast bus. There is capacity for 10 young people to borrow phones, and 5 more to join in if they can bring their own. The final films made will be upoaded to the BBC Blast web site and will enter a competion. The lucky winners will be able to take part in a 'money can't buy' experience by having their movie shown at a Film Festival in the UK or Europe. We'll keep you posted when dates are confirmed!

Find out more about:
BBC Blast On Tour
Melissa Bliss

Museum Of The Moment kicks off

2007-06-05T12:55:00.000Z

FreqOUT!'s flagship summer project 'Museum of The Moment' has just completed is first phase. Masterminded by artist Jennie Savage and contributed to by the community in and around the Westminter section of the Harrow Road (NW9/NW10), the project will act as a showcase for the talents, voices and sounds of the Harrow Road.

For the last month young people from youth clubs based along the Road have been gathering information on ambient sounds and interviewing the local community. The recording phase completed this saturday with a ClashUp! on the Harrow Road in which singers, guitarists, flautists, rappers and DJ's performed along the road as the team recorded the sounds.

The project will complete in September when six radio broadcasts are transmitted by local shops. Passers by will be able to hear the sound by listening on their mobile phone radios or wireless headphones that will available from nearby collection points.

We would like to say thank you to Capgemini, Creative London and London Westside who have generously supported the project, and to the volunteers, young people, technical specialists and other contributers who have made the project happen to date.

If you would like to be informed of, and invited to the final event contact the FreqOUT! Project Manager arobins@cwh.org.uk.

Julie Freeman at Kinetica

2007-06-05T12:13:00.000Z

'Specious Dialouges' - a work by artist and Chair of FreqOUT!'s Steering Group Julie Freeman, is currently on show at Kinetica.

The exhibition focuses on artworks that explore, warp, collect and manipulate sound. Collaborating with the Cybersonica Festival, the show presents the work of prominent and pioneering U.K and European artists and features 4 new commisssions. The show runs from 18th May - 29th June 2007. The gallery is at the SP2 Pavillion, Old Spitalfields Market, London, E1 6AA.

Julie's previous projects have included tracking natural biological motion via electronic tagging systems implanted in fish. Julie brings her knowledge of interactive and technologically driven art practise to The FreqOUT! Steering Group alongside other specialist input from Westminster City Council, Capgemini, Vertex, CityWest Homes and fellow artist Saul Albert.

To find out more about Kinetica and Julie's work click on the links below:
www.juliefreeman.co.uk
The Lake
Kinetica

FreqOUT! at Common Work - a Socially Engaged Art Conference by the University of Stirling

2007-04-21T16:07:00.000Z

At the end of last week FreqOUT! joined forces with Isabel Lily the Artistic Director of Independent Photography to give a joint paper at a conference entitled ‘Common Work’ – a forum for those in the field of socially engaged art. The pair detailed several of the media arts projects their respective organisations have commissioned in the last few years and discussed, “Artistic quality & socially engaged practice: tensions, compromises & successes”.

Highlights of the conference were presentations by Choreographer Bill Shannon - whose displays of skateboarding/streetdance works are viewed by audiences and DJ’s on buses were music is relayed to the performer using wireless technology - and Quarantine theatre company Director Richard Gregory who works with untrained performers or ‘experts in the everyday’ to create events which rarely allows an audience feel confident about what might happen next. Find out more about them at the links below.

Thanks to Professor Heather Lynch at the University of Stirling for organising the event.

Independant Photography's 'Peninsula Projects'
Bill Shannon's performances and writing
Quarantine Theatre / Richard Gregory

FreqOUT! Wins National Award

2007-04-02T11:00:00.000Z

FreqOUT! is delighted to announce that we have been declared the winner of the 'Most Innovative Use of ICT' category at this years National ICT Hub awards. The award recognises the ground breaking work delivered by FreqOUT! since its inception in 2005.

The ICT Hub support ICT use within the voluntary and community sector and you can find out more about them at ICT Hub

FreqOUT! Project Manager Amy Robins collected the Award after the London Regional Conference last week. Thanks go out to the young people who take our courses and keep us going an to our partner organisations and funders for their hard work and belief in what we do.

My Territory – a showcase at the Hayward Gallery

2007-03-06T14:57:00.000Z

Films created by young people from The Living Space in Waterloo were showcased at The Hayward Gallery last Saturday Night as part of the end of their Digital Dialogues Season to an audience of digital artists and local community members.

Photo by workshop participants

My Territory - making videos with mobile phones

2007-03-06T13:33:00.000Z

Over March 2007 FreqOUT! ran the first of three workshops commissioned by The Hayward Gallery as part of their "Digital Dialogue" seasons. Young People from the SE1 United run Living Space in Waterloo, joined artist Melissa Bliss to storyboard, shoot and edit short films using mobile phones.

The films were created in tributes to local places where the young people go to meet, have fun, think, or watch the world go by, giving them an opportunity to explore their relationship with the built environment. Each workshop will create 5-8 films between 1 – 10 minutes long, which can be shared using Bluetooth.

Photos by Melissa Bliss, Daniela Boraschi and Petra Hudcova

Things we like

2007-02-14T13:10:00.000Z

"...Perplex city is one of a number of alternate realty games that blur the boundaries between the real and the virtual worlds . It uses real world events and clues planted on the Internet, television and newspaper to guide players on a real-life treasure hunt ..."

Players from 92 countries have been trying to solve the clues on the web and around the world in search of the "Receda Cube", an "artefact" hidden in a secrete location.
Recently a man from UK, after almost a year play, following clues of a real life event, tracked the "Receda Cube" down to Wakerly Great Wood in Northamptonshire, winning £ 100.000 as prize.

A new Perplex City game will start later this year, so...eyes open and good luck !

Read the whole story from BBC news here

Creative mapping with InIVA and RGS

2007-02-08T16:27:00.000Z

IniVA, the East London based gallery and arts reference library is launching a three year (2007-10) education, events and multimedia initiative exploring the politics, ethics and aesthetics of map-making through the lens of contemporary artistic practice.

This week artists and educators interested in creative mapping met at The Royal Geographical Society to swap notes on their practices and plant seeds for future collaboration. FreqOUT! curator Amy Robins gave a presentation on the work of FreqOUT! and her own practise - see below a film still from Drawing In Time - a map of the sonic activity under Waterloo Bridge, July 2006.

InIVA has created a fantastic blog in which they aim to upload one map a day. Have a look at InIVA Creative Mapping Blog to see how they are doing... or

InIVA to find out more about the gallery
or the Royal Geographical Society to learn about the RGS's fantastic library of resources.

Total Regeneration Symposium at cSPACE

2007-01-23T12:06:00.000Z

This week FreqOUT! took part in the Total Regeneration symposium at cSPACE studio, a conference and round table discussion on roles, agendas and impacts for cultural practitioners within socially engaged and collaborative art practice.

Of particular interest was the presentation of the artist and researcher Aida Sancehz de Serdio from the University of Barcelona about Artibarri, a online network of community art projects. For Artibarri, participation and collaboration between artists, politicians and communities is the corner stone of socially engaded art practice and evaluation is the biggest challenge.

The question, "is it possible to evaluate objectively the outcome of socially engaged art practice?", was debated extensively amongst the attendees. Artibarri's position was that artists, politicians and communities should be engaged in a constant reflection, analysis and dialogue, and that the creation of these networks of experience can and should inspire new practices but that community art projects, "should not be evaluated by any measuring processes but by constructive criticism". Thier philosophy received general agreement amongst the symposium public, which was mainly composed of artists and politicians involved in community practices.

There was also unanimity at cSPACE that a future challenges lies in the consideration of external viewers approaching community art projects and their relative outcomes.

Article by Daniela Boraschi
For more information go to: cSPACE studio

FreqOUT! visits Dorkbot

2007-01-21T19:25:00.000Z

FreqOUT! spent a very enjoyable evening at DORKBOT last Wednesday Evening.

Held at alternatively at Sate51 near Brick Lane or Limehouse Town Hall, Dorkbot is a monthly event at which 'people who do strange things with electricity' meet and show each other what they are up to. We heard Sampath Jagannathan showcase his 'Homebrew rule based particle model' and Yoshi Introduce 'one of the rarest botanical specimens - “Dendro Cacalia Intoxicum” AKA Drunken Leaf' which turned out to be a leaf modelled out of a beer can rotating on a tiny, credit card sized motor.

We're hooked, and will be back next month for more.

You can find out more about Dorkbot London at Dorkbot London

FreqOUT highlights of BETT conference

2007-01-15T13:54:00.000Z

The BETT conference is a leading educational technology event showcasing companies and businesses operating worldwide .

Highlights of the day were a presentation by Dan Sutch, Learning Researcher for FutureLab, at the Tomorrow's Learners Today Stand. He tackled the subject "...What if we could re-design our education system from scratch?...What if we made the technology do what we wanted?..." FutureLab is a blue-sky thinking IT & educational reserach group working on projects creating answers to the questions above.

Some of their exciting projects are as follows:
Enquiring Minds - a personalised learing project.
Create-A-Scape - a personalised learning tool that enables young people to learn while discovering their surronding through the potential of wireless and mobile technologies.

Information collected by Ed Whyman
Article edited and posted by Daniela Boraschi

Things we like....The Science Museum's Future Playground

2006-12-19T14:42:00.000Z

The Science Museum have launched a new exhibit called 'The Future Playground'. On show are a giant inflatable sphere on which images can be projected and a pneumatically driven chair that helps people interact with games. Also being showcased is a drama that people interact with by singing.

Find out more at:
BBC News - Technology
Science Museum - Future Playground Press Release

Capgemini confirms sponsorship of FreqOUT! in 2007

2006-12-12T12:11:00.000Z

We are delighted to announce that Capgemini has confirmed sponsorship of FreqOUT! in 2007.

Capgemini have been supporters of FreqOUT! through staff volunteering, technical assistance and funding since 2005 and we welcome their investment for the year ahead. The funds will contribute to the running of workshops for young people in the Westminster area.

We would like to thank in particular, Nigel Kirby Green, Monica Wilson, Frank Longworth and John L ward for their advice, guidance, enthusiasm and committment to the project.

Capgemini have a strong tradition of local community support - you can find out more about Capgemini and their CSR activities at: Capgemini Corporate Social Responsbility

FreqOUT! visits Liverpool

2006-11-30T20:04:00.000Z

This week FreqOUT! visited four Liverpool based arts institutions, FACT, Open Eye, The Liverpool Biennial and Tate Liverpool to talk about possibilities for future collaboration and research models of social engagement.

Each gallery/team approached engagement of young people through their programmes in different ways – from delivery of one off and short-term projects related to exhibitions through to rolling activities and services for local communities. All groups agreed that gratuitous imposition of ‘do-gooding’ arts activities on communities were not useful, but that thoughtful matching of high calibre artists with communities who express a wish to extend their skills and experience in stated directions were worthwhile.

There was a universal desire for sensitive facilitation to ensure that programmes match the triumvirate of needs of artists, communities and institutions, which result in creatively credible material and meaningful exchange between people. And of course all four were searching for further sustainable funding which with to achieve this.

Thanks very much to Patrick at Open Eye, Renae at Biennial, Angharad at FACT and Naomi at TATE Liverpool.

You can find out more about the galleries/events through the links below:
FACT / Foundation for Film, Art & Creative Technology
Open Eye Gallery
The Liverpool Biennial
TATE Liverpool / Young TATE

FreqOUT! artist debuts soundwork in New York

2006-11-27T13:48:00.000Z

This week FreqOUT!lead artist and tutor Mellissa Bliss launched her new soundwork 'THE TELEPHONE TOUR'which will run until 13 January 2007.

The work is part of 'Peter Stuyvesant's Ghost', a civic art project in Manhattan which celebrates Dutch Art & Culture Past and Present. The project takes place within the footprint of the 17th century farm of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch Governor, in what is now the East Village.

THE TELPHONE TOUR is a series of soundworks by US and international artists delivered through telephones. The public can download the map and walk round the locations marked, calling numbers from the pay phones or mobiles at each location.

Melissa's soundworks were also heard on Michelle Nagai's Dutch Days Radio Hour on free103point9 daily 15-19 November 2006.

The project is documented on Melissa's website Living Cinema

You can find out more at:

THE TELEPHONE TOUR - MAP AND INSTRUCTIONS
PETER STUYVESANT'S GHOST
FREE103POINT9
DUTCH DAYS IN FIVE BOROUGHS

Things We Like! - Trading Places

2006-11-21T13:52:00.000Z

The South Bank Centre has been working with people of Lower Marsh on a project that discovers the hidden poetry of everyday places. The project haas bee running in partnership with the Lomography Society (a Lomo is a small russain built camera distinctive in taking images which produce photographs with a darkened 'halo' effect around the edge of the frame)and inspire by local residents and the begining of teh South Bank's Poetry Festival.

The project has culminated in an interactive sonic and photographic exhibition outside the Royal Festival Hall. While the building is undergoing reconstruction the installation provide a welcome focal point for visitors. Passers by are encouraged to touch a photograph on the 'lomo wall', which will trigger the playing of a related sound recorded in Lower marsh Street.

Find out more at:
The South Bank / Trading Places
The international Lomographic Society

Things We Like! - Turning virtual reality into objects

2006-11-20T14:23:00.000Z

Rajiv Kumar of Vertex, a member of teh freqOUT! Steering Group has brough the following link to our attention...Sketch Furniture

The Swedish, 'design as performance' group FRONT have developed and explored the Motion Capture as a technique that translates motion into 3D-files. Motion capture is mostly used for animations in movies and computer games. Front have used the technique to record the tip of a pen when they draw pieces of furniture in the air during their theatrical activities.

Rapid Prototyping is a technique that materializes 3D-files. A laser beam builds the 3D-file layer by layer within a liquid plastic material. Every 0.1mm the liquid harden by a laser beam. After a few hours, the 3D-files come out as materialised pieces - each FRONT performance results in newly made furniture!

Front performed their extroadinary performance at Art Basel and Miami / Design 05 and at Tokyo Wonder between 31 October – 5 November this year. The project is made in collaboration with Barry Friedman Ltd.

To see other reviews go to:
PC News
Hacked Gadgets

Art Of The Digital Age - book launch and lecture

2006-11-16T13:04:00.000Z

This week FreqOUT! attended the launch of the book 'Art of The Digital Age' by New York Digital Salon pioneer and new media art academic Bruce Wands. The launch, hosted by James Faure-Walker at Camberwell School of Art included a short lecture of the history of digital art by Bruce Wands, and guest speakers William Lathom and network artist Ilza Black (Porta 2030/AmbientTV).

Bruce Wands was particularly interesting when talking about works included in the installation, or 'immersive experience' catergory such as Char Davies user controlled fly through piece called 'Ephemere' from 2003 and Erwin Redl's LED works (shown on the front of the book jacket).

Ilza's contemporary, socially engaged perspective brought a refreshing criticality into the arena. Her talk covered the use of mobile and wireless networks to highlight connectivity (Usman Haacke's mobile phone project and John Gail's wireless umbrella's which light up as they detect a 'friend' within range) and the varied use of personal data in a digital age.

You can find out more about the book and the speakers and the below:
Thames and Hudson / Art Of The Digital Age
Camberwell Schoolof Art / James Faure Walker
NY Digital Salon / Bruce Wands
Porta 2030 / Ilza Black

CHArt Conference

2006-11-10T08:47:00.000Z

This week FreqOUT! attended the CHArt (Computers In the History of Art) Conference at The Clore Lecture Theatre, Birkbeck College in Central London.

This year, the focus bringing togather the lectures, PHD papers and demosntrations was, 'Fast Forward - Art history, curation and practice after media'. A hightlight was a panel session from CRUMB (AKA Sarah Cook, Beryl Graham and Ele Carpenter, University of Sunderland) and their paper on curating new media art.

Another was from Katrien Berte of the Department of Communication Sciences at Ghent University who spoke on 'User Requirements for a 'Virtual Arts Centre of the Future''. Her research into the leisure activities of Belgian citizens has found that a new layer of culture comsumers are emerging consisting of minimumly educated young people who experience culture (music, film, games) only online. Her department found this group will enter a virtual cultural centre (museum/arts venue) online, but not in the real world. Based on this research the Belgian authorities are focusing more resources on developing online cultural information and digitally delivered activities to this group.

You can read the abstracts and papers at http://www.chart.ac.uk

Emotional Mapping workshops in Lisson Green

2006-10-31T13:54:00.000Z

Last week FreqOUT! hosted the artist and innovator Christian Nold who ran a series of Emotional Mapping workshops with young people from the Fourth Feathers and the Marylebone Bangladeshi Society youth clubs in Lisson Green.

The workshops were a great success. They gave the young people aged between 13 - 21 years old, the opportunity to try out Christian's bio-mapping devices which consist of a galvanic skin sensor linked to a GPS unit. The equipment monitors the wearers sweat levels and plots their geographical position over time as they walk around their local environment

The data collected from the young people's walks were downloaded and visualised using Google Earth. The resultant images became the focus of debate around the diversity and similarities between individuals experiences; their relationship to their local environment; the transformative power of technology upon our lives and data protection and interpretation issues.

All photographs by Jake Nowak/FreqOUT!
Huge thanks go to Vertex, particularly Tim Lonsdale, Mario Tsavellas and Rajiv Kumar whose generous support facilitated these educational events.

You can read more at:
Christian Nold's Bio Mapping web site
Vertex's Corporate Social responsibility Strategy

NESTA's 'Making Innovation Flourish'

2006-10-24T12:55:00.000Z

FreqOUT! went to NESTA's 'Making Innovation Flourish'conference at London's Business Design Centre today. Amongst the exciting innovations on display we particularly liked the Schizoporotica 'Melody Shredder', and the Futurelab team, who pioneer many exciting mobile learning applications for young people in partnership with creatives and private bussines. We'll be contacting the immenently for further discussions.

Tessa Jowell made a particlarly interesting speech about the need to empower this countries young people - especially those from deprived backgrounds - for careers in the IT and innovation industries where communication, collaboration and creativity meet.

You can look them up at:
Futurelab
Troika's Schizoporotica

Things we like: The Phillips Magic Brush

2006-10-18T11:23:00.000Z

Rajiv Kumar of Vertex has highlighted a 'Magic Brush' as his new favourite invention which merges art and technology.

Earlier this month Phillips Electronics unveiled several new and innovative products based on its ‘sense and simplicity’ brand at their 2006 Philips Simplicity Event. Amonst them where Drag & Draw where the entire home becomes a virtual canvas for expression and play for young children, thanks to a magic brush, a magic eraser, a magic wand, and a laser projection bucket. The images here shows Andrea Ragnetti, Chief Marketing Officer of Royal Philips Electronics, showing a child how simple it is to use.

You can read more about it at Phillips Simplicity

FreqOUT! visits BBC Blast

2006-10-12T15:23:00.000Z

FreqOUT! was excited to visit BBC Blast at their White City HQ last week and learn about their touring truck which provides inspiration and advice for those wanting to get involved in music, art, dance or film.

The truck tours the UK and acts as a mobile classroom. The Blast team have have agreed to host a group of young FreqOUTers when the truck is next parked in Trafalgar Sqaure next Spring time.

To find out more about BBC Blast go to:
BBC Blast

Why I got involved with FreqOUT! - Steve Lau

2006-10-09T09:07:00.000Z

Steve Lau is Westminster Youth Service's Service Manager, and he sits on the FreqOUT! Steering Group. We asked him a few questions about his invlovement with the project:

Why did you get involved with FreqOUT!?:
I carry a number of portfolios for the Youth Service, which include both the Arts and information Technology. I was therefore the natural link to the youth service when the concept of a wireless technologies/youth arts project was first put forward. Having said that, it has always been one of the more interesting projects to have come across my desk, simply because it lies ‘outside of the box’ for so much of the time.

What do you think it can offer to young people?:
So much, and perhaps best illustrated by what young people got out of FreqOut last year. What was very clear from last year’s presentation at the ICA was that the young people had had so much fun in the workshops. The Youth Service is about having fun. But equally there were some very important issues which were touched upon, issues which have a very real impact upon young people’s lives on a daily basis, whether issues of privacy and the introduction and use of CCTV, or society’s judgement of people on first impressions. I’ve no doubt that FreqOut offered young people the opportunity to learn about these and similar issues in a meaningful and fun way. Then there’s all the practical skills which young people acquired - mainly around information technology, but also some of the social skills of team work, of making a first impression count and so on.

The importance of your contribution to FreqOUT!:
I’m not sure this is entirely a question for me to answer. I can say I bring a professional youth work dimension to the management committee, with a strong focus on putting young people first, empowering them, education and safeguarding young people. I think these are important aspects of a strong management committee that needs to encompass robust technical, creative as well as educational elements.

What would you like people to know about WYS?:
Westminster Youth Service sits within the Lifelong Learning Directorate of the Children and Community Services Section of Westminster City Council. The Service is part of a wider package of Services aimed at young people, including Connexions, Positive Activities for Young People, Sports Development and the Play Service, all of these are services which we are working ever closer with. Our aim is to provide young people in Westminster with positive out of school activities that are fun and meaningful, and which contribute to our young people being healthy and safe, enjoying and achieving in life, making a positive contribution to society, and preparing them for a prosperous life.

You can find out more about the Westminster Youth Service at:

'TAGGED' - RFID art at Space

2006-10-06T22:30:00.000Z

FreqOUT! would like to draw your attention to Five new works by artists working with RFID technology as part an ongoing project produced by [ space.media.arts ] in Hackey, East London.

You can see Richard Barbrook (Westminster University and Cybersalon - see links: The Class of The New and Imaginary Futures)in the picture above testing out iTag by the artist collaborative Louis-Philippe Demers and Philippe Jean. Using a portable music device, available to pick up from the exhibition, shoppers can listen to music generated from the grocery aisles at local shop Hollywood Convenience. Items are electronically tagged allowing the grocery items to produce the artwork .

RealSnailMail is a project in development by Boredomresearch, using RFID technology to enable real snails to carry and deliver electronic messages on their own time, despite growing expectations of instant communication.

Mute-Dialogue (Yasser Rashid and Yara El-Sherbini have created the interactive installation, Origins and Lemons. Arranged as an East End market stall the installation invites you to pick up RFID-tagged items and scan them to receive clues as to their history and origin.

In SWAPOId, evoLhypergrapHyCx (C6)implement RFID technology in the Antisystemic Distributed Library Project, an alternative library of shared books, videos, and music with venues in community centres and bedrooms worldwide, and through this acting as but one site of resistance against a de-humanising, de-dimensional agenda.

Arphield Recordings by Paula Roush records the sound of citizens scanning their Oyster cards in London Underground stations, and outputs them in live performance, installation and public intervention.

A new essay by Armin Medosch, The Spychip Under Your Skin, accompanies this exhibition and is published on a new [ space.media.arts ] website: www.spacemedia.org.uk

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Email: exhibitions@spacestudios.org.uk
Web: http://www.spacemedia.org.uk
Telephone: 0208 525 4339

TRAVEL
Bus: 26 & 48 from Liverpool Street
106 & 254 from Bethnal Green
55 from Old Street

Tube: Bethnal Green
Train: Hackney Central Silverlink

EXHIBITION OPENING TIMES
Opening Reception: 6 October, 6 - 9pm; continuing until 21 October With a performance by Paula Roush
Open Wednesday - Saturday, 1 - 6pm

//FREE ADMISSION FULLY ACCESSIBLE//

Things We Like - Tina Gonsalves' FEEL Series

2006-10-06T16:53:00.000Z

Today FreqOUT! went to a lecture at the University College London's Institue of Cognitive Neuroscience and Functional Imaging Unit to hear artist in residence Tina Gonsalves talk about her work.

Tina has been collaborating with emotion neuroscientist Dr. Hugo Critchley to create a series of video installations that react to viewers emotional states. Wearing bio-sensors that dectect heart rate, perspirance, movement etc, viewers are invited to watch videos that externalise their emotional state and attempt to control that state.

Tina has also produced reactive Jewelery which incorporate tiny video screens displaying images that express feelings that the wearer may be working hard to conceal on the surface. We were shown documentary footage of Tina wearing the jewelery during at a public intervention at the ICA in 2004 where people strangely ended up taking to her jewelery rather than her face - creating intimate and often highly emotional scenes!

You can find out more at:
Tina Gonsalves
Greenwich Hugo Critchley / UCL

Peninsula Launch

2006-10-06T09:49:00.000Z

Last night FreqOUT! Project Manager Amy Robins and FreqOUT! friend and representative of the Finish GPS company Pointer Jaimie Palmer went down to the launch of the Greenwich based project Penninsula. The launch presented five of the new media arts projects they have been nuturing - from Christian Nold's, 'Greenwich Emotion Map', to Daniel Belasco's, 'Peninsula Voices' - both of which use GPS to operate, and Lottie Childs', 'Accidental Holiday'. We also met up with Rob Dyke of Comwifinet whose project Peninsula.me.uk was also featured.

Peninsula is an exceptionally well curated project that matches locative, wireless and new media to community concerns, memories and future wishes. I won't explain them all here - you can look them up at the following links:

Peninsula Projects / Independant Photography
Greenwich Emotion Map / Christian Nold
Peninsula Voices / Daniel Belasco
Accidental Holiday / Lottie Child
Gasworks to Dome / Rib Davis & Tom Keene
Peninsula.me / Comwifinet

Plus Jaime Palmer's Finish GPS links:
Pointer GPS Solutions
Pointer for Pets

Artful Gaming at the Dana Centre

2006-10-05T15:35:00.000Z

As part of the London Games Festival Fringe, Cybersalon and Select Parks have been hosting 'Artful Gaming' at the Science Museum’s Dana Centre this week - a one-day forum and week-long exhibition that spotlights innovation and platforms new work, new developments and new thinking in gaming culture.

FreqOUT! went along today and two works caught our eye due to their experiential learning potential for young people.

The first was 'Chit Chat National Park' (see above), a live MUD (multi user domain) by Toshi Endo, where individuals can take on avatars, and communicate with corresponding emotions in a utopian environment. We think this would be extra interesting if played between two youth communities on different estates across London - allowing young people to communicate on a level, without judging each other on dress/voice/skin colour/age etc.

The second was 'EdgeBomber' (see above below right), by Susigames - a german art colletive. EdgeBomber is a pervasive video game installation, where the creation of the game world is an active part of the game. The player uses tape, stickers and scissors to create his own playground on a blank wall. The system then grabs the scenery and creates a virtual level for our jump-n-run video game. The newly grabbed playground is extended and finally projected back to the original scenery. Thus a mixed media/augmented reality level is created. This seems like an exciting way for palyers to gain control over the way their interactive gaming environment looks and works - rather than just being a consumer.

You can find out more about Artful Gaming at:
CyberSalon / Artful Gaming

Pay by phone parking launched

2006-10-04T15:06:00.000Z

Yesterday we heard that as Westminster Council's wireless service grows they have launched a Pay by Phone Parking scheme in a large part of the West End and around Harrow Road, as part of a 6-month trial.

We're not sure yet how we could utilise this service as the basis for an arts or education project, but we're sure its possible! Leave a comment here or email arobins@cwh.org.uk if you are an artist or technologist with any ideas!

Find out more about the scheme at
Pay by phone parking in Westminster

Sign up to the service at:
Sign up to pay by phone parking

Things we like! - Sascha Pohflepp

2006-10-02T09:11:00.000Z

Rajiv Kumar, our FreqOUT! Steering Group delegate from Vertex has come across an art project by Sascha Pohflepp which combines a Sony Ericsson k750i with a black case to let you take other people's pictures. The design works by recording what time you click the button to "take" a picture, then later on connects to the internet to scope out shots other people took with that same timestamp.

Have a look at it at the following link:
Blinks and Buttons

Bio Mapping - community partners confirmed

2006-09-25T11:58:00.000Z

We are delighted to announce that during the '06 Autumn half term holiday, FreqOUT! will be working with the Marylebone Bangladeshi Society (MBS)and Forth Feathers Youth Clubs.

Christian Nold will be delivering a series of Bio Mapping activities for the young people. Through the use of GPS and Galvanic Skin sensors, he will lead them to explore their relationship to the built environment, thier own and other residents perceptions of safety, urban planning and regenration issues.

Why I got involved with FreqOUT!

2006-09-18T16:33:00.000Z

Charlotte Fergusson is the City of Westminster's Arts Liaison Officer and a member of the FreqOUT! Steering Group. The FreqOUT! team interviewd Charlotte to find out more about why she is involved in the project.

FreqOUT!: Charlotte, What is your role on the Steering Group?
Charlotte: I'm a non voting member giving input on behalf of Westminster City Council from an arts perspective.

FreqOUT!: Why do Westminster City Coucil want to support the project?
Charlotte: It's innovative and genuinely impacts on the participants. On top of that FreqOUT! partners with many interesting and diverse agencies which can only benefit the Council.

FreqOUT!: What element of FreqOUT! is most inspiring?
The new artistic applications of wireless technologies

FreqOUT!: Why is FreqOUT! different to most other creative education provision in Westminster?
Charlotte: It utilises a relatively new art form. Pioneering projects like this one don't appear very often.

FreqOUT!: Why do you think its important to introduce young people to new technologies?
Charlotte: We live in a world where IT skills are esstential for employment. It is also a good way to engage young people in learning because they feel comfortable with the technology and it's relevant to them. They get a chance to stretch their imaginations.

To find out more about Westminster Council's support of the Arts go to:
Westminster City Council Arts and Entertainment

Artist Wish List - The Familiar Stranger team

2006-09-18T16:17:00.000Z

FreqOUT! is always on the look out for interesting artists and development or research units who we'd like to work with.

Through the Neural Net online magazine we have spotted The Familiar Stranger Project developed by Eric Paulos and Elizabeth Goodman from Intel Berkeley Lab, which we think would be an interesting project to collaborate with - possibly linking group of young people in the UK and their daily routines to this high profile research in the USA.

The project uses Bluetooth technology to explore the loose connections we have to people we see during our daily routines, but never speak to. A good example is a person seen on the bus every morning: if this person fails to show up we suddenly notice it. The claim is that the relationship we have with the familiar strangers is indeed a real relationship in which both parties agree to mutually ignore each other. And this familiarity with strangers help us to feel part of a group.

The researchers claim that current trends in mobile phone usage increasingly divide people from co-located strangers within their community. In quirky situations or strange places in fact we use our mobile phones uncomfortably, dramatically decreasing the chances of interacting with individuals outside our social groups.

The creators Paulos and Goodman are developing a tool capable of detecting other Bluetooth mobile phone users. One of the most powerful elements is that it is not driven by the bits of an online network, but by actual real-life, by the movement and interaction (or non-interaction) of others whose path we cross. Therefore, the number of 'participants' is not simply the size of some database on a central server but a more powerful and personal membership in urban life. To be specific, every Bluetooth mobile phone user is within the Jabberwocky community.

You can find out more about the project at
Neural Net

Brokering Creativity - Jock McQueenie visits FreqOUT!

2006-09-06T10:54:00.000Z

Jock McQueenie, the Sydney based creative events broker visited FreqOUT! at Vital Regeneration's Westminster based HQ last week. His interest was in finding out more about a young project which has already successfully built partnerships between technology related companies, artists and communities for the mutual benefit of all involved with a view to using us as a model in his European and Australasian University level lecturing sessions.

Jock has a ten year history of cultural brokerage which has broken new ground in business/community/arts partnerships. His approach synthesises innovative custom-designed arts projects which 'join the dots' of diverse stakeholder agendas and perspectives and demonstrating in practical terms the transformative potential of the arts.

In brokering collaborations between arts organisations, companies and communities his aim is to positively position the Arts in relation to the often competing and intersecting agendas of economy, society and technology. His 3Cs model (community, culture and commerce - see below) provides cultural organisations, local and state governments and the corporate sector with strategic planning and visioning, concept and project development, cross sector workshops and training.

Jock is also looking to build a group of internationally based, arts educated indviduals who practise in this area and regard brokering as a creative act in itself. If you recognise yourself in this description, please contact me at arobins@cwh.org.uk and I will pass your details on.

To find out more about Jock McQueenie's work go to:
Jock McQueenie’s ‘3C’s’paper
Museum Australia
CCD - Community and Cultural Development In Australia
Arts Tasmania
Southland Museum, New Zealand

Vertex confirms 2006 Sponsorship

2006-08-30T14:29:00.000Z

Yesterday the customer management company Vertex confirmed their continuing sponsorship of FreqOUT! by commiting to fund a strand of Emotional Mapping workshops led by Artist Christian Nold this autumn.

Vertex were introduced to FreqOUT! through their involvement with the Westminster Wireless City Initiative and the flame has been kept alive by a string of committed employees, from Cheryl Bennett who helped steer FreqOUT! in its early stages; Rajiv Kumar who has been consistent in his support for over a year; through to the Community Outcomes Manager Mario Tsavellas and Tim Lonsdale, Vertex's Client Director at the City of Westminster Council who have secured this current round of funding. Thank you very much to all of you for your vision and committment.

Vertex have a strong Corporate Social Responsbility (CSR) strategy. FreqOUT! fufills their wish to support activities relating to education, employability, equality and diversity. You can find out more about Vertex and their CSR activities at: Vertex Corporate Social Responsbility

Artist Christian Nold to join FreqOUT!

2006-08-24T11:46:00.000Z

We are delighted to announce that artist Christian Nold will be joining FreqOUT! to deliver projects in 2006/7. Christian is acclaimed for his work with Greenwich council and residents on the Greenwich Emotion Map (see links below).

Young people will have the opportunity to work with Christian Nold whose Bio Mapping tool allows the wearer to record their Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) - an indicator of emotional states in conjunction with geographical location. Data colected is used to construct maps that visualise which locations create stressed or excited responses, Christian will explore the young people’s relationship to their local area. Dates and locations will be confirmed shortly.

To find out more about Christian's work go to:
Biomapping.net
Greenwich Emotion Map review by the British Coucnil
Greenwich Emotion Map
New Scientist

First Impressions at the Science Museum

2006-08-22T13:06:00.000Z

First Impressions - the short film made by FreqOUT! particpants now turned film agency 'Wiseroot' was given its first airing at the science Museum last week.

The film was bought by the Science Museum's education department to compliment their in house staff training programme called 1st Impressions, which teaches staff to interact sensitively to visitors.

Anne-Marie Devitt, the Schools Traing and Programme Manager said "...this video captured the essence of our training programme. It was made by young people and featured people from a wide selection of cultures and backgrounds. It is fantastic - very well made, humorous, thought provoking and leads to useful discussion. We would definately use Wiseroot again."

FreqOUT! would like to say well done to Wiseroot and wish them the best of luck in the future. We are looking forward to them returning to the project soon to assist in the introduction of a new cohort of young people to film skills.

To find out more about the Science Museum go to:Science Museum

To find out more about the makers of the film and their continuing education go to:Urban Academy

Wireless Blogging

2006-08-16T20:09:00.002Z

Appropriately for a wireless related project this and the previous post were uploaded using the wireless connection on a GNER train from Edinburgh to London.

Passengers can access the Internet after paying a fee. To read a review of the service go to: http://www.newswireless.net/index.cfm/article/646 . Being a map addict I particularly enjoyed the online tracking device that shows you the progress of your journey across the country.

If you're watching this GNER maybe you'd like to get involved with FreqOUT!. Will be running education projects nationally by 2007 and incorporating in-transit arts activities (GPS treasure hunts?) for young people would have benefits for all concerned.

To read more about the service go to:GNER Mobile Office .

International Conference on Arts In Society - Report from Day Two

2006-08-16T19:24:00.000Z

The day kicked off with Tessa Jackson, Co-ordinator of the Edinburgh Art Festival talking about visual arts in the UK. Afterwards in the garden (below right) she answered questions from American delegates in particular who where complimentary about the UK’s ability to create art spaces in reclaimed industrial buildings and reach out to wider audiences.

Today I found three presentations particularly engaging:

1...Cities Learn Through Arts Discourse,
by Dr. Brooke Jacobson from Portland Sate University (shown speaking in a ‘talking circle’ below left in the image above) on the work of Andres Deimun, a Dutch filmmaker who was pivotal in allowing input from communities input the development of their own city between 1950’s-70’s. His aim was to create dialogue between the ‘many different Portlands’ – the communities, urban planners and architects through documentary filmmaking. Dr Jacobsen puts forward the view that Deimun’s filmmaking facilitated the creation of a city with ‘walkability’ (rare in America) which is today celebrated as a city that is eminently ‘liveable’. Find out more from…..

2...The Arts and Social Heath: Tracking the American Experience,
by Dr Marque Miringoff, Sociology Dept, Vassar College, USA revealed patterns in the way Americans value and participate in the arts, showing how cost, location and lack of information can impact on deprived communities access to the arts and the perception of arts as beneficial to wellness. Download the report at http://iisp.vassar.edu/ (link below).

3...Brokering Creativity: Reflecting on a Decade of Arts Development
by Jock McQueenie, Centre for Cultural Research, UWS, Australia (shown during his presentation in the top left hand corner of the image above). Jock gave us an overview of the work he has done with communities, companies and culture in masterminding imaginative, innovative and mutually beneficial cultural events in Tasmania and Australia including an Opera in Paper Mills and photographic exhibitions in Breweries. He emphasised the importance of creating news ways of working and how brokerage is a creative process in itself.

Related links:
Edinburgh Arts Festival / Tessa Jackson
Artes Mundi / Welsh International Visual Arts Prize / Tessa Jackson
Portland, Oregon Urban Planning
Arts and Social Heath in America/ Dr Marque Miringoff
Arts Tasmania / Jock McQueenie
Jock McQueenie’s ‘3C’s’paper

A hello goes out to the other members of the ‘Arts in Communities’ talking circle to which I was assigned, and which I had to leave before the week was over. If any of you would like to continue our debate using the comment facility below – go ahead!

International Conference on Arts In Society - Report from Day One

2006-08-16T14:15:00.000Z

Despite numerous setbacks including many last minute cancellations and numerous delegates having only the clothes they arrived in with their luggage and presentations stuck at Heathrow, the conference began well yesterday. Many speakers have had to abandon their prepared scripts and multimedia presentations and have instead spoken from memory and started dialouges with the audience. This has proved no barrier, having enhanced the sharing of stimulating ideas.

I presented a paper on FreqOUT! as part of the 'Arts In Communities' stream. The reception was very positive – many congratulating the project on its innovative approach to education and track record in nagivating the complexities of new technologies, artistic practise and multiple funding streams. Since then I have been approached by a wide variety of organisations for more information about what we do - including English Heritage and Universities in New Zealand and the USA.

Another presentation that particularly impressed me and which has parrallel aims to FreqOUT! was the 'SayIT' project from New York State, led by Professor Terrance Ross (New York's Adelphi University) which teaches literacy skills to young people through media critique and film making. Prof Ross talked about ‘building on young people’s interests', in order to enage them in wider dialouges.

Before my own presentation was one which set up a dialouge on the outcomes of community art initiatives given by Dr Martin Mulligan and Pia Smith from the Globalism Institute at RMIT University Australia. They have conducted wide ranging research on the efficatiousness and use of community arts in society. Part of their research acknowledges that community arts activity can ..."make the invisible (people) more visible and give a voice to the voiceless; leading to more open discourses on how to reduce social exclusion". That certainly has alignment with the goals of FreqOUT!

Links to the relevant bodies and parctitioners I have mentioned above:
Professor Terrance Ross / Adephi University
Martin Mulligan / RMIT University
English Heritage - Characterisation