tag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:/hy/projects?page=116Օսմ հիմնադրամ - Նախագծեր2013-10-11T03:13:09Ztag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250172013-10-11T00:00:00Z2013-10-11T03:13:09ZSeattle, WA – PIer Into the Night - Live Dive SeriesPicture this. It’s dusk in Puget Sound. As you walk by the local dock, you see mysterious lights coming from below the surface of the water. Intrigued, you walk to the edge of the dock and join local residents as they see, touch, and learn about the very creatures that live in the waters below them. This is Harbor WildWatch’s “Pier into the Night” program.
The Pier Into the Night program invites adults and kids to observe marine activity that occurs in the Puget Sound from a night-time perspective. Submersible lights and scopes are anchored off the end of the dock to illuminate underwater activity in Gig Harbor Bay. Similar to porch lights, the underwater lights attract marine species that are seldom seen during the day such as ambushing squid, bioluminescent ctenophores, and wriggling sea worms! Naturalists are on hand to identify the animals as well as provide information on their life cycles, habitat indicators and human impacts on their survival. Free and open to all ages, this program focuses on introducing visitors to, and generating excitement about, the marine creatures that inhabit Puget Sound.
In 2014, we will expand this program by introducing a live video and audio feed between the SCUBA diver and the audience – the Live Dive Series. A video screen on the surface will connect to a specialized communication unit on the diver, allowing visitors to see exactly what the diver sees. Audience members will also have the opportunity to ask the diver questions directly.
The Pier program began in 2009 with 2 programs and 250 visitors. In 2012, we hosted 13 programs with over 7,600 visitors. The addition of the Live Dive Series to the Pier Into the Night program will greatly enhance our environmental education efforts by attracting and engaging more visitors at our winter events. This extra-awesome experience will help further our mission of inspiring stewardship for the Puget Sound by dispelling common misconceptions about these fascinating marine creatures.Lindsey JohnsonPIer Into the Night - Live Dive Serieshttp://www.harborwildwatch.org/programs/pier-into-the-night/United StatesSeattle, WAhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/seattletag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/239002013-10-10T00:00:00Z2013-10-10T22:02:50ZAwesome Without Borders – Roma EcologyThis project would explore and foster the relationship between the Romani immigrant community in Cosenza Italy and the existing local ecology, social and natural. I will teach a photography class for 20 community members that will focus on documentation of their everyday experience within the community camp and in relation to the natural environment. I will display the work in public space creating opportunities for the participants to communicate with members of the larger community of Cosenza through their own photography.
The Romani are considered unique as a culture because they have never identified themselves with a territory; they have no tradition of an ancient and distant homeland from which their ancestors migrated from, nor do they claim the right to national sovereignty in any of the lands where they reside. Romani identity historically is bound up with the ideal of freedom expressed and having no ties to a homeland. However, the contemporary Roma community in Cosenza, as in many places throughout Europe, has played a complicated role in the local ecology over time. The community looks and functions more like a settlement than a transitory nomadic space; and in that reality, I as an artist endeavor to celebrate the strengths of their nomadic past while supporting the development of a new voice for the community equally grounded in social and ecological concerns for the place in which they reside. The community I propose to work in is comprised of 700+ community members dispersed across three separate neighborhoods within a camp located on public property much to close to the main river for human inhabitants. The immediate environmental and social impact the community has had to this point is in large part not positive; but I aim to create a new relationship based on the empowerment inherent in creative expression.
Erica HansenRoma EcologyWorldwideAwesome Without Bordershttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/awesomewithoutborderstag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/245292013-10-09T00:00:00Z2013-11-06T08:27:09ZLiverpool – Tag-art art groups I am setting up base in a community youth centre in the Everton area of Liverpool. I am going to be running art workshops for children and adults. Ranging from drawing,painting,collage and clay sculpting plus much more. The aim is to engage with the community through art. Encouraging children to socialise and develop there artistic skills and providing art education and giving teenagers an insight into alternative routes of employment,into creative industries.Aswell as providing art therapy to specifically older groups using clay workshops to help aid physical problems such as arthritis etc...
As well as providing art for fun, art for education, art for therapy I will also be setting up paint party's for all occasions as another source of income to sustain the upkeep.
And long term I want to be able to offer courses offering art accreditation to teenagers who may have been removed from main stream education and adults looking for alternative routes back to employment.Nicola Taggart Tag-art art groups http://www.tag-artarts.co.uk/United KingdomLiverpoolhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/liverpooltag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/224942013-10-08T00:00:00Z2013-10-25T00:30:03ZSydney – #wildsydneyI am now collaborating with a cluster of programmers and media strategist to create a free mapping service for the wide community of interested foragers.
We are creating a user content generated map of the wild food and wild medicine living around us.
The idea is simple: by integrating hashtags calls from social media sites we are able to 'harvest' images and geolocate them onto a map.
The return for the users is that the wild plants will then be identified for them and
informations on how to use, how to harvest, when to harvest will be presented as much as links and references.
Because of what I do I get sent images all the times from people willing to know better what is growing around them. 'Can I eat this?' is a common sight on my wall. I now ask that they upload the image, tag and geolocate it so that it would automatically be placed on the #wildsydney map for all to benefit.
We already secured the support from other free maps, like Scrumpers Delight, now offline, but will be resuscitated through our project>>http://www.imagoforest.com.au/rs_ev.html <<
and will also integrate data from the Australian Virtual Herbarium >>avh.ala.org.au<< and the Environmental Protection Agency (to map polluted areas) >>http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/<<
The scope is much bigger than that, we want eventually to map clean sites, best harvesting seasons, no-go areas, wildfood-nerds-forums and more.
Step one will be launched as part of an exhibition on Radical Cartography at Tin Shed Gallery on August 1.
Can you imagine? a map that will tell you the location and seasonal availability for dandelions? nettle? mulberries? pine mushrooms? bamboo shoots?
Wouldn't that be awesome?
Yes of course by mapping it all we would create competition, but also a platform for sharing information, an amplification of our knowledge of available resources and an amplification of our care for those resources.
There is no such a thing as waste, only under-utilised resource
:)
Diego BONETTO#wildsydneyhttp://www.weedyconnection.com/wildsydney/AustraliaSydneyhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sydneytag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/256392013-10-08T00:00:00Z2013-10-25T00:31:29ZSydney – Meet the MakerIn 2014 we’ll launch Meet the Maker, a creative collaboration between YFM, the Old Growler and guest food producers that deepens the connection between consumers and producers.
Each quarter, Meet the Maker will put food producers in touch with a crowd of city folk who want to hear the stories behind their produce. Held in a lively bar atmosphere - Woolloomooloo’s the Old Growler - 120 guests will purchase an affordably priced ticket ($25, which includes food). Guests will mingle with fellow city dwelling sustainable food supporters and local producers from the city’s fringe over delicious, local food and drink. The producers will speak to the crowd about their sustainable farming practices, their lifestyle, motivations and experiences as well as the produce they grow whilst guests try dishes using the producers’ ingredients. The producers' goods will also be available to buy on the night in a mini-farmer’s market set-up, where guests can talk more with producers about the food.
Bringing consumers and producers together is at the heart of the Youth Food Movement’s theory of change. When people who eat (that’s everyone!) understand where their food comes from, who made it and how the act of food production impacts environments, animals and the communities, they can better navigate our confusing food system and when consumers constantly ask to know more, producers and retailers whose practices are not sustainable will need to step up to the mark in order to stay competitive.
Meet the Maker is the perfect way for guests to make the vital association between what they eat and who grew it that will change buying behaviour and empower them to ask more. Each event will initiate lasting connections between producers and conscious consumers and between guests and YFM to continue their journey in support of a fairer, more sustainable food future for Sydney and Australia – all while enjoying delicious food and intellectual conversation in an urban alehouse setting.Youth Food Movement - Melissa Ronca & Alecia Wood Meet the Makerhttp://www.youthfoodmovement.org.auAustraliaSydneyhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sydneytag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/421272013-10-07T00:00:00Z2015-01-07T21:31:57ZWhangarei (Ոչ ակտիվ) – Noice CaveI would like to build a Noise Cave make from broken instruments, bells symbols and drums - anything that makes sound.
I would like to install this at Art Beat Whangarei February 2013.
RosieNoice CaveNew ZealandWhangarei (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/whangareitag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/245502013-10-07T00:00:00Z2013-12-20T13:25:18ZYerevan – ''Before I die"' WallSeptember's Awesome Yerevan award goes to Mariam Safaryan and team of Luys Foundation Community members, to support the production of a street art wall called "Before I die."
The project has been implemented in over 20 languages and in over 50 countries; the first one being in New Orleans. Candy Chang painted the side of an abandoned house with chalkboard paint and stencilled it with a grid of the sentence “Before I die I want to _______.” Anyone walking by could pick up a piece of chalk, reflect on their lives, and share their personal aspirations in public space.
We hope that this project will unite the people of Yerevan into a community and they will start reflecting on what's truly important to them, what truly matters to them in their lives.
It should also be noted that the text can vary. Examples are "Before I turn 100 I want to...", "Armenia would be a better place if...", "Yerevan would be a better place if..."In my Life I Hope to...";
The text can also be translate into Armenian instead so that it is more accessible to a wider mass.Mariam Safaryan''Before I die"' Wallhttp://beforeidie.cc/ArmeniaYerevanhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/yerevantag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/252032013-10-07T00:00:00Z2013-11-04T16:52:03ZNew Orleans, LA (Ոչ ակտիվ) – The New Orleans Center for Community MediaI am requesting a grant to fund the first community-media workshop from the New Orleans Center for Community Media. The workshop will take place over the course of four Saturdays. Facilitated by two teaching media artists, and attended by ten community members, the workshop will cover the basics of storytelling and interviewing, and it will include an introduction to multimedia tools. Participants will work in groups to create a short reporting piece covering an issue in their neighborhood.
The Current Context
New Orleans is a city where stories hold power. But not every community has access to the tools that would allow them to communicate their stories in the steadily shifting media landscape. There are still many barriers to media engagement, particularly for low-income communities of color.
The Vision: Storytelling for Transformation
The New Orleans Center for Community Media is a start-up media training and resource center supporting community-based and grassroots media production aimed at elevating the voices of communities across the city. Our work is centered in bringing communication tools to underserved populations, providing these communities with the media production technology and resources to tell, document, and preserve their own stories and the stories of their communities through both traditional and emerging media platforms. Using a multipronged approach steeped in media literacy, media training, media justice, and the media arts, we work with and within communities to use media as a tool for advancing community voice and social justice.
Our community workshops seek to use media and media training as a way to elevate the voices and experiences of those most often kept out of the centers of power when it comes to rebuilding the city. We envision a city where low-income communities of color have the skills and the access to the technologies that will allow them to document their lived experiences and to further social change.Desiree EvansThe New Orleans Center for Community MediaUnited StatesNew Orleans, LA (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/neworleanstag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/253482013-10-07T00:00:00Z2013-10-07T16:12:43ZSan Francisco, CA – The Library of Joy (A Museum of Joy Project)The first in a series of experiments on the intersection of joyous experience and public space, the Library of Joy is inspired by the “Portraits of an Ingenious Gentleman” project by the artist Boethius, who placed over 400 unique paintings on pages taken from Don Quixote into books in San Francisco’s used bookstores, there to be discovered and taken home by casual readers.
The experience of discovering one of these pages was such a profound joy that we thought we’d take it one step further, both in homage and in gratitude.
To begin, the Library of Joy project will solicit text through several different social media channels, including blogs, Twitter, and Facebook, with the simple prompt “Please describe a moment you experienced joy.”
Fifty of the responses will form the base texts for the next phase: the assemblage of a library of artist books. The books themselves will be ordinary hardbacks, found in bargain bins for $2 or less; their text block will be cut out and replaced with a unique collage inspired by and illustrative of one of the solicited texts. The dust jacket of each book will also be collaged, with “The Museum of Joy” on the spine, the original base text about joy on the inner flap, and a short blurb about the project with a QR code, a thank-you to the Awesome Foundation (and to Boethius), an encouragement to finders to reshare their discovery, and a text link to the project website on the back.
The books will then be replaced in bargain bins with the $2 sticker still on the front, to be discovered and delighted over by unsuspecting book-browsers. Ideally, the Library of Joy will reach beyond bookstores, and volumes will wind up in any laundromat, café, or waiting area with a casual take-a-book-leave-a-book-style bookshelf.
The Museum of Joy hopes to push the boundaries of the joy we can expect in public spaces by simultaneously evoking, celebrating, and disseminating joyous experience through the Library of Joy project.
Jericha SenyakThe Library of Joy (A Museum of Joy Project)http://www.themuseumofjoy.orgUnited StatesSan Francisco, CAhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sftag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/242032013-10-06T00:00:00Z2013-10-06T18:47:46ZLondon (Ոչ ակտիվ) – In the SticksA Forest School is an outdoor classroom where children are encouraged to develop their own learning through play and curriculum-linked activities. Based on Danish methods of Early Years and Primary education, children are taken to an outdoor setting once a week for at least 6 weeks.
We have connected with an adventure playground in Shoreditch, Hackney, who have agreed to allow us to run Forest School programmes on the site during school hours, when it is generally disused. There are seven primary schools in the local area who would be able to take part in Forest School activities run on the site, several have expressed interest in the project. We would like to run 12 week projects with 2 schools, with the aim of expanding our delivery in 2014.
Forest School is supported by the National Trust as a counter to a 'sedentary indoor lifestyle' (Natural Childhood, National Trust, 2012), has been found to have a positive impact for children with 'significant behaviour problems' and 'mental disorders' (Sowing the Seeds, London Sustainable Development Commission, 2011) and aids the development of language and communication skills for all children, particularly those with EAL (English as an Additional Language). Many areas of the National Curriculum Foundation to KS4 are intrinsically covered, in the Forest School experience.
The Forest School approach meets the developmental needs of the whole child, at the same time nurturing respect and care for the environment by focussing on providing an experience in the natural environment.
Aim:
- For urban children and young people to have meaningful outdoor experiences and make informed choices towards positive, low-impact lifestyles.
Social Outcomes:
- Positive impact on effects of deprivation
- Environmental education and awareness
- Improved physical and mental health and wellbeing for the children and young people who participate in our programmes and workshops
- Reconnecting people with nature in their local communityOlivia WoodwardIn the Stickshttp://inthesticks.org.uk/United KingdomLondon (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/londontag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/239542013-10-06T00:00:00Z2013-10-06T22:26:15ZDetroit, MI (Ոչ ակտիվ) – Essence of Motown Literary Jam & ConferenceThe Essence of Motown Literary Jam & Conference is a two day event bringing readers and writers together raise literacy rates in Metro Detroit and to uplift the literary community around Michigan. Held every 2nd weekend for the past nine years, as the Motown Literary Jam enters its tenth year in 2013, the volunteer only based event hopes to make a powerful impact on Motown and the world.
Along with a goal to get over 10,000 book donations for the conference season to assist SitOnItDetroit, the event will hope to provide the following two day events free to readers and writers in Metro Detroit:
Laughs For Literary
Passion Fruit Poetry
Writing, Publishing & Marketing Workshops
All Male Literacy Panel
Author Genre Panels
Poetry Panels
2013 Booksigning Release Party
Sylvia HubbardEssence of Motown Literary Jam & Conferencehttp://motownliteraryjam.comUnited StatesDetroit, MI (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/detroittag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/247682013-10-04T00:00:00Z2013-10-04T12:33:59ZGloucester, MA – Glosta LobstaMany Gloucester fishermen rely on catching lobster as part of their living. This year, soft shell lobsters were selling between $2.50 and $3.50 per pound. They usually sell between $3.50 and $4.50 per pound off the docks. Prices have been as high as $7 a pound. Lobstermen really need to be getting $4 a pound to pay their bills and make a living. HOWEVER, lobster landed off local boats is increased $1 to $2 per pound by retailers before being sold to restaurants, shippers and food processors. Restaurants will double the prices of the lobsters in their restaurants.
The “Glosta Lobsta” project intends to promote soft shell lobsters landed in Gloucester and bring more money to local fishermen. This project is a pilot project that intends to connect consumers with local fishermen and promote soft-shell lobsters which are normally sweeter than hard shell lobsters. The big difference is that soft shell lobsters, due to their naturally weakened shell after molting, are not likely to survive shipping or transportation. This reduces their value.
We want to have a “Glosta Lobsta Day” on October 19th. We would like to work with three restaurants with the agreement that they will prepare local soft shell lobster using a creative recipe that can be sold to customers. They agree to give us the exact recipe. In exchange local restaurants will help promote "Glosta Lobsta Day."
Scott Swicker and Camron AdibiGlosta Lobstahttp://www.seriouseats.com/2013/05/taste-test-hard-versus-soft-shell-lobsters.htmlUnited StatesGloucester, MAhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/gloucestertag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/252302013-10-03T00:00:00Z2013-10-04T00:00:05ZSarnia – HARK"Hark" is a mass choir. Very mass!! We are not all professional singers but we all appreciate good music. We know that one or two of our voices will sound mediocre but the collective music that a mass choir (between 500 and 1000 people) will produce would sound absolutely AWESOME. So, we plan to assemble a multitude of citizens to participate in an informal gathering to sing festive Christmas carols. The songs will all be familiar ranging from "Jingle Bells" to "Hark the Herald". We won't practice. We won't be accomplished musicians, but the song fest will be open to any child, youth parent or grandparent who feels like joining in. The date is likely to be Sunday afternoon, Dec. 8. We already have the location in mind but we want to keep that a secret until the event is formally announced.Linda Weening/Diane PlugHARKCanadaSarniahttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sarniatag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/236452013-10-03T00:00:00Z2013-10-03T03:08:29ZAwesome Without Borders – International Online OperaTwitter has a very active community of opera singers and fans across the world. A group of singers on Twitter (myself included) wants to leverage this to perform together via webcams and the internet (on a Google+ hangout). We will rehearse and perform a short opera (tentatively Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas," but potentially Bizet's "Le docteur miracle" if the casting/scheduling requirements of the former are too taxing) entirely online. The rehearsals would be private but recorded for future reference, and the final performance would be broadcast live and advertised in opera communities (on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr; major blogs/forums like Parterre; and lists like Opera-L), plus recorded and uploaded to YouTube for later viewing. If this initial project is well-received, this would be the start of (what we believe to be) the world's only entirely online opera company.
[We recognize that there are some potential technology issues (e.g., internet delays or failures) here, which is part of why this is a proof-of-concept. If those issues prove insurmountable, we will explore alternative technology options, like partially or entirely recording individual video and audio in advance but combining and airing the parts all together.]Ilana Walder-BiesanzInternational Online OperaWorldwideAwesome Without Bordershttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/awesomewithoutborderstag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/238752013-10-03T00:00:00Z2013-10-03T22:11:14ZMiami, FL – The Impact of Wage Theft in the Greater Miami AreaI want to apply the skills I have acquired through filmmaking and my interest in social justice to a project with potential to enact change and promote awareness on an issue that negatively impacts the Greater Miami-Dade community.
Wage theft occurs when workers are paid below the minimum wage, not paid for overtime, forced to work off the clock, have their time cards altered, are misclassified as independent contractors, or are simply not paid a wage for work performed.
Wage theft is a growing problem across South Florida as employers seek to cut costs. The problem is especially acute in Miami-Dade because of jobs in our tourism and service sector based economy which support mainly low-wage and hourly jobs. However, research conducted by the Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy (RISEP) has shown that professionals and higher salary occupations are also at risk of wage theft because of the weak enforcement of Florida’s labor laws and the lack of jurisdiction that these labor laws offer to many workers. Workers have little to no recourse, legal or otherwise. The negative effects of shortchanging workers’ wages ripple across our community. Families suffer when earnings are too low to meet basic needs. Local businesses and economies are denied vital stimulus that would flow from the additional spending of workers had they been paid all that they had earned. Working families often resort to public programs to meet basic needs when wages are stolen from them.
Funding for this project will go towards the creation of a documentary/educational film to raise awareness of the issue. The film will be used to educate local politicians, workers, and college students in the community. An innovative social media campaign will be used to promote the project and enhance the film's exposure. The more exposure the film project receives, the greater the potential for making a profound and positive impact on our local community.Bryan AngaritaThe Impact of Wage Theft in the Greater Miami Areahttps://vimeo.com/sweetwatercinemaUnited StatesMiami, FLhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/miamitag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/238232013-10-02T00:00:00Z2013-10-02T07:04:18ZTel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Ոչ ակտիվ) – “Acting for change” – Sudanese Theater GroupThis theatre group of African Asylum Seekers in Israel is performing for audiences around the country. Through this play, audiences are introduced to the complexities of life for Ayslum Seekers in Israel and triggers discussions around a topic that sorely needs to be discussed in Israel.
We love this project because it is dealing with a very serious issue in a sustainable and bite sized way.ארטים, צוות אמנות בין תחומית (ע"ר) - מפעילה את ספריית גן לוינסקי“Acting for change” – Sudanese Theater Grouphttp://www.thegardenlibrary.org/IsraelTel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/telavivtag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225822013-10-02T00:00:00Z2013-10-02T00:16:15ZRio de Janeiro (Ոչ ակտիվ) – Movimento in AbsentiaMovimento in Absentia
Public art installation/ mechanical performance
In light of recent global protests, Movimento in Absentia presents deconstructed power struggles to the greater public in a form that is stripped of ideology and is focused on the essence of recent and historic struggles that define society. Not only political or apolitical movements, but the struggle of all human relationships.
The piece sets 12-16 old cassette tape players against each other (6 v. 6, etc.) to carry out a coordinated argument based only on the phrases “Queremos isto!” and “Não vamos dar isto a vocês!” The audio will be coordinated in a way that the argument grows in intensity on each side (at first each tape recorder “speaking” alone until all the voices combine) and the demands of each side finally change to their opposites. The demand for recognition or power, the “this” or “that”, is finally reversed.
This piece can be set up all over Rio, all over Brazil, the world. The Arcos da Lapa and Praca Tiradentes are just a few initial locations. The installation will be mobile and can be staged all over the city, presenting people with a new way to think about their own struggles and greater arguments that are now happening in Brazil and around the world.
Nathan WaltersMovimento in AbsentiaBrazilRio de Janeiro (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/riotag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/234612013-10-01T00:00:00Z2013-10-01T22:54:20ZKitchener-Waterloo – Community Music School of Waterloo RegionOur project is awesome because music is a ubiquitous part of human culture that everyone should be able to enjoy and have access to. Music is everywhere and if given the proper nourishment it can flourish into something that shades everyone around it from the hot Sun of everyday life.
The Community Music School of Waterloo Region is a project designed to fight injustice in our community by giving quality music lessons to 40 referred students who would otherwise be unable to afford lessons. This project is ongoing and has had great success over the past year. It is awesome because of its ability to use otherwise wasted talent, build self-esteem, and create hope and opportunities for individuals in our community.
The School is already partnered with the Beckett School/Lyrical Lines Education Network, the Laurier Centre for Music in the Community, KW Symphony, The Working Centre, Bob's Guitar Service, and the Ontario Registered Music Teachers' Association-Kitchener Branch. Students are referred through Pathways to Education, KidsLINK, The Working Centre, Lutherwood, Mill Courtland Community Centre, The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, and KW Counselling Services. These partners will allow the School to grow and better address the needs of talented youth in our community whose talents go unappreciated. Lets give them a helping hand up so that our entire region can benefit from those talents in the long term.IanCommunity Music School of Waterloo Regionhttp://www.cmswr.ca/CanadaKitchener-Waterloohttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/kitchener-waterlootag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/237732013-10-01T00:00:00Z2013-10-01T14:20:07ZMiami, FL – Zine MachineBooks Are Nice started off as a blog intending to share graphic designer Augusto Mendoza's expanding collection of art and design publications. Since then, he has published four monographs from Miami artists that are held in University of Miami Libraries’ Special Collections. More recently, Books Are Nice helped put together an event at Lester’s to give local book and zine publishers a platform to display their work. The next venture will encourage community engagement.
We will purchase three vending machines, similar to those dispensing temporary tattoos and stickers. Ten local artists will be given the opportunity to work with a graphic designer and create a 16-page zine. Every artist will have 50 copies of their “mini-monograph” available for purchase. Each machine will be featured in different locations and will feature random quantities of that season’s artist’s zines. Consumers can collect all 10 zines by the end of their time at each location.
Books Are Nice wants to make art accessible to those who appreciate it. Throughout the installation, we plan on featuring visual artists, designers, chefs, coders and anyone with interesting aesthetics and ideas. By curating different artists each season, the machine will allow local art patrons to grow their zine collection, while simultaneously giving artists exposure.
The Zine Machine kickoff event will take place during Art Basel, where Books Are Nice will be having a Pop-Up Reading Room in Wynwood to display local publisher’s works. To gain a more widespread exposure after the kickoff, the machines will be placed in a record shop, bookstore and coffee shop in Little Haiti, Coral Gables and Wynwood. The project will be self-sustainable, as each zine will be purchased at a minimal cost that helps fund a future seasonal zine publication. Our hope is to generate enough interest in the publishing process and production to be able to open up a permanent bookstore where the zine machine would be a permanent fixture.Augusto MendozaZine Machinehttp://booksarenice.com/United StatesMiami, FLhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/miamitag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/235522013-09-30T00:00:00Z2014-04-05T03:18:52ZPittsburgh, PA – PittMesh Wireless NetworkMeta Mesh is building a wireless mesh network in Pittsburgh. On this network there will be resources like those one would find on the Internet- except no ISP is needed to reach them. It is a free-as-in-beer, encrypted, quality-of-service-enforced wireless network that anyone with an off-the-shelf wireless router may join and benefit from.
Here's an analogy for our project: The way the Internet works now is that you pay a big company to loan you mailbox that they come and install in your house and any time you want to send a letter, the envelope is sent to a single, massive, central routing station, is flipped through a bunch of chutes and travels all over the country to land at its intended destination- even if that destination is the house next to yours.
In a mesh network, you independently own a mailbox that you can set up with instructions provided by Meta Mesh. When you send a letter, the envelope slides down the mail chute to the corner of your block where a kindly post-officer looks at the address, realizes it's going to your neighbor, puts it in the neighbor's chute and it arrives at his house without ever even crossing the street.
This is a novel but not new method of networking. Instead of relying on huge, centralized repositories for routing information to every Internet-accessible network, a mesh network uses individual routers to store little pieces of routing information of a far larger network. Instead of big routing stations that, if damaged or lose power, would cause much of the network to stop working, there are many little overlapping coverage areas making failure for the entire network much more difficult. Mesh networking has the potential to change the way we communicate within a geographic area, to disrupt ISP monopolies' stranglehold on our ability to communicate, and to solve the networking privacy issues that have recently come to light. The solution is low-cost, low-maintenance wireless routers placed throughout neighborhoods.Adam LongwillPittMesh Wireless Networkhttp://www.Metamesh.orgUnited StatesPittsburgh, PAhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/pittsburghtag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250272013-09-30T00:00:00Z2013-09-30T13:27:17ZSan Antonio, TX – Mobile OmMobile Om is San Antonio's first and only mobile yoga studio. Mobile Om provides donation-based yoga classes that are free of pretension and welcoming to anyone and everyone who wants to practice. It is a yoga movement taking yoga out of the studio and into people's everyday lives.
What makes Mobile Om awesome is that we provide no nonsense yoga to everyday people in locations that are casual, inspiring and hyper local. People who have never stepped foot inside a studio feel at home in a Mobile Om class, whether it's outside on the Hays Street Bridge overlooking the city's skyline or inside the 100 year old building that has been beautifully restored as the home of the Richter Co.
Mobile Om rolled (it’s mats) out for the first time on the Hays Street Bridge on a Friday evening in June to share yoga and the beautiful view with our community. Twelve people showed up to that first class, and I was blown away. Through the Facebook page, word of mouth and an article in the Rivard Report, Mobile Om’s we have grown to host up to 45 people at and has introduced over 20 people completely new to yoga. We recently added a class in the lobby of the Richter Co. and created our first donation-based corporate yoga program at Rackspace Hosting.
The vision for Mobile Om is to offer several classes every day at a wider variety of locations throughout San Antonio. Within each unique location, Mobile Om will create a consistent and authentic yoga space complete with the amenities of brick and mortar studios such as yoga mats, props, towels and water. I am currently renovating a 1972 VW Van that will serve as the transportation for the wandering studio and will keep all the goods needed to set up the temporary homes. All mats and props will be available for students to borrow free of charge.
Mobile Om would like $1000 to stock our wandering yoga studio. Cassandra FaussMobile Omwww.mobileomtx.com, www.facebook.com/MobileOmUnited StatesSan Antonio, TXhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sanantoniotag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/235832013-09-30T00:00:00Z2018-11-25T20:04:52ZDenver, CO (Ոչ ակտիվ) – READ TO MEI founded READ TO ME four years ago with the hopes of helping low-income children grow up with books.
Ten years ago I was a fourth grade teacher in Denver Public Schools and have a life changing experience in the classroom. I taught kids who's families struggled greatly at home. Their resources were limited. Many, if not all, had a hard time completely their reading homework assignments because they had no books in their home.
The U.S. Department of Education reports that 61% of low-income families have no children's books in their home. Sad!
READ TO ME is a non-profit organization helping the highest need families in Colorado have a chance to grow up with a book in their home and love reading and books.
READ TO ME partners with hospitals to give every low-income newborn a book bundle on their birthday. The medical providers encourage the families to go home and share the book and cuddle their newborn.
READ TO ME can reach families at the earliest point in a child’s development, at birth. As part of our mission objective, we encourage and support mothers of newborns to take advantage of the critical early months in their infant’s brain development. In fact, researchers now agree that 85 percent of brain development occurs during the first three years of life.
Rebecca EricksonREAD TO MEhttp://www.readtomeco.orgUnited StatesDenver, CO (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/denvertag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/240132013-09-28T00:00:00Z2013-09-28T09:13:57ZBerlin (Ոչ ակտիվ) – HacKIDemia- BerlinA hole in the wall in Kreutzberg (based on famous projects of Sugata Mitra in India -http://www.ted.com/pages/prizewinner_sugata_mitra ) we want to install a learning station in one of the walls of an underprivileged public schools of Kreutzberg (in the Rosa Luxemburg Schule). The learning station is set up in an outdoor playground setting which children can access at any time. It ensures that girls, who would generally not be sent to close room housing a computer, can now easily access the Learning Station in an open setting.
The playground setting offers a host of other advantages. Unconditional access to Learning Stations ensures that both children in-school and out-of-school can use them. Another advantage is that the unstructured nature of this setting also ensures that children themselves take ownership of the Learning Station by forming self-organized groups who learn on their own. Finally an unsupervised setting ensures that the entire process of learning is learner-centric and is driven by a child’s natural curiosity.
On the learning station computer the children will have access to filtered internet connection, learning activities in science, craft, art, challenges and hands on projects they can do in their community (extract DNA from fruits, take a picture and show the result, etc ).
The children will also be able to browse and see other similar projects done by other children around the world in the hands-on workshops organised by HacKIDemia. Stefania DrugaHacKIDemia- Berlinhttp://www.hackidemia.comGermanyBerlin (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/berlintag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/244542013-09-26T00:00:00Z2013-09-26T15:05:27ZWashington, DC – Fair Trade Music DCFair Trade Music is a grassroots community organizing initiative with the goal of developing local, community best practices for equitable relationships in live musical performance. As a social movement it spans the US and Canada with local campaigns in locations as varied as Seattle, WA, Rochester, NY, Portland, OR, Austin, TX and New Orleans, LA. It exists as coalitions of locally concerned parties including, musicians, performance venues, labor organizations, music affinity groups and audiences. It's main activities involve: advocating for fairness and transparency in the local live music industry; educational outreach; and positive recognition of participating community members. Fair Trade Music is, in part, a long-term community discussion for working musicians on the topic of earning a living as a professional musician with an eye towards economic justice and sustainability, artists rights and professional respect. It provides a forum for members of the local music community to recognize successes, discuss opportunities and work through more nuanced issues involving equity, behaviors and attitudes in the community.
We are currently in the data collection phase for collecting information about local venues and businesses in order to come up with a DC wide Fair Trade Music standard and minimum payment wage for musicians that perform in the area. Our goal is to create a standard that meets a basic artist living wage and launch a campaign to promote the venues and establishments that practice these standards. The information we would gather will be publicly available for both artists and fans who want to truly support their local creative economy.
Chris NaoumFair Trade Music DChttp://www.metromusicsource.org/ftmdc/ (This is a Demo of what the site would look like)United StatesWashington, DChttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/dctag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250672013-09-26T00:00:00Z2013-09-26T02:03:08ZMelbourne – GrowstuffGrowstuff is a website to track and share data on home food production. I founded the project in 2012 and we had our public launch in July 2013. The software is open source and developed by me and a team of volunteers from around the world. We currently have over 500 members from 6 continents (none from Antarctica yet!) tracking what they're growing in their veggie gardens, but we want to expand to 50,000 worldwide over the next couple of years.
Growstuff's different from most other food/gardening websites. Some of the things that make us special:
* We're open source, because we believe that making our software available for free and being transparent is key to running an ethical business/social enterprise.
* We release our data for free, under a Creative Commons license, to benefit other social enterprises, researchers, community groups, and local government.
* Our software is built collaboratively with our community, and we invite everyone to take part.
* We encourage, train, and mentor software developers from non-traditional backgrounds and marginalised/minority groups.
But the important thing here -- and the way we measure Growstuff's success -- is that we want to get more people growing their own food and learning that there are alternatives to our unsustainable global food system. It doesn't matter if it's a twenty acre hobby farm or a pot of basil on the windowsill. Growing stuff, any amount of stuff, is empowering and worthwhile, and we think more people should have a go at it! Alex BayleyGrowstuffhttp://growstuff.org/AustraliaMelbournehttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/melbournetag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/242222013-09-25T00:00:00Z2013-09-25T20:23:18ZPortland, OR – Billboards O'Joy!I would like to put up 10 billboards in Portland with short, simple positive messages like this: "something wonderful is about to happen", "YOU are totally awesome...yes, YOU", "smile...more", "think positive", "one kind word can change the world", "be-YOU-tiful" and more.
Here are billboards I put up with the help of local sponsors: http://thejoyteam.org/billboards/spring-2013-billboards/
I'd like to be able to keep one positive billboard up at all times. With $1,000 I can have a positive billboard up for 10 months.Michele McKeag LarsenBillboards O'Joy!http://thejoyteam.org/United StatesPortland, ORhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/portlandtag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/250022013-09-25T00:00:00Z2013-09-26T16:25:26ZPhiladelphia, PA – New books for kids in needWe have a very simple model. First Book - Philadelphia is the only source of new books for many children and is regarded as a precious resource by parents and literacy program directors in Philadelphia. Our Advisory Board, composed of citizens from a variety of professional backgrounds, meets regularly and identifies with programs from all over the Delaware Valley - including after-school programs, school classrooms, and summer reading camps - that meet our criteria for free books. We would select one of these deserving recipient groups to be our "Awesome Kids Read!" program and receive 400 new books, thanks to The Awesome Foundation. How awesome is that! Our Advisory Board liaison would stay connected with this recipient group, making a site visit when the books are delivered and confirming that "Awesome Kids Read!", thanks to The Awesome Foundation. We would also collect an evaluation at the end of the distribution period.
The books would be selected by a literacy instructor for his or her group of children from The FIrst Book Marketplace, which is run by FIrst Book National and allows us to provide books from nearly every major publisher in the country. The instructor will choose the books and incorporate lessons to go with the books. At the end of the lessons, the books will go home with the kids and become their personal property.First Book - PhiladelphiaNew books for kids in needhttp://www.firstbookphilly.orgUnited StatesPhiladelphia, PAhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/philadelphiatag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/246082013-09-24T00:00:00Z2013-09-24T14:06:02ZLondon, ON (Ոչ ակտիվ) – The Vending Art ProjectThe Vending Art Project would involve buying a vending machine (second hand) which would sell greeting cards made by local artists in the city of London. The project's purpose would be to support and encourage the arts in the city of London.
The vending machine could feature up to 20 local artist's work. Cards would cost approximately $4.00-$5.00 to purchase from the vending machine.
Potentially, each artist whose work is sold from the vending machine could write a short bio of themselves and their work and would be included in the sale of the card. This would allow each customer the opportunity to know who they are supporting in the London community by their purchase of their card.
The first vending machine would potentially be placed at a retirement home where seniors could purchase cards for their friends and family while supporting local artist's work.
In terms of promoting the opportunity to London artists, I would post a call for work on London's many artist networks including but not excluding the London Arts Council, London Fuse etc.
Management of the vending machine would be handled by myself (ie. stock, repairs, community relations).
Janine WassThe Vending Art ProjectCanadaLondon, ON (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/london-ontariotag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/227842013-09-23T00:00:00Z2013-09-23T13:37:18ZAwesome Without Borders – Beauty And The Endangered SpeciesI run a non-profit that is trying to reverse the decline of an endangered bird - a top order predator and also culturally important - in rural parts of Africa it is the rainbird, the thunderbird and is revered in traditional cultures. Me and my team work to remove threats, create awareness and also run the reintroduction programme for the species. Without conservation intervention it has been modelled the birds will be gone in less than 50 years. We are doing a lot of research - marking techniques, genetics, reintroduction biology, vocalisations and much more- also working with a number of local and international collaborators. I will use the money for an education roadshow throughout the eastern Cape Province - a province that has very little information known about the species and most are in very rural remote areas. I want to visit every tribal leader, school, clinic and beer house to talk to people - so not just gathering information but also spreading information. And I want to give out false eyelashes as part of this - they are cool (even in rural areas) and these birds have the most luscious lashes!Lucy KempBeauty And The Endangered Specieshttp://www.ground-hornbill.org.zaWorldwideAwesome Without Bordershttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/awesomewithoutborderstag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/258062013-09-23T00:00:00Z2013-10-07T16:57:16ZBoulder, CO (Ոչ ակտիվ) – Boulder Flood ReliefBoulder Flood Relief is a local, boots on the ground, all-volunteer group organizing immediate relief for displaced and in need individuals. We are currently providing physical labor such as cleanup help for those affected by the flood.BrandonBoulder Flood Reliefhttp://boulderfloodrelief.org/United StatesBoulder, CO (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/bouldertag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/249012013-09-21T00:00:00Z2013-10-21T23:07:57ZToronto – World's First Interactive Project Gallery by Kids
[Maker Faire TO]
Kids love showing off their projects, and people love seeing them! We plan on displaying kids projects in our front window, and want to do it in a crowd-sourced, interactive and awesome way! We'll display projects made in our shop, and also encourage kids from around the world to send us their projects. This will give them their first opportunity to display their projects to the world and see reactions.
The MakerKids front store window will be set up with 9 squares in a 3x3 grid. The centre square will have an LCD touchscreen in it for controlling the display. It will use projected capacitive touch technology so that it will be interactive through the store window glass for people outside on the sidewalk. The 8 surrounding squares will contain projects. Each square will have LED lighting.
The touchscreen will first allow visitors to select a project square to view. This will turn on the LED lighting for that square, and activate any electronics. If the project uses the SparkCore arduino-compatible board, the interface onscreen will allow them to control it. For example, a dinosaur robot with servo-controlled toothy grin would allow the visitor to make it bite. The SparkCore API is very simple, and the kid who built the project will be able to easily make their project controllable with the interface.
A message will be displayed: "Like this project? Let the maker know! Send a tweet with the hashtag #MakerKidsWindowProject3 to @Maker_Kids and we'll forward it on to them! Don't forget to include a picture of your amazement!
Another button next to each of the 8 projects will allow the visitor to view reactions to it. This will display the twitter feed for the matching hashtag.
An accompanying web page on the MakerKids site will show a picture and the details of each of the 8 projects. If the project is SparkCore enabled, the visitor will be able to control it from the web page.
Kids can view the reactions at the store and onlineAndy ForestWorld's First Interactive Project Gallery by Kidshttp://www.makerkids.caCanadaTorontohttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/torontotag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/235872013-09-20T00:00:00Z2013-09-20T23:31:23ZOahu, HI – Recycling Containers for O`ahu Beach ParksB.E.A.C.H. is making wire recycling containers and these will be placed at beach parks on O`ahu. This is a "do it yourself" Hi5 recycling project where people can leave or take recyclables from the bins. The City and County of Honolulu recycling program has trained eight B.E.A.C.H. volunteers in how to make the wire bins and will provide the wire. B.E.A.C.H. has to provide all the tools and safety gear as well as a secure way to chain the bins at the beaches. B.E.A.C.H. will be holding recycling bin making workshops for volunteers starting in September 2013. This project will greatly improve the situation at beaches by providing much needed separate containers for recyclables. This will help prevent trash from ending up on the ground when people go through the trash container looking for recyclables and will provide everyone with a means to recycle when they are at beach parks. This project will encourage more people to recycle and will create a cleaner environment. Each wire recycling bin takes 1-2 hours to make. This project was featured on the "Going Green" segment of the KITV4 news on Monday 5th August, 2013 and on Hawai`i Public Radio on Monday 12th August, 2013. For links to these news stories, please visit: www.b-e-a-c-h.org Also the Star Advertiser is planning a feature story about B.E.A.C.H. and this project.
B.E.A.C.H. volunteers will place the recycling containers at beach parks and will have educational booths at the beaches to educate the public about the new containers as well as checking them to ensure the project is going smoothly. Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai`i (B.E.A.C.H.)Recycling Containers for O`ahu Beach Parkswww.b-e-a-c-h.orgUnited StatesOahu, HIhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/oahutag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/242992013-09-19T00:00:00Z2013-09-26T21:34:52ZNewmarket – Raven RoboticsRaven Robotics was launched 4 years ago by our current teacher and coach, Joseph Siconolfi. His hope was that by encouraging students to join a competitive atmosphere while learning more about STEM, or science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Currently, his hopes are a reality as 12 of the most committed and dedicated students at Mulock spend an average of 2 hours a night 5 nights a week EVERY school week of the year in his classroom after class building robots for competitions, holding design meetings, holding scouting meeting, traveling to meet other teams and become allies with them so we can team up on other teams in competitions and even attending competitions we don't compete in to scout out our enemies. Although this is a very serious competition to those on the team, we always remember that we are there for fun and that whether we win or lose, we've done our best. The team is currently struggling to afford material costs for the robots (often many thousands of dollars) and we are also trying to expand our team by adding a new robot so that more students at Mulock can have the opportunity to learn in this fun environment. Our hope is that through community outreach (going to local events to advertise our cause), we can raise enough funds to continue Raven Robotics but with a $1000 grant, those dreams would instantly because a reality. If we win a tournament in the upcoming season, Raven Robotics will have the opportunity to represent Newmarket, Ontario and even Canada at the VEX robotics World Championship held in Anaheim, California. We are currently the only team in all of the York region district school board competing in these robotics competitions. James HarrisRaven Roboticshttp://ravensrobotics.webs.comCanadaNewmarkethttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/newmarket-ontariotag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/245852013-09-19T00:00:00Z2013-09-26T17:09:57ZKingston – The Smile TeamImagine a group of boys wandering the streets in a pack. What is the first image that comes to your mind… is it that they might be up to no good?
Au contraire – this group of boys wants to spread cheer and niceness. They want to make smiles, not frowns.
The Awesome Superheroes of Kindness are born – aka the Smile Team!
The boys are between 7 and 10 years old, they are from three different schools. Some speak English, some speak English and French; some are shy, some outgoing.
The idea is to empower the boys to choose a voice for good, to see community workers as integral to our well-being, and people in need as equal members of our community, who all appreciate a reason to smile, who are connected to us in many ways thus forming our community. We want the boys to influence each other positively, to make good choices that make themselves and others proud and happy; to see that having different clothes or different living arrangements and different families does not mean someone isn't a member of our community with the same feelings as us. By creating an environment of caring and empathy, we hope to open their eyes to the bigger community they are a part of.
Julie has made capes for them: a visible sign that everyone can recognize. No masks, though - this is not anonymous work.
They have chosen their name - Smile Team! - they have fleshed out what they want to do as missions and they made Thank You cards and awesome badges to hand out. More crafts/creations to follow (we talked about making flowers at a future meeting). They will also collect some of their own clothes and toys for donation, perhaps organize a food drive in their respective neighbourhoods then come together and compare their results.
In order to make this project easily reproducible, we will start a FB page to document the process and the missions. We would love inspire Smile Teams to form all around Kingston! Cynthia (Cindy) Surette The Smile TeamCanadaKingstonhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/kingston-ontag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/245382013-09-19T00:00:00Z2016-12-29T00:50:53ZOttawa – The End of Your TaleSeptember's Awesome Ottawa award goes to Andrew Conte to support the production of a very personal film, The End of Your Tale, about death and dying.
"Since my Dad passed away two years ago after having faced a terminal diagnosis," explains Andrew, "I've wondered how a 'right to die' option might have shaped the last days of his life with us. The investigation of my personal story has led me to the related examination of our death-phobic culture, and community fora where stories of living, dying, and eldership are being told."
"Andy and Red from The Shawshank Redemption proposed to 'get busy living or get busy dying.' When you think about it, these are not mutually exclusive ways of being busy," says Andrew. "Investigating the inerwovenness of living and dying, my film will not only tell my own family's story, but also explore the deeper meaning of the dying with dignity policy debate. And it will seek community participation through interviews on what dying means to you, and how it has affected your life experience so far."
"As constitutional rights for physician-assisted dying are to be challenged in the Supreme Court of Canada sometime in 2014, and as legislation has already been tabled in the National Assembly of Quebec as of June 2013," Andrew notes, "the timing for this investigation of how our culture shapes our experience with death and dying is of particular importance."
Andrew is a writer and musician, as well as a recent graduate of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He keeps a blog at http://unbeauconte.wordpress.com.
<BR><IMG SRC="http://img.awesomefoundation.org/q/src/https%3A%2F%2Faf-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fphotos%2Fimages%2F103943%2Foriginal%2Fandrew-940.jpg/output/jpg/thumb/940x470%23">Andrew ConteThe End of Your TaleCanadaOttawahttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/ottawatag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/225902013-09-16T00:00:00Z2013-09-16T16:18:49ZAwesome Without Borders – You&MeYou & Me... Europe is an extension and expansion of You &Me... Tara's House - Created by Tara Rynders premiering on the 10th of April 2010.
You & Me... Provides an intimate, evening-length interdisciplinary dance performance to an audience interested in alternative live art that incorporates local talent, one-on-one performances and site-specific stage.
It creates an experience that cultivates interactions with the audience without losing the integrity of high-art performance, resulting in a full embodiment of art, where the roles of performer and audience coexist and merge within the same shared space.
The core of the performance identifies, understands, and encapsulates the role of intimacy in a socio-political community that is conscious of the presence and, or absence of intimacy within and between the community's members.
As a member of You & Me I have created a one-on-one performance titled "Happy Mourning". This 10 minute performance gives the audience a chance to discuss a person or thing which they have lost. Creating a safe-space, the audience feel comfortable sharing their story with me. Once the person or thing lost is talked about, we then proceed to create a small movement phrase - usually gestural - that embodies their loss through a personalized dance. We repeat this dance together until the audience member recalls the movement without my assistance. before leaving the space, the audience creates a paper sculpture of the person or thing they are mourning, and places it on a wall - where others have mourned as well. They create an artifact and leave with one. I have performed this piece in San Francisco and Reno and am looking forward to extending the experience to a European audience, as each culture mourns in its own unique way.
My goal is to adapt Happy mourning to each culture, and to discover similarities and differences between them, if any exist. Jadd James TankYou&Mehttp://tarinabird.wix.com/youandmeWorldwideAwesome Without Bordershttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/awesomewithoutborderstag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/238032013-09-13T00:00:00Z2013-12-16T21:01:40ZSeattle, WA – Eyes From The Streets## Purpose
The purpose of this project is to help serve as a bridge between homeless youth and the "general" public. By bringing these two communities together, I hope to create an environment where both sides can learn about and from each other, candid conversation can occur, and ideas for action can be generated.
## Summary
1. Portraits of youth
2. Photos taken by youth
3. Exhibition with a combination of photography, zines (written work), and talks
## Portraits of youth
I would like to create portraits of willing youth aged 18-25. In doing so, I hope to put names and faces together, to un-anonymize a group of people who are often denied an individual identity. I will be working with UDYC who hires homeless youth to create zines.
## Photos taken by youth
Each youth will be given a disposable camera to take with them through their six weeks of the Zine project. They are free to take pictures of anything that helps them share their story. If they want, we can provide prompts to help organize their thoughts and themes. At the end of the six weeks, I'll collect the cameras, develop them, print, and frame them for exhibition. The youth will get a copy of the prints as well as all of the original files for them to have and use anyway they wish.
## Exhibition
When the photographs are prepared, I hope to find a location that will allow us to showcase our work for at least 30 days. For the opening, I would like to invite the participating youth to speak about their work and the inspirations and stories behind them. I have relationships at The HUB, BGI, and others that can serve as a backup locations to a standing gallery.
Also, this might be a good venue to sell the zines and spread the work UDYC is doing with the Zine project.Michael B. MaineEyes From The Streetshttp://michaelbmaine.com/home/2013/8/2/finding-purpose-in-photographyUnited StatesSeattle, WAhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/seattletag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/242262013-09-12T00:00:00Z2013-09-12T01:52:41ZSydney – Re:makeRe:make has a mission: to rescue unloved and discarded art projects and give them a new life, with the help of a group of Sydney artists. The transformed artworks will be exhibited and offered for sale, with the proceeds going towards establishing an art workshop program at East Sydney High School.
Every day artworks people have spent hours of work on are discarded, tossed out on the street with rusted woks and broken clothes racks, destined to become landfill.
The Re:make team have been collecting unloved landscapes, discarded portraits and rejected still life compositions from the streets of Sydney. From our collection we're picking 12 artworks and approaching emerging and established artists working in a variety of mediums, from painting, sculpture, millinery and photography, to remake them however they wish.
Leading up to the exhibition, the Re:make blog will reveal the process of transforming the original pieces at all stages: from the original rescued artwork, to the artist's process working with it, to the finished piece.
The works will be exhibited in early 2014 - we have approached the Rocks Pop Up for a potential venue, and aim to exhibit the works in a gallery or pop up space around the Sydney CBD.
All profits from the sale of the artworks will fund an art workshop program for East Sydney High School. This school provides education and support for young people who aren't able to access mainstream schooling. The workshop program will involve Sydney artists conducting workshops for the students. Their website is: http://eshigh.com/
We're aiming for this project to be fun and fresh take on the concept of reuse, highlighting its creative potential. We love the element of chance involved in finding these artworks on Sydney streets, and look forward to seeing them transformed by artists in ways we couldn't have imagined.
Vanessa BerryRe:makehttp://projectremake.org/AustraliaSydneyhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sydneytag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/215142013-09-11T00:00:00Z2013-09-11T22:15:05ZOahu, HI – Adopt a GSAOne of the biggest challenges GSAs report in sustaining their club is really a simple one - food and supplies. Most of our GSAs meet during the lunch hour, so being able to offer pizza for students attending is a huge incentive for both new and existing members. Supplies for activities and outings are also key. Currently, almost all of our GSAs have no source of funding for their clubs other than GSA Hawaii's adoption program. For just $500 per year, anyone can adopt one of the GSAs in GSA Hawaii's network. 100% of the money is for the GSA to spend on food, supplies and outings for their club. GSA Hawaii manages the money simply to make sure all the funds are going to benefit the students, and GSA Hawaii takes no administrative cut of the donations. Melanie MooreAdopt a GSAwww.gsahawaii.orgUnited StatesOahu, HIhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/oahutag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/238972013-09-11T00:00:00Z2013-09-11T16:31:39ZLiverpool – BeerdfestI invented Beerdfest last year.
Beer, music and beards. What's not to love?
I have a beard blog (www.tashwags.blogspot.com) and I thought it about time we celebrated the local talent.
I made all the posters at home, enlisted friends help for manpower and convinced Camp & Furnace to host the eve. I made national radio and press with my newly discovered flair for PR haha
Over 100 people turned up and it was properly awesome...
Beerdfest 2.0 is November29th and I want to up the awesomeness with more music, more marketing and a credible big name judge!Jodie SchofieldBeerdfesthttp://www.beerdfest.co.ukUnited KingdomLiverpoolhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/liverpooltag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/227362013-09-11T00:00:00Z2013-09-11T16:31:59ZLiverpool – Synaesthesia FeastThe Synaesthesia Feast will take place on the week commencing the 19th of September.
The Synaesthesia Feast does not just intend to satisfy the taste buds, but to interact each course with audio and visuals to create a holistic feast of the senses.
Synaesthesia is defined as a sensation usually found in one sense modality that occurs when another sense modality is stimulated. Resent research has found that although not every person has synaesthesia, most individuals can make associations between stimulants in different sense modalities. For example most people will associate the taste of a lemon with a high-pitched sound, spiky font and bright white colour. The synaesthesia feast draws upon these associations to create a multidimensional experience that is part experiment part artistic endeavour. It aims to enhance the experience of music, food and visuals through the integration of the senses.
We are working alongside FACT to produce the event in their Gallery One space. A small group of visual artists, musicians and chefs, meet up once a week to create a truly multisensory and interactive experience. The feast will consist of four courses of food with music and visuals to compliment each one. We recently did a tester session at the Camp and Furnace. We made three different bites of food and had a piece of music to match each one. We then asked people to give us feedback on the taster.
‘The wild wirring in my ears oddly sounds just like the spicy stabbing in my mouth. Helicopter blades - burning. Totally different but similar.’
‘Music made the popcorn seem like it had a crackly texture.’
‘Vegetable popcorn! Ooh I felt a pop in my mouth.’
‘The deeper tones of the music made me focus more on the richer flavour of the cake. I felt as if the room vibrated under the bass which detracted from the food.‘
Ella Tomasine PerrySynaesthesia Feasthttp://synaesthesiafeast.tumblr.com/United KingdomLiverpoolhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/liverpooltag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/226392013-09-10T00:00:00Z2013-10-02T17:20:14ZVancouver, BC (Ոչ ակտիվ) – The Rain Barrel Project The World In A Garden.
We are converting 55 gallon empty food barrels (donated by LUSH) into rain barrels that are designed by local artists from Emily Carr. We are planning to convert 250 barrels that will be placed in private yards, school gardens and public spaces in order to engage the community and monitor how the presence of the rain barrels will effect the water use/consumption Vancouverites. Our goal is to educate through community events and to save a minimum of 1300 gallons (4921 litres) for every 55 gallon barrel sold. With a sale of 250 barrels. We can save an estimated 325,000 gallons (1,231,750 liters) of water! An average of 1300 gallons of water is saved in the summer season when using a 55 gallon barrel. Proceeds will fund The World In A Garden's youth education programs.
It is imperative for Vancouver to start diverting our water from sewage systems where the rain water picks up toxins from impermeable surfaces and carries them into our fragile water ways like streams, rivers and the ocean. We know this is an action based and community engaging solution that can help us all make better choices and think about how we use our water to grow food, garden, wash cars and more. Tricia SedgwickThe Rain Barrel Project http://www.theworldinagarden.com/CanadaVancouver, BC (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/vancouvertag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/236102013-09-10T00:00:00Z2013-09-12T13:27:41ZNew York City, NY – The Love Motel for Insects: Anax Junios Variation<strong>The Love Motel for Insects: Anax Junios Variation will be on display as part of <em>Notched Bodies: Insects in Contemporary Art</em>, on view September 13 – November 13, 2013. It will be located outside of Central Park Zoo next to the <a href="http://www.nycgovparks.org/art-and-antiquities/arsenal-gallery">Arsenal Gallery</a> at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue (inside the park).
Opening reception: Thursday, September 12, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. </strong>
Since 2001, Love Motel for Insects has been an ongoing series of interactive public outdoor artwork that is both an art piece and a life science project. The works use ultraviolet lights on enormous sculptural canvases to attract insects.
The arthropods visit (unharmed) and the public watches and have the chance to learn about these amazing creatures. This is combined with Eco-Actions, where people help to collect scientific data on urban species. Produced around the world (Asia, Europe, Central and North America so far), the Love Motels have become the backdrops for trans-species community events such as eco-festivals, green graffiti jams, environmental rallies, citizen science investigations, musical events and even pheromone paintings created by the bugs themselves.
Why love bugs? Insects are one of the least understood and under appreciated groups of animals. Yet, the majority of our food crops rely on insect pollination. Countless ecosystems would collapse in their absence. Recent demise in bee populations and Monarch die-offs have attracted public attention but still how many of us have taken the time to look closely at these remarkable creatures? My sculpture in Central Park will create this opportunity!
Brandon BallengéeThe Love Motel for Insects: Anax Junios Variationhttp://brandonballengee.com/love-motel-for-insects-in-central-park-nyc/United StatesNew York City, NYhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/nyctag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/194862013-09-09T00:00:00Z2013-09-09T22:36:44ZLos Angeles, CA – mictlam murals restoration project(Mictlan Murals) began painting murals to help stop Gang Graffiti in our community, raised in Aliso Village Housing Projects, and Estrada Courts Housing Projects, Mictlan Murals was created due to the need for unity in the community and the pain of loosing friends and family to gang violence.We made art that show our common ground as people, Involving the local youth in the creation process and putting images that project culture, family values, respect, knowledge of self and pride which we hoped would raise our self esteem as a people and community.
Many of the murals lasted over 8 years without being vandalized at minimum 5 years, but everything changed around 2003, community artists started losing all public and private funding, when the country entered into War with Iraq and the economy collapsed, as a result there was no consistency in maintaining a relationship with the youth and the murals in the most neglected areas in our community. A new generation of youth grew up without having direct contact with the murals; without the continued oral tradition and maintenance of the messages on the walls, for many youth the walls loose relevance and some fell like disrespecting them because they don’t have a connection to it anymore. We can't blame the youth!
We have started a restoration project to introduced the community to these murals, to restore the most damaged of walls. Some of them are tagged, others have been damaged by the elements. The main objective is to introduced community youth to murals, to show them how to tell their stories and have ownership of the painting on the walls. They are learning how to properly clean up and restore a mural as well as designing and drawing and painting of the murals. Out of 15 murals So far 3 murals have been restored.
Murals tell the story of a place in time. Its the story of us all and those murals need to be restored and new murals need to be painted and that's what we are doing in LA. Susana Figueroa "Sonji"mictlam murals restoration projecthttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Mictlan-Murals/151737581520049United StatesLos Angeles, CAhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/los-angelestag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/196412013-09-09T00:00:00Z2013-09-09T22:36:37ZLos Angeles, CA – The Silver Lake ChorusWe are a co-ed group of 20 Angelenos who came together to share of a love of singing and a desire to share that love with the masses. We think huge, uplifting harmonies and intimate, soul searching melodies should not be confined to churches, opera houses, or schools, but should be in bars and cafes and daily life as well. We're currently trying to wrap up our first album so we can share the music with people who can't make it to our shows in LA.
We meet once a week in an abandoned church to sing together, and try to perform for the community once every six weeks or so. During the day our members are accountants, waiters, writers, book store managers, architecture students, college counselors, and masseuses, but when we're together we're just twenty people who really love to sing. We've performed at dive bars, rock clubs, cafes, street festivals, weddings, churches, and colleges.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K95_UZvvKZkCharlie MaasThe Silver Lake Chorushttp://thesilverlakechorus.com/United StatesLos Angeles, CAhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/los-angelestag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/230752013-09-09T00:00:00Z2013-09-09T22:14:21ZDetroit, MI (Ոչ ակտիվ) – Neighbors Building Brightmoor newsletters Neighbors Building Brightmoor publishes a 4-page, full color, monthly newsletter that spotlights good news in the neighborhood (block clean-ups, new gardens, children's activities) and shares information about resources and upcoming local events (kids' art event, teen night, NBB meetings, safety patrol dates, and so on). In addition, one recurring column profiles a neighborhood teenager who is a positive role model for other youth, and every month we publish a contact list of our block captains. The newsletter is an important vehicle for sharing information about local happenings, and because we hand deliver them to over 400 houses in our target area, it is also a way for our organization to maintain personal connections with neighbors. While we do publish an electronic edition of the newsletter, we believe that distributing a print version is critical in our neighborhood where many people lack at home internet access or simply aren't interested in it. Leah WisteNeighbors Building Brightmoor newsletters http://neighborsbuildingbrightmoor.orgUnited StatesDetroit, MI (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/detroittag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/233952013-09-09T00:00:00Z2013-09-09T19:03:03ZAwesome Without Borders – Coconut ClimbersIn this project, 50 economically backward and vulnerable women between the age group of 20 to 35 will be identified. They will be formed as Women Livelihood Groups (WLG) and given orientation on importance of coconut trees and opportunities of livelihoods from coconut trees. The women from WLGs will be given intensive training on coconut tree climbing with the help of climbing machine for 10 days in two phases. Once they develop confidence, they will be encouraged to take up coconut tree climbing activity for their livelihoods. They will be involved as peer groups in promotion of coconut trees in Kanyakumari District. Machines will be procured by WLG through revolving fund assistance by CREDSO and the women using the machine for their livelihoods should repay the revolving fund. This revolving fund will be utilized for promoting coconut based micro enterprise activities. Praseeda SanuCoconut Climbershttp://www.credso.orgWorldwideAwesome Without Bordershttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/awesomewithoutborderstag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/241552013-09-05T00:00:00Z2013-09-05T14:28:34ZNew Orleans, LA (Ոչ ակտիվ) – Listen! Literacy & Arts FestivalThe third annual Listen! Literacy & Arts Festival, to be held October 2013, is an outdoor cultural arts event organized by 2-Cent through the help of our youth volunteers. Listen! provides New Orleans' youth with an opportunity to use their talents in the literary, musical, visual, and media arts to inspire change. Focusing on the violence and education crises within our community, Listen! offers an opportunity for New Orleans' young people to form alliances for social activism, to voice their concerns, and to strategize for community betterment. All we ask is that the city come and listen. We partner with Scholastic, Inc. to give out 10,000 brand new books and also to provide literacy training for parents at the festival. We reach out to local schools to encourage student participation by way of performances and essay contests.Brandan OdumsListen! Literacy & Arts Festivalhttp://www.2-cent.com/listen/United StatesNew Orleans, LA (Ոչ ակտիվ)https://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/neworleanstag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/237842013-09-05T00:00:00Z2013-09-05T01:49:15ZSan Francisco, CA – Poetry with Eldersmuch to the dismay of myself and my elder students (who range in age from 55-97!), the institute on aging has cut all my teaching contracts for the fall. that means the 3 sites and 40+ seniors will no longer have the opportunity to meet with me on a weekly basis to learn and practice the art and joy of writing poetry.
here's the thing about the way we approach what we do: nothing rhymes (boring!) and if you can't hold a pencil (most people can't) no problem! all you need to do to be a poet is be in the room, see what you see, imagine what you imagine, think what you think, speak up when you feel moved, or, if you can't speak, then a gesture of any kind suffices. if you don't remember what we just talked about 5 minutes before, no worries. we'll say it again. or we'll change it. we'll make sure you get to be you as we create poems and explore words together.
my goal is to give students a place to freely express, to become something they'd never become (an ocean, a puff of fog, a letter enclosed inside their mother's pocket). poetry is not just a genre made up of rules and forms and terms you need to learn and remember. poetry is an act of discovering things about yourself you did not know (see especially how your imagination works). poetry is a place you can forget about what ails you for 1.5 hours a week or write about it if you need. poetry is a community of other people like you, people who become not just fellow writers but friends. poetry is an act of spontaneous utterance--say something and i write it down. someone says something more and that gets written down too. we revise as we go. we have big ideas and small. we laugh, a lot. and we end every class with a rousing round of applause.
you see, we're not just writing poetry, we're using our minds and our hearts. we're creating a space where we feel like we're alive and seen. a place where we belong in a world in which we've become so invisible. and we feel oh so proud of ourselves. and it's priceless. Silvi AlcivarPoetry with EldersUnited StatesSan Francisco, CAhttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sftag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/241492013-09-05T00:00:00Z2013-09-05T23:31:59ZSarnia – Dîner en BlancI have recently attended Dîner en Blanc in Montréal and I wish to bring this awesome event to Sarnia next year as part of our Centennial celebrations and to continue on a yearly basis afterwards. Launched with just a handful of friends by François Pasquier over 25 years ago, Paris' Dîner en Blanc now assembles nearly 15,000 people each year in Paris alone. Dîner en Blanc is a non-profit organization based in Montréal that now has about 40 cities world- wide participating. At the last minute, the location is given to thousands of invitees who have been patiently waiting to learn the “Dîner en Blanc's” secret place. The event is open to any couple but due to logistics at the locations, a cap is always put on the number. The attendees arrive, dressed all in white, and conducting themselves with the greatest decorum, elegance, and etiquette, all meet for a mass “chic picnic” in an outdoor public space. Everyone sets up their folding table and chairs, white table cloth, centerpiece, candles, real china and wine glasses and lays out their dinner for the evening within 15 minutes. In Montréal this year, 5,200 attended. A choice is given to bring your own food or buy from the partnering caterer (I have one in mind). At 7:30 everyone waves their cloth napkin and the evening starts with a background of beautiful music. You have an hour and a half for dinner. At 9:00, everyone light the sparklers and pops their balloon which gives a fireworks effect. The DJ then changes the mood with the music we can dance to. The evening closes at 11:00 pm. Everyone packs up their belongings and puts their garbage in the white bag they brought and takes it all home. We leave the location as we found it. There is also entertainment such as musicians, and an opportunity to have a professional photo taken for the hat contest. Words cannot describe what I felt that evening in Montréal but enchanting and magical come close. This event truly warms your heart. Tracy JutrasDîner en Blanchttp://dinerenblanc.info/CanadaSarniahttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/sarniatag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/234752013-09-02T00:00:00Z2013-09-02T07:06:01ZMelbourne – Mini Free LibraryTo build a mini free library in front of the East Maryborough Community House.
I had the blokes from the Men's Shed lined up to build the library, but they all have health problems at the moment and cannot build the library. I have the design for the library, which was done by the kids who use the East Maryborough Neighbourhood house, and the specs, from some local artists.
Maryborough is the lowest socio economic council area in Victoria. Literacy is a basic right, and is so important. The mini free library will brighten the area up, give the residents a sense of pride and ownership (there is only one other mini free library in Victoria that I know of) and be a source of good quality, free books and magazines.
The library will be "staffed" by volunteers
Donations of books will come from locals, and will be topped up on whatever donations I can get my hands on.
Lisa D'OnofrioMini Free LibraryAustraliaMelbournehttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/melbournetag:www.awesomefoundation.org,2005:Project/232012013-09-02T00:00:00Z2013-09-02T18:31:08ZAwesome Without Borders – Bat CloudBAT CLOUD is a project that aims to bring awareness and greater public visibility to bats as a critical part of our ecosystem. Bats serve as pollinators and ‘natural’ pesticides, assisting in the control of mosquito and other insect populations. Yet despite their ecological significance, bats are often overlooked or seen as pests in urban environments and subsequently exterminated. Further, since 2006, bats in the northeastern part of the United States have been dying in great numbers due to White Nose Syndrome.
BAT CLOUD is an installation that aims to combat the aesthetics of disappearance and indifference. As such, its disposition is that of an urban ‘spectacle,’ tapping into strategies of publicity. The project is comprised of a hanging canopy of vessels, which from afar appears like a large shimmering cloud, hovering in the trees. Closer up, viewers from below would be able to see plants hanging from each vessel. At dusk, onlookers would hopefully be able to catch sight of bats or other wildlife emerging from the habitation vessels.
Each vessel is formed in a way to allow bats to enter and inhabit its uppermost portion. The lower volume of each vessel is filled with soil and native plants. The vessels are also designed so that bat guano would collect in the soil-filled planting area, thus fertilizing the vegetation. The lowermost portion of each vessel is constructed in a way to allow for slow water drainage.
BAT CLOUD is installed in the Tifft Nature Preserve, a park-like wooded setting developed on a former landfill in the industrial zone of Buffalo, New York, USA.
Recently, I was selected to build and install a second iteration of BAT CLOUD in Rotterdam, Netherlands, as part of the 2014 International Architecture Biennale of Rotterdam (IABR 2014: http://iabr.nl/en), the theme of which is "Urban by Nature."
After the exhibition in Rotterdam, my intention is to donate the BAT CLOUD project to an interested community in need.
Joyce HwangBat Cloudhttp://www.antsoftheprairie.com/?page_id=1194WorldwideAwesome Without Bordershttps://www.awesomefoundation.org/hy/chapters/awesomewithoutborders