Awesome Foundation - Projects

Nuremberg (Inactive) – DYI Land Mine Detection Multicopter

2013-05-07T00:00:00Z

The project's goal ist to develop a OpenSource multicopter that is capable of autonomously searching an pre-defined area for landmines. Furthermore the copter's technology will be able to record points of interest with geo-coordinates for post-analysis on a map. The copter should be designed in a way, that makes it easy reconstructable by others, it should be low cost and use technology that can be easily obtained. Why it is awesome: It is awesome, because this project delivers a low-cost, low-risk, DIY-Solution for a grave problem (110 million landmines).

Vancouver, BC (Inactive) – Hastings Urban Farm (HUF)

2013-05-07T00:00:00Z

The HUF is a horticultural therapy and social enterprise project in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES). We produce veggies, fruit, flowers and honey on 1/2 acre of donated land (58 Hastings W). Our farmers are locals, who face multiple challenges in life (drug addiction, extreme poverty, mental/physical health issues, etc), that result in barriers to employment, housing, and personal stability. Our farmers all participate in a training program that prepares them for agricultural work. They learn about horticulture, carpentry, apiculture, financial planning, soil maintenance, and marketing, spatial planning and yield forecasting. They also learn some soft skills: working with others, personal timetable management, anger management, goal-setting, etc. Some of our produce is sold to restaurants, wholesalers, and at farmers' markets and farm gate sales for cost-recovery purposes; our trained farmers receive honoraria for their work. The rest is donated to individuals or community kitchens. Because of our affiliation with the Portland Hotel Society, our fresh organic produce efficiently finds its way into many meal programs. We also give out recipes and pre-made one-pot meals, so that DTES residents can more easily prepare our food in their homes (which often have limited cooking facilities). Programs like ours are essential to the DTES' transformation away form poverty, substance abuse, and marginalization. 1) We apply the tenets of horticultural therapy, providing opportunities for residents to nurture plants and control their external environment. 2) We put folks to work, mitigating the "idle hands" phenomenon that plagues our neighbourhood. 3) We infuse the neighbourhood with healthy food, supplanting the starchy pre-packaged, nutrient-devoid stuff that is normally all people can afford. 4) We provide access to green space in the concrete confines of the DTES. A formerly-derelict lot is now a lush summer garden. All we need now are more perennials... We will use the $1000 to buy blueberries and ornamentals for the garden, and raspberries to line the sidewalk fence (so that passersby may harvest and eat the fruit at will. We would also use the money to construct planter boxes for shrubs. We have contacts in the Parks department that can help us out with landscaping plants, but we would also like to grow shrubs native to this region.

LA South Bay, CA (Inactive) – Chemocessories

2013-05-06T00:00:00Z

Chemocessories' mission is to "warm hearts, one accessory at a time" by collecting new and gently-used scarves, turbans and jewelry and putting them into matching "sets" for women going through chemotherapy. It is run, out of her home, by part-time volunteer Iris Lee Knell, supported by donations of time, dry cleaning, design, printing, jewelry and scarves from small businesses and individuals. Iris lovingly assembles the sets and, once a month, takes them to cancer support groups where she helps women pick out sets that are flattering to them. Their interactions are powerful, not only because of Iris' experience running support groups, but because she has been through chemotherapy herself. She shares her experience and photos of herself wearing sets like the ones she gives to women. At Chemocesories.org, a website Iris created, you will find the 10 South Bay businessess that have generously supported Iris' efforts and the 10 drop-off locations for donations. Countless women have given beautiful scarves and jewelry. Iris receives so many donations that, every 2 weeks, she brings 25-30 items to Patterson Cleaners who donate the cleaning. In only 3 months, she has received 3,519 page requests on her website and 226 likes on her Facebook page. The "Chemocessories Story" tab shows a smiling photo of Iris, during her treatment, wearing her own chemocessories. That picture means the world to someone who has just been told she will lose her hair. Iris hears from women all over the country. One South Bay cancer patient wrote: "Thank you for the Looking Good and Keeping a Positive Attitude session you gave at the Cancer Support Community in October. I wore the scarf with the orange poppies on it to chemo today (along with an orange top) and received several compliments. Color certainly cheers things up. Thank you for including your story and pictures especially. At the time of your presentation I hadn't lost my hair, so it helped to see what to expect on a real person."

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Trash Trees

2013-05-06T00:00:00Z

My project is part art therapy, part environmental and 100% awesome! I want to build plastic bottle trees and bottle sculptures throughout a giant squatter community known as La Bandera in Nicaragua. This project will bring together the entire community for beauty and the greater good. Using the plastic bottles found surrounding the community, everyone will have the opportunity to paint and create their own unique part of the trees. Not only will they have the opportunity to create something from the trash we collect but it gives them an opportunity to be challenged and lose themselves creatively. I am a huge advocate for art and music therapy, especially since being here. Sometimes the things that have happened here can't be explained and their are no words. As I watch children hold a paint brush for the first times and have the freedom to completely be themselves, I watch the world around them just stand still. I want to watch their worlds stand still everytime they walk past one of these beautiful tree sculptures. Even if it's just for a moment I want them to always know they are free to paint this world and create beauty and light for those around them and for themselves. I can't imagine my life without inspiration and whimsy and I want to create that for this community that I love so much. This project will include "planting" over a dozen trees throughout this community and 3 trees by the mainroad to the community. Each section of the community will be creating their own trees as well as each school classroom for the trees by the road.

New Orleans, LA (Inactive) – Black Filmmakers Network

2013-05-06T00:00:00Z

My idea is to figure out ways for the black community to access the resources of the growing film industry in Louisiana in order to further it's economic growth, as well engage the film industry in a way that shifts controlling images and stereotypes and (mis) representations of race, class and gender in mainstream media by using 3 strategies: -developing an assessment study the impact of the film industry on the black community (including job growth, representation in film, and other socio-economic elements like gentrification etc.). -creating a network of black filmmakers in New Orleans and Louisiana to help each other get jobs in the creative aspects of the industry and collaborate on projects to bolster each others work. -figuring out how to get businesses in the black community to be listed as vendors for motion pictures, as well as getting non profits and charitable organizations on donation lists. Image from: INCITE! gathering that happened at CR10 (Critical Resistance's 10th year anniverary conference)

Ann Arbor, MI – Ypsilanti Heritage Festival/Noise Permit

2013-05-05T00:00:00Z

I am looking for funding to continue a partnership the festival began last year to produce an entertainment program for youth by youth. In 2012, we hosted Ozone House's Noise Permit, a youth concert featuring artists from Ozone House, Community Records, and The Neutral Zone. This program was produced under a grant to Ozone House, and provided a chance for local teens and kids to perform positive message music for their peers. While Noise Permit had happened in years past, 2012 was the first time it was presented as a part of the Ypsilanti Heritage Festival. By all accounts, the program was a huge success. To my knowledge, this was the first program aimed at teens and pre-teens to take place at the festival in a decade or more. As the festival's coordinator, I think it is vital that we have a robust youth program. Having programs like Noise Permit as part of the Heritage Festival gives teens a sense of belonging and inclusion. Putting on my festival operations and security hat, it's important to my operations because teens are coming to the event anyway, and past experiences have proven that it's better to have something for them to do when they get here. I have already secured the participation of Ozone House, 826 Michigan and several committed individuals to help produce this program, and we have several other groups interested in participating. But this year, there is no grant for Noise Permit at Ozone House. While the festival provides a youth entertainment budget and infrastructure, that money also has to cover the performers and activities for young children that the community has come to expect from the Heritage Festival. We are going to find a way to bring this program together one way or another, but a grant from A2 Awesome would give us some certainty of what we'll be able to do. The festival made big gains in securing our long term finances in 2012, and my hope is that, by 2014, we will be better able to support this program on our own.

Tel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Inactive) – stuff u need "דברים שצריך"

2013-05-01T00:00:00Z

Stuff U Need is creating a shared library of objects that, let's face it, we only need a couple of times a year - so let's share them! Don't have the money to buy a power drill? Don't have the space to store that huge suitcase? Buy a reasonably priced membership to Stuff U Need and share these item with a community of members rent it out for free! We love this project because it builds community, rejects waste and can be used by everyone!

Austin, TX – Performing Possibilities: Life after Prison

2013-04-30T00:00:00Z

Picture this: five women standing on a bare stage telling stories about their hopes and dreams, their lives and histories. They’ve spent years in and out of prison but they’ve survived and they all want another chance. Now picture an audience outside jail applauding, and, in so doing, validating these women’s efforts, creating a community of support in that performance space. For years, Conspire Theatre worked mainly inside the jail. Now it’s time to step outside and connect with women after their release with our show Performing Possibilities. Conspire will bring a group formerly incarcerated women together with local artists for an intensive three day weekend in July 2013. Using techniques we’ve perfected creating theatre in jail, we’ll interview the participants and use the resulting stories to create an impactful performance together. High production values are guaranteed by the musicians and theatre artists from the Austin community committed to the process. On Sunday evening, we’ll take the stage together before an audience of family, friends, Conspire supporters, and the Austin community. After the performance, the audience and workshop participants will be invited to a communal meal where they can engage in a facilitated discussion about the performance with the creative team. Performing Possibilities will provide a space for formerly incarcerated women to discuss and analyze their experiences in a supportive, positive community. Community is necessary for women after prison to reduce recidivism and to create healthy relationships, especially as they face barriers and discrimination because of their criminal records. In order to succeed, they need to know that they have support. Performing Possibilities will bring the work Conspire Theatre does inside prison to recently released women, helping them to imagine a future in the free world.

Denver, CO (Inactive) – Colorado Tinkering Camp

2013-04-30T00:00:00Z

Tinkering describes the process of using tools and materials to build things, make things, and take things apart. It is sometimes outcome oriented, and always about process and lessons learned along the way. We have a failure positive attitude and celebrate exploration. Colorado Creative is respectfully requesting funds to support our first Colorado Tinkering Camp. Our growth over the past year has demonstrated the need and desire for the program. The camp expands the class model and provides a more concentrated opportunity for students. The Colorado Tinkering Camp, consisting of two, one-week sessions, is designed as a project based learning experience. When students arrive, they will have a choice to make one of five types of projects during the week. Project examples include robotics, electronic textiles, and woodworking. We will incorporate Arduino Inventor’s Kits, which include everything to get the very beginner started with programmable electronics. Whichever projects chosen, students will be challenged to meet a set of expectations within a defined rubric. Along with our Master Tinkerer, various educators will come in and work with students as collaborators on their projects, pointing them towards success. A variety of medium will be available for the students to use, and they will be faced with real world challenges: decision making, asking for help, working with others, bouncing back from failure, and in the end, also learning about marketing, design, and social media to present their projects to friends and family. By tinkering in this intensive format we will allow more room for creativity and innovation within the framework of a carefully crafted program. In order to succeed in the 21st century, we must learn to connect logic and fact with creativity. Combining science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) and theory of constructivism enables teens to learn from experimentation and create meaning from experience.

Newmarket – Your Night to Sparkle

2013-04-30T00:00:00Z

Although we get amazing donations and have over 250 dresses at the moment we have a large gap in the area of Grade 8 girls that are on the larger side. These girls tend to have very serious self esteem issues to begin with and then to not fit into a dress from our stock is all the more humiliating. We do not receive very many age appropriate fancy dresses for this age group in the larger sizes and would therefore use the majority of this money to find and buy dresses to meet this need, At 13 these girls have often not yet finished developing so their bodies can be a variety of shapes that do not fit in the standard party dresses. This money would allow us to ensure no Grade 8 girl is humiliated due to her size and body issues.

Boston, MA – Video Bleep

2013-04-30T00:00:00Z

Video Bleep is a 360 degree surround-video immersive, interactive mind control bubble. Our goal is to produce a mobile, extra-sensory canvas for both audio and visual artists to play with the environment and brainspace of our visitors. The project is based on a 30' diameter professionally fabricated dome tent with an opaque white skin made of flame-retardant tarp fabric. This skin provides an interface for our three 4300 lumen projectors mounted outside of the dome. Projected visuals surround the visitors gathered inside this captivating space, and are also clearly visible to those outside of it. Our visual artists create video tailored for hemispherical projection while our musicians and DJs create sonic soundscapes or dancey beats. This is done via custom software built by our CAD team. The Video Bleep dome is a canvas for art of mind-blowing dimensions, art that surrounds you, and interacts with you. Having total control over perception allows manipulation of frames of reference, suspense of disbelief, reactions, and even equilibrium. Participants will be able to control the speed, color, and brilliance of video via joystick, Wii-motes, and Kinect interfaces. We are developing interactive content for the dome so that visitors will be able to play games and navigate unreal worldscapes. We hope to work with the City of Cambridge to bring it to the community this summer, and with local artists to develop even more visual and sonic content. Here's a video of some custom-software we are designing: http://vimeo.com/62800345

Boston, MA – Project BlueGene

2013-04-30T00:00:00Z

I want to make indigo with bacteria. At the heart of this process is a small gene that takes indole from e coli and turns it into indigo! While many sets of genes (operons) that do this have been studied and characterized, none of them are this small. This makes the use of the gene a lot more flexible. The primary goal of my project is to take a copy of the gene and turn it into a chromogenic vector. These are useful in the lab when you are copying a gene from one source into the vector. Since DNA is tiny and invisible, there is normally no easy way to tell if you DNA got transferred from point A to point B. Normally you have to do PCR on a bunch of samples and then run a gel, which takes hours, and reagents (=money). However, if point B disrupts this indigo gene, then you can tell if it go in or not. If it go in, the gene will be disrupted and colonies will be white, while if it didn't get in the will be blue. While a vector that does this already exists, it has a different mechanism requires an two additional chemicals(=money) to work. To get the copy I have ready, I need to get rid of a stop codon in the middle of the sequence. Right now, not much indigo is being produced because most of time, the gene is not being transcribed into RNA correctly, which results in only partially-finished enzymes. To remove this is pretty simple, but it requires quite a few expensive chemicals and kits. Once the stop codon is out, I can put it into a creative-commons licensed plasmid and distribute it through a plasmid repository so that people can use it and so that it is maintained. The reach goal is to work on the gene more. Enzymes with similar effects are known to produce other indigoid pigments. Can this gene do this? Only one way to find out! The meta-project is to provide a template for low-cost bio research in DIY labs. Most people think it is impossible, but I want to create an example of a well-spec'ed molecular biology project that takes advantage of an open lab.

Pittsburgh, PA – First Editions (bespoke poetry for Pittsburghers)

2013-04-30T00:00:00Z

"First Editions" is a project that allows for people in Downtown Pittsburgh to walk in off the street and commission a contemporary work of art, assist in its making, and then take it home all in the span of a typical coffee break (10-15 minutes). This work of art uses the ubiquitous and pwerful technology of the written language. In one strict sense this is an Epic poem, but broken up into small pieces and distributed across the city. It is a documentary record of a conversation between the artist and the patron commissioning the work. Patrons and the artist will talk about what is important to the patron. What would they like to have cast in words? Do they someday want a family? Do they regret something? Do they miss the dead? Will they commission a poem for someone they love? Are they lost in a world not of their own making and feel dispossessed of all power and need a screed? Or maybe they like cats. It doesn't matter what the content is as long as the patron has a genuine connection to something and the ability to speak about it for a few minutes. All this conversation will take place in private in a relaxed atmosphere in a rooms filled with books and a soft chair. A poem will be typed on pure cotton on a 1936 Remington Rand machine and given to the patron along with a legal document of provenance stating they are the patron and first owner of this artwork. A digital scan will be made of the cloth with permissions given to the artist for certain usage."First Editions" is partnering with Bricolage Theater in the heart of Pittsburgh's Cultural District to maintain a solid venue publicize a consistent schedule for people to take advantage of this opportunity. A minimum of 90 days is planned to engage the public and see how this all plays out. Patrons will be charged a fee of $20. trained volunteers will man the door and keep all prospective patrons in a waiting area off the typing room. See the vimeo link for my "type all day" bonafides.Thank you Alexi

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – The Boat for Singing Together

2013-04-29T00:00:00Z

***What is it?*** The Boat for Singing Together is a handmade sculptural raft for people to gather and sing aboard on Jamaica Bay, New York City. Completely enclosed by a canopy of saplings and fabric, an opening in the craft’s center over the water creates an intimate space for sharing song over water. Guest artists teach songs to small groups on the boat throughout the summer. ***Where did this boat come from?*** Initiated as part of the 2011 Seaworthy show, a series of singing events have been held beginning in the summer of 2011 aboard the boat. The boat is built from reused docks, scrap wood and saplings. In October 2012 the boat was damaged by Hurricane Sandy, but we plan to begin repairs in the spring. A desire to provide free and direct access to boating in Queens, and a chance to participate in singing together drives the project. The project was featured in the Village Voice last summer: http://www.villagevoice.com/2012-07-25/art/contempo-boat-artists-float-their-ideas/. ***Why are we doing this?*** We do this because when we sing together on this boat it unlocks a feeling of strength and freedom we can’t find anywhere else in the world. In the fall of 2013 the boats and marina were damaged by Hurricane Sandy, but the community has the will to rebuild the project, and the desire to continue these gatherings. We want to bring the warmth of singing together back after a cold winter in Jamaica Bay.

Winnipeg, MB (Inactive) – Becoming Beluga: A Wearable Bionic Whale Suit

2013-04-28T00:00:00Z

In July 2013, we’ll return to Churchill to foster bonds between humans and whales. We’ve collaborated with whales through sonic exchange – now we’re wondering what else is possible. Can we be accepted by pod? Can we become belugas? We'd like to introduce the Bionic Whale Suit, which will permit us to function cybernetically underwater. The concept is to echo the physiological traits of belugas in a wearable artwork. White thermal skin will emulate a beluga’s shape, sewn to accommodate a monofin as a tail. A personal propulsion device will enable travel at greater speeds, on par with leisurely moving belugas. Flex sensors, mounted on the suit, will translate movement into sound. A built-in sound system will electromagnetically transmit vocalizations created by the wearer’s throat through a speaker affixed to the top of her head; belugas produce sound via their melons. Underwater GO-PRO cameras will be affixed as beluga eyes and hydrophones will act as beluga ears. The 240-degree perspective with binaural sound will be recorded and posted online through media sharing platforms like YouTube. This unique audiovisual documentation, as well as the experience of the suit itself, will explore the Umwelt – a richly detailed self-world – of the beluga. Perhaps we can’t know what it’s like to be a whale – but maybe we can get 1% there. As an art object, the prototype will be exhibited. This project proposes a hybridity between scientific and creative research, interspecies communication, and meditations upon the nature of art in relation to the art of nature. Increasingly, as raw wilderness spaces in Canada’s North are fragmented and constrained by industry, tourism, and expansion, the mediated lens of the artist has the power to represent new methods of cooperation with nature. Here, at the nexus of marine, tundra, and northern boreal forest biomes, in a setting occupied by science, we as artists will test the impossible and explore our place in nature as human and animal.

Detroit, MI – The Detroit Elders Project

2013-04-25T00:00:00Z

The Detroit Elders Project honors the women and men who have nurtured and supported our families and community. We celebrate those sturdy black bridges who continue to carry us over. Conceived by distinguished filmmaker Julie Dash during her residency in Detroit, it is designed as a sustaining project that recognizes the significance of our elders to the legacy, vitality and fabric of Detroit. Our aim is to engage Detroit elders in the sharing of their wisdom, the lessons they have learned, and the history they have witnessed and made. In doing so, the project will shine a light on the pathways of our city’s history, the obstacles that we have overcome, and impart, across generations, a sense of the enduring pride and self-respect that our elders have always carried with them. The project is undertaken in collaboration with Detroit media makers, artists, cultural and community activists, in cooperation with the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Wayne State University Dept. of Communication. The Detroit Elders project will officially launch on Sunday April 21, 2013 when Julie Dash invites African American elders and their families for high tea at at Scraps of Memories: A Celebration of our Community Elders at the Wright Museum. The project encompasses three related initiatives: HD Video Storytelling Project: will collect and disseminate the first person stories and pearls of wisdom from Detroit elders of all walks of life. The Scraps of Memories Project: will encourage all generations to collect and preserve physical objects from past generations (e.g. family photographs, letters heirlooms, and other mementos) that unlock aspects of family and community history. The Shine a Light Project: we will create a series of permanent video installations which “shine a light” on otherwise darkened neighborhood streets-providing safe passage as images of the elders with their knowing looks watch over our communities.

Calgary, AB (Inactive) – Give A Mile

2013-04-25T00:00:00Z

Give a Mile is a Not-For-Profit looking to enable people to visit terminally ill friends & family through micro-donations of travel points. What is truly awesome is having our lives filled with love and laughter and the smiling faces of people who have been there for us. We have felt the compassion and love in visiting with someone who is terminally ill. The compassion and support a visit like this has to offer is a powerful and awesome gift we can give. The chance to see a loved one, to hug, to smile, to say what needs to be said is something that we want to make happen. We think the person who is ill, the person who gets to visit that loved one, and the people who donate their travel points all benefit in immeasurable ways. The quote given to us to incorporate and organize a federal not-for-profit is approximately $1000. Any extra funds that may be left over we would use for the creation of a targeted professional pitch to WestJet who we would love to partner with to make this idea come to fruition. Born out of Calgary Startup Weekend, and all people working on this are Calgarians. Watch our video describing this: Check our website out at www.giveamile.org

Boulder, CO (Inactive) – Arts Event During Boulder Startup Week

2013-04-24T00:00:00Z

With my co chair Ali Schultz and event partner BMOCA, we are planning a one time BSW event that celebrates the arts in Boulder. We are planning a free and open to the public event which includes I have Playback theater west acting out stories of local startup history, ukele master Harper Phillips playing music, Tara Rynders perfoming a piece from You & ME, and access to the BMOCA show Broken Relationships. It is our goal that by including this event as part of the BSW calendar, we will achieve 4 goals: • Attendees will have fun, learn and be inspired by performances by Boulder arts community • BSW attendees gain exposure to arts & cultural opportunities in Boulder • Boulder arts and culture community gain exposure to Boulder startup/tech community • Highlight Boulder arts culture outside of startups- ie. Fringe Festival, local musicians, artists, nonprofits, etc.

Seattle, WA – Life Enhancement Through Education in Music

2013-04-23T00:00:00Z

LETEM seeks to bring music to everyone. There are many ways we accomplish this; however, two main avenues constitute most of our daily business. Primarily, we collect used instruments from the public and distribute them to low-income kids. We advertise and travel to various programs and venues to spread the word and gain donations - we accept any type of instrument in any condition. Our instruments are repaired for free through our generous partnership with a small local music store. Kids apply to receive our instruments - at this point, every applicant that is eligible (receives free or reduced lunch from their school an is involved in a music program in school or outside of school) receives the instrument of their choice! Instruments are also donated to entire music programs, whether at schools or extracurriculars; often, these programs are low-income or in the growth stage. In addition to our instrument program, we teach clinics to schools and youth programs. These clinics range from specialized instrumental instruction to broad speeches advocating music and teaching kids about the importance of music education. It is also important to us to promote youth volunteerism, and there are many opportunities for youth to help out with our effort. Whether by holding and staffing instrument drives or coming along to teach kids how to play their instruments, many other young adults have gotten the opportunity to spread music! LETEM is a constantly evolving effort, and we consistently investigate new ways to make music more accessible for everyone! In the last year, we have distributed almost $10,000 of music equipment and instruction throughout the Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho area. Basically anything that will promote music in our community is the work of our organization! Most importantly, every day our original mission holds true - we just want to LETEM play.

London, ON (Inactive) – Spy Club

2013-04-23T00:00:00Z

The Secret Spy Club is a real-life quasi-role-playing game that pits participants against each other as rival spies in a race to solve a mystery and collect the prize. The game takes place throughout London's downtown over the course of the summer. Registered spies will all receive an email that sets the game in motion and changes the lives of Londoners forever. Or for one summer. How seriously you take this is really up to you. The game is intended to be something you could successfully compete in after work or on lunch breaks a few times a week. The first rule of Spy Club is not don't talk about it. It's please remember this is just a game and don't hurt anyone's body or feelings. But the second rule is to remember anyone could be your rival, so be careful when you talk about Spy Club. Only the organizers will know who is playing (at least in the beginning) and the game's narrative. Why should we do this in London? Because it would be AWESOME.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – The Busker Hall of Fame/Stories from the Pitch Pod

2013-04-22T00:00:00Z

In October of 2011, I convinced legendary street performer Robert Nelson (aka The Butterfly Man) to become the host of a podcast dedicated to creating a living social history book about street performing and some of the crazy characters who populate this world. Neither of us had any experience with creating a podcast, but both were keen to capture the great stories that are told whenever street performers get together. For me in particular it was as a way of keeping the oral history alive for generations of performers, past, present and future, and to capture Robert telling some of his legendary stories as he had endured a bought with cancer and I wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be with us. ‘The Pitch’ is the term that Buskers use to describe their stage, so we decided to call our podcast – ‘Stories from the Pitch’ as a way of connect these stories to the world and to really focus on creating a library of recordings with people who bring exceptional originality, creativity and finesse to the art form. A collection of mentors talking about their process and their craft to provide an example of what is possible to others. As we released episodes, interesting things began to happen. Performers from around the world started to discover the site and after listening to the episodes, they felt like those people featured had become new friends. Conversations started popping around the world and these conversations helped foster a sense of community about a world that is largely undocumented. Other performers got excited about the project and have come on board to lend their voices to the conversation and grow this resource with various contributions, some as interviewers, some with technical advice, and all with a passion for the world of Street Theatre.

Sukhbaatar (Inactive) – Tonsillitis Awareness

2013-04-21T00:00:00Z

Ottawa – RightBike

2013-04-18T00:00:00Z

April's Awesome Ottawa award goes to Schuyler Playford and RightBike, a community bike share service operating in the Wellington West and Westboro areas. The award will allow RightBike to refurbish two hand-crank ("pedalled" by hand) bikes to add to its fleet, allowing people with mobility limitations to enjoy the urban bike share experience. RightBike currently has a fleet of 65 purple bikes that were donated by the community, refurbished, and painted, and are available for public use for short trips in the neighbourhood. As an employment-based social enterprise managed by Causeway Work Centre, RightBike also provides training and creates jobs as bike mechanics and community ambassadors for people facing barriers to employment. "RightBike provides an innovative and sustainable public good," says Schuyler. "We provide affordable access to bikes so that more people who live in, work in, and visit our neighbourhood can get around by bike – healthy, fun, and good for the planet! These hand-crank bikes," she goes on, "will also further our mission to support people to overcome disabilities and to minimize stigma, by making 'different' bikes familiar to everyone in the community." To learn more about RightBike, visit http://www.rightbike.org.

Kingston – Shoreline Shuffle - Puppet March

2013-04-18T00:00:00Z

The Shoreline Shuffle is an outdoors marching event organized by the Water Access Group, a community organization in Kingston committed to advancing awareness about Kingston’s natural and cultural waterfront. The event will take place June 23rd involving hundreds of Kingstonians walking and paddling along 7.7km of our city’s downtown shoreline from Douglas Fluhrer Park to Lake Ontario Water Park. It will feature pedestrians and cyclists on land, and a flotilla of kayakers, canoeists and swimmers in the water. The goal is to enjoy the waterfront resources we have here in Kingston while becoming aware of the work that needs to be done to preserve, enhance and develop parts of it. Having a critical mass of walkers, bikers and paddlers will be crucial to the success of this project. The collective sense of purpose will contribute greatly to the chances of the group completing the walk/paddle together, and in good spirits. For this purpose a group of artists will be creating a number of larger-than-life colourful puppets to be the artistic and visual leaders of the group. The puppets will be made under the guidance of experienced puppeteer, Kristi White. We will create the puppets in the lead-up to the event with artistic input from the community. The puppets will embody themes of nature, water and sustainability. Standing well above the crowd, these puppets will be impressive mobile art creations, with vibrant colouring and some moveable parts. They will have internal bracing to allow them to be carried for a long period of time. The puppets will act as cheer-leading mascots, they will be visual anchors for cyclists and pedestrians lagging behind and for paddlers on the water. In addition they will attract the attention of the general public inviting them to take interest and join the procession.

Miami, FL – LAB Studios

2013-04-18T00:00:00Z

We want to facilitate innovation in many industries, one of them being media. Our next project at The LAB is to build out a studio for online radio and video production. The LAB Studios will provide a space to produce a mix of content, from music shows to entrepreneur interviews to tech tutorials.

London (Inactive) – Mazí Mas

2013-04-17T00:00:00Z

Mazí Mas is a pop-up restaurant that showcases the culinary talents and diverse cultural heritages of migrant women in London. ‘Mazí Mas’ means ‘with us’ in Greek, and creates a space in which long-term unemployed and socially marginalised women can open their own restaurant, an unrealised dream for many. Our aims are to give women an independent income, to develop their culinary skills in a professional setting, to reduce the social isolation that many of them experience, and to preserve their recipes and diverse cultural heritages. We work with women who have been out of the labour market for many years and therefore find it exceedingly difficult to find work, let alone work that is fulfilling and promotes a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. Some of these women have few formal qualifications, some have qualifications which don't transfer to the UK, some are looking for employment after a long absence, and some have a criminal record or are otherwise stigmatised. These women tend to have extraordinary culinary skills, however, given their social roles as mothers and carers. Mazí Mas believes that we have much to learn from the experiences of refugee and migrant women about thrift, sustainability, slow food, and making things by hand. We seek to recognise and reward their skills and expertise, and to build networks that will encourage and support them to start their own food businesses or women-led food cooperatives. Although we presently operate on a monthly pop-up basis (we've had two events so far), our long-term goal is a permanent restaurant that employs a changing collective of women. We hope at this scale to be able to also recruit unemployed young people as apprentices, thus widening local opportunities for employment. In the third and final phase of project, we plan to franchise the Mazí Mas model, freely offering knowledge, training and support to anyone wishing to reproduce our business model in their local community.

Vancouver, BC (Inactive) – General Gordon Spirit Project

2013-04-16T00:00:00Z

The Vancouver chapter of the Awesome Foundation is proud to award its inaugural grant to the General Gordon Spirit Project. The chapter selected the Spirit Project in recognition of the inspiring contributions of a team of local high school students to the creation of a heritage art project for General Gordon Elementary. Motivated by the plans for a new school building and the impending demolition of the 1912 heritage building where they attended primary school, the group of 7 students came together to develop a unique photo collage artwork. Incorporating physical materials from a popular decommissioned playground slide from the school grounds, the artwork assembles photographs of General Gordon students to form an image of the heritage building. The group will use the $1,000 Awesome grant to pay for the production and installation of the artwork, providing an enduring link from the heritage building to the new school. In their own words: General Gordon Elementary school has been a cornerstone of the Kitsilano neighborhood for over a century. The 100 year old school is being torn down due to earthquake safety concerns. This will result in a loss of SPIRIT and HISTORY. Team GP7 is creating an AWESOME Public Art piece, to help transition the spirit and history of the old school to the new school. The art piece is a large (5 foot x 7 foot) picture of the old school - it is a collage, made with over 1000 photographs of students, teachers and community members. It will be framed in material from the old school (metal from the "old slide", and will hang in the front hall of the new school. This project is the result of a 6 month planning process that has been entirely "student driven". We first visited the Archives and researched the history of the school and neighborhood. We built 3 prototypes of our project ideas and then met with Public Artist, Jill Anholt who helped us solidify our idea. We realized that the SPIRIT of the school is in the people, not just the bricks and mortar, and this Art Piece reflects this idea. After deciding on the photo collage we met with a graphic arts company, Station X, who showed us how to create the collage with a computer program. We went into General Gordon School and spent a day photographing all the students, teachers, and some community members. The kids had a chance to write about important memories of the school and what the old school means to them. We will be working with a metal worker to make a frame using material from the old school.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – People Helping Improve Life (PHIL-Athens)

2013-04-15T00:00:00Z

PHIL-Athens promotes and increases everyday giving, provides funding to nonprofits, and makes it easier for community members to support causes they believe in. We achieve these goals by removing the financial barrier and time costs typically associated with philanthropy, thereby sparking greater community involvement and motivating people to donate to nonprofits instantly and at no cost to them. PHIL is an acronym for People Helping Improve Life. It is short for philanthropy and means love in Greek. PHIL-Athens is a tech-based marketing company that connects businesses with nonprofits and enables people to click on our website to earn coupons and donate to causes they care about instantly and without spending their own money. PHIL benefits society in that we increase awareness of and provide funding to an array of nonprofits. We also provide value to our partnered businesses by enabling them to support many causes that appeal to a diverse group of potential and existing customers. In addition to promoting our sponsors, we ultimately provide them with increased revenue and help support the local economy. To date, we have raised over $13,200 for nonprofits and have spurred the regular involvement of over 1,500 people in philanthropic activities. PHIL was founded on the principle that there is no one person best fit to solve the problems of a community and demonstrates that philanthropy is about collaboration. Our service magnifies the capacity of individuals and sets an example of how people can use collective individual strengths to benefit a community. We believe that business can be conducted for more than just making money. It can be for a greater good. We believe it is possible to transform today's business conventions into a medium of social betterment. PHIL gives people the opportunity to easily improve the lives of those around them and to turn good intentions into tangible results at no cost, making giving part of their everyday routines.

New York City, NY – Nametag Day

2013-04-11T00:00:00Z

What good is sharing a city like New York with millions of other people if you can't connect with them? On most days of the year, you pass by your fellow pedestrians without noticing them. But on Nametag Day, you'll have a chance to break the ice with total strangers. The New York chapter of the Awesome Foundation is proud to announce that our $1,000 April grant will fund an ambitious plan to distribute hundreds of thousands of nametags across New York City. Nametag Day is June 1, 2013, and when it takes place it will be an experiment in social interaction on an unprecedented scale. There's a website (http://nametagday.com), where independent filmmaker Michael Morgenstern and his team (we like to think of them as a rag-tag band of misfits from an '80s movie) explain their vision for strengthening the human element of the New York experience. The full, 200,000-nametag operation will require probably a couple thousand volunteers, dozens of nametag distribution centers and no small amount of money, but Michael is determined to make it happen on June 1st no matter what. He is in touch with potential sponsors, and crowdfunding isn't out of the question. Volunteers can sign up on the website. The purpose of the event, he says, is to get people to talk to each other. But more than that, it's about bringing a culture of openness to this sometimes standoffish city. Awesome NYC is glad to get behind Nametag Day, and we look forward to seeing droves of strangers walking around on June 1st, their chests proudly declaring, "Hello! My name is ______."

Chicago, IL – Clean Graffiti

2013-04-11T00:00:00Z

Tel Aviv - קרן בקטנה (Inactive) – This is Not an Ulpan

2013-04-10T00:00:00Z

We aren't learning Hebrew, we are learning in Hebrew. Hebrew is one of the most important ways that we engage with our culture and my people. Language and culture affect each other and so we want to create a meaningful way to explore that process in Israel, with diverse peoples who find themselves here, with the challenge of navigating the world in Hebrew. Traditional Ulpan spaces tend to view the learner, as Paulo Freire would put it, as a bank account ready for a knowledge deposit. In fact, the word “Ulpan” is actually derived from an ancient connection that the letter Aleph (א), the first letter in the word Ulpan, has to Bulls. Yes, the animal. The term, as it is used in Modern Hebrew, refers to breaking down of the students in order to retrain them; like you might retrain, or tame, a bull. In order to teach the art of conversation and dialogue we need to use conversation and dialogue in the lessons, but forced conversation based on out of touch text book excerpts won't cut it. What's needed is space for learners and teachers to engage in important conversations about politics, art, culture, dreams and fears. It demands that teachers and students view each other as valuable members of a community, not as one who has all the knowledge and one who has none. It demands that teachers encourage students to feel embarrassed, because speaking in new accents and with new words is embarrassing and no one ever prepares you for that. In traditional Ulpan we learn one side of Israel, but there is much to work on here. Ulpan ought to teach about society in a critical way that prepares learners to engage in this society and work to make it better. We are creating that reality in our learning spaces. We are already experimenting with weekly courses in language and culture, drama, and Israel politics. In the near future we aim to establish learning spaces to disccuss critical pedagogy, Arabic language and culture, the “real” Tel Aviv.

Sydney – The Newsagency

2013-04-10T00:00:00Z

About 18 months ago, I was ready to release my first EP. I was concerned there wasn't really a venue quite suitable for an up & coming singer/songwriter such as myself. The venues I had discovered since moving to Sydney all seemed to range in capacity from 150-10,000 seats. I didn't feel confident that I could fill these sorts of spaces let alone feel comfortable presenting my music in them with the pressure of having to bring so many people. I had recently taken over the lease of an old newsagent to convert into my teaching studio. As I was renovating it I thought it would be the perfect size for an intimate and exclusive venue where artist & audience members could connect on a completely different level to somewhere like The Enmore, The Vanguard or The Metro. I built a stage out of the old shelves in the shopfront, put in a few chairs, lamps, set up my PA and suddenly I had a pretty special place to launch my first recording. A lot of people ended up coming to the launch including artists who were very keen to perform at "The Newsagency". It now runs roughly 3 times a week hosting very intimate shows of only 50 audience members in total. It has presented Sydney artists such as Lanie Lane, Ngaiire, Elana Stone, Brendan Maclean, and Tim Hart (Boy & Bear). I think the space is attractive to up & coming singer/songwriters because it offers a supportive listening environment. Anyone who performs there feels valued and included in a community. The Newsagency now defines a lot of who I am as a singer/songwriter and how I fit in to the Sydney music scene. It is the perfect way for me to combine my two passions in life, community and music. It's a rewarding feeling to contribute and give back to the Sydney music scene who are simultaneously giving me what I need to live out my passion to be a singer/songwriter.

Los Angeles, CA – Initiation: Sacred White Sculpture

2013-04-09T00:00:00Z

I am building a 22-foot Proa (outrigger sailing canoe) and sailing it to Santa Catalina Island. My project, entitled “Initiation: Sacred White Sculpture” is a synthesis of my interests in ontology, voyaging, navigation, Shamanism, meditation, antiquity, ethnography and worldbuilding. It is a Neo-nomad project, inspired by initiation practices within tribal communities where members of the community go on a solitary journey, during which they have a transformative experience. They then return, reborn, and enter into a new role within the community. From this practice they gain acceptance, respect and self-realization. This project is an initiation of myself into my own artwork/practice/world/mythology, designed to parallel those tribal initiation practices. I chose to build a Proa because of its unique design and speed. I have been consulting with expert boat-builders, contemporary Proa designers, and sailors to assure the seaworthiness and safety of my vessel. I am documenting all aspects of this project from planning, construction, through to the performance. It will result in four parts: 1) An installation that will include photographs, drawings, video and sculpture (the boat) at the University Art Gallery at UC Irvine on April 25, 2013, 2) A blog (www.unutea.wordpress.com) documenting the chronological progression of my project while concurrently acting as a forum for dialogue between the art world and the sailing world, 3) A variant of the first installation, this time in Los Angeles with the addition of 4) The publication of a book documenting the project in its entirety including two texts written by a curator and a theorist. The venue will be decided upon by the end of the year and will be at either LACE, LAXART or Human Resources.

Los Angeles, CA – Ruben's Piano

2013-04-09T00:00:00Z

Recently, I had attended Burning Man for my first time with my girlfriend and her family, and a few weeks ago i decided that I wanted to start a project pertaining to that because I had too much free time on my hands. I looked around online for project blueprints involving fire, considering that was a huge part of BURNing man, and I found something called a Ruben's Tube. Essentially, a Ruben's Tube forms the physical shape of wavelengths using pressurized propane, fire, and a subwoofer. Whenever music is played, the wavelengths from the sounds it makes are formed on top of the tube with fire. I intend on finding a very old grand piano that someone has no purpose for any longer, and digitizing every key so I can hook it up to my Ruben's Tube. I think it would be quite the spectacle to have someone be able to preform Mozart's 5th Symphony and have it visualized with fire right in front of them. I intend on taking this project to Burning Man next year if in fact i do receive money from The Awesome Foundation.

Miami, FL – Sci-Mathalon

2013-04-09T00:00:00Z

Our project pits 12 schools against each other in a battle of sci-math prowess. The first round of competition will be a test round. Each school must select one student to compete for each of the 7 subjects covered. Those seven student will be their team for the competition. After the test round, The 6 schools with the highest test averages will advance to round 2 (the individual winners of each category will be recognized so even if their school does not advance, they are awarded for their achievement). Round two will be a tournament bowl with the three advancing teams moving to round 3. Round three will have one question per subject that each competitor in that subject will need to answer. The first student to answer correctly wins the points for their team. In the event of a tie, there will be a tie breaker question relating to science and math history (e.g. Describe the first atomic model.)

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Save the Crtitically Endangered Pygmy Sloth!

2013-04-08T00:00:00Z

Saving the Critically Endangered Pygmy Sloths and their habitat, Escudo Island in Panama one step at a time... The Island is rich in animal diversity. With our research on the island, we've learned of a number of endangered species on the island. However, the island is destroyed more and more each year with litter and logging. The Pygmy Sloth is declining in number rapidly. Down to 100 sloths from 500 sloths 15 years ago. The situation for these sloths and the island is dire. We are working with the local Ngobe people to give them a sense of ownership over their island. Teaching them not to litter and starting a garbage collection service, educating through books i've written in spanish about their island, beginning a park ranger rotation for the island, putting up island signage about the rules on the island, giving out cooking stoves to the fisherman so they don't have to cut the mangroves to make fires for cooking. In September, our trip to the island ended me in the village hospital with a deadly snake bite from the most poisonous pit viper in the world. When i survived the Ngobe people's most feared snake and walked out of their hospital 3 days later, they cheered, shook my hand, and the mayor and congressmen spent an entire day getting down from the mountains to meet with me. The entire town is now on board with this conservation of their island, and i want to keep the momentum going.

San Francisco, CA – Real Spider-Man Web

2013-04-04T00:00:00Z

I want to make something happen that most people wouldnt think of and dont have the motives to do or try. I want to make a real life webbing like in the new Spider-Man Movie. Make it shoot out from a mechanism on your wrist and have it stick and not come off so easily. Something cool to show people, that I actually did it. The way Ill do this is with nylon, or silk. And something to make it stick. With Nylon it has to basic chemicals to make it. Hexamethylenediamine and sebacoyl chloride. If the Hexamethylenediamine is to be poured into a glass and then put sebacoyl chloride ontop and with tweezers stick it into the formula you can extract nylon right there and roll it onto or around anything. My plan is to add a surfactant (what is used in silly string to make it stick) so it can stick. But that's just the beginning. I will make some kind web shooter similar to the one in the movie. I will also need to put the whole formula into some kind of cartridge and pressurize it. There will be some sort of propellant to force the fluid out and a trigger on the web shooter that i will press and what happens is it'll be like the same way a gun shoots. Itll hit the cartdridge and the web will shoot out like a bullet. A firing pin will hit the cartridge and the cartidge will release the fluid at a good speed because of the high pressure causing it to go from a liquid to a solid. I hope you'll give me the chance to go through with this project. It has been almost 2 years that I have wanted to do this but money was always the problem and how. I will work alongside with the chemistry teacher if you guys will give me this oppurtunity. I wont let The Awesome Foundation down if you give me a chance! Thank you. P.S The picture i put arent mine just very similar ideas

Rio de Janeiro (Inactive) – Favela.cc

2013-04-04T00:00:00Z

O Favela.cc (Favela Cultural Catalog) é um projeto independente que visa reduzir as barreiras de integração social conectando a população do asfalto e da favela através da cultura. O projeto é inspirado em sites como o b-coolt.com e lecool.com, e funcionará como um catálogo de projetos culturais tais como museus, salas de cinema, teatros, galerias de arte etc. localizados em comunidades pacificadas do Rio de Janeiro. Para serem incorporados ao site, os projetos não necessitarão ter cunho social, bastando apenas serem voltados à cultura, entretenimento e lazer. A reflexão social ficará por conta da experiência de cada um. A proposta do Favela.cc é simplesmente estimular para que muitos dêem o primeiro passo rumo a quebra das barreiras de integração, levando a população do asfalto a conhecer a cultura vista de cima. O prêmio será utilizado para cobrir parte dos custos de lançamento do site, custos estes referentes ao desenvolvimento (programação) e infraestrutura (hosting). Uma vez que trata-se de um projeto independente, todos os outros recursos para a viabilização do mesmo serão provenientes de doações, parcerias e investimento do próprio idealizador do projeto como pessoa física.

New Orleans, LA (Inactive) – Creative Futures;Giving Voice to New Orleans Youth

2013-04-04T00:00:00Z

Creative Futures, a program of CANO, trains high school students to plan, produce, interview and speak on "Crosstown Conversations," a show on local radio station, WBOK. Recently, the Oprah Winfrey Network produced a documentary labeling John McDonogh High School “The most violent high school in America.” We believe that the students have a right to respond to this characterization of their school and have a more complex dialogue with the city about their educational future. Students are assigned rotating tasks each show so that they can gain new skills. These shows happen once every month. Approximately 25 students work on each show. CANO feels that it is important to give these students a public and equal voice to debate this future. Further, by having a public discussion, we feel that students will be empowered to create their own change and inspired to seek further training and education for their own success.

San Francisco, CA – Your Store

2013-04-04T00:00:00Z

Kenworth and Klein will collaborate on a project titled Your Store. Your Store seeks to move beyond retail peddling to stock the empty storefront window of Artist Television Access at 992 Valencia Street with objects and hand-made animations that tell stories of people of the Valencia corridor. We have chosen to work in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods the Mission District. The neighborhood has gone through considerable change and today, boasts some of the city’s top restaurants, shops and cultural institutions. The gentrification from crime-ridden streets to a “must see” destination reflects a unique cultural genesis that we feel deserves some personalization and context. For this project we will be working with local merchants, neighborhood groups and individuals to collect their stories, memories, thoughts and reflections about the area. As holders of these impressions, we will document each individual expression of the neighborhood by either creating a sculptural representation of the memory/story or by transforming the actual audio recollections into hand-drawn stop-motion animations. We will also teach art and animation workshops, in the community at the public library so that people can make their own objects. In October, we will arrange theses objects and animations in a retail style display. Shelves will be constructed in the window to show each object with care and a video screen with sound piped onto the street will play the animated stories of the people in the neighborhood. The window, open 24-hours a day, will be accessible to any passer-by as a home-style advertisement of the neighborhood. Your Store will be a unique and personal reflection of the people who make up the area and a community building experiment disguised as a retail storefront. With this project we hope to give the Valencia Street corridor a physical voice that illuminates important historical events, cultural identifications and personal reflections of the people and places

Baltimore, MD – Rooms Fall Apart: A Serious Play

2013-04-02T00:00:00Z

Rooms Play is an immersive performance experience. Crafted in 2010 and 2011 by over 60 collaborating artists based in Baltimore, MD, Rooms Play 2013 is in the works under a new organizing collective: Pilar Diaz, Person Ablach, Sophia Mak, Ada Pinkston, Victor FdeM Torres and Evan Moritz. In 2010, the first year of Rooms Play, The Copycat Theatre wrote a script based on a combination of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth (The Hero's Journey), Alice in Wonderland and the Digestive System. The audience was given the role of the "hero," and asked to complete numerous challenges and tests, which occured throughout 20 rooms created under the direction of different creative directors. Our interest was in creating an experience which was highly collaborative, immersive and empowering. In 2011, Rooms Play occured during the 8th Annual Transmodern Festival. The script furthered an engagement with the Hero's Journey, this time exploring illegal Immigration as the underlying theme. In 22 rooms across two spaces: The Whole Gallery and Current Space, groups of 3-4 participants were guided through alienating and highly charged environments. Rooms Play is in the works for the third time, in a radically changed form, utilizing a transformation of space and a set/cohesive series of events to take the audience on an emotional roller coaster. This year we have written a script that aims to confront and engage fear, xenophobia and different emotional states. The installation and performance will be a highly crafted sensory experience, taking place during the 10th annual Transmodern Festival in May 2013. Taking place across 10-15 "Rooms," the audience will be impacted by the scale, content and overall experience of this immersive performance. Video of Rooms Play 2010 by Guy Werner: http://vimeo.com/10601038 Video of Rooms Play 2011 by Guy Werner: http://vimeo.com/25475791

Washington, DC – The DC Neighborhood Portal

2013-04-02T00:00:00Z

A wall-sized video screen, installed in a vacant Dupont Circle storefront, shows a live video of an identical setup in a Georgetown storefront. Here's what happens: you'll walk by, notice the life-size people on the screen, and stop when you realize that the people on the other side can see you too. There's no sound. You can tell it's someplace nearby, but it will take a while to figure out where the other camera is. You and the people on the other side will look at each other and share a "What is this thing? Can they really see me?" moment. You might smile, laugh, and pantomime to each other. The feed is automatic, and is on every night from dusk until midnight for a month. This is the first stage of this project, which is really a testing stage. The next stages, instead of connecting Dupont and Georgetown, will connect Dupont and Brooklyn; or Dupont and Topeka, Kansas; or Dupont and Berlin; or Dupont and a refugee camp in Africa. The video feed is really just a glorified Skype connection between two laptops, using cheap video projectors to enlarge the image. This stage is also a test of how passersby react. Colleagues and I will be watching in real life and online, taking regular screenshots (to be curated into a tumblr) and experimenting with the setup during the run. Are people nice or mean when they can anonymously interact with someone across town? Does the exhibit need any written explanation at all? (My guess is no.) Does it seem scary and governmental, or friendly and fun? What if the two parties could communicate via text message or chat feed? We'll let DCist and other local media know about it and the story behind it, including your support and involvement, but otherwise the signage and branding is very low-key. TL; DR: A wall-sized outdoor live Skype feed between Dupont and Georgetown. Strangers look at each other and interact. No audio. Someday, the setup will connect two places across the world rather than across town.

Montreal, QC (Inactive) – Familles en nature: 4 saisons de plaisir

2013-04-01T00:00:00Z

Some exciting things have been happening this past year. Through contacts made during an outdoor naturalist course this spring, I have met 11 other individuals who desire to offer nature activities to families who do not otherwise have access. We meet each month. Some are involved because they work with immigrant families and want to offer programs bridging them to the outdoors in Montreal. Others prioritize environmental conservation and sustainability efforts in Montreal; they believe that kids and families need to develop a relationship with nature in order to valorize her. Still others are motivated by their care for families in general and believe that nature activities are good for healthy child development and the building of family ties. At this point, a few organizations have signed on and been willing to contribute time and resources to this project, absorbing most of their costs. This is what we have planned: 20-25 low-revenue families (approx. 60 people) will participate in the following 4 seasonal nature activities: 1) Fall, Oct. 2012, Parc du Mont Royal: Les Amis la Montagne A hike inviting families to experience a nature oasis in the heart of the city by walking the trails of Mt Royal and discovering her plants, wildlife, geology and secrets. 2) Winter, Feb. 2013, Redpath Museum Museum activity concerning Quebec’s biodiversity: a workshop on how animals and plants survive Montreal’s winters, a museum tour, and snowshoeing. 3) Spring, May 2013, Camp Kanawana (YMCA) Nature immersion activity: A forest hike exploring spring flora and fauna, followed by canoeing and dinner prepared over a campfire. 4) Summer, June 2013, Crapaud (UQAM) An urban plant, bee and bird discovery activity followed by a conservation workshop in which families create small “green spaces” or bird feeders for their balconies or yard. The attached pictures come from a 2012 AQPERE conference presentation based on our October event.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – INTERRUPT Magazine

2013-04-01T00:00:00Z

Open Web (Inactive) – You Are Here ATL

2013-04-01T00:00:00Z

I was born and raised in the middle of the city of Atlanta, GA - I have so many memories tied to every nook and cranny of the city that it's impossible to go anywhere without remembering something from my past, it feels like a tapestry of my own life whenever I drive around. I feel like most people are the same way; this city really resonates with the people who live in and visit it, and I'm passionately curious to see what their different experiences are. I'm in love with the idea that different things happen in the same space at different points in time; I might have had a nice lunch with my family in a place that someone was dumped only a year before, or the day before. Every spot in the city has a certain kind of history. My project is to chronicle and compile these memories and map them all out in the same plane. I want to experience the city through others' memories, and give people the chance to do the same. I'm using this grant to build a physical map of the city that I can place in a gallery and let people interact with, hands-on. They can pin their own memories to the space and go through and see memories that have already been added. The project is largely based on collaboration - over time, the content of the map will grow, and people will be able to revisit it. There will be a web component that runs alongside the physical map, compiling everything into Google maps and twitter to be searchable and easily accessed.

Austin, TX – Have A Ball

2013-03-31T00:00:00Z

The Austin chapter of the Awesome Foundation is pleased to award our March $1000 cash grant to Jackie Garrett and her project, Have a Ball. Garrett is a lead crisis counselor with the Austin Police Department's Victim Services Division, where she has worked for 14 years. The inspiration behind her Have a Ball project came from her work, where she, like many first responders, comes in regular contact with traumatized children who have either been victims of or witnesses to violent crimes such as domestic violence, sexual assault, suicide, and homicide. When called to a crime scene, Victim Services counselors often hand out teddy bears to these children, but, Garrett, a former soccer goalie at Baylor University, had a slightly different idea. She wanted to give kids soccer balls. Not only does a shiny new soccer ball bring a smile to a child's face, Garrett says, it also serves a therapeutic purpose. “Giving children a reason to run and play is a wonderful coping mechanism that we try to teach everyone to do after a disaster,” says Garrett. “Studies have shown that kids that have a physical outlet for their emotions tend to cope better and recover faster.” Garrett says a simple soccer ball can provide other other benefits, too. In a multi-ethnic community such as Austin, the global language of soccer can help a child make friends in a new neighborhood. “Often times kids who are victims of crime have a hard time trusting others,” Garrett says. “Joining a soccer team might allow them to see that trusting a teammate can be a very rewarding experience.” Garrett says she will use the entire $1000 grant to purchase soccer balls for first-responders to distribute to child crime victims in Austin. “I want to give away these soccer balls in hopes that they change the lives of all who receive them.” Garrett says. The motto for her Have a Ball project? “Changing kids' lives, one soccer ball at a time.” In the future, Garrett says she would love to take Have a Ball nationwide, distributing soccer balls to disaster-stricken communities across the country. Already, Garrett has worked with various partners to provide soccer balls to children at Red Cross Shelters in Joplin, Missouri, after the tornado there, and in Bastrop, Texas, after the area's devastating wildfires. Says Garrett: “I want to spread the joy of soccer to those that are hurting.” For now, however, Garrett's focus continues to be providing soccer balls to kids in Austin that have been victims or witnesses to violent crimes.

Pittsburgh, PA – Share Closet

2013-03-31T00:00:00Z

Share Closet™ is a social media platform that facilitates the process of sharing clothing, shoes, and accessories among friends. Users upload photos of items they are willing to share into a virtual closet. Friends are able to browse the closet to choose items they would like to borrow. Share Closet™ keeps track of who has borrowed what, and sends reminders to friends on the users’ behalf. Users set their own lending terms (ie: whether clothes may be taken on vacation, whether clothes should be dry cleaned prior to return), to which friends must agree prior to borrowing. Sharing is facilitated between friends only, however users may sell items they are ready to part with permanently to anyone in the wider Share Closet™ user-base. We believe that sharing makes the world a better place by inviting EVERYONE to a more open and sustainable lifestyle without asking for a complete overhaul of self! We believe that Share Closet™ is the perfect invitation! Sharing isn't only for sisters, hippies, or those on a limited budget- it’s for everyone. By removing the barriers to sharing, we are inviting everyone to build a culture of sharing within their circle of friends. We are inviting everyone explore a piece of the story of Pitseng from the safety of their best friends’ closets. Sharing fosters openness. Opening our closets is a way of opening our lives to the people we care about. Share Closet™ creates a safe environment for this shift by allowing you to set your own terms, and regulate who sees what in your closet (through a system of circles similar to Google+). Sharing is a more sustainable way to enjoy fashion. Share Closet™ will not bring consumerism to a halt, but does address event-driven purchasing. By unburdening us of the need to buy something new for each job interview, wedding, first date, etc., we are enabled to make better, higher-quality choices when we do make a purchase.

Boston, MA – Dungeons & Discourse

2013-03-31T00:00:00Z

Inspired by a webcomic, take an ordinary Intro to Philosophy curriculum and rebuild it as a semester-long ARG: that's the origin story of Dungeons & Discourse. I've taught it twice so far within my college's learning management system. But an LMS isn't designed to be a game environment: I want to develop a companion standalone video game version, using an open-source 8bit game engine (OHRRPGCE).

Pittsburgh, PA – The Creped Crusade

2013-03-31T00:00:00Z

What's changed in a year? Since we last spoke I've bided my time, folding thin pancakes in the shadows, and but like the fillings of a savory cheddar cheddar cheese, egg and ham crepe (or sweet "Parisian"crepe bursting with peanut butter and nutella), I'm pouring out at the seams, ready to begin this Creped Crusade. If there ever was, there is no longer any shred of doubt - whether you crepe at noon, or crepe at night, any crepe is indeed a great crepe when you crepe with Mike. I've formed a partnership with Espresso a Mano's Matt Gebis - the owner of a local coffee shop on Butler Street. Matt has agreed to pilot the project. This will enable the crepe stand to meet Health Department legal requirements as The Creped Crusade will functionally operate on Espresso a Mano's permit, laying foundation for reproduceable growth as the Crusade expands to other businesses and neighborhoods. In addition to standard crepes, I've also come to appreciate a more meatless style of living in my personal life and have incorporated a vegan crepe shell into the repetoire of crepe, also knowing that few neighborhoods have affordable options for a healthy vegan friendly lunch. What's the same? There is still a void of crepes in the Golden Triangle. Not in Lawrenceville, not in Downtown nor in Uptown, not in the Strip District, not in Shadyside, and not in Homewood. Though Pittsburgh's street food culture remains undeveloped, momentum has grown. That's where we capitalize. I believe a live-able city is a crepe-able city and these crepe-less streetscapes are unsustainable. We ostensibly live in a world of crepe desert when we deserve to live in a world of crepe dessert. The simple and affordable menu will feature a $3 shell and charge per added filling. All aspects of "to-go" materials will be compostable, unbleached, and/or recyclable. Won't you me join this Creped Crusade?- food in Pittsburgh that would make a Parisian jealous.

Boston, MA – RuPaul Cross Stitch Animation Workshop

2013-03-31T00:00:00Z

The RuPaul Cross Stitch Animation Workshop is an community based embroidery and animation project. The 35 participants were taught to cross stitch, and they are currently working together to create an embroidered looping animation of RuPaul based on footage from the “Supermodel” music video. Each of the participants were assigned an individualized template based on the footage. They are each responsible for the creation of one of the cross stitch frames. Each frame is 12800 stitches. Since the original footage is B&W, each stitcher's color scheme is unique to their frame. They each picked their colors and matched their choices tonally to the original footage for registration purposes. The embroideries will animate in a rainbow of colors when composited together. There will be two animations created from the project. One will document the front view of the frames and one the back. The frames and animations will be displayed as part of Serving Face, to open at Barbara Archer Gallery on September 27, 2013. The embroideries will be framed for the show and the participating artists will be credited for their involvement. The embroideries will be returned to the participants after the show. The animations will also be displayed downtown in Atlanta for the month of September as part of The Window Project at GSU's DAEL Lab.

Denver, CO (Inactive) – Children's Therapy Garden

2013-03-31T00:00:00Z

Out Therapy Garden gives children an opportunity to understand the importance of diet in their overall wellness. The therapy garden is blessed to have a dedicated master gardener that teaches weekly classes to our program participants, We feel that health begins with your level of respect for yourself and that begins with eating food that nourishes the body and mind. We hope that our garden is not only therapeutic in the actual act of working with the dirt, but that the gardening leaves lasting lesson about how food can harm or heal you.

Toronto – F-You: The Forgiveness Project

2013-03-29T00:00:00Z

Who are we? We are young people who want to see a change. Toronto, Canada. Our team believes that our peer group (18-35 year olds) are constantly surrounded by images and ideas of conflict. Because conflict comes in so many forms – from gang violence to bullying – we created a project that inspires dialogue about what forgiveness means and looks like. We are heartbroken by growing violence rates in the GTA, as many of our team members have lost friends and family to gun violence. As a way of healing, we started a small discussion group about turning trauma into a positive project. The small discussion group grew from a few believers into a consistent event averaging 80 attendees. We are a group of young people who see the concept of forgiveness as a tangible and attainable way of seeing results, with the ultimate goal of seeing violence rates lowered. To date, we have held 19 events attracting more than 2,200 attendees, the majority of whom have been youth. Based on data we collect at every event, we have a return rate of 82%. Most recently, we created a discussion and dialogue on the word “retaliation”, as well as alternatives to the theory of “eye for an eye”. We had three ex-gang members speak about why they participated in gun violence, what the lure of a gang was and ultimately what rock bottom looked like. They spoke about how forgiveness was the deciding factor between fighting back upon conflict or walking away – all three said the decision to forgive has kept them alive.