Real-time Collaborative Art Making

Background

In November, 2006 the VRU developed a series of e-Science Workshops for the visual and performing arts research communities. The Real Time Collaborative Workshop is a response to feedback about these and the results of discussions and activities surrounding them.

Results from the first trial experiment in collaborative drawing demonstrated the possibilities of the technology through encouraging the participants in the room to contribute to drawings. There were indications of paricipants working together and some individual mark-making, but also examples of creative vandalism as the technology allowed for any contributor to also erase.

The Networked Mash-Up: Gridded Resources in Real-Time, included the first public demonstration of CODA. A user interface, which can be viewed and controlled from within a web browser, allowed an individual to participate in real-time across the Internet.

Reservations

Registration is now closed. To register for a free place for the workshop please complete our registration form or call and leave a message on 0121 331 5978. Places are limited (25 only) so please book now!

Contact & Venue

Visualisation Research Unit
Department of Art
UCE Birmingham Institute of Art and Design
Margaret Street
Birmingham
B3 3BX

+44 (0)121 331 5978
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or download a printable PDF map

Programme supported by:

Arts and Humanities e-Science Support Centre

Real-time Collaborative Art Making

The Visualisation Research Unit (VRU) specialises in developing and applying technologies in the Visual and Performing Arts as part of its work in the Department of Art at University of Central England in Birmingham.

The Real Time Collaborative Art-Making workshop is focussed on both of these aims, exploring technologies that can be adapted for use in the arts and networking technologies being developed for use in the blurred area between the visual and performing arts.

There are two main sessions to the Workshop. The first is the experiments in collaborative drawing, using tablet computers to contribute to drawing images. By networking the computers and displaying the real-time results, a large audience participates in the drawing experience. This simple technology is of significant interest because it challenges the assumptions about drawing as a private, personal activity, and turns it into a shared, collaborative activity. The second is the development of the CODA system (Collaborative Online Digital Arts) by researchers in the VRU. Using a web browser based interface, the participants are freed from the issues of firewalls, and can use whatever input they are able to digitise as their contribution to a mash-up.

The workshop explores these technologies in two ways. The first is through a day's workshop that looks in depth at both these technologies, looking at collaborative drawing in the morning and networked image and sound making in the afternoon. The second is a short exhibition for presentation of the work and resources developed that will later take place in both a physical and virtual gallery.

Amongst the biggest issues for creative participants working with technology is the need to experience creative art-making through the technologies as a means of assessing their potential and legitimacy as art-making materials. Additionally, the emergence of new forms for creative work and how to deal with impact of those is of significance for developments in digitised, online art practice. The workshop will be keeping both of these at the forefront, and encourage the development of the questions and issues that will support emerging practice.

Workshop paricipants collaboratively drawing

Workshop Programme

All sessions will take place in the historic Margaret St. building in the centre of Birmingham, just 10 minutes walk from both New Street and Snow Hill stations.
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20th July 2007

Coffee & An Introduction to e-Science and the Arts. 10:30 to 11:00
Experiments in Collaborative Drawing Dr. Gregory Sporton 11:00 to 13:00
Live Access Grid link up to Edinburgh e-Science Centre. 14:00
Collaborative Online Digital Arts. Jonathan Green 14:00 to 16:00
Creative opportunities for technology in collaborative art making. Discussion. 16:30 - 17:00

Who Should Attend?

The workshop is geared for artists and academics in the visual and performing arts who are interested in the potential of networked technologies as a creative platform. The workshop will support and encourage work in this area, introduce some of the technologies and demonstrate applications. Please be aware that numbers are limited, so book early.