We are happy to invite you to participate in Winter Camp ’09.
Winter Camp is an event, organised by the Institute of Network Cultures and will take place 3-7 March ’09 in Amsterdam. Network Cultures Winter Camp will be a mix of presentations and workspaces with an emphasis on getting things done. It will be a four-day program of workspaces and plenary presentations, in which a dozen networks (each of which has 5-15 people) can work on their specific current topics.
March 2: a plenary opening in the evening March 3 – 7: workshops & groupsessions March 8: plenary wrap up with presentations
Format
This specific format was inspired by the special cardboard box architecture with parallel workspaces, built by Paco Gonzalez for the 10th edition of the Zemos98 festival in Seville, Spain, in March 2008.
http://www.zemos98.org/spip.php?article891?rubrique=19.
We ask of every group to have one person acting as coordinator/ spokesperson, preferably you. As a coordinator you are the intermediar between your network and the institute and our main contactperson for almost everything. The coordinator will also be in charge of the agenda en topics discussed and who will attend your program. During the event we ask you to give an update through a presentation to the rest of the participants of Winter Camp, to share your knowledge, show your results, obtained during the week. This presentation can be a movie, a text, a pie or something else made as a group, but in general a ‘finished something’.
After the “work” has been done, there will be an entertaining program in the evening where you can catch up with your group and/or meet up with other participants. This will consist of video screenings, cooking workshop, some jamsessions and alike. To fill this program we’re completely open for suggestions of your network as well. If you have ideas for this, please send us an email.
Background info
When a network settles down, and is not so new anymore, it can be quite a challenge to keep it’s activity level. Should a network then transform into a so-called ‘organized network’? Organizing a network does not necessarily mean decreasing the level of spontaneity to make way for rules and hierarchy: it can provide a place for sustainable knowledge sharing and production. As Ned Rossiter argues in his book Organized Networks (2006), face-to-face meetings are crucial “if the network is to maintain momentum, revitalize energy, consolidate old friendships and discover new ones, recast ideas, undertake further planning activities, and so on.” Network Cultures Winter Camp is therefore meant for those networks and (potential) network members that need support to gather in real life, conspire, discuss and make the necessary steps forward. Winter Camp does not have an (academic) educational or training component, but there is a lot to learn.
Winter Camp will be held in a newly renovated former school building in the east part of the city, a multi-cultural area with streets named after the former Dutch colony Indonesia.
http://www.studio-k.nu/
http://www.stayokay.com/index.php?pageID=3207&hostelID=356023
Funding
Most likely, we will be able to offer refunding travel costs and accommodation during the event for all participants. Priority will be given to cover expenses of participants who do not have institutional affiliations or whose institutions or organizations are not able to provide funds. Please let us know if your network or employer is able to fund your participation in this event.
Participation
We think the presence of you and your network would support and inspire our event and its participants. In the attachment you’ll find the latest project proposal. In there you can find also other networks invited.
As we aim that every group really achieves something during this event, we want to ask of you to only accept this invitation if you can make it for the full event. Also, keep this in mind when inviting participants in your network. If people pop in and out of the event, it harms the productivity of your whole group.
If you are interested in participating with your network please send a email with at least the following information:
-network description, past, present and future perspectives -how many participants, names, countries where they are coming from and availability of each individual -potential coordinator (who would this be in the case of networked
politics?)
-main goal for this event in relation to your network -ideas for evening program (optional)
Summary
What: Winter Camp
When: Tuesday evening, 2nd of March plenary opening, Wednesday the 3rd till Saturday the 7th of March workshops, Saturday the 8th plenary wrap-up with presentations.
Where: Studio-K, StayOkay and IIRE Conference centre, all at the Timorplein in Amsterdam.
Who: Institute of Network Cultures, HvA, Amsterdam
Concept: Geert Lovink
Production: Margreet Riphagen
Assistent Producer: Minke Kampman
From: margreet@networkcultures.org
Subject: invitation winter camp
