IF YOU LIVE IN ADAMS OR NORTH ADAMS (MASS), YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A TURBULENCE COMMISSION AND/OR A TOM IGOE WORKSHOP. READ ON!

Turbulence, MCLA Gallery 51, and Greylock Arts are collaborating to create an interactive art and technology project that connects physical spaces in Adams and North Adams Massachusetts via the Internet. Over the past several months, they have been working together to bring forward a series of exciting events, exhibitions, and opportunities to Northern Berkshire County. This collaboration, entitled Networked Realities: (Re)Connecting the Adamses, has been made possible through the generous support of Turbulence with funding from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

As part of this project we are exploring the concept of re-connecting the Town of Adams and the City of North Adams through the Internet. Adams and North Adams, once a single settlement in Western Massachusetts with communities in north and south Adams, split in 1878. Through Turbulence, we will connect physical spaces in the two locations with virtual spaces on the Internet. MCLA Gallery 51, Greylock Arts, and Turbulence have been collaborating with local artists, including Ven Voisey, Sean Riley and Matthew Belanger, as well as other local arts organizations, to make these upcoming events and exhibitions a reality.

Opportunities:

Turbulence Commissions: As part of Networked Realities Turbulence is offering commissions to artists living in Adams and North Adams to produce Net Art. The subject matter and medium is open and projects need not only exist online. However, projects must include an important and compelling internet experience or component. Visit Turbulent Works, a curated exhibit of previous Turbulence commissions, to see examples of net art. Selected projects will be featured in a future exhibit at Greylock Arts and on turbulence.org. Commissions will range from $300 – $1000 depending on the scope of the proposal. Proposals should include: a paragraph describing the project; the technical needs of the project; a budget; an artist bio; and a link to the artist’s website (if you have one). Group projects are welcome. Selections will be made by Turbulence. Submit your proposal by email to: turbulence@turbulence.org. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Greylock Arts at info@greylockarts.net. The deadline is March 31, 2008.

Arduino Workshop with Tom Igoe: April 5, 2008; 1 – 5 pm :: FREE :: Greylock Arts, 93 Summer St. Adams, MA
Note: Reservations are extremely limited. Contact us at: info@greylockarts.net to reserve your spot today.

Tom Igoe is area head for physical computing classes at New York Universities Tisch School of The Arts Interactive Telecommunications Program. Igoe is also a coveted technology consultant and guest speaker at technology conferences around the world. Igoe’s recently published book, “Making Things Talk”, is a do-it-yourself guide to networking ordinary household items. Ardunio is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It’s intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments. In this workshop Igoe will demonstrate the basic techniques and concepts needed to get started with an Arduino. The workshop is FREE, however, If you wish to go home with your own Arduino kit (which we recommend if you want to continue your work) the cost is $65.