How can you not be impressed with a project that promises a pen that can draw in the air?
Kickstarter
Posted inOpinion
Let the e-Artist-Book Revolution Begin!
More and more these days, as Kindles, Nooks, and iPads abound, the path of e-books toward ubiquity and the decline of old-fashioned, hard-copy printing seem confirmed. But there is one area where paper and glue still dominate: the world of zines and artists’ and art books. A walk through the annual New York Art Book Fair or this year’s inaugural mirror event in LA, or a trip to Chelsea bookstore Printed Matter, speaks to this: electronic offerings are rare in these places. In fact, e-publishing may even be seen as incompatible with the mission of promoting and celebrating grassroots, alternative, DIY creativity.
Posted inOpinion
Kickstarter Raised $274M Last Year
Here and there in recent months, there have been grumblings about Kickstarter burnout. There have also been Kickstarter indecision crises — how do you know when to pledge, and how much? — and Kickstarter skepticism. But to all the naysayers, nonbelievers, and doubters, Kickstarter might now present this: stats from 2012, which show that the crowd-funding platform raised the impressive sum of $274.4 million last year. And that’s just the money raised — some $319.8 million was pledged, which I feel compelled to point out is more than double the National Endowment of the Arts’s fiscal year 2012 budget ($146 million).
Posted inArt
The Dangers of Crowd Funding Art
In a recent panel, San Francisco’s Artstech contingent explored the power of crowd-funding for art. The discussion drove me to a question: How can we help solve some of the problems of crowd-funding and avoid Kickstarter burnout?
Posted inArt
What Would a Revolution Look Like for the Yes Men?
A question for the Yes Men as they launch their Kickstarter campaign to fund their film: You say that this film is about revolution. What would a revolution look like for the Yes Men?
Posted inArt
Memoto Makes Lifecasting Way Easier Than Instagram
Want to join the millions of people already broadcasting their breakfasts, pets, and street-art finds on Instagram but don’t want to mess with your iPhone? A new clip-on camera from the Swedish company Memoto makes lifecasting (or “lifelogging,” as they refer to it) as easy as getting dressed in the morning.
Posted inOpinion
Filmmaker Hopes to Tell the Story of New York’s Bike Messengers
For some mystifying reason, a lot of New Yorkers are still having a hard time accepting that bikes (and accompanying bike lanes) are a good thing for the city — an efficient, healthy and environmentally friendly form of transportation. And yet, despite the resistance, it’s clear from just walking and looking around Brooklyn — and increasingly, Manhattan — that bikes are an undeniable part of New York’s urban landscape. From hipsters on colorfully painted frames to hardcore bike messengers navigating midtown traffic, bikes are here to stay.
Posted inOpinion
Only 25% of Projects Deliver on Time and Other Kickstarter Stats You Should Know
A recent batch of infographics from AppsBlogger.com highlights some of the interesting realities of Kickstarter as told by its stats.
Posted inNews
UK Plans New Digital Arts Funding Platform
Jeremy Hunt, the UK’s Secretary for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, announced plans last week for an intriguing-sounding program called the National Funding Scheme. The scheme will be a digital, primarily mobile, arts philanthropy platform — basically a nation-wide effort to get more people to donate to cultural institutions by streamlining that process onto cellphones and tablets. It will include options for giving via text message, apps, near field communication and pre-stored credit cards.
Posted inNews
Eyebeam’s Kickstarter Seeks to Expand their Public Presence
Eyebeam Art + Technology Center has created a Kickstarter project that seeks to expand their public presence in Chelsea through a space that incorporates furniture, coffee shop, bookstore and free wifi.
Posted inOpinion
Two Kickstarter Art Projects Worth a Look
We receive requests for Kickstarter projects all the time. Some are good but others are simply WOW! These two projects caught our attention recently and we wanted to encourage you to lend your financial support or simply share them on your social networks.
Posted inOpinion
Ends Today: A Kickstarter to Tell LA’s Creative Stories
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles, like New York, is a city of migrants. You move to LA in search of something. For many people, that’s Hollywood or the music business; for others, it’s the city’s growing art scene. In makeshift studios and homes across the city, artists and creatives are working hard to make it here in the city.
