Synctank issue 3 by Sync

WELCOME #3 The third edition of SyncTank, the print companion to welcometosync.com, is all about the three Ps — Practice, People and Process. At Sync, we’ve been listening to the ideas and concerns of those working in the arts in Scotland, and learning about how best to turn this knowledge into real and exciting digital innovation in the sector. What you’ll read in these pages are think pieces, profiles and features that explore, highlight and promote the ideas and processes that we think will ultimately inform and influence another very important ‘P’ — Policy.

Sync is a programme of activities, including Culture Hack Scotland and Geeksin-Residence, designed to support cultural organisations in Scotland develop a more progressive relationship with technology and technologists. The pieces in this publication are part of a bigger set of articles and information you can find on the Sync website. If you enjoy what you read here, pay us a visit — we’d love you to join in the conversation. SYNc TEAM, november 2013

welcometosync.com @synchq

PEOPLE

SYNC TEAM

ROHAN GUNATILLAKE ERIN MAGUIRE DEVON WALSHE SUZY GLASS EMMIE McKAY CHRIS SHARRATT CONTRIBUTORS

DAVID KETTLE BEN EAST LUCY CONWAY

If you would like to contribute to SyncTank please email: hello@welcometosync.com Sign up to our mailing list: welcometosync.com Designed by Rydo Edited by Chris Sharratt

SyncTank is supported by the National Lotter y through Creative Scotland

CONTENTS

COMMENT:

6–PRACTICE-LED // ROHAN GUNATILLAKE

FEATURES

9–SOPHIA GEORGE: V&A GAMES DESIGNER IN RESIDENCE 14–VICKI BENNETT’S ADVENTURES IN SOUND & VISION 18–JOE HOWE ON CONDUCTING ‘LIVE’ DIGITAL MUSIC COMMENT:

23–PEOPLE-CENTRED // SUZY GLASS PROFILE:

26–HUGH WALLACE: HEAD OF DIGITAL, NATIONAL MUSEUMS SCOTLAND INTRODUCING:

31–THE SYNCLIST: OUR NEW SHOWCASE OF TALENT SYNC SESSIONS:

36–TALKING ANONYMOUSLY ABOUT ARTS ORGANISATIONS & DIGITAL COMMENT:

41–PROCESS-FOCUSED // ROHAN GUNATILLAKE CULTURE HACK SCOTLAND:

44–THIS YEAR’S 48-HOUR HACK REVIEWED

GEEKS-IN-RESIDENCE

49–EDINBURGH MEET-UP REPORT & EIGG BOX THINKING

LAST WORD:

54–ENDINGS & BEGINNINGS

COMMENT

PRACTICE -LED Real digital innovation in the arts has to be about the art, and that means focusing on creative practice rather than digital platforms and business models. ROHAN GUNATILLAKE

I used to think that policy was not real life — that it was the stuff of jargon-filled documents thrust down from ivory towers. But then I noticed an interesting change, and one that was especially

At Sync, we’ve started to reflect on all that we’ve done to date, what we’ve seen and what it might

clear in the area of digital innovation in the arts.

mean. Through our experiments, we’ve seen, listened

I noticed that it was no longer the wonks who held

and learned enough to propose a fresh new policy

the lead in the policy conversation; it was the

direction in response to the question: what should be

practitioners.

done to enable the most progressive relationship

With a lack of practical digital intelligence

possible between the arts and digital? The framework

at the higher echelons of organisations with more

we propose is made up of three conveniently

traditional influence, I’ve found that the best source

alliterative parts: practice-led, process-focused and

for policy-like insights and models for progressive

people-centred.

digital practice are the people and organisations who

The last five years has seen the arts bullied by

are actually producing work — the likes of iShed,

new technology and it is something that needs to

Caper, National Theatre Wales, Hide&Seek, Blast

stop. So much activity has been driven by two main

Theory, and Sync. It is clearly a time for producer-led

stories: that we must adapt to a particular digital

policy making.

platform or tool because it’s the fashionable thing to do; and that the integration of new technologies will create new business models and income streams that will improve our balance sheets — if only we ↑ I'd Hide You by Blast Theor y

were to become more entrepreneurial. 3

“Let’s invest in and prioritise the making of new creative work that is inspired by and built on digital tools and digital thinking.”

> Both stories ignore the fact this doesn’t have

Practice-led innovation — say it out loud and

to be a one-way street. It’s about time we gave the

smile. Let’s invest in and prioritise the making of new

arts the chance to influence digital technology as

creative work that is inspired by and built on digital

much as the other way round; it’s time to grow

tools and digital thinking. Only when this innovation

together as partners rather than battle it out like

stuff makes a difference to creative programmes will

a couple in a dysfunctional relationship. It’s often said that what art does best is help us find meaning in what it is to be human, and in the

it get the attention it deserves. To continue to silo it within communications and marketing relegates its importance, and to continue to call it digital art rather

last decade understanding technology and how it is

than just art belies the fact that as a society we’re

impacting on our world has became paramount. As

moving on from classifying digital as different from

a society we need more art that takes digital tools

everything else in our lives.

and digital thinking and uses it to express and curate beauty, meaning and debate. Much attention from funders and other infrastructure bodies is given to digital as a way to

It may sound like stating the obvious to say that digital innovation in the arts must be about the art, but from a policy perspective this has just not been the case. The starting place for this approach is

help organisations do what they’re already doing,

the artists and companies already practising in this

but a little bit better: smarter ways of marketing and

way: Circumstance, James Bridle, the Lighthouse

selling tickets; using broadcast to take existing work

in Brighton, as well as processes like Culture Hack

to more people; updating your web presence so it

Scotland and the brilliant suite of work that makes

works on mobile.

up the REAC T collaboration, hosted by Watershed

While this kind of thing is certainly important, it is a disservice to the sector to call it digital innovation, rather than what it really is — organisational development. To describe such

in Bristol. These show what can happen when digital is seen as part of the creative toolset. Of course, practice-led innovation is not appropriate for everyone, and those who do not

work as innovation lowers the bar of our collective

want to use digital tools and digital thinking to create

ambition.

new work must be able to make that choice. But if

Funders also have an obsession with business

we continue to ignore practice as a priority area for

model innovation — again, part of the story that if

innovation policy and support, the relevance of the

we’d only try hard enough, we’d discover a scaleable

arts in society will inevitably be eroded. :

market-ready income stream that takes the pressure off grant finance. This focus on business model innovation is often poorly defined and by definition takes already stretched organisations away from their core business. After all, most arts organisations are so brilliantly streamlined and good at what they do that they’re not in a position to do things differently.

This article was originally published by Guardian Culture Professionals Network. Rohan Gunatillake is a co-producer of Sync.

FEATURES

Sophia George is the V&A’s first Game Designer in Residence. We talk to her and the project’s partners about the challenges and possibilities the residency presents. BEN EAST

“THERE’S NOTHING STOPPING A GAME WINNING THE TURNER PRIZE. EVENTUALLY”

> It could almost be a scene from Tomb Raider. Wide-eyed and curious, a young woman peers around the 15th century chapel of Santa Chiara, looking for inspiration and adventure as she takes in her surroundings. In fact, though, it isn’t a chapel at all — it’s the V&A’s stunning medieval and renaissance

George, who was one of the judges of this year’s Culture Hack Scotland, studied Games Art & Design at Norwich University of the Arts. In 2011 she submitted a game to Abertay University’s Dare To Be

rooms in London, and the woman is Sophia George,

Digital competition. After winning with Tick Tock Toys,

a 22-year-old BAF TA winner and the museum’s first

a puzzle game for iPad, she went on to gain a BAF TA

Game Designer In Residence. “It’s exciting,” she says,

Ones To Watch award in 2012. Then, on completing

”but also just a little bit daunting.” It's hardly surprising that George finds it all a bit scary. There are a staggering 4·5million objects

her MProf in Games Development at Abertay, the university gave George and the team who worked on Tick Tock a £25,000 grant from its Prototype

in the V&A's collection, and the project — which

Fund. Earlier this year, the finished game was

began in earnest in October — will involve using

downloaded a staggering 100,000 times in its

a small number of these as inspiration for a game

first week.

or app. Sensibly, as daunting as it may be, the Dundee-based games designer has plan. “In the application process, I had to supply artwork, videos and suggestions for the residency,”

The residency is a partnership between the V&A, V&A at Dundee, the University of Abertay Dundee and the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie), the games industry body. Professor Louis

she explains. ”The idea is to make a game based

Natanson, who leads computer games education

solely on the British collection, so I’ll be spending

at Abertay, chuckles with satisfaction at his former

a lot of time in those galleries, but I’ll also host public

student’s meteoric rise: “Sophia is clearly a very

participation programmes, with games jams and

special, formidable person,” he says.

workshops for children and families.” George continues:“It’s all about showing how games, digital, art and culture can merge into one.

Natanson is keen to see how the residency impacts on the idea and reputation of games design, but there’s an end product here, too. After George

In schools we’re taught that IT is separate to the

has completed her six months in London, she will

arts, but if you look at games design properly,

go back to Abertay to produce the game with a crew

there’s concept art, sculpture, sound — all sorts.”

of programmers and artists. Although how much of a traditional ’game’ George’s idea ends up being is still to be determined. “It may be an app that has a playful element to

→ Victoria & Albert Museum, main entrance. Credit: Victoria and Albert Museum, London ↗ (Next spread): Tick Tock Toys for iPad, designed by Sophia George ↘ (Next spread) Noble Living galler y at Victoria and Albert Museum. Credit: alanwilliamsphotography.com

it,” suggests Natanson. “What we and the V&A are looking at is how you engage people using some of the techniques of gaming, without necessarily providing a traditional game with levels and so on.” 3

“In schools we’re taught that IT is separate to the arts, but if you look at games design properly, there’s concept art, sculpture, sound — all sorts.”

> “When you’re going around a museum, often you find information about an exhibit on a board

“You know, I got a congratulatory e-mail from someone about the V&A residency, and the next line

beside it. But that’s very restrictive. Games and

was ’now you have to try and make games win the

digital content allow people to discover stuff for

Turner Prize’. And there’s nothing stopping that

themselves and the experience is naturally richer

happening. Eventually.”

for that. The audience feels they have created their own visit.” V&A residency co-ordinator Ruth Lloyd agrees

Indeed, Wafaa Bilal’s Virtual Jihadi, a shoot’em-up in which the artist cast himself as a suicide bomber, was the stand-out exhibit in a group show

that digital tools are now a natural way to create

at Manchester’s Cornerhouse gallery last year. At

links between the objects and stories in the collection

the time, Bilal said that it wasn’t a game produced

and museum-goers. But interestingly, she’s just as keen for the residency to underscore the idea of games design as a serious subject worth

for commercial gain, but to make a point about “the vulnerability of Iraqi citizens to the travesties of the current war and racist generalisations.”

investigating. Everything in the V&A was new and

“People do tend to get a bit shocked when they

innovative once — and for Lloyd, this residency

hear about games that are created without a financial

simply continues an ethos of engaging in current

imperative,” says George.

art and design. “The V&A is the national museum of applied arts

Natanson believes there has been a huge shift in the image of game design: “We used to have to

and design,” she says. ”We not only collect design

persuade parents that coming to Abertay wasn’t

but represent it, and so it was natural for us to

going to be a waste of their child’s hard-earned

reflect what’s happening now. And it’s not just about

qualifications,” he says. “And really, for the last

archiving good games design, it’s celebrating the

decade, we haven’t had to make that argument.

process of creating it — and a residency brings

Game design is a serious part of the economy, and

together the people who make the work, the people

our programming degrees are strong maths-based

who talk about it, the people who advocate it and

computer science courses where the best minds

those who teach it.”

of a generation are tackling some pretty big

So in the future, the V&A might celebrate more

problems.”

cerebral PlayStation 3 games such as Flower or Journey as examples of artistic excellence. (Designer Jenova Chen has said his intention with both games

And now, showing their skills to the wider public in one of the most prestigious museums in the world. ”Absolutely,” agrees Natanson. “I firmly believe that

was to get away from the typical defeat / kill / win

if Leonardo Da Vinci was studying now, it would

mentality.)

probably be something connected with games.

“Both of those games are wonderful,” smiles

They have that same lovely mix which transcends

George. “They could easily go in an art gallery and

art, culture and technology to find something new.”

museum, and I’d like to see more of that. People are

getting very excited about the capabilities of the new PlayStation and Xbox, but I’d prefer to see more experimentation in game design, and different artistic styles being involved.

Ben East is a freelance arts writer and journalist based in Manchester. @beneast74

FEATURES

As People Like Us, artist Vicki Bennett has been working in the field of audio-visual collage for over 20 years. Here she talks about digital’s impact on her practice and process. CHRIS SHARRATT

ADVENTURES IN SOUND & VISION

→ (Next page) Extracts from Gesture Piece by Vicki Bennett

Digital technologies have changed the way Vicki Bennett creates her art — but she emphatically states that this doesn’t make her a ’digital artist’. ”I am not playing with digital technology,” she says. ”I am just using the platform to make something. The results show little sign of what was used to create them.” The impact of digital technology has, she explains, been immense and groundbreaking. ”Since 2000 my

“People often obsess about the technology and it becomes a barrier to what they want to achieve, rather than a means to achieve it,” says Dobson. ”What’s been interesting about the [Pixel Palace] artists so far — like Vicki Bennett but also someone like Kelly Richardson who we worked with last year — is that they have an absolute clear vision of what

work has flowered. People may be nostalgic about the

it is they want to create, and the technology allows

[pre-digital] limitations, but it was very frustrating.

them to create that. They are not learning

Now I am doing what I had in mind for a full 15 years

technologies in order to have an idea — I think that’s

of analogue technology. People always argue that

critically important for the kind of work we’ve been

limitation is good. Well it is, if those limitations are

wanting to look at.”

something you set for yourself, not ones imposed upon you because of your circumstances.” Bennett, better known to some as People Like Us, recently released a new 15-minute work, Gesture Piece. It features scenes from hundreds of films, all

For Bennett, making Gesture Piece involved watching around 150 films, identifying clips to use and then subediting these for inclusion. After that, things got a bit messy. “I take written notes of what they [the film clips]

representing gestures or instructions, which Bennett

are,” explains Bennett. ”Then I print out the written

has deftly edited into seven ’chapters’. She then

notes and cut them out and put them all over the

invited a different sound artist to create a new

floor. This is where I start to make the conceptual

score for each section.

connections between the material, like the

“My work is very much process led, and it’s only

ingredients to a recipe.”

a matter of tradition/necessity in art that there is a

Although not on the same scale, the visual

product at all,” she says. ”So the journey, the search,

experience of watching Gesture Piece is similar to

is the place where ideas form and — if I’m lucky —

that of Christian Marclay’s crowdpleasing 24-hour

exciting surprises happen.”

epic, The Clock (2010). Bennett knows Marclay and

Gesture Piece was commissioned by Pixel Palace, the digital media arts programme of Tyneside Cinema. Mark Dobson, Tyneside’s Director, feels that Bennett’s

admires his work — in fact she even helped out a little with the making of The Clock. “I did actually contribute some clips. I was

approach dovetails perfectly with the purpose and

working on a large piece of work myself at the time

intent of the programme.

and spending several months watching movies on fast forward, so I told Christian I’d look out for clocks along the way. I still get excited when I see clocks

← Vicki Bennett

in films.” 3

“I am not playing with digital technology, I am just using the platform to make something. The results show little sign of what was used to create them.”

> Bennett’s work, again like Marclay’s, is very much concerned with sound, how it affects us, and how we interpret the world through it. “My background is in making audio compositions

Interestingly — bearing in mind the nature of the organisation that commissioned it — Gesture Piece is

(albums, radio and so on), for over two decades

screening exclusively online. The idea was Tyneside’s

now. And I actually think it’s all the same — it is

rather than the artist’s. (“I’m happy for this film and

all compositional and I approach visual art and art

all published work to be screened anywhere capable

that uses sound in the same way.”

of doing so,” says Bennett.)

Working with other artists forms a large part of Bennett’s practice — last year she curated Radio Boredcast for AV Festival, a month-long radio station that produced 74 4 hours of sound and involved

Tyneside’s director sees the decision to distribute it this way as part of the cinema’s ongoing interest in disrupting traditional cinematic forms of distribution. ”We did think about the idea of premiering it to

around 100 artists. ”[Doing Radio Boredcast]

Tyneside audiences online at a set time, asking them

started me wondering how I could make a film

to bring along popcorn, that kind of thing, but in

which collaborated with other artists, something

the end we thought that wasn’t appropriate. We’re

I’ve not done before,” she says.

playing around with ideas of distribution and looking

“Then I started to think about the tag-teaming methods that I use to edit material, where I place similar imagery side-by-side and gradually change

at the role of the building and the context in which something is viewed.” Bennett, meanwhile, is perfectly happy for the

the content. I thought that it would be nice to make

piece to just be viewed online. In fact, on the Vimeo

a film where I gave a different piece to each artist,

page of Gesture Piece, she has inserted markers so

isolated from that which was to go before and after

that people can experience the start points of all

it, and to see what happened.”

seven soundtracks.

The seven sound artists Bennett worked with include Baltimore-based Matmos (experimental

“I have no problem with people pausing or moving around a piece. There is value to having the attention

electronic music duo M C Schmidt and Drew Daniel),

span to experience things in full like they were

UK composer and collagist Ergo Phizmiz and New

originally made (and sometimes intended),” she says.

York-based composer and performer (and Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Pharmacology at

”But it’s up to us what the hell we decide to do with it after that point.” 1

Columbia University’s Department of Neuroscience), Dave Soldier.

peoplelikeus.org

the pieces would turn out, she’s clearly pleased with

Chris Sharratt is a writer and editor based in Glasgow. He is the editor of SyncTank.

the result. ”It [the sound] does work without the

@chrissharratt

While Bennett had no way of knowing how

movie, and the movie works without the soundtracks. The context changes of course, and maybe the setting you would put it in to view it, but essentially they work independently from each other.”

FEATURES

CONDUCTING CHANGE: DIRECTING ’LIVE’ DIGITAL MUSIC Musician and composer Joe Howe has developed a dynamic tool for conducting electronic and acoustic music. He explains why it’s needed and how it works. DAVID KETTLE

“This whole project came from a problem — how to involve the choir and soloists with music that

↑Joe Howe demonstrates his conducting program at The Lighthouse, Glasgow.

was pre-recorded on a computer. More importantly, how to make it so that the conductor could direct everything with some kind of dynamism.” Joe Howe has just finished his Masters in the Sound for the Moving Image course at Glasgow School of Art, and solving this conducting conundrum

Along with its four-strong chorus, its three main characters represented three early pioneers in the

forms part of his thesis submission. ”The idea behind

field: Wendy Carlos, Robert Moog and Rachel Elkind.

my system,” he says, ”is that a conductor could

And it was all delivered in the form of a Baroque-

conduct both the electronics and human performers

style opera. ”I was brought in to translate lots of

with the same movements.”

Baroque music into electronic music, arranging it

It’s an ambitious idea, but judging by the presentation he gave at Glasgow School of Art’s

for four synthesisers,” says Howe. Ironically, the solution they ended up with for

graduate degree show in the city’s Lighthouse design

that particular project was rather prosaic: “We just

centre, it works. The project’s origins, however,

used the laptop’s spacebar to control the tempo

predate Howe’s time at GSA.

in the end,” he explains, ”but we wanted to finesse

“I’d been living in Germany for a couple of years and I was approached to work on an opera by the Argentinian composer Santiago Blaum, called Switch On: Konferenzoper,” he explains. Appropriately enough, the opera, staged at Berlin’s HAU3 arts centre in October 2010, was itself about electronic music.

the system, and make it into something that people could actually use.” 3

→ Joe Howe in mid-flow at The Lighthouse, Glasgow ↘ Synapse software screen shot ↓ Screen shot of Joe Howe's conducting program

> What Howe has developed is based around the synthesised Baroque music he arranged for Switch On, but he can now control the overall speed and the individual dynamics of each of the four synthesisers, using gestures rather than a keyboard. “Your left hand controls the speed, and you use your right hand for dynamics,” he explains. ”It’s just like a conductor would do with an orchestra. When you start using the program, you get the orchestra ready by holding up your left hand as if to ask everyone to watch you — again, like a conductor might do.” After that, it’s a case of giving the overall pulse with the left hand, and summoning and balancing different lines with gestures from the right. But how does it actually work? “The system consists of a laptop running Max MSP and Synapse, four speakers, and a Kinect camera that works with the Xbox 360, which is an infrared sensor as well as a camera. It perceives depth as well as motion.” This means that the user can move their arms forward and back as well as up, down and from side to side. “The Synapse program imposes a skeleton on the user’s body, so when you first start using it, you have to strike a pose to show it where the joints of your body are. After that, it’s always looking for the left and right hand in space, relative to a line down the centre of the torso.”

It’s an impressive sight in action, with Howe nudging the speed of a synthesised Jean-Baptiste Lully orchestral piece up or down a notch by varying his left-hand gestures, and pointing at the system’s speakers to indicate which lines he wants louder. For Howe, it’s important that the system matches as closely as possible what human musicians would be used to. ”The world of opera, for example, is very rarefied, and everyone is very highly trained, so you don’t want something that’s completely alien coming in and disrupting things. “I want this system to be invisible, essentially, so that the conductor can do his or her job without having an extra element that might make things more complicated.” Likewise, he’s thinking of adapting the system so that it could eventually learn individual conductors’ movement styles. Originally from Perthshire and now based in Glasgow, Howe studied for a degree in English Lit. Music, though, has always been important to him and he has worked on a variety of other music projects in recent years. ”I’ve had piano lessons since I was five, so it was probably inevitable that I’d end up in music.” He’s also already been in the music business for ten years. ”I’ve released eight albums in that time,” he says. ”Before this, I was mainly recording albums, and touring in Europe and the US. I used to play in a very silly band called Gay Against You, which was more like performance art — stupid costumes, running about in the audience, making a big mess. The most recent thing I’ve been involved in is called Ben Butler and Mousepad, which is getting more towards dance music with synthesisers.” 3

“The idea behind my system is that a conductor could conduct both the electronics and human performers with the same movements.”

> Howe is currently working on a monsterthemed project with visual artist Annabel Frearson. “Her PhD project is to make a new novel using all the

Even if that doesn’t come off, he’s keen to find

words of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and she’s got

uses for the system elsewhere. “I’m approaching

lots of arts projects that are iterations of this. She

a lot of other people about it. I definitely want it to

asked me to make an album of eight songs using

have a practical application — whether it’s me using

the text, which we called Bad Brain Call.” The pair

it, or asking others to think about incorporating it

presented a live version of the album in October at Art Licks in London.

into their work. But hopefully with me being involved!” :

How does he view his electronic conducting project in the context of his earlier work? “It’s

joe-howe.com

absolutely not stuff I was used to working with

David Kettle is a writer, editor and classical music specialist. His work has appeared in numerous publications including The Times, BBC Music Magazine, The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday, The Strad, Classical Music and The List.

before,” he admits, explaining that the GSA course opened his eyes to the possibilities of using technology in this new way. “I got a lot of confidence out of it — confidence to make ideas such as this happen, and also technical confidence. The difference is that this is facilitating an idea, whereas my previous work was making a fun piece of music. I can now approach a project in a technical manner, rather than simply making a piece of music that suits it — that’s the distinction.” For the future, Howe has a simple ambition: to see his new electronic conducting system in action. ”I hope we’re going to use it on a new opera I’m working on, also with Santiago Blaum, in the Sofiensaal in Berlin in the New Year. It’s going to be a version of Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale. Ironically, we may not actually need to use it, as there’s only one singer. But the director is very interested, so there’s definitely a possibility.”

COMMENT

PEOPLE -CENTRED Digital policy needs to be all about people, rather than the technology, if weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ever to successfully embed digital creativity in the arts. SUZY GLASS

“At Sync, we’ve started making sure that people are at the heart of all our conversations, not the technologies, projects or products.”

It doesn’t have to be like this. Digital creative work, like most if not all creative work, is led by > There’s a trap we keep falling into as we

(and made for and about) people. And at Sync, we’ve

attempt to embed digital creativity in the arts.

started making sure that people are at the heart of

Just look at the programmes that encourage and

all our conversations. We’ve shifted our focus and

support digital work. They tend to focus on product:

tone, and we think that those designing and

what innovative thing are you making? Occasionally,

managing funding programmes and training

they deal with organisational health: how can you

opportunities should do the same. We want people

be better equipped to deliver this type of work?

to drive the agenda, not the technologies, projects

Talent development, though, barely gets a look in

or products.

— it seems we’re forgetting that behind every great

Towards the end of 2012, we realised that a

digital project there’s at least one great person

significant number of people we were talking to about

making it happen.

digital innovation were crippled by what can only be

Little wonder, then, that there are very few people working in the arts in the UK who are ready

described as fear. We found that people are worried about looking idiotic, feeling irrelevant, being pushed

to drive the digital agenda, who feel confident

to one side, being overwhelmed by things they don’t

enough to bring together teams to make genuinely

really understand. They are worried about economic

mind-blowing digital work. Instead, they are at best

and reputational pain.

struggling to come up with digital ideas, and at worst

It’s really no wonder, then, that nationwide we’re

so confused or overwhelmed by the task that they’re

struggling to develop an environment that nurtures

hiding their heads in the sand.

excellent digital work in a way that’s progressive and

Even the language we use is wobbly and

sustainable. And yet how we make a work that sits

unconvincing. Take digital, technology and

on a digital platform or uses digital tools is really no

innovation — words that are regularly interchanged

different to making a non-digital piece — we bring

with one another. Not only is this irritating for any

visionary people together to imagine and then build

semantic sticklers out there, it’s also contributing

the impossible, to find meaningful ways of talking

to misconceptions that are holding the sector back,

about contemporary issues, to engage people in

preventing us from moving enthusiastically towards

dialogue and discussion.

a future in which digital creativity is no longer fetishised or feared. These terms all carry big meanings. For a lot of

There’s no secret recipe with digital; we just need the right people to be together in the right room at the right time. Yes, of course at some point we’ll start

people, they carry intimidating baggage, too. Just one

talking about logistics and technologies, and that’s

of them on its own might be enough to send a digital

when the experts within the team should be able

scaredy-cat into a frenzy of panic. Bundled together,

to take over. Whether they’re specialists in app

they can represent a world of torment and confusion.

development or lighting design, data management or script editing, the principle is the same.

← (Previous page) Yann Seznec at Culture Hack Scotland 2013. Photo by Chris Scott

Clearly though, something isn’t quite clicking, which brings us to the role of the producer within the digital landscape. These are people who can straddle

↑ Culture Hack Scotland 2013. Photo by Chris Scott

different sectors, speak different languages, bring disparate people together and facilitate processes that support effective communication. It’s not just about producers though; as this conversation has

The single most impactful thing we can do to

developed, we’ve started to talk about ’bilingual’

create a sustainable digital landscape within arts

people. These might be designers or developers,

practice is to concentrate on these people; those

directors or writers — whatever they call themselves,

who already exist and those who are showing signs

they are the lynchpins.

of becoming bilingual. There are relatively few of

You may know some. There’s Sarah Ellis, currently

them, but it’s worth seeking them out, concentrating

doing amazing work at the Royal Shakespeare

on them, and ultimately creating better spaces to

Company; or Ben Templeton, who has developed

work in. Let’s support the real innovators to do what

work with Tate and the National Museum of Scotland

they do best. Let’s believe in them and give them

through his company Thought Den. Look also at how

room to experiment. :

Yann Seznec works, making and selling innovative products through his company Lucky Frame and also sustaining an individual arts practice, collaborating with the likes of musician Matthew Herbert and the Edinburgh Art Festival. Bilingual people know others who work in different sectors. They can predict and deal with points of divergence, and they know how to steer towards points of overlap. They are the people who can create the right environment for progressive creative processes to emerge and establish themselves.

This article was originally published by Guardian Culture Professionals Network. Suzy Glass is a co-producer of Sync. @suzyGlass

PROFILE

Hugh Wallace, Head of Digital Media at National Museums Scotland, shares his thoughts on embedding digital in the museums sector. CHRIS SHARRATT

CREATING DIGITAL SPACE AT THE MUSEUM

“The thing with digital,” says Hugh Wallace, “is that if you over-evangelize it and overstate what it’s going to do, it can come back to bite you. So, my style is very much that of the diplomat, the pragmatist.” Wallace is Head of Digital Media at National Museums Scotland — a grand title that needs to be put into perspective. The digital team, which he was ↑ Hugh Wallace ← Grand Galler y, National Museum of Scotland

responsible for recruiting after joining the museum from Oxfam four years ago, has three other staff. It is the smallest department in one of Scotland’s pre-eminent cultural institutions, which has nearly 300 full-time staff across its four venues, and in 2012 attracted nearly two million visitors at the National Museum of Scotland alone. “Big remit, small team,” smiles Wallace. Before Wallace took on the role, there was no digital department. But while that means he was starting from a pretty low base, he says that the organisation was well prepared for his arrival. 3

> “The person who’d brought me into the organisation had made the case and already folded some other roles into the team, so there was no

A clear strategy and voice, believes Wallace, is

sense of any resentment about this new shiny

crucial to the process of embedding digital into an

digital thing. The big focus at the time was a public

organisation’s culture. "There are people who say

engagement strategy that joined the dots between

that organisations don’t need a digital strategy and

programming and learning, and seeing digital as

there shouldn’t be separate digital media

all part of that.”

departments — that it should be so intrinsic to

Four years on, and with the museum having recently added a very digital artifact — FOUND’s Cybraphon — to its collection, Wallace feels that

what we’re doing that there shouldn’t be something called digital. “But in all my experience, it’s really important

the organisation is at a pivotal moment in terms

that there’s someone who can translate and interpret

of its digital ambitions.

what can be quite complex and abstract ideas to

“We’ve got to a point where it’s seen as an

those who don’t necessarily have an appreciation

important, value-adding part of the rich array of

of technology or an understanding of data. There’s

things that National Museums Scotland does," he

a definite role for that in lots of organisations —

says. “But at the same time, it’s often been a happy

the person who can broker conversations at

accident that we’ve been able to do stuff, rather

multiple levels.”

than part of a strategic approach. Developing the

Wallace’s ’happy accidents’ at National Museums

appropriate mechanisms for people so that they

Scotland have delivered some interesting results

can get the digital team in the right place to shape

to date, from a significant jump in website traffic

a project — that’s a big piece of work that is

to a simple but successful Museum Explorer app,

needed now.”

released last October. More recently, the launch in May of Capture The Museum — a mobile, multiplayer game produced in collaboration with Thought Den

↑ Imagine Galler y, National Museum of Scotland ↗ Grand Galler y, National Museum of Scotland

and Splash and Ripple — has provided an extra layer of competitive engagement when exploring the collection.

A prototype funded by the Technology Strategy Board — “I happened to be at the right end of a phone when someone got in touch,” says Wallace, “I think we were lucky.” — the end result is great

“The game is very much about a physical presence in a museum setting, and I know now what a big deal

fun and something quite different for the museum.

that is for an institution of our size, and how it just

Although there’s still some tech work needed and the

wouldn’t have been tolerated and allowed in a lot

mechanics of facilitating the game in a busy museum

of places.”

remain a challenge, Wallace is hugely positive about the project. But while a lot of attention has been paid to the app itself, for Wallace it’s been about a lot more than just the

Bringing in outside thinking

“We’ve got to a point where digital is seen as an important, valueadding part of the rich array of things that National Museums Scotland does.”

end result. “One of the biggest innovations was the actual process and being able to realise the project at all,” he says. “The digital team tend to sit in an office and

and letting that shape the finished product was also a challenging, but ultimately fruitful, process. “It was very much a collaborative effort, with us always trying to meet

them halfway — sometimes failing and sometimes over delivering.” Although it was only funded as a prototype with

our work is largely delivered to devices or computers,

no requirement for it to be sustainable, if funding

so to suddenly become part of the physical

can be secured, Wallace is keen to refine and further

institution — and very obviously because you’re

develop Capture The Museum. “We feel we have

all over it — wasn’t without its challenges.

something that is worth doing, and having put so much effort in to get here it would be great to see it continue.” 3

> What’s next for Wallace and his team? The biggest story in the National Museum of Scotland’s recent history has been the reopening of the museum after a £47m refit in 2011. When the redevelopment

Part of what will be explored in the newly refurbished galleries is the intersection between

project began in 2008, the digital department didn’t

the disciplines — how things get made and produced.

exist. Now, with more major capital work on the way

It’s clearly fertile territory and Wallace is already

and the Art and Design and Science and Technology

beginning to explore ideas.

galleries due to close soon for redevelopment,

“It’s a really ripe area to be doing some cool stuff

Wallace is looking forward to digital having a

in,” he says. “What I’d like us to achieve is possibly

significant role when the galleries reopen in 2016.

something mobile-delivered, but it’s difficult to tell.

“We started mid-way through the last redevelopment and so our impact was fairly light,”

We haven’t quite worked out what the hell it will be yet!” :

he says. “Now, it’s a much more interesting time for us because we can look at how we make digital a more integral and deliberate part of what gets delivered.”

↑ Capture The Museum game players at National Museum of Scotland

www.nms.ac.uk

INTRODUCING

THE SYNCLIST

At Sync, we've collaborated with, spoken to and written about some amazing people working in the space where the arts meets technology — people that we believe are key to continued innovation in Scotland and beyond. That's why we've decided to create the SyncList — an online showcase of talent that shouts about people rather than products. It's a dynamic list that will of course evolve and grow, and you can view who's featured so far at: welcometosync.com/synclist. Here, though, are a few people to be getting on with...

BEN TEMPLETON

GILLIAN EASSON

FOUNDER & DIREC TOR

PROJEC T DESIGNER

THOUGHT DEN

DUNDEE

BRIS TOL

“I create ways for people to engage, connect

“Playfulness is at the heart of what we do at

and collaborate, often designing the links between

Thought Den,” says Ben Templeton. “We specialise

organisations and audiences,” explains Gillian Easson.

in broadening and deepening audience engagement

“Supporting these online / offline communities enables people to be active in shaping things that matter to them, and helps organisations reach and better engage audiences.” A project manager with Nesta from 2006—13,

in arts and culture.” Thought Den has produced innovative and characterful projects across web, mobile and installation for the likes of Tate, Science Museum and National Museums Scotland. An eagerness to

Easson explains that she's inspired by "the moments

talk to and work with the people who will ultimately

when creatives/organisations/audiences 'get' the

interact with what they create is a hallmark of

potential of digital, and then most critically use it

Thought Den's approach.

to enable and extend their practice — whether it's to enhance their work artistically or to reach new markets.” While firmly embedded in the city's creative

“I love the content, the people and the challenge of innovation,” says Templeton. “Despite the supposed rapid march of technology, the principles of interaction design and working with people haven’t

community — she founded the online platform

really changed for decades. Finding the sweet spot

Creative Dundee and led the development of

is great fun — or put another way, incredibly

wedundee.com, part of the city's bid to be the

frustrating / eventually rewarding.”

2017 UK City of Culture — Easson’s work is national and international in scope. “[I'm excited by] anything which encourages

Describing the UK's arts and culture scene as “utterly incredible right now”, Templeton says: “In terms of technology and culture coming together,

people to come together and experience the world

I think we're reaching a tipping point of mutual

in interesting ways — and leaves you thinking

understanding.”

it’s a little bit magic!” www.thoughtden.co.uk www.gillianeasson.com @gillianeasson

@thoughtben

BRIAN BAGLOW

OONAGH MURPHY

FOUNDER

ARTS MANAGER

SCOT TISH GAMES

WRITER & LEC TURER

NE T WORK

BELFAS T

DUNDEE

“The convergence between games and the rest of the creative world is going to create entirely new types of experience. It's going to be incredible.” Brian Baglow works with and represents the games industry in Scotland, helping it to evolve and work more closely with the rest of the creative

“ To most people, digital technologies are like magic — cool but scary. I love it when I explain a digital platform in plain English and see someone’s whole approach change.” Oonagh Murphy researches digital innovation in the cultural sector, with a particular focus on

industries. As such, he sees interactive media as

the scalability of emerging technologies for

being about much more than games, apps or

small cultural organisations. “In short,“ she says,

‘digital art’. “It's a transformative technology that is fundamentally changing every aspect of the creative industries,” he says, “from the way they're created and distributed through to the way they're monetised, consumed and even the way people experience them.” Baglow mentions National Theatre of Scotland’s

“I help arts organisations with tiny budgets and not enough staff to take the first steps in the digital world.” Murphy believes that the way digital technologies are introduced and explained is hugely important. “Plain English, a friendly approach and simple anecdotes can make the

work with game development studio Quartic Llama

most complicated technologies seem simple

on the horror game, Other, as one example of how the

to anyone,” she says.

arts and games industry can work together. “For me, the most exciting projects are those which go beyond ‘gaming’,” he says, “bringing together the games sector with other areas of the arts.”

With the right approach, thinks Murphy, the future is bright for the arts and digital: “With an increased digital skills base across arts organisations, the role of ‘digital’ staff will move from content creation and delivery,

www.scottishgames.net

to management, strategy and training."

@flackboy www.oonaghmurphy.com @OonaghTweets

SARAH ELLIS

TOM METCALFE

DIGITAL PRODUCER

PRODUCER

ROYAL SHAKESPE ARE COMPANY

RE AC T OBJEC TS SANDBOX

S TR ATFORD-

BRIS TOL

UPON-AVON

“What excites me [about digital] is the

“Above all,“ says Tom Metcalfe, “my job

possibilities for transforming how creative work

involves working in collaborative environments

is made,“ says Sarah Ellis. “What’s interesting

with people that have diverse skill-sets,

is how audiences are engaging with these new

backgrounds and expertise. Around that core,

platforms and how this is shifting the

there are many things that I get super-excited

relationship between art and society.”

about.”

As the Royal Shakespeare Company's (RSC) Digital Producer, Ellis produces live and online

Metcalfe is based at the Per vasive Media Studio at Watershed. His work involves research

performances and projects that “reinterpret

and enterprise in arts and creative technologies,

Shakespeare for the digital age.”

supporting and funding collaborations between

It‘s a huge job that has seen the RSC working with a variety of partners. “It involves exploring

academics and creatives. A practising designer (when time allows)

new ideas, devising strategy, fundraising, making

and co-founder of Fieldguide — an ‘occasional

new partnerships, commissioning artists and

collective and sometimes journal’ for people

technologists, mentoring, and engaging

interested in design, tech and society —

audiences with the work.” Ellis has also been working closely with academics to understand the impact of digital technologies on our engagement with the arts: “ The two main projects I’ve produced at the

Metcalfe has a background in both industry and academia. And those things he's very excited about? “ The exploration of experiences in objects and installations; design fictions and near-futures;

RSC — myShakespeare and Midsummer Night’s

creating things that haven't previously existed;

Dreaming — have, I hope, in some way explored

and the journey through to elegant simplicity …”

this and presented new questions into the debate.”

tommetcalfe.com @tommetcalfe

www.rsc.org.uk @scarahnellis

JOELI BREARLEY

ANNA HIGGS

DIREC TOR

HE AD OF FILM 4·0

CULTURECODE INITIATIVE

LONDON

MANCHES TER

“I ultimately get my kicks from watching people

“I am always learning and I love the openness of

learn, collaborate, co-create and develop new fruitful

the time we're working in now,” explains Anna Higgs.

relationships.” As Director of CultureCode Initiative, Joeli Brearley develops long-lasting sustainable relationships between cultural professionals, artists, computer programmers and creative technologists. “When you place an artist with a technologist, academic or scientist, this can drive the other

“There's no one-size-fits-all model anymore, and collaboration and communication is key to us all moving forward together into an exciting future.” Higgs‘ work as a film commissioner for Film4·0, an innovation-driven talent and ideas hub within Film4, involves helping to develop and finance feature films. Specifically, she is interested in enabling

members of the team to repurpose and re-imagine

projects that are innovative in terms of storytelling

new ways of working,” she says.

and audience engagement.

CultureCode's approach involves rapid prototyping, disruptive innovation and open data. “Data excites me,” says Brearley, “and this includes

“I’m really excited about the power of multiplatform storytelling,” she says. “Not the same story being told across as many platforms as possible, but

data visualisations and data art … I am always

really beautifully crafted journeys in which audiences

interested in work that is being undertaken to try

can explore as broadly or as deeply as they want to,

and make data more meaningful for citizens.”

and where each platform (not necessarily digital)

Brearley is also the Innovation Projects Officer at FutureEverything, an R&D hub for digital culture, and as part of this role was recently working with artists and technologists in Russia. “There is something very satisfying about taking

brings something really unique, thanks to good design and thoughtful development.” While professing an aversion to futurology — “unless you’re Marty McFly, we haven't been there yet!” — Higgs knows what she wants the future

a process you have refined and tweaked and pored

to look like: “I’m hoping that the future holds more

over for many years in the UK to a different territory,

building of immersive worlds and experiences that

then watching as the magic unfolds.”

feed curiosity and bring joy, learning and revelation.”

www.culturecode.co.uk

www.film4.com/productions

@Joeli_Brearley

@AnnaEHiggs

SYNC SESSIONS

In the second of our Sync Sessions, two professionals from the worlds of theatre and visual arts in Scotland talk anonymously and candidly about their experience of digital technologies. CHRIS SHARRATT

“DIGITAL —IT’S A WHOLE NEW MINDSET”

Whose job is digital?

“In the organisation I’m in, digital very much sits with me. But that’s because the other members of the team don’t want anything to do with it. I think

“I think it’s integral … it’s just part of you as a company.” For the second of our Sync Sessions, we sat down with two senior arts professionals from the worlds of Scottish theatre and visual arts to discuss at length their relationship with digital. Sync approached the discussion with no specific agenda. The purpose of the session was to explore how these arts professionals from two very different backgrounds use and view digital in their organisations. The information they provided will feed into Sync’s activities to support cultural organisations in Scotland to develop a more progressive relationship with technology and technologists. Like the first Sync Session last year, in order for the participants to be open and candid about their thoughts and experiences, what they had to say is presented anonymously. What follows are the edited highlights — a snapshot of current thinking and a fascinating insight into the daily challenges and possibilities faced by the sector.

it is a little bit generational, too; my artistic director is interested in the concept of it but just doesn’t want to be involved in the reality of implementing it. The younger people coming in to the creative industries just naturally embrace it, but for some of the older people — people who’ve been there for a long time — either they don’t want to or haven’t got time to or it’s not for them.” “You can’t not know about or engage with digital. The problem in terms of people’s time, and you see it again and again, is that the digital stuff is always delegated to one person. There just needs to be a huge culture shift that it’s everyone’s job. A lot of the fear is ‘I’ve got to do this on my own’.” “Within any small arts organisation you tend to be doing far more than your remit, so that extra thing where you know you’re going to be the go-to person for everything is a big one to take on. So I think it’s more that the responsibility can be overwhelming, rather than time.” What do we mean when we say digital?

“That’s really hard to define, isn’t it? It’s like electricity; it’s one of those terms we chuck around and means a lot of things. Organisationally, at the moment digital is seen as additional to your own practice, in terms of platforms, in terms of your online presence — whether that’s social media, website presence. But that’s not how I personally think it is — I think it’s integral, it’s like your show or flyers you put out on the street, it’s just part of you as a company. I work with a lot of very traditional producers and I suppose they would see digital as something extra, something additional, something else. They’ll fit it into the old ways of working.” 3

> Dealing with the ‘weight’ of digital “I think it [digital] is weighted down by traditional hierarchical structures that are artistic director-led, rather than producer-led. As a model, that’s already out of date, but to change it within the working reality of a lot of theatre companies is a big job. It’s old-fashioned structures — a system that doesn’t

Adapt and adopt or be left behind

“I was at an event recently and they had a systems analyst talking about the way systems work, and

work in a changing environment. I also think that it’s

it made me see our company as a system within a

a lot about protecting your artform. In theatre there’s

wider environment. He was saying that, when an

a strong idea that there’s something pure about live

environment changes, if a system doesn’t change too

theatre and we need to protect that, but it’s just a

then it ceases to exist. And of course the environment

nonsense, it’s not a threat.”

is changing, and all these little arts organisations are

“For sculpture, there’s no issue of protecting the

run on systems that aren’t changing. What that really

artform. If anything we’re keen to get away from what

impressed on me is that you have to change or you’ll

people think of as sculpture — bronze and marble,

become extinct. And Scottish theatre is particularly

etc. Not that we wouldn’t work with them, but the

bad; it’s very much, ‘This is the way we do things.’”

more things going on the better. I think the

“I think a lot of people think, ‘I’ll learn it [digital]

generational thing is interesting — there are still

once and then that’s it.’ But of course you can’t, you

an awful lot of people coming out of art school who

don’t just learn once, it’s a whole new mindset and

aren’t the most engaged with technology. The fine art

you just have to carry on learning. And I think maybe

departments often seem to be the poor relations of

a lot of people think, ‘I missed the boat from the

the art school, where the architects and designers

beginning, so how do I catch up now?”

are all getting 3D printers, vacuum formers, laser cutters — they’ve all got access to these things. Whereas for fine art — nothing. I would expect there to be more of a push coming from the recent graduates in terms of using digital technologies, but from my experience it’s not happening.”

The need for time and space

“What I find is that we don’t have any time to Resistance to digital

“It can be hard to introduce digital in theatre.

play — we have these mammoth, long timescale projects in theatre, so within that mindset you don’t

The definitions of what people see as theatre are

get to play around the edges with it [digital]. I think

very set. And the other thing about theatre is that

what we miss is that ‘fail cheaply’ mentality. If

it is heavily unionised. And so to go into a BEC TU

we fail in theatre, it’s very expensive. If there’s

theatre and say, ‘Can we just do a bit of filming

something you can do and try out and it doesn’t cost

backstage with one of the actresses trying on their

a lot of money then that’s really exciting and it might

costumes’ — that can be an absolute nightmare,

lead somewhere, and that’s definitely what’s missing

a minefield. It’s all for good reasons, to protect

with us at the moment when it comes to digital.”

workers rights, but it’s like going back to the Winter of Discontent in terms of negotiating and mindsets — it’s very, very hard.” “You have to experiment on the show you’ve got and often the show isn’t perfect for what you

What needs to change: 1. Funding structures

“What’s not changed and what needs to change is the funding structure. So, if you apply for money you have to say what are the outcomes of your

may want to do digitally; for example, the lighting

project, and of course if you’re doing a digital project,

might be too dark. Our long-term goal is that

your answer might be: ‘Don’t know’. But you won’t

everything works together from scratch, but

get the money if you say that. So how do you

theatre takes so long, it’s very difficult to do

experiment, open up the possibilities of the unknown,

quick experiments and progress more quickly.”

if even before you get the money for a project you have to think through what the outcomes are, and

Two cultures clash

then know when you’re doing the project that at the

“There’s this sense in theatre of the live being

end you have to tick a box to say that it happened?

superior and something that must be preserved, and

Even with funding that’s about innovation, you have

what we’re trying to do with the recorded output is

to say what the outcome will be, what will happen.”

make it not the same but of equal status … What we want to experiment with is that when we make a film it’s not just a recording — we can add extra context

What needs to change: 2. Organisations

“The top-down structure in terms of funders is

to it, we can have the actress filmed walking into her

not really fit for purpose, but it also doesn’t work

dressing room and getting into character. But at the

organisationally either. Key ideas might come from

moment the two worlds of theatre and film are

an intern, or the person who works in the box office

meeting as a commissioning relationship — we’ll

and is bored out of their head and has time on their

commission you to film it, live stream it — rather

hands. There are recent graduates with up-to-date

than a creative relationship as creative partners.

knowledge and enthusiasm and they’re not being

But it’s not about more people seeing a performance,

tapped into when you’ve got over-worked, underpaid

it’s about the screen-based audience and what they

artistic people at the top who haven’t got the time

expect artistically.”

or the headspace or the knowledge to interact and come up with ideas.” 3

“I think digital is weighted down by traditional hierarchical structures that are artistic director-led, rather than producer-led. As a model, that’s already out of date.”

> More collaboration, please “What would be really useful for us and the sector as a whole is the sense of more collaboration. We’re all grappling with what websites we should have, what computer systems we should have, and trying to find somebody — because we can’t afford to employ someone — who can do that role for us …

Experiment until it breaks

“Experimentation is generally what the arts are

I think there’s a lot of organisations like us grappling

good for … It’s about empowering people to break

with the same questions but not talking to each other

websites and giving them access to different bits of

or aware of each other or sharing resources. And I

kit — because it’s a tool, at the end of the day, which

think a lot of theatre companies like us are sticking

most people are willing to embrace if you give them

their heads in the sand because they just don’t know

the permission. It’s about not being afraid to push

what to do about it.”

things a little and to play about with it.”

But make it the right kind of collaboration…

What’s going on? Where will it go?

“Collaboration is good but you have to make sure

“One of the things I took away from a recent digital

you don’t end up doing design by committee, which

conference I attended was that someone said 65%

just kills any sense of creativity, usability, flexibility.”

of jobs for students hadn’t been invented yet, and

Working with higher education

what our jobs are going to be in the future. We can

I have to think about that as an organisation and “One of the key things and joys I have had is

employ people but what does that mean, where will

working with universities… What they’ve offered

it go? I find that hugely exciting. What’s going on in

is just phenomenal: business innovation, interns,

that fringe world?” :

academic help, funding. I don’t think enough arts organisations are making the most of the resources that they have, at a time when universities are under immense pressure around employability of students and they really want to engage with the sector.”

COMMENT

PROCESS -FOCUSED The arts sector needs to shift its funding focus from projects and products to the how and why of process. ROHAN GUNATILLAKE

> We are currently making an important mistake when telling the story of digital innovation in the arts — we are focusing on projects and products instead of process. It's understandable of course — after all, it

Finally, by making training programmes about particular technologies rather than more sustainable ways to keep abreast of the latest developments,

can be very exciting to hear in detail how a project

knowledge becomes out of date at the rate of change

was delivered. We enjoy seeing screenshots of the

of technology — which as you've probably noticed

latest mobile apps and marvel at the technical skill

is rather quick.

of the developer teams while nodding approvingly at the (seemingly) all-positive user feedback. But

What this conversation urgently needs is less ‘what?’ and more ‘how?’ and ‘why?’ Finding out the

when the short-lived inspiration dies out and we're

intricate details of how a national performing arts

back in the day job with our barely functioning IT,

company delivered a live-streaming project is only

our extremely tight budgets and our overflowing

of limited value to a small regional gallery. But if they

inboxes, the prospect of making amazing digital

understood more about why the project was the best

work feels at best a million miles away, and at

of all the options available; more about how it was

worst intimidating or depressing.

taken from idea to full production, then that is

Funders make the same mistake. Having been a funder myself, I know how attractive it can be to fund product — we now live in an age where a credit

transferable learning that can be adapted to the gallery's own particular context. In order for this shift to happen, funders

in an iPhone app is the equivalent of having your

and policy makers need to start prioritising the

name etched on a shiny brass plaque on the side

development and embedding of innovation processes

of a new building. But the focus on funding and

instead of the production of individual innovation

valorising individual projects and particular

projects. While it's harder to stick a plaque on a

technologies has three main problems. First, when funders dangle relatively large carrots but then provide no means or guidance for detailed idea development, validation and prototyping, it biases that funding towards more resource-rich

process, unless this change in emphasis occurs, the arts sector will continue to be given lots of tasty fish, but will still have no means by which to catch any. The great thing about innovation processes is that by their very nature they create projects. So, if

organisations, results in predictable projects and

this change in approach were to happen, there would

increases the risk for that investment capital.

still be good projects, but also sustainable ways by

The second problem of focusing on projects

which creative talent and arts organisations can

is that when the funding closes and the project is

explore the use of digital tools and digital thinking

complete, there is no accessible legacy for the wider

in their practice.

sector to progress on their own authentic innovation journey. The only option is to copy projects that may not be relevant to the wider or more specific context.

“Funders and policy makers need to prioritise the development and embedding of innovation processes instead of the production of individual projects.”

As with all important directions for policy development, there are already a number of instances where the innovation process is the star. Hackdays such as Digital Sizzle's Art Hack have been

Based on our experience with Sync, we believe that for this to happen we need to reframe policy

a phenomenon in the last three years, and while

and systems to prioritise practice, people and process.

the resulting projects continue to create fascinating

The UK is fortunate to have a generation of producers

stories, people who participate understand that it

on the ground right now with the talent, experience

is the nature of the event itself that is most

and vision to lead this conversation. :

transformative; the process helps those working in the arts to move beyond the limitations of a transactional relationship with digital talent. The Sandbox family of projects pioneered by Watershed under the visionary leadership of Clare Reddington has five years' experience of focusing on process, showing how to make amazing new work in a range of contexts. Festival Design DNA is an impressive set of service design methods developed and shared by Edinburgh's Festivals to give arts organisations an end-to-end and highly practical process, from project idea generation to full delivery. As a sector, we need to develop a larger palette of accessible innovation processes and to get better at replicating those that already work very well. In the places where the arts meets digital, the last five years has seen funding, policy making and support programmes get stuck on product and a provision that is patchy and gives undue privilege to the parochial. Now is the time for genuine ambition, a progressive vision and remarkable work.

This article was originally published by Guardian Culture Professionals Network.

CULTURE HACK SCOTLAND

The third annual Culture Hack Scotland happened over a hot summer weekend in Glasgow, with 23 incredible projects created in 48 hours. Here’s a snapshot of what went on. DAVID KETTLE

CULTURE HACK SCOTLAND 2013— THE REVIEW

The weekend’s first hack, joked Sync coproducer Rohan Gunatillake, was the installation of a kitchen — part of the transformation of the third floor of The Whisky Bond in Glasgow for Culture

The fuel for these adventures came from three sorts of resources: data, materials and people.

Hack Scotland. It’s second was over even before

Materials for the weekend ranged from a bike to

Gunatillake and fellow Sync producer Suzy Glass had

a sewing machine to the reality-shifting Oculus Rift

finished their introductions. Syd Lawrence of Twilio

virtual reality headset. The data included paintings

had sat quietly at the back of the throng, setting up

from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, birdsong

a single mobile number that would trigger texts to

from composer Hanna Tuulikki’s Away with the Birds

the whole Sync team in case of queries and

project, and even Creative Scotland’s sensitive yet

suggestions, then text them back once the issue

voyeuristically compelling arts funding data.

was resolved.

By Saturday, loose teams had formed and the

Enthusiasm, eagerness to share and — let’s

fine detail of projects was the subject of heated

face it — sheer speed of working were essential

discussion. One quartet had hit upon realising the

and clearly visible ingredients right from the start,

Glasgow Sculpture Studios’ membership data as

even at the informal Fridaynight opening party. Strangers introduced themselves, tentative bonds were forged, skills noted and shared.

— yes — a sculpture. But it

“An adventure playground for geeks, technologists, artists and anyone interested in the blurred edges between art and technology.”

This was the event’s third

was a sculpture that would be assembled according to users’ whims from small tokens slotted together. Standing around a

outing. Beginning as a tentative 24-hour project

whiteboard criss-crossed with shapes and patterns,

in Edinburgh in 2011, it’s grown ever since — in

and with multicoloured stickies in hand, the foursome

participant numbers, duration, diversity and sheer

were deep in the design process. Should those

ambition. Now an adventure playground for geeks,

component parts be shaped to symbolise the

technologists, artists and anyone interested in the

different member strands? Or would that be asking

blurred edges between art and technology, its aims,

too much of the Flux Laser Studio team, on standby

said Gunatillake, were clear: “To re-imagine what it

next door to cut out the shapes? Should they simply

might be like if the arts and technology got on like

use different colours or designs instead? Would

good friends — in fact, like best friends — who

that make the final sculpture too uniform, or too

went on amazing adventures together.”

colourful? Elsewhere, designer Roy Shearer was busy tinkering with the controls of a sewing machine. He wanted to see if he could control it using a computer, he explained, as he applied a glue gun to a small piece of hardboard. And if that worked, he had bigger ambitions for the set-up. 3

→ Culture Hack Scotland 2013. All photos by Chris Scott

There was plenty of activity on Culture Hack Scotland’s first full day — a web T V programme > At the other end of the busy workshop space,

(which the participants named Live and Hacking)

an island was being created by product and furniture

being planned, a great deal of perspex being cut

designer Sam Frankland and designer and visual

and engraved — but there was also the sense of

artist Dougie Chalmers. Visitors to their scaled-down

ideas still in flux, new projects on the verge of

cardboard version of Canna would hear birdsong

springing to life, and participants happy to discuss

collected on the real island, along with Hanna

their thinking. By Sunday morning, with the project

Tuulikki’s composed music from Away with the Birds,

deadline only a few hours away, heads were down

all triggered by pressure-sensitive pads under their

and warnings issued not to disturb those hard

feet.

at work.

“There are going to be four sensors that allow

The weekend culminated in the grand unveiling

users to navigate the space,” explained Chalmers,

of the weekend’s projects, which took place in the

while Frankland was busy smoothing over a tin-foil

company of the hack’s three judges — game designer

square that would act as his prototype pad. “They

Sophia George, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s

work independently, but they also communicate with

digital producer Sarah Ellis, and Simon Kirby,

each other, so if two people are in the space at the

professor of language evolution at the University

same time, it’ll sound different to if there’s just one.

of Edinburgh and member of arts collective FOUND.

We’ve got a total of 16 different sounds depending on how many users there are.” Tuulikki’s birdsong data was proving popular,

The 23 projects showed the many ways that participants had interpreted Gunatillake’s opening request for them to embrace the unexpected. An

and it was the inspiration behind a very different

internet high-five machine (commended by games

project from a team including Sync technology lead

designer Sophia George) solved the problem of those

Devon Walshe. “We’re building a kind of interactive

working from home being stuck at their computers

game using the Oculus Rift, the VR headset," he

with little motivation or recognition for their

explained. "It’s using the patterns of sightings of

achievements. A moveable cardboard hand strapped

particular birds on the islands, and also the songs

to their chairs would allow them to virtually high-five

themselves.”

anyone in the same network via the internet.

What he had in mind was an ambitious virtualreality vision of the island of Rhum, allowing the user

Musician and developer Yann Seznec, meanwhile, had created an online game from Creative Scotland’s

to experience the island and its birdlife through the

funding data that challenged users to guess how

headset. “There will be birds flying around that you

much financial support specific arts projects had

can interact with. When you’re close to them you’ll

received. This game, hilarious yet deadly serious,

start to hear their songs.”

was commended by Simon Kirby: “It’s brilliant in its simplicity, and a genuine provocation.” 3

> Judge Sarah Ellis’ winning project was Blind Data, developer Phil Leggetter’s large-scale database that brought together all of the weekend’s data to

As the Culture Hack Scotland weekend

allow broad searches and the linking of disparate

exhaustedly wound down, there was the feeling that

material. Creative Carnage (another of Sophia

its project outcomes, as well as the new relationships

George’s commendations) hooked up Oliver Searle’s

it had encouraged, would take months to assimilate

2003 orchestral piece My Day of Carnage to LEDs on

and digest. It was a short burst of startlingly intense

an engraved perspex screen, highlighting with flashes

creativity and collaboration, forming new friendships

of varying brightness which instruments were playing

and showing what the arts and technology could

and when. And We Are Albert Drive (another of Simon

achieve together.

Kirby’s commendations) embedded social media from a large-scale Glasgow community project in an interactive bench that would allow Albert Drive residents themselves to explore their own material.

“I’m completely bowled over by what I’ve seen today,” said judge Simon Kirby, summing up. “This would be an amazing outcome from a year’s work, let along from 48 hours.” :

The Glasgow Sculpture Studios membership project had become MASS Social Sculpture, an elegant assemblage of pristine, interlocking shapes that seemed organic in its forms, yet also provided

Culture Hack Scotland 2013 was held July 12—14 at The Whisky Bond, Glasgow. You can review the 23 projects in more detail at:

a refreshingly unmediated delivery of the data it

www.welcometosync.com/categor y/

represented. It was Simon Kirby’s winner: “The

chs-2013

cherry on the cake,” he said, “is how appropriate this visualisation is to the source of the data.” As had become increasingly clear over the 48 hours, the birdsong data on offer had inspired several projects, from Kraig Walker and Alistair MacDonald’s mobile jukebox app that allowed up to 20 users to play Tuulikki’s music together, to the VR headset birdsong tour of Rhum. Roy Shearer’s computerised tailoring experiments had led to a sewing machine that functioned according to audio input — meaning that Tuulikki’s birdsong music could be used to generate costumes for its own future performances. And Canna Hear the Birds, the large-scale map of Canna whose sensors triggered bird audio clips, was Sophia George’s winning project — and was held in wonder by other participants.

GEEKS-IN-RESIDENCE

At Sync’s recent meet-up in Edinburgh, participants in the Geeks-in-Residence programme came together to share their thoughts and experiences. CHRIS SHARRATT

GEEKS, HOSTS AND A MEETING OF MINDS

“I realised that it was the process of doing that was the point, so the idea was not to finish anything but instead to do lots of tiny experiments.”

> Newcastle-based developer Alistair Macdonald is, in many ways, an über geek. “I just like to prototype things and move on,” he says with a smile. For Sync’s 2012 Geeks-in-Residence

Perhaps the most extreme example of this open brief approach was the pairing of Stef Lewandowski

programme, he was paired with Andy Young from

with Eigg Box. Lewandowski arrived on the remote

Snook and hosted by the Edinburgh Military Tattoo,

Scottish island of Eigg after a 36-hour journey from

a cultural organisation very much in the business

London. He had no idea what he was going to be

of delivering tangible outcomes.

doing during his brief stay, and it quickly became

Such pairings are, in part, what Sync’s Geeks

clear that Eigg Box’s Lucy Conway wasn’t sure either.

programme is all about: bringing together people

But rather than this being problematic, it came to

and organisations who on the surface may appear

define the short but influential residency, the

worlds apart, but who share a willingness to embrace

reverberations of which are still being felt on Eigg

innovation in the arts. That doesn’t, and shouldn’t,

and in Stef’s work back in London. “I treated the

mean that all parties see eye-to-eye on everything

residency like a big hack day,” he says. “I realised

all of the time, as Macdonald is happy to point out.

that it was the process of doing that was the point,

“In the end, the Tattoo wanted the confidence

so the idea was not to finish anything, but instead

of a major technology partner,” he says, explaining why the idea to involve the event’s audience and

to do lots of tiny experiments.” The space to experiment and explore is a key

their phones in a colour coordinated pixel-patterned

aspect of the Geeks programme. For Jackie Wylie,

finale didn’t quite happen for 2013, despite the great

Artistic Director at The Arches, Glasgow, this is a

enthusiasm of all those involved. Yet while the

natural extension of the everyday activities at this

residency is now over, the project is still very much

lively theatre, music and club venue. “The Arches

alive — there’s always next year.

is built around the idea of experimentation, it’s

Macdonald was sharing his experiences during

what we do,” she says. Wylie and the venue’s geek,

a recent gathering of geeks (and a few hosts, too)

Edinburgh-based web developer Hassy Veldstra,

at Summerhall in Edinburgh. Not everyone involved

were in the process of formulating the shape

in the programme over the last two years could be

of their 2013 residency. “The first thing we’ve

there, but those who did make it were open and

been trying to figure out is what the residency

insightful about their work. And while the projects

shouldn’t be,” explains Veldstra. 3

have ranged from Twitter-based audience development initiatives (macrobert arts centre, Stirling) to online visual timelines (Stills Gallery, Edinburgh), the recurring theme on the day was very much that it isn’t actually the end product that’s most important — the process of exploration and collaboration is what’s really exciting.

← (Previous spread) Data necklace by Stef Lewandowski ← Pens and stickies at the ready for macrobert design session ↙ Data necklace by Stef Lewandowski ↓ The macrobert design session ↓ The bus stop on Eigg

OUT OF THE EIGG BOX THINKING Lucy Conway’s experience as a host in round one of Sync’s Geeks-in-Residence programme had a huge impact on her organisation, Eigg Box, and her wider thinking. Here, she explains what she learnt. Working fast can be good. The act of moving quickly from idea to developing, testing and sharing, can be incredibly powerful. It’s good to share. Sharing ideas or projects at an early stage,

> For Edinburgh Art Festival (EAF) geek Trevor Fountain and festival Director Sorcha Carey, the residency presented a number of challenges, with Fountain explaining that, after a few false starts, “we got there in the last week [of the month-long festival].” One aspect of the process of getting there was realising that imposing a digital solution on an artist's work is inherently problematic — the technologist needs to be invited by the artist. For that to happen, time and space is needed to establish a creative relationship. “When I first heard about the Geeks programme, I thought in terms of it helping us deliver things like, perhaps, a mobile app,” says EAF’s Director, explaining how being involved had shifted her

and asking for feedback, not only

thinking. In the end, Fountain worked on a digital

improves a good idea, it can also

composing device designed to complement Sarah

save masses of time if it’s a

Kenchington's defiantly analogue Wind Pipes for

bad one. Bury babies. Sometimes,

Edinburgh, a playable sculpture. But rather than creating a tangible ‘thing’, what the residency has

no matter how wonderful you

produced so far has been a wealth of process and

think an idea is, if it’s been tested,

experience to mull over and learn from.

refined and tested again and your hand is still not being bitten off,

In contrast, a web app is exactly what macrobert arts centre, part of the 2012 programme, got from

maybe it’s time to bury that idea

its geeks residency. “It was quite a problem-solving

and use your time on something

approach,” explains Phil Leggetter, a real-time web

more profitable.

development specialist who worked with Andy Young

Be brave. Try something

on the project. After design sessions led by Young

you haven’t done, don’t be afraid

that established the parameters for the residency,

of failure, admit what you don’t

the pair set about creating Middlemans, a Twitter-

know. Talking while walking is brilliant. Want to get something sorted? Go for a walk together and talk about it. Walking gets the creative head juices flowing and problem solving and new ideas come naturally. D

based tool to digitally earmark users who best represent macrobert’s intended audience. The arts venue has already used Middlemans to recruit digital ambassadors to tweet about its events.

Accepting equity of (different) Part of what was revealed by this meet-up

expertise can produce incredible

is how hugely different each residency has been,

results. A lack of knowledge of

from Yann Seznec’s stalled work with Scottish Opera

some things shouldn’t take away

in round one of the geeks programme, to Kate Ho’s

from expertise in others. When

fast-moving and productive 2013 residency with

you are doing a residency

National Theatre of Scotland. There is no standard

together, each set of expertise

model — each project is defined by the people

is of equal value and interest.

involved in it. That’s not an excuse for flabby thinking

Don’t be digi-scared. It’s

or adopting an ‘anything goes’ attitude. As Stef

just a set of tools that offer

Lewandowski puts it: “You have to have some

an enormous range of fantastic

framework, some methodology.” The key, it seems,

ways to make something really

is being adaptable and responsive enough to make

beautiful, exciting or profitable.

sure that it’s a framework that supports innovation, rather than constrains it. :

Know what your idea is and what digital solution you might need. This doesn’t mean you need to have the project set in stone

GEEKS & HOSTS 2012 + + Alistair Macdonald and Andy Young with Edinburgh Militar y Tattoo + + Phil Leggetter and Andy Young with macrobert arts centre, Stirling + + Yann Seznec with Scottish Opera

before you start, but you should have the central idea sharp in your mind. Even for the digi-scared, it’s much simpler searching through the vast array of digital tools when you have a clear idea of what you want to make happen. And having found

+ + Denise Ross with Stills Galler y, Edinburgh

one tool, you can always go back

+ + Stef Lewandowski with Eigg Box

to the digital toolbox for more.

2013 + + Alasdair Campbell with Bodysurf Scotland, Moray

Cultivate curiosity. Look beyond whatever you or someone else has made and explore how

+ + Trevor Fountain with Edinburgh Art Festival

things work, and how they could

+ + Kate Ho with National Theatre of Scotland

other people, or be used in

+ + Hassy Veldstra with The Arches, Glasgow + + Alexander Laing with Visible Fictions, Glasgow With support from Andy Young

be made better, adapted, involve another context. www.eiggbox.com

LAST WORD

SYNC: ENDINGS & BEGINNINGS This third issue of SyncTank marks the end of the first two years of our activities, designed

We started Sync with the idea that there were new ways to understand and frame digital innovation

to support cultural organisations in Scotland develop

in the arts and we are incredibly grateful to Creative

a more progressive relationship with technology and

Scotland for their support and the creative licence to

technologists.

evolve our work and thinking in response to what we

There are some very obvious results from Sync:

have learned. We are also grateful to the thousands

the dozens of prototypes made at Culture Hack

of people in Scotland, the UK and beyond who have

Scotland in 2012 and 2013, and the many more

engaged with what we do.

relationships that were formed through the making;

Sync has changed a great deal in its first two

the projects, experiences and transferred learning

years. Our experiences in year one challenged some

from our Geeks-in-Residence placements with ten

of our fundamental assumptions and we changed and

cultural hosts; the hundreds of exciting stories

adapted our approach and programme accordingly.

featured on SyncTank both online and in print. There are some less obvious results, too. Working with and thinking about this thing called

What we have discovered and learned can be summarised almost too simply: if we want a flourishing meeting place between the arts and

digital culture has meant engaging with a lot of

technology, and if we want this to be sustainable

people and organisations. Through this and our own

and adaptable in a rapidly changing environment,

conversations, we noticed that the issues we were

we need to invest, support and trust in people,

identifying were not being raised or given a public

processes and practice.

platform elsewhere. Issues like the existence

If you would like to hear more about what might

of digital fear amongst senior arts leaders; the need

happen next, please do join our mailing list. You

for innovation funding to support the development

can also email us at hello@welcometosync.com

of people rather than products; the recognition that

or get in contact via Twitter @synchq

human factors are just as important as business or technical ones when it comes to using digital tools and digital thinking.

SYNC TEAM, NOVEMBER 2013

THE DIGITAL CULTURE MAGAZINE YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED

published by SYNc welcometosync.com @synchq