Minutes 27.3.12
Minutes
DATE Tuesday 27th March 2012
LOCATION Room 202, High Holborn
THOSE PRESENT:
Neil, Marsha, Sharon, Kuba, Metod, Karem, Scott, Charlotte, Ben
APOLOGIES:
None
CHAIR:
Neil
MINUTES:
Sharon
Item 1: HORIZONTALITY
To discuss: FEEDBACK FROM TEAM LUZERN
Metod, Scott and Sharon recounted their experiences in Luzern at the symposium for alternative pedagogic practices in art/gallery education held at the Kunstmuseum in Luzern 9-10 March 2012. Everyone had a marvellous time. The barcamps were very productive and feedback was extremely positive. A couple of delegates exchanged contact details and expressed an interest in working with CP in the future. Members discussed whether CP could have cards with brief contact details. Sharon and Metod used personal cards in Switzerland with CP contact details (ie wiki address) written on by hand. Sharon has already received 2 emails from contacts made in Switzerland and will be keeping in touch with them.
Item 2; WIKI
To discuss:THE STATE AND REPAIR OF THE WIKI
Ben White attended the meeting to discuss him fixing our ailing wiki. Ben explained to members what he thinks needs to be done and our options. The wiki is currently the 2004 version of mediawiki. This will need to be updated. This process will involve reinstalling the wiki and migrating the information across. Ben will save everything to make sure that nothing is lost. Ben needs information, passwords. Neil has it all. It shouldn’t take too long. It depends on what needs doing. If it has been hacked and damaged then it could take longer than a simple upgrade. Ben will assess the situation and get back to CP with a time frame and costs.
CP members have made a wiki wishlist on a google doc (copied below)
- Marsha would like to embed video - seems there’s a way to do it so it’s hosted on Vimeo but embedded on Mediawiki. - see http://www.mediawikiwidgets.org/Widget:Vimeo
- Neil has set up Flickr account - two years paid, unlimited - to host images - please give us a workshop regarding code. (the password and user name was given to members but for security reasons is not recorded publically)
- Marsha would like to work out a protocol for linking sound files from archive.org to the wiki.
- PDF function so that we could get a library of documents going...including our PARADE publication.
- Rich text function/widget so that we could store editable documents on the wiki. There is some discussion about whether this is the right thing to expect from the wiki--perhaps stick with google docs...or use the wiki itself to edit documents, as we used to do.
Neil informed members that he has opened a flickr account and it will be possible to upload pictures directly to the wiki or via flickr. Uploading photos to flickr and then embedding them to the wiki will be quicker.
While the wiki has been broken, CP has been using Googledocs. Although this isn't in keeping with open organisation guidelines, some aspects of googledocs has been useful. Eg. the function of editing the document simultaneously. Members discussed whether we need to have all the discussion public or just the final proposal. It is noted that historically everything has been transparent and this method of working is in line with adhering to open organisation guidelines.
Members discussed the need to keep the wiki up and running. It is proposed that Ben could have a retainer and do maintainance a couple of times of year.
Marsha expressed a concerned that we don’t have a back up. Ben said that the hosting company will back up daily. But this is not helpful if our site is individually hacked.
All agreed that the priority is to get the wiki up and running and then we can decide whether we need the other stuff doing.
Members also agreed that it is important that once the wiki is working, all members should know how to use it. Members asked Ben if he would be willing to give a much needed wiki workshop.
Action:
1. BEN TO FIX THE WIKI! HE WILL ALSO BACK IT UP
2. NEIL TO GIVE BEN PASSWORDS ETC.
3. BEN TO QUOTE CP FOR A WIKI WORKSHOP
(Ben left the meeting at this point)
Item 3; THE BROKERS
To discuss: PROGRESSING 'THE BROKERS' PROJECT
Kuba summarised the discussion from the meeting held on Saturday 17th March where the idea for The Brokers was fleshed out. The main idea of the project is relating different values to spaces. It is proposed that this would take the form of an organised series of walk and talk/guided tours in relation to the chosen spaces.
Marsha has started "The Brokers: People, Spaces and Values" and members are encouraged to add ideas for speakers and spaces. The group discussed dates and it was proposed that a pilot of the series, maybe 3 walks that are choreographed and relate to each other, take place in June. This would be a taster for a larger event later in the year. Members discussed the fact that timing is crucial. In the Autumn we will have trips to Graz and Slovenia and Kuba has invited the group to propose for another event in Loughborough in September (more on this later).
The group discussed what would be the best format? A walk every week or 2 weeks or more compact, like a festival? There was much discussion about whether the June event was a smaller version of a larger event. A chance to test out the concept. But there was strong agreement that the June event should not been seen as lesser in any way and that we save the 'better' talks for later in the year. Members agreed that it was better to see the June event as a taster for later in the year. It should be treated as one programme. June is the beginning of the whole project and not just a trial run.
The group also agreed that it is better to get on and do something rather than keep putting things off. We can use the documentation from June to promote the idea for other talks later in the year. In June we will probably rely on those we have contacts with so to have documentation to promote the idea to people we don’t know would be good.
It was decided that the event in June would be one day. However if it is 3 walks in a day people might not commit to all of them. There were questions, would speakers be amplified? Would the talks be on the move with the speakers walking with the group or would the group walk to the venues where the speakers would be waiting to give a more static talk? If the speakers walk and talk with the participants how is this different to a guided tour?
The title Walk and Talk is a problem for some members. There is a feeling that we wouldn't be walking and talking. It was suggested to the group that one solution could be that someone is guiding the tour and then there are other speakers in the spaces / stations where we stop to have a talk.
Members agreed that it would be interesting if the talk was relating to the space even if it was static.
The group agreed that we would ask the same list of questions relating to value to each speaker. Again there is a googledoc to aggregate questions.
Some possible ideas of spaces in June are – Tate, St Pauls, Bank of England
A proposed theme relating to the aboe space/places and values – “God, Money, Art”
Members agree that the date of the event should be 30th June.
Action:
1. ALL CP MEMBERS TO CONTRIBUTE IDEAS TO "The Brokers: People, Spaces and Values". DEADLINE 15TH APRIL
2. SHARON TO CONTACT CHAPLIN AT UAL RE ST PAULS
3. KUBA TO ORGANISE A DOODLE POLL FOR AVAILABILITY TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING IN APRIL THAT WILL BE DEDICATED TO THIS PROJECT.
Item 4: GRAZ
To discuss: REWORKING OF THE PROPOSAL
Kuba related to the group the feedback on the proposal for 'Truth is Concrete' in Graz from Florian. Florian proposes to put our session in to one of the general assembly reflection sessions that they are planning to have at the end of every day. Our market could be used as a tool to reflect what happened in the marathon. Florian suggests that it would be a good way to empower and include those who aern’t featured on the stage in the main programme and proposes that we occupy another space, not the main room. Members agree that we are reluctant to be included outside the main event and would prefer to participate fully as part of the main programme.
The Group discussed that our market goes beyond 'reflection' and offers an alternative form of engagement. Members noted that P2P exchange is not good at reflection, it is better as a tool for unfinished conversations. The market would be a good place for people to have the conversations that they didn’t get a chance to have. Members discussed using terms such as Upcycling of knowledge – second hand knowledge, experts and students and upcycling unfinished conversations. A discursive format tends to favour a particular style of speaking/engagement – speaker stands up in front of audience. CP are proposing an alternative for people who want to engage but not stand up in front of people.
Members noted that conferences are linear with one speaker after another. CP's market would provide a spatial format rather than linear, using multi-threaded time. 40 people getting into 40 different intimate conversations. So 3 hours are packed with 40 conversations which is like 12 hours of someone standing in front of the audience speaking.
Action: 1. KUBA TO REPLY TO FLORIAN
Item 5: Any Other Business (AOB)
To discuss: OPEN LOOPS
The group looked at the Open Loops googledoc and identified any outstanding actions.
To discuss: FILE SAVING PROTOCOL
The group discussed a file saving protocol for CP.
Values_proposal_date (yyyymmdd)
To discuss: NEXT MEETING
Action: 1. KUBA TO SET UP A DOODLE POLL TO CHECK AVAILABILTY W/O 16 APRIL. KUBA IS IN LONDON FROM 19TH APRIL, SCOTT IS BACK ON THE 21ST.
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