Arts and Culture Digital Inclusion Network January Relaunch

Come along to our January network meeting at Open Source Arts to kick off the new year! We want to showcase the difference the network can make, fostering collaboration and partnerships, sparking new ideas with digital, and sharing practical skills. We have an inspiring line up of success stories from organisations working with digital, an interactive learning session with the opportunity to engage with some digital kit and a tour of the hybrid facilities available at Open Source Arts. We will be planning out the network's upcoming sessions for 2022 and asking what the network want to focus on in the future.

Who would benefit from attending?

The purpose of the network is:

To improve digital inclusion for the arts and culture sector and audiences, supporting the ambition to make Leeds the most digitally inclusive city for everyone:

Participation

• more people able to engage with arts and culture digitally

• embracing arts and culture as a key motivator and safe space to explore for those reluctant to embrace digital

Programming

• more ways for people to engage with arts and culture digitally

• developing a ‘hybrid’ or ‘blended’ approached

• building in accessibility as standard

Promotion

• organisations are able to make the most of digital marketing opportunities

• digitally excluded audiences are reached and engaged

Peer support

• the sector continues to work together to learn, adapt, and improve, to be as digitally inclusive as possible

If this sounds like it is relevant to your organisation then this network is for you!

Speakers:

Steph Varley, Founder & Director at INC30: Engaging audiences with 360 video and VR (30 mins)

INC360 in a CIC tackling youth loneliness and promoting positive mental health and community, through workshops which combine education, imagination and immersive video. Steph will share how INC360 use VR and 360 photography to bring arts and culture to different audiences and how organisations could take a similar approach. Participants will get the opportunity to experience VR as part of the session.

Adam Sas-Skowronski, Creative Technologist at Leeds2023: Creating engaging online spaces with Gather.Town (30 mins)

Gather.Town is a web-conferencing software like Zoom, but with the added component of seeing the virtual “room” you and others are occupying, and with the ability to move around and interact with other participants based on your locations in the room, just like real life. Adam will share how you can quickly and easily use the free version of Gather.Town to create shared online spaces such as events, conferences, or galleries. No specialist digital or coding skills necessary! This is a practical session so participants will need a laptop.

Geraldine Montgomerie, Project Support Officer at LAHWN: Supporting digital arts and culture engagement through digital inclusion (20 mins)

Leeds Arts Health and Wellbeing Network brings sectors together so that arts and culture in Leeds can improve health and change lives for the better. Geraldine will share how LAWHN have worked with 100% Digital Leeds to engage Digital Champions across the city to support digital inclusion and increase online arts and culture participation for improved health and wellbeing.

Ben Deutsch, Administrator at Open Source Arts: How Open Source Arts approach live streaming (20 mins)

Open Source Arts empowers creative, practical action towards healthier, more resilient citizens, neighbourhoods and sustainable futures. Ben will share how Open Source Arts approach live streaming, including practical tips and a tour of the organisation’s live streaming equipment set up.

Practicalities

The session will be held in person at Open Source Arts, we will be providing a zoom link for those of you who can't attend in person. While we will endeavour to ensure that those dialling in will have a quality experience, due to the hands on nature of the session we can't guarantee the same experience as joining in person.