new media, new audience?

The Arts Council ran a conference on new media today entitled new media, new audience? (question mark their own) in Dublin which I’m just back from.  As with most conferences it was a mixed bag with some excellent contributions (from panelists and audience members alike) and some less so….

The opening keynotes from Andrew Keen and Charles Leadbeater were excellent, if divisive! Both experienced and engaging speakers with very different styles they represented two almost opposite viewpoints on the opportunities and challenges to culture that new media (web 2.0) presents and they certainly stimulated discussion into the coffee break. I think most people felt an argument that sat somewhere between the two was the way forward.  Charles’ metaphor of boulders (large, established media organisations) vs pebbles (small independent new media by way of blogs or youtube etc) was a particularly visual one that was picked up by others throughout the day.

The parallel sessions that ran all afternoon were a mixed bunch, always the case when you are subject to a somewhat blind choice.  Thankfully all the sessions are to be podcasted for free in due course so it will be possible to listen in on ones that were missed, or by anyone not in a position to attend at all. I’d highlight in particular the discussion session around the title “What would you recommend?” which was a passionate one from the panel and from the room, and well worth a listen once it’s podcasted.

One key question that arose was why there is so little blogging and online commentary on the arts in Ireland and I do wonder if it has a lot to do with the size of the pool and the confidence level of the arts consumer/producer in stating a personal opinion?

From the sessions I attended there was little discussed on the audience? of the title, and more on the commentator or the producer/artist which I can’t help but think was an opportunity missed.  On the whole, however,  the day was a great starting point. It was encouraging to see the initiative taken by the arts council, the uptake from participants and the interest in the room. Despite a varied level of awareness and familiarity with new media tools the vast majority of attendees were keen to engage and learn. As Andrew Taylor (from the Boltz Centre for Arts Administration in the US) commented the size of the irish online market and our relatively small pool of arts organisations and makers could create a fascinating greenhouse for the development of new media in culture. Watch this space.

conference slideshows and podcasts will be posted online and one of the bloggers in attendance today was live blogging which you can read here>

Tags: Arts, blog, new media, arts council, irish blogs, culture, web 2.0., Andrew Keen, Charles Leadbeater, podcast