I've been invited to participate in a panel discussion at the Arts Council 'New Media New Audience'

It's a one day working seminar on the arts, new media and broadcasting.

 

Being held in Dublin Castle on 25th November 2008.

More details here : http://artscouncilnewmediaconference.com

 

New Technologies, Old Traditions

As we come to grips with social media, blogging, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr etc a new raft of technologies is being developed that will overtake these familiar platforms. What can the arts learn from the gaming and advertising industries (the primary developers of interactive technologies) and how do we want (if at all) to use these technologies in the next 10 to 20 years? More importantly how are these technologies impacting on the way in which artists are making work?

Moderator: Haydn Shaughnessy (Journalist, Gallery Owner)

Panellists: Fearghus O’Conchuir (Choreographer), Trevor Curran (Campbell Ryan Productions), Conor McGarrigle (Artist), Peter Fitzpatrick (Microsoft Ireland).

I gave in and created a Facebook account. Mostly so that I could view someone's profile because they'd been to a songwriting workshop I had attended. The only way to view what they have written is to become a "friend" on Facebook.

So I started entering random names from my memory. Lo and behold I found a couple of old friends that I had lost touch with.

The problem with their search engine is that you cannot specify anything more than their name and school or workplace. That doesn't really help me track down people I haven't seen in 20 years now does it ?

This evening I'm back in the studio and getting the acoustic guitar track for 'Be Alright' recorded. It'll possibly be the opening track on the album. This 4-headed monster (writer, performer, producer, engineer) is very difficult. I have more respect now for anyone who records a solo album (truly solo... no assistants at all).