Sad Day for Visual Art

It's a very sad day for the visual arts. I've been avoiding looking at the list of cuts to arts organisations due to take place in the next 12 months but here it is: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/mar/30/arts-council-cuts-list-funding

I want to write something profound - but I'm actually gobsmacked. Yorkshire and the North seem really badly hit - with a particular blow to media arts organisations which support specialist and highly innovative practices. It seems that the industry part of the culture industry has eaten itself until there is nothing left. Whilst some may argue that artists should join banking or advertising, a more likely scenario is that artists join the ever-growing movement of dissent.

Arts Against Cuts are about to gain several thousand artists, curators, and cultural workers who will be bereft of their tiny incomes which enable them to give their time (both paid and unpaid) for the creative development, critical thinking, and grass-roots innovation that even the hijacking of social language couldn't quite stamp out.

Talking about Code at Dorkbot 74

On Wednesday 23rd March I'll be presenting at Dorkbot74 - talking about the 'Embroidered Digital Commons: Code' workshops I've been running at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park. I'll be joined by Lin Jones from the Museum. If you're interested - feel free to come along:

Wednesday 23rd March.
Dorkbot 74 will take place from 7-9pm at:
The Centre for Creative Collaboration,
16 Acton Street
London WC1X 9NG

See you there!

Scrmalbed Code

We had a great stitching day at the National Museum of Computing on Saturday. Marie brought along her computerized Swedish Husqvana sewing machine and quickly set to work designing a quirky typography with scrambled text:

"Like eggs, code is sometimes best had scrambled."



Marie designs her own fonts, and uses Bernina software.

Stitching Code at the National Museum of Computing 2011

Patchworkers, programmers, embroiderers, editors, steampunks, hackers, crafters and coders are warmly invited to stitch the term 'Code' as part of the Embroiderd Digital Commons project.

We will be meeting at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park between 1-4pm on:
Saturday 26th February, 2011
Saturday March 26th, 2011
Saturday April 9th, 2011

You don't need to have any previous sewing experience, and we'll provide all the materials, as well as the essential tea urn and biscuits.

The Bletchley Park Museum is open from 10.30am in the morning if you want to make a day of it. The National Museum of Computing is on the same site, and opens at 1pm. If you arrive at 1pm - just go to the main gate and ask for the embroidery workshop at the Museum.

Please note that Ada Lovelace Day has been moved to October 7th this year, so we'll be celebrating at Bletchley Park on Saturday October 8th with a film screening and discussion. Watch this blog for further information.

For further information see: www.open-source-embroidery.org.uk