2. Implementation

The programme took place over June and July 2000, as scheduled at the time of application for funding. The residency at the Lux Gallery was compressed into 16 days (2 weeks and 3 weekends) so that our time there could be unbroken by its usual closed days.

In all, around 65 individuals, mainly artists but also computer geeks, media activists, architects, people active in various kinds of community education and development, designers, commentators, scientific researchers and amateur astronauts participated the programme. A large number of these also made significant input into devising the programme itself, and/or other areas of work including organisational support, documentation or facilitating other visitors. While it would be misleading to claim that Tech_nicks was originated by a large group or collective of artists, it was totally dependent on input and collaboration with many people. Whole chunks of the programme were handed over to artist groups, with the organisers helping to refine its shape and scheduling: around half of the participating artists also took an active role in devising the programme.

Artists working in the following countries participated: USA, Germany, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Australia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovenia, Jamaica, The Netherlands, Mexico, Spain, Canada. Additional support for artists' travel was obtained by participating artists from APEX (European Cultural Foundation) for 2 air tickets from F.R. Yugoslavia, ANAT (Australian Network for Art and Technology) for one travel ticket from Australia and the European visit and project by two members of rtmark was facilitated in collaboration with world-information.org, an exhibition and research initiative running concurrently to Tech_nicks in Brussels.

The programme was publicised by distribution of 5,000 full colour postcards as advance publicity, and a print run of 10,000 one colour, A2 posters/leaflets with the full programme information. Distribution of the printed publicity was shared between Tech_nicks in a mailout of approximately 350 addresses, and the host venues who used their own lists and resources. The Lux Centre produced their own additional card detailing the London programme. The website went live on 18 May with full programme information. A mailing list of around 70 subscribers was active before, during and after the programme and was a crucial means for distributing programme updates and additional information.

There were just over 250 paid-up participants altogether in workshop or discussion sessions. However, in addition to that a significant number of individuals who were either staff or regular users of our host venues participated in formal or informal discussions and workshops, and many of those who participated as workshop leaders, presenters or workers at host insitutions in one instance arrived as punters in another.

Around 50 of the paid participants attended workshops of half a day or more in which will have provided them with usable production know-how.

Several organised groups of attenders were facilitated at least in part by Tech_nicks: three post-graduate researches from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Scotland, three students from the Willem de Kooning Academie for Fine Arts Rotterdam, The Netherlands, three members plus young childen from a young mothers group in Bristol, 25 vocational training students from University of East London, five students from the Fine Art Acadamy in Rennes, France.



To Next Section To Top