Newcastle University

Culture Lab Relaunch event a success!

We successfully held our Relaunch event last week on Thur 22nd Oct, with 250 invitees attending from the university and regional cultural and technologies sectors. We showcased work in ubiquitous computing, interactive media art, and social inclusion, including works from Digital Media's Render exhibition, demos of the Connected Home group, documentation of Creative Writing activities, and introducing the Social Inclusion through the Digital Economies project.

The evening was opened by Councillor Bill Shephed, whose speech transcript follows:

"Ladies and Gentlemen: I am delighted to be here to help re-launch Culture Lab 2.0 and I would like to thank Professor Tanaka and Newcastle University for giving me the opportunity to do so.

"Atau has asked me to keep it short, always difficult for any politician but I shall give it a go.

"As we have heard, the renewed Culture Lab has an additional £100,000 worth of facilities including a High Definition Cinema and Digital prototyping suite

"I know that Culture Lab aims to be the Gateway to the University, both physically as it is next to the fantastic new Kings' Gate building right at the edge of campus but also most appropriately by changing the culture of University’s relations with business and the community.

"Culture Lab operates at the interface between Art and Engineering, two fields of human endeavour that are core both to the development of a knowledge economy in this City as well as being areas of excellence within Newcastle University. Culture lab offers the opportunity to provide a physical embodiment of the convergence of these two important areas in one innovative space.

"Newcastle University have a core role in the development of the Knowledge Economy and has shown its commitment to working locally and internationally to grow the region's business through the Science City initiative shared with ONE North East and Newcastle City Council.

"Atau is preaching to the converted with me, as in my professional life I am struggling to establish a new web-based data-mining spin-out company from this University. Any Venture Capital out there is of course gratefully received!

"I am particularly pleased that Culture Lab is to engage with one of the most important responsibilities in our City, to reduce the stark social inequalities we face.

"The Knowledge Economy has a danger of exacerbating the divide between the digitally included, those technically literate people who are deeply embedded in creative design, potentially leaving behind a whole group of society suffering from a digital famine.

"I am delighted that Culture Lab 2.0 has been designated a hub for improving social inclusion through the digital economy – a hugely exciting and important piece of work that I hope and trust the City Council and other partners can engage with.

"I would like once again to thanks Atau for his invitation, I encourage everyone to use Culture lab as a melting pot for ideas and as a gateway to partnership across the digital divide. Thank you."

Published: 28th October 2009