Playing on the Edge: Facilitating the Emergence of Local Digital Grassroots Dr Axel Bruns Dr Sal Humphreys Creative Industries Faculty

Creative Industries mapping The “missing middle” in content creation policy - the role of independent SME commercial production sector. Leadbeater and Oakley (1999) The “missing grassroots” – the need to map the contributions of DIY amateur content creation to the knowledge economy

The “missing middle” in content creation policy - the role of independent SME commercial production sector. Leadbeater and Oakley (1999)

The “missing grassroots” – the need to map the contributions of DIY amateur content creation to the knowledge economy

Importance of local content Local culture in a globalised medium Communities of interest and local geographic communities The AUS-US Free Trade Agreement

Local culture in a globalised medium

Communities of interest and local geographic communities

The AUS-US Free Trade Agreement

Who makes local content in new media environments? Commercial Amateur Pathways between the two?

Commercial

Amateur

Pathways between the two?

The edgeX project

Project partners Queensland University of Technology University of Queensland Ipswich City Council Australian Research Council

Queensland University of Technology

University of Queensland

Ipswich City Council

Australian Research Council

Research strategies and goals Mapping current local amateur content creation Developing website Community engagement – training sessions – enabling participation Tracking the uploading and use of content Monitoring the use of CC licences

Mapping current local amateur content creation

Developing website

Community engagement – training sessions – enabling participation

Tracking the uploading and use of content

Monitoring the use of CC licences

Research strategies and goals Observing community management strategies Can integrating this kind of new media technology into people’s communication ecologies strengthen their sense of local identity?

Observing community management strategies

Can integrating this kind of new media technology into people’s communication ecologies strengthen their sense of local identity?

Website design Mapping interface – reinforcing the sense of local geography and community Upload video, photos, podcasts, text, etc Exhibition/competition space Commenting and tagging

Mapping interface – reinforcing the sense of local geography and community

Upload video, photos, podcasts, text, etc

Exhibition/competition space

Commenting and tagging

Website design Creative Commons licensing available (plus training in CC use) Individual, group and public spaces

Creative Commons licensing available (plus training in CC use)

Individual, group and public spaces

Community engagement Working with ICC and with a variety of local community groups Focus on existing communities of interest within the geographical area Run training sessions, provide support, follow-up work Achieve a critical mass for sustainability

Working with ICC and with a variety of local community groups

Focus on existing communities of interest within the geographical area

Run training sessions, provide support, follow-up work

Achieve a critical mass for sustainability

Ethnographic Action Research Taken from the Ethnographic Action Research handbook by Jo Tacchi, Don Slater and Greg Hearn, UNESCO 2003

Ethnographic Action Research Maintain a reflective engagement with community members and adapt project to meet their needs Attending group meetings, P/O, interviews and focus groups, consultation, mapping ecologies

Maintain a reflective engagement with community members and adapt project to meet their needs

Attending group meetings, P/O, interviews and focus groups, consultation, mapping ecologies