art2art is an online art exchange program that allows two groups to collaboratively create, share, discuss, and remix artworks over the internet. Group A creates an original artwork and posts it online. Group B then views this artwork and creates a response artwork of their own to post in return. The groups take turns creating and responding to each other's artworks. The goal is to encourage meaningful dialogue and lasting connections between participating groups through this ongoing creative process.

1. a collaborative creation project that allows two groups to use the internet to share, remix and discuss art in collaborative manners

2. What is art2art? art2art is an online exchange program; an enhanced pen pal experience for this era The Internet is dramatically changing how and with whom we interact. art2art embraces this new reality and injects it with the powers of artistic creation and expression. art2art is a creation project that allows individuals and groups to use the internet to share, remix and discuss art collaboratively.

3. How does art2art work? Group A collaboratively creates some type of art (ex. poem, music, video etc) Group A digitizes the art and posts it to Website X Group Z reads/watches the post and collaboratively creates some type of artistic response to Group A’s original post. Group Z digitizes that art and posts it to Website X The process continues with Group A responding to Group Z’s response...

4. What is a response? This is foremost a project of process, participation and interaction – while products will be produced, the interaction is the main goal. No “exacts” or demands exist in this project. By merely posting something on website X, Group Z is making a response. However, responses can take any form a group wants; some examples may include: Group Z could make a video that captures verbal responses to questions posed by a video created by Group A Group Z could remix or reinterpret some of the art created by Group A and include it into their posts.

5. What do we post? Anything. art2art is the framework for the project and does not demand any type of content. Groups decide at the beginning of the process exactly how they will interact, how long it will take and what type of possible themes may exist throughout the dialogues. In regards to posts, post anything – poems, pictures, stories, music, sounds, videos of your group making art, video art, etc….

6. What’s so special about art2art? Rather than creating art and presenting it on the Internet for everyone to see and everyone to possibly respond, art2art focuses on small-scale communities of interactions in which two groups engage in ongoing exchanges. Within this more intimate environment, groups are encouraged to engage in more meaningful dialogue and form more lasting connections.

7. How does art2art impact the participants? The internet is increasingly becoming a daily fixture of adolescent activity; somewhere they ‘hang out’. While the virtual is often discounted as a distant and ‘virtual’ reality, many of the rules of the playground still apply. Consequently within this world, virtual existence is increasingly becoming an important place to construct & present identity, enhance self-worth and navigate both peer and adult social dynamics. art2art participants will be better able to navigate virtual and ultimately real worlds.

8. Impact on participants cont… This project has the ability to link groups from different lands and different lives. The experiences of interaction at this level will help to broaden participants’ understanding of others and of differences and similarities between them. Furthermore by allowing groups to communicate and form connections with groups who speak different languages, this project seeks to underline the communicate power of art.

9. How does art2art impact the organizations? This type of project dramatically builds the organizational capacities of the groups involved. In the most immediate, art2art allows an organization to be at the center of a new form of artistic creation and thus enhances its ability to serve as a model for other organizations. The internet is no longer only a tool to send information – it is a also a platform and space where new and exciting things can happen

10. Impact on organizations cont… I n the most pragmatic, it allows an organization to establish its online presence and extend its organizational values and beliefs into new and exciting virtual communities. Furthermore participants can engage with an organization and other participants in virtual spaces even after an organization’s operating hours have finished. The Internet offers new ways of artistic display and presentation that go beyond the confines of walls and operating hours. This provides participants with the ability to present their work to friends and family whenever they are near an internet- enabled device. art2art enhances the relationships between organizations and their funders/supporters by allowing them to see the processes that the organization is attempting to enhance. Rather than merely seeing the finished products, now the ongoing processes of collaboration and expression can be seen.

11. What about the challenges associated with the Internet? The internet is a new space that offers many concerns for youth, parents and organizations alike. Rather than avoidance this type of project allows some of these concerns to be addressed through both education and dialogue. Furthermore, depending on the desires of the participating organizations, website access can be limited to ensure maximum levels of privacy. Just like the real world, the Internet has its own types of challenges. Even though problems can exist, avoidance and isolation are not the best answers

12. Possible Internet challenges cont… The internet is a new space that offers many concerns for youth, parents and organizations alike. Rather than avoidance this type of project allows some of these concerns to be addressed through both education and dialogue. Furthermore, depending on the desires of the participating organizations, website access can be limited to ensure maximum levels of privacy.

13. Is art2art expensive or complicated? art2art seeks to utilize free internet software. Free websites will provide the backdrop (ex. Google Blogger). Furthermore all files can be kept in free Internet storage sites (ex. zshare.net). Consequently the Internet component of this project can be free. Possible costs may be incurred in the creation of posts. For new users, things may seem complicated at first, however, users will quickly pick it up. A major trend in current Internet websites and software is the push for easy to use applications and intuitive design interfaces. Internet participation is becoming easer – if you have a problem, just ask one of your kids

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