International network of gatherings concerning art, technology and
culture. Exhibitions, presentations, workshops, performances, screenings, and lectures by new-media artists and curators from more than 25 cities around the world.
Upgrade! International Mission Statement: Upgrade! is an international, emerging network of autonomous nodes united by art, technology, and a commitment to bridging cultural divides. Its decentralized, non-hierarchical structure ensures that Upgrade! (i) operates according to local interests and their available resources; and (ii) reflects current creative engagement with cutting edge technologies. While individual nodes present new media projects, engage in informal critique, and foster dialogue and collaboration between individual artists, Upgrade! International functions as an online, global network that gathers in different cities to meet one another, showcase local art, and work on the agenda for the following year.
Four gatherings have taken place so far: New York, United States – September 2005; Oklahoma City, United States – November 2006; Skopje, Macedonia – September 2008; Sao Paulo – October 2010.
Current Nodes: Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Belgrade (Serbia), Berlin (Germany), Boston (United States), Brussels/Ghent (Belgium), Chicago (United States), Dakar (Senegal), Eindhoven (The Netherlands), Lisbon (Portugal), Johannesburg (South Africa), Istanbul (Turkey), Montreal (Canada), Munich (Germany), New York (United States), Oklahoma City (United States), Östersund-Stockholm (Sweden), Paris (France), Salvador (Brazil), São Paulo (Brazil), Scotland (United Kingdom), Seattle (United States), (Second Life), Seoul (South Korea), Skopje (Macedonia), Sofia (Bulgaria), Tel Aviv-Jerusalem (Israel), Tijuana (Mexico), Vancouver (Canada), Warsaw (Poland), Wellington (New Zealand), Zagreb (Croatia).
Organizations: Eyebeam, Turbulence.org, New Media Scotland, Art Centre Nabi, InterSpace, i-camp, DCA, CCA, No-Org.net, NOMAD /santralistanbul, program angels/lothringer13, Line Initiative and Movement, Open-Node.com, t-u-b-e, C-M.TV, Lisboa 20, AT. joburg, University of the Witwatersrand, Ars Longa, 911 Media Arts Center, Ars Virtua / BitFactory (Second Life), Studio for Interrelated Media at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Melkweg, New Media Developers, I Love People, Vooruit, Okno, Emergent Art Center, Dream Addictive, CSDVU, MI2, Artenativa.
Upgrade! Background: Since April 1999, a group of new media artists and curators have gathered in New York City. The first meeting took place at a bar in the east village with Tim Whidden & Mark River [MTAA], Mark Napier and founder Yael Kanarek. Upgrade! New York partnered with Eyebeam in March 2000.
http://www.theupgrade.net/mission.html
