December 23, 2009
· Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged cloud computing, envirodigital, Environmental Sustainability
If you’re looking to create organisational efficiencies and reduce costs around IT, now is the time to start looking at and trialling enterprise cloud computing. Running a company IT set-up demands office applications, storage for your data, a network, a computer each, back-up, upgrades and IT support if the IT set-up is business critical (which increasingly it is!). All of these elements have to work together; cost money; and use significant amounts of energy. Cloud computing services are services like Google Apps/Docs/Wave, Microsoft Azure, Apple’s MobileMe, Amazon’s EC2 and many more.
Cloud computing is a different way of running your IT set-up. Applications run in “the cloud”, which means on a shared data centre, on the internet – think of the difference between Gmail (run in the cloud) and Microsoft Exchange (run locally). You plug into cloud computing by going online, logging in, customising it and using it like a utility.
Benefits:
• Faster to get started
• Costs less – you don’t need to pay for people, products and facilities to run the applications
• Don’t need a tech team to keep it up and running and updated
• Don’t need servers and storage and back up (Google’s back up systems for example, are likely to be far better than a cultural organisation can deliver itself)
• More scaleable and secure
• Reliable – based on the architecture of multi-tenancy: there is not a copy of the application for each business using it, there is just one application, shared by everyone. This is customisable and will benefit from new features, that will get added automatically.
Risks:
• Not all apps work in the cloud yet (but they will soon), so you’ll need to run a mixture of apps on local computers and on the cloud. This means that the processing power of the local machine can be reduced significantly though, so you will be able to use cheaper, smaller, less power-hungry devices – a long-term benefit.
• You don’t buy items (servers, software) once. Rather, you pay a predictable monthly subscription. This will mean a change in accounting systems.
• You need a good broadband bandwidth: upstream and downstream. This may mean investing in a 1:1 uncontended ADSL connection. Although a standard 8mb connection sounds a lot, it will be contended, so factors including the time of day, number people/other businesses using an exchange at a given time, the distance of your office from the exchange and other technical issues mean that it is likely that you will get significantly less than 8Mb broadband. Your ISP may also throttle your speed at certain times of day – this applying to broadband services marketed as “unlimited subject to a fair usage policy”.
So my advice for now is: think about all of these issues, and begin to research and run trials: most services allow a trial period, and this does not tie you into making changes. Check your broadband’s real capability out using an online speedtester. Moving to cloud computing will demand a significant amount of commitment and energy (read AmbITion’s How To… ensure your IT project doesn’t fail for top tips!). Cloud computing will also create significant cost and sustainability benefits.
For resources on cloud computing, including everything referenced in this article, click here.
November 30, 2009
· Filed under 21st C cultural organisations · Tagged AMA, getambition, hannahrudman, nationaltheatrewales
Envirodigital, for AmbITion, produced an eventcast of the keynotes at the Arts Marketing Association Digital Marketing Day on 30.11.09!
Envirodigital produced an interactive eventcasting live from Sadlers Wells! 70 people tuned in online to hear and watch keynotes Jim Richardson of Sumo Design and John McGrath of National Theatre Wales.
You can watch the eventcasts still, available on demand here.
November 13, 2009
· Filed under 21st C cultural organisations, Carbon offsetting, envirodigital communities, new technologies · Tagged envirodigital, National Theatre Wales, envirodigital communities
Envirodigital client National Theatre Wales launched their programme last week via webcast!
They have also been increasingly busy establishing their wider webpresence – today they have 1058 Facebook fans, over 100 Twitter followers @NTWtweets, a YouTube Channel and of course the ever-growing membership of the online social network.
The depth of the participation and interaction and the quality digital assets are excellent: a real best practice exemplar: well done NTW team, social network gurus Native, top web developers Hoffi, stellar film makers wideload, pithy Communications Consultants Stop The Pigeon, and elegant branding and graphic designerss, Elfen. Its been a pleasure working with you all 
)
October 27, 2009
· Filed under 21st C cultural organisations, Art responds to climate change, Carbon offsetting, Environmental Sustainability, Sustainable ability, envirodigital communities · Tagged envirodigital, envirodigital communities, National Theatre Wales, theatre
Our client, the new National Theatre Wales, are launching their opening programme on 5th November 2009. It’ll be a big bang for a number of reasons: its Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes’ Night in the UK, so there will be fireworks. There will also be a new destination website to visit where you can find out what’s on and buy tickets Update: here it is, beautiful and built on drupal!
(the huge online community that we’ve grown organically over the past year will be just a click away, and is still growing in numbers, depth and activity daily).
The final big bang will be the style of the launch: rather than hiring an expensive venue to which the press and VIPs have to travel, NTW are instead webcasting the programme launch, hoping that journalists will NOT make the journey to Cardiff, but will watch the news unfold online and so help NTW achieve its environmentally sustainable aspirations. Don’t expect a fancy brochure either: the only paper NTW will print is a (very beautiful!) newspaper. And that will be available digitally too, so if you can’t pick it up in person, don’t expect to receive one in the post [eco choices, not post strike reasons )].
Read John McGrath’s blog about the launch for all the details, and HUGE congratulations to John and all the NTW team from Envirodigital – we’re so proud that you stuck to all your original aspirations, and thrilled that we could help you make them realities!
October 12, 2009
· Filed under 21st C cultural organisations, envirodigital communities · Tagged crowd in the cloud, envirodigital, envirodigital communities, nati, National Theatre Wales
So what? You might think – loads of organisations have 1000 members in their online social networks. But National Theatre Wales is an organisation that hasn’t yet announced its programme (5th Nov ‘09) and doesn’t begin showing work to audiences until next year. The community has grown organically, and we haven’t marketed it at any point, either. Every member has been personally welcomed by a member of the NTW team. It’ll be thrilling to see what happens once audiences start to engage with the network, as currently the make up of members could probably be defined as “fans and professionals”. The network has its own feel and personality right now: a place for colleagues to debate and develop work. We’re about to launch some research that will enable us to gather even more feedback from the network’s current members about how they feel and what they would like to experience more of.
The network however is likely to change! The destination website will launch publicly on 5th November: this site particularly to let people know what’s on and how to buy tickets, as well as pulling in content from the network. We will also be signposting people (audiences) back out to the community, and once they’re there, I think we’ll see a slight change in tone: audiences will be wanting to rate/rant/rave about the brilliant theatre they will have seen, and introduce us to their own creativity. What I hope is that the initial network listens and welcomes – what could be a more attractive proposition to a newbie!
September 10, 2009
· Filed under Uncategorized
On Friday 2nd October 2009 Manchester Camerata will give a performance on a European stage without incurring air miles, without CO2 emissions….without even leaving Manchester.
The orchestra will play a collaborative concert with Venetian ensemble ExNovo using the power of Manchester’s high-speed broadband network.
PROGRAMME
MICHELE DALL’ONGARO Green Piece (joint piece—world premiere)
OLIVER KNUSSEN Processionals (Manchester Camerata broadcast to Venice)
LUCA MOSCA Five Small Scherzos (ExNovo broadcast from Venice)
CHARLES IVES Unanswered Question (Manchester Camerata/trumpet in Venice)
A live synchronised performance by Manchester Camerata and the Venetian ensemble Ex Novo will be relayed to the 2009 World Forum on the Environment in Venice, via the internet. Manchester Camerata will perform their contribution live at 12.45pm GMT, linking in over the internet with Ex Novo, who will be playing simultaneously at Venice Conservatoire. The resulting performance will be broadcast live to leading experts on the environment, Nobel Laureates and Ministers in the Doge’s Palace, Venice.
You are invited to join us for this remarkable event which will simultaneously demonstrate the capabilities of Manchester’s broadband network, the power of music to address social issues and the Camerata’s status as a key player in cementing Manchester’s profile as a global city of music.
DATE Friday 2 October 2009
TIME 12:45pm
VENUE Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, Manchester University
Tickets for this unique event are free. Email Rob Shaw, Head of Development, stating how many you require.
MDDA has been working with the Camerata to help make this unique event possible.
Thanks to Adrian Slatcher from MDDA for writing this piece.
August 25, 2009
· Filed under 21st C cultural organisations, Environmental Sustainability · Tagged envirodigital, Environmental Sustainability, Visual arts
VAGA & engage are running Climate Change and the Visual Arts event, as part of the
Edinburgh Art Festival, looking at how visual arts organisations can address the issue of global warming both as ‘institutions’ and working with artists. Click here for more info.
August 12, 2009
· Filed under Art responds to climate change, Environmental Sustainability, Sustainable ability, new technologies · Tagged creativity, digital culture, Sustainable ability
Andy Hobsbawm of dothegreenthing talks to my project AmbITion’s film crew about why cultural organisations should engage with the environmental sustainability agenda – I agree, what do you think? Watch it here!
July 12, 2009
· Filed under Sustainable ability, Uncategorized · Tagged Building Britian's Future, ecotowns, green revolution
Gordon Brown writes in The Observer today that “Britian’s green revolution will power economic recovery”. Announcing that 2 ecotowns have been given the go ahead, and that more green initiatives will be revealed this week by the government, its an exciting time. Two weeks ago, the government launched Building Britian’s Future, which sets out a plan for economic recovery, and visions a digital, low-carbon, high-technology age. Envirodigital believes that digital changes can help the cultural sector become greener, so its good to have the backing of the government
Brown makes the following statement as his committment:
“The science says we have to take radical action, the economics says we should, and morally we must”.
I never thought I’d be saying “Good on you Gordon”: but am thrilled to be able to do so.
July 7, 2009
· Filed under 21st C cultural organisations, envirodigital communities · Tagged envirodigital, envirodigital communities, Sustainable ability
Lyn Gardner in the Guardian blog today talks about how online audiences (the crowd in the cloud) are crucial to the future of theatre’s sustainable ability. Lyn also namechecks Envirodigital – I talked about how the internet’s communities of audiences/customers/fans is an opportunity for theatres and other live art forms to begin the consideration of how to make the cultural sector more environmentally sustainable. An organisation’s crowd in the cloud can be their envirodigital community – check my slides here.
