are we entering a new digital renaissance?

An interview with Gavin Artz by the CIIC – March 17th 2010

Originally published by the CIIC

http://www.creativeinnovation.net.au/Features/Are-we-really-entering-a-new-digital-Renaissance-.html

Collaboration is at the heart of innovation – an area very close to Gavin’s heart, in his role at ANAT, an Adelaide-based organisation that represents those people with a creative passion for emerging technologies.

“There are scientists and artists who are currently innovating and developing intellectual property in order to create and do what they do. However, this needs to be recognised in order to enable future innovation,” Gavin says.

“There is an opportunity now – at this time in history – which could be considered the ‘new renaissance’ where science, art, engineering, creativity and innovation come together.

“There is social, economic and innovative value associated with this approach and it would be a great achievement for the Creative Industries Innovation Centre to harness this,” he says.

Gavin believes that with digital forms of art and technology rapidly expanding and evolving, and a crossover is occurring between non-traditional disciplines, such as art and science at a grass-roots level. This also means there is a need to support and enable artists so that they can benefit from this commercially.

In order to achieve a world where artists are financially rewarded for their creativity, ANAT has been looking closely at a range of revenue models, with a particular focus on how to commercialise new art forms, particularly in digital media.

“We are looking at digital media models because there is an opportunity for creative industries to innovate in this area. Artists that play with technology add a human perspective and this is a truly interesting approach that also offers a great commercial opportunity.”

“We also know that many artists are ignored by the economic process so our link with the Creative Industries Innovation Centre is an opportunity to engage commercialisation processes that have been applied to and benefited areas such as science and engineering and apply this to the arts space,” he says.

Gavin Artz joined ANAT in July 2009 as CEO, after two years as General Manager at the organisation, an opportunity to continue his enthusiasm for, and dedication to the Australian media arts sector.

His expertise is focused on developing viable models for media arts organisations, with an emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as improving the financial outcomes for the sector and the artists it represents.