n.e.w.s. is a collective online platform for the analysis and development of art-related activity, drawing upon contributions from around the globe, bringing together different voices, accents and outlooks from the North, East, West and South. | Read more..

Position Statement

Synopsis and detail

With the open-ended and continuously developing n.e.w.s. we would like to address some of our aims and intentions.

The culturally diverse content contained in n.e.w.s. is aggregated from various contributors/participants and offers potential for a series of global dialogues, transactions and collaborations concerning contemporary art and its discourse. Content is provided by contributors from different regions in the world, resulting in a rethinking and rearticulating of certain identity constructs inherent to pre-Web 2.0 generations. In an age of digital participatory interaction through word, image and social software, alternative models of distribution of knowledge within the ‘spatial’ turn can arise, resulting in future ‘Web 3.0’ productivity.

n.e.w.s. is non-commercial and uses visibility of distributed networks to create value around immaterial resources in a knowledge-driven economy. Using a bottom-up, grass roots methodology in a Web 2.0 economy, what distinguishes n.e.w.s. from other online communities is its collaborative curatorial model and paid content. Whilst the context of Web 2.0 is based on a user-generated content model in which content is supposedly for free, n.e.w.s. collates its cultural content through partially paid contributions. A system of trust and unexpected contingencies measure this intangible input. This strategy encourages a return not strictly based on attention economy principles.

The contributors, notwithstanding its ‘users’ and other visitors who sign up and add content to the site, then may define its dynamic ‘use-value’. Decisions are made democratically and determined by the 'collective consciousness' comprised of the contributors, moderator, administrator and users. The direct and open manner in which n.e.w.s. intends to obtain its goals is reflected by the structuring and changeability of the site.

Open contribution philosophy

We are attempting to leverage the potential of participative technologies and communities to facilitate the possibility for an artistic discourse in a curation world that has the tradition of being a walled garden. Could we then be balancing a curated playground and a wild forest?

n.e.w.s. content is determined by the following contributions*

-subscribe to the newsletter
-an open sign up where visitors, once registered with a valid email address, can add content in the form of comments and add events to the calendar
-a progressive trust model that offers users of the site to become contributors that are first peer reviewed, after three positive approvals by the present contributors become contributors themselves
-once admitted, there can be a limited number of contributors yet openings are announced when the contributors decide to take a break or retire
-forums can be initiated by any contributor, the moderator, the user or administrator
-forums are used to answer larger key issues of the site and in terms of usage
-forums provide a democratic platform where the contributors decide how they want to structure and the site
-polls can be initiated by any contributor, the moderator and administrator

Looking Forward

n.e.w.s. business model is premised on funding from cultural organisations worldwide that specifically support local as well as international endeavor. We intend to engage visionaries and financial supporters by incorporating seed funds, venture capitalist and angel organisations in order to bridge not only fields of interest but non-profit and profit-seeking enterprise.

* each privilege criteria states the lowest privilege needed for each task to be performed. Example: the hierarchy in ascending order is anonymous user (visitors), subscribed user (user) contributor, moderator and then administrator. Therefore if contributor is mentioned it is implied that everyone above can add content.