Art, Technology and Business: Trans-Disciplinary Teams in the Arts
Symposium:
Session Title:
- Creative Industries
Presentation Title:
- Art, Technology and Business: Trans-Disciplinary Teams in the Arts
Presenter(s):
Venue(s):
Abstract:
For the past two years The Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) has been advocating and developing a model for working commercially with creativity, a model where artists aren’t diminished in their creative work and yet are able to generate a broad range of revenue from their activity. This Ancillary IPs model theorises that, despite myths to the country, artist regularly work in trans-disciplinary teams and this way of working is analogues to the entrepreneurial team found in business. The model predicts that if this trans-disciplinary team is recognised while the relationships and commercialisation processes are managed within specific criteria, artists can successfully commercialise intellectual property embed in their artwork while enhancing their artistic output.
Through the analysis of research under taken by the Australian Network for Art and Technology and Adelaide Universities ECIC and exploration of the case of Rezon8 the hypotheses proposed by the Ancillary IPs model is tested.
In 2010 ANAT partnered with Adelaide University’s ECIC to undertaking a preliminary survey into attitudes of artists to commercialisation of IP and the concept of working in trans-disciplinary teams. The survey found that an overwhelming number of respondents where positively disposed to both concepts. Concurrent with the survey this trans-disciplinary way of thinking about art and cultural activity was proved through the development of Rezon8. Rezon8 is a company formed out of the artistic partnership of artist Jimmy McGilchrist and programmer and ICT professional Darryn van Someren. Within a complete ecosystem of trans-disciplinary skills including chip designers, artists, audience, advertising agencies, digital animation, finance and business experts Rezon8 developed a product and business from the IP embed in an artwork, while undertaking significant art projects that open up unique R&D opportunities for the business.
The Rezon8 case proves how this approach can simultaneously unlock new business and artistic opportunities. The paper also finds the initial criteria of the Ancillary IPs model are constraining and that unpredicted extra befits arise for the artistic career of those working in an Ancillary IPs team.
