United Religions Initiative
This was a powerful early example of the power of networks and local-global relationships. Collective Intelligence (Kevin Jones, Gary Bolles, Mark Beam) worked with United Religions Initiative helping their international interfaith group with thousands of great stories in a 140 countries tell one overarching story of an emergent phenomenon evolving to a higher level of order, and the way it is helping eliminate religiously motivated violence. A simple algorithm - form a "cooperation circle) when you have at least 2 religions represented turns into a complex force for change.
Enterprise Innovation Fund
In 2008 Cheryl Dorsey (Echoing Green( asked Wayne Silby (Founder Calvert Funds) and I to present our ideas behind stimulating more impact investment capital. This led to the formation of the Enterprise Innovation Fund with Michael Cox and a year long effort to make the case to the White House and government agencies to accelerate the supply of impact investment capital. This work helped catalyze the formation of Startup America and the creation of a billion dollar SBA Impact fund. (Obama Administration 2008-10).
Kaboom
In 2008-2009 we began to work with Tony Deifel and Daryl Hammond at Kaboom to create a dashboard for measuring both financial and social impact. One of the most successful example of how non-profits can be both financially and socially successful. In this case creating a scalable and replicable model for engaging volunteers, sponsors and neighborhoods to build their own playground. We helped create a very sophisticated tool for monitoring their work in realtime.
NTT Multimedia Strategy Guide
In 1998 Beaming worked closely with the Japanese Telecom company NTT who wanted to create a foothold in Silicon Valley. We provided research & development, introductions to key individuals and companies and an ongoing consulting on a retainer basis for nearly two years. Two highlights: 1) NTT became a sponsor of the New Minds lecture performance series we produced with Microsoft and Silicon Graphics; 2) Introduced the company to two companies that became giants in their respective fields - Tibco and Alexa (The Internet Archive).
the Agua Project
A live performance of the Agua Project - a collaboration with ArtBeam, Guillemo Roél, New York artist film-maker Nicole Betancourt & audio/theater designer Bray Poor. This installation-performance included live video, a dripping faucet that produced rhythmic audio, singing, an indoor thunderstorm and stencil graffiti in the streets with a phone number for anyone to express their feelings about water (later incorporated into the piece).
Glass House Studios
In 2001 I became a partner in Virtual Reality firm Glass House Studio to leverage the power of interactive computer graphics to help organizations design & build, virtual structures. Using real-time, 3D visualization and simulation, we designed experiences, captured knowledge, created compelling stories in fully immersive, stereoscopic, virtual reality experiences. WAY AHEAD of its time, Glass House Studios participated in the early pioneering of Virtual Reality. Not ahead of its time NOW!
Studio Labs
In parallel with the development of art-sci-tech network Creative Disturbance, in the early 2000's we also helped promote the practical design and formation of "studio-labs" built on the shoulders of Xerox PARC, EAT, MIT Media Lab etc. These were interdisciplinary startups doing research & development with byproducts that ranged from art exhibitions to wearable technologies . We successfully convinced the Ford Foundation to support a pioneering Studio Lab T-Garden with a $50,000 grant. With the Circuit4 Network work in Canada we also created a timeline of the evolution of theses labs and great interdisciplinary collaborations.
artbeam studio lab
In 2004-2007 we created a studio lab / art dealership with Canadian artists Max Dean & Nichola Feldman-Kiss, and Mexican artists Guillermo Roél and Gabriela Leon. We stretched the limits of what was possible bridging countries, studios and disciplines. Resulting collaborations included a solo exhibition for Nichola in Oaxaca and for Gabriela Leon in Long Beach, CA, and a live performance of the Agua Project with Guillemo Roél, New York artist film-maker Nicole Betancourt & audio/theater designer Bray Poor.
circuit4
Nichola Feldman-Kiss as one of the directors of the Canada Council of the Arts commissioned me to develop a map of the Canadian national interdisciplinary new media network of artists, scientists & technologists. The mapping project led to the development of a timeline showing the long history of development in this direction and ultimately the formation of an online network with an incredible searchable database of artists, studios, galleries, academic institutions etc. with the support of the Centre for Contemporary Canada Art.
pervasive computing = sensual media
This 2001 intelligence paper by Vibeke Sorenson & Mark Beam identified developments in the application of technology in the context of our senses or “sensual media.” We catalogued the use of creative techniques, technologies, and experimental research coming out of leading universities and independent studio-labs, as well as the work of artist/researchers.