www.iccaworld.com

Spirit of Place:The Role of Artists and Contemporary Artin Creating Exceptional Events andInspiring Venue

Sam CarterEmily Carr UniversityVancouver, British Columbia, Canada47th ICCA Congress & ExhibitionNovember 4th, 2008, Victoria, BC

International Congress and Convention Association

www.iccaworld.com

Spirit of Place:The Role of Artists and Contemporary Artin Creating Exceptional Events andInspiring Venue

PrefaceEngaging artists and designers in the creation of inspiring,authentic , and expressive designs for congresses,conventions, and special events has been a professionalfocus for Sam Carter.As Creative Director for numerous regional and internationalprojects, Carter has developed innovative designs inspired by“spirit of place” aesthetics. Some argue that globaldestinations are beginning to feel, more and more the same.Carter’s creative design processes are inspired by “advocacyplanning” and methods that engage schools, communities,encourage diversity, and expression of the local. Most of thedesigns featured in today’s presentation includecontributions from art and design students from the EmilyCarr University of Art and Design, the Ontario College of Artand Design. The presentation encourages greaterinvolvement of regional resources such as art and designschools, local galleries, museums, collectors and significantartists and designersThis Power Point presentation includes images, videos, textand url’s that will, hopefully, consider critical issuesconcerning the design and planning of international events.

\

International Congress and Convention Association

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Welcome to Canada,Spirit of Place& Maple Leaf Forever

“The Maple Leaf Forever”,served as a unofficial nationalsong until the arrival of OCanada. The one image/symbolperhaps most associated withCanada remains the maple leaf.The creation of images andicons to brand an event orconference is similar to thebranding of a nation, city,corporation. These icons maybe inspired by the place, itsflora-fauna, culture andgeography expressing andspirit of place.Source:http://www.mirabilis.ca/archives/001900.html

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Coast Salish Welcome FiguresIn true Coast Salish tradition,two red cedar WelcomeFigures stand tall at theentrance to the Arrivals Hall ofthe International Terminal.Carved by Susan A. Point ofthe Musqueam people, thefigures stand at a height ofapproximately six meters (17feet), and portray an inspiringwelcome for all arrivingpassengers.Source:http://www.yvraf.com/art.aspx

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Welcome Arches/Gateways-Traditional Canadian WelcomeWelcome Arches, usuallyconstructed from localmaterials have, historically,welcomed visitors to Canada,including Heads of State andGovernment to specialoccasions, events andcelebrations.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

“I am Canadian”I am Canadian was the sloganof Molson Canadian Beer from1994 until 1998 (via ad agencyMaclaren Lintas and thenMacLaren McCann), andbetween 2000 and 2005(Bensimon Byrne). It was alsothe subject of an extremelypopular ad campaign centeredaround Canadian nationalism,the most famous examples ofwhich are "The Rant" and "TheAnthem".Source: http://www.r-go.ca/canadian_commercial_molson.htm

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Graphics,Theatre, & Media Events“The Death of the Don” Conference

In 1969, students from OntarioCollege of Art and Design andUniversity of Toronto created:street theatre” to dramatizethe pollution of the Don and toencourage action and greaterawareness.Events such as this engagecommunity and provideinteresting “photo ops” forprint media radio, televisionand Internet.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

United Nations ConferenceHuman Environment, Stockholm, 1972

Ten art and design studentsfrom the Ontario College of Artand Design in Toronto, createdand presented the “WorldWildlife Event” primarily forchildren in Stockholm parksand community centres, duringthe UN Conference.After the costumedperformance, over 5,000 handprinted images of endangeredanimals were presented tochildren with information aboutendangered animals in tenlanguages.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

“Ecological Footprints”-Greener Conferences & Events

The first academic publicationabout the ecological footprintwas by William Rees,BritishColumbia, 1992.Rees came up with the term"ecological footprint," inspiredby a computer technician whopraised his new computer's"small footprint on the desk”.In early 1996, Wackernagel andRees published the book OurEcological Footprint: ReducingHuman Impact on the Earth.Source:http://www.treehugger.com/

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Pictured here is The VancouverTrade and Convention Centre(a legacy from EXPO 86) andthe new, “Green Roofs”additions.Some argue that conferencecentre designs should be“neutral”, like museumgalleries or “black boxes” tobetter showcase diverseexhibitions.The new “Green Roof”addition to the existingVancouver Trade andConventions Centre will serveas the media centre for 2010.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

“Glocal” PerspectivesMore and more, conventioncentres, airports, hotels,restaurants, cultural andeducational institutions arefocusing on the regional, thelocal, and the “spirit of place”.The term “glocal” refers to theability to “think globally andact locally.”“Think Globally, Act Locally”was reportedly coined by DavidBrower, founder of Friends ofthe Earth, as the slogan forFOE when it was founded in1969, although others havestated it was originated byRene Dubos as an advisor tothe United Nations Conferenceon the Human Environment in1972.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Events on Streets& Spaces Between Buildings

“Streets Are for People”, thepioneering work of PaulRudofsky, appealed to me inthat it celebrated examples ofcreativity and art beyond justpainting, sculpture and objectmaking.Rudofsky considered thecultural ramifications of the artand designs of streets, events,conferences, public markets,playgrounds, parades andspaces between buildings. Ibegan a career creating andproducing events for globalgatherings incorporating “spiritof place” events.Source:http://www.streetsareforpeople.org/actions/carfree2007.html

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Celebrating the Local-“Seven Wonders of Canada”

The idea-philosophy ofAlexander Pope’s (1688-1744)“Spirit of Place” influenced myunderstanding of art anddesign, as a student ofLandscape Architecture,1960s.The idea is to explore yoursurroundings, the regional toinspire authentic and originalcreativity. This may well applyto the design to creativeconference events and venues.Visit the CBC website to viewthe Seven Wonders of Canadacontext results.Source:http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Vernacular-Folk Tales, Festivals,Events & Roadside Attractions

“Spirit of place” refers to theunique, distinctive andcherished aspects of a place;often those celebrated byartists and writers, but alsothose cherished in folk tales,festivals and celebrations.It is thus as much in theinvisible weave of culture(stories, art, memories, beliefs,histories, etc) as it is thetangible physical aspects of aplace (monuments, boundaries,rivers, woods, architecturalstyle, rural crafts styles,pathways, views, and so on.Source:http://www.roadsideattractions.ca/

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Identity: The “There” thereGertrude Stein’s well knownquote; “There is no there there”referred to Oakland, Californiawhere she spent her childhood.The “look” or “branding” of anevent/venue should be “there”.“There” may be a visual icon,art, a symbol, an identity thatbrands and expresses the spiritof the event and venue.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Genius Loci-Feng Shui and Ley Lines

The Roman term for spirit ofplace was Genius loci, bywhich it is sometimes stillreferred. This has often beenhistorically envisaged as aguardian animal or a smallsupernatural being (puck, fairy,elf, and the like) or a ghost.

These beliefs have, for themost part, been discarded inthe modern world; however anew layer of less-embodiedsuperstition on the subject hasarisen around ley lines, fengshui and similar concepts.

.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Volunteers & ECU StudentsProduce Art for CBC/Papal Visit-BC Place

During the Summer of 1984,first year students from EmilyCarr University worked withCarol Coulson, notedVancouver choreography, andfolk dance groups from acrossthe Province.The art students created “thelook” including a computerdesigned card section directedby Douglas Coupland, (of “GenX” fame) performed bythousands of school children.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Papal Visit, Vancouver,1984

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Canadian Design Traveling Showcasefor Conferences & Events, late 1990s

ECU International StudentInterns designed, producedand installed this showcase ofCanadian Applied Arts andCreative Industries forMuseums, Community Centresand Conferences throughoutAsia, Canada and USA.Students worked with AsiaPacific Foundation of Canada,Canadian Society for AsianArts, and numerousInternational organizations anduniversities.Visit the Asia Pacific AppliedArts and Creative IndustriesForum:•http://apaaf.ecuad.ca/

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Mapping Regional Culture& Resources-”Spaces and Spirits”

British Columbia welcomedparticipants to the AsianDevelopment Bank Conferencein 1990.The conference themesfocused on “Spaces and Spirits”with ten examples of ten“elements” from BritishColumbia to provide a diverseviews of cultural and naturalresources of the Province.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

“Spaces and Spirits”

SPIRIT OF PLACE

“Spaces and Spirits”

SPIRIT OF PLACE

“Spaces and Spirits”

SPIRIT OF PLACE

“Spaces and Spirits”

SPIRIT OF PLACE

“Spaces and Spirits”

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Commonwealth Conference-Queen’s Visit- Art ShowcaseIn addition to celebrating theart of Canada, many of thoseworks used to create andoffices, meeting rooms,corridors and public spaceswere sold providing income forcontributing artists andgalleries.Painting: Lawren Harris, MontThule, the Bylot.1930,Collection: Vancouver ArtGallery

SPIRIT OF PLACE

The Queen Tours “CommonwealthVillage” & Views Global Map-Clock

ECU students worked withDept. of Foreign Affairs andInternational Trade, Canada,representatives to transformthe Vancouver Trade andConvention Centre withCanadian art and design towelcome CommonwealthHeads of Government and HerMajesty the Queen.A collection of Canadian Artand Design was selected fromgalleries and museums,Canadian artists,designers andcraftspeople for thetransformation and later andexhibition sale of the work,known as the “CommonwealthCollection”.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Advocacy Planning-African Children’s Policy Forum

In 2003, Emily Carr UniversityStudent Interns organizedpainting workshops in AddisAbaba, Ethiopia encouragingstudents to express their ideasconcerning the joy andproblems of life in theircommunities.A diverse range of childrenincluding street kids, hearingchallenged,And others told their stories inpaintings and text. CertificateswerePresented to all 150participants, for many the firsttime to use paint and brushes.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Advocacy Planning-Branding ACPFYoung artists told stories abouttheir lives in the community.Victims of child slavery, AIDs,poverty expressed theirstruggles and joy. Titles andstories about their paintingswere used to create the “look”of the new NGO; AfricanChildren’s Polity Forum

ACPF website:http://www.africanchildforum.org/media_06.html.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Students From ECU & Addis Academy of ArtCreate Show and Exhibition

ECU students and studentsfrom Addis Academy of Art andDesign created a travelingexhibition featuring the work ofAfrican Children and themandate of ACPF (AfricanChildren’s Policy Forum). Thetraveling exhibition involvedthe “branding” of ACPF withart and text created by childrenin Ethiopia.The exhibition travels toconferences and venuesacross Africa and elsewhere.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Conference PerformanceAfrican Children’s Policy Forum

ECU students created tee shirtfrom African children’s art for aconference performances tothe African Union and otherinternational Children’sorganizations.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

ECU & Tsinghua UniversityOlympic Art Workshops 2003-2008

ECU students research China-5000 Years of History and theconcepts and ideas concerningstorytelling on a grand scale.

Students created of a diversenumber of visual models in twoand three dimensions andlearned about Olympic Art andDesign, particularly openingceremonies.Visit:http://apaaf.ecuad.ca/english/ChinaOlympicsProj/index.html

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Engaging Young Artists,Beijing 2008 Olympics

As part of the lead up to theBeijing 2008 Olympics,hundreds of thousands ofelementary and high schoolstudents took part in thecreation of events andconferences that encouragedthe interpretation of Olympicculture and exploring ofChina’s 5,000 years of history.This engagement of youth inthe creative process leading ofthe 2008 Beijing Olympicsexpressed the humanistic sideof RRC.

SPIRIT OF PLACE

Spirit of Place British ColumbiaBC150 Applied Arts History

British Columbia celebrates its150th Anniversary. To engageyouth (K-12) and toacknowledge contributions ofcreative British Columbiansover the decades from 1858-2008. A website, online designhistory course, and travelingexhibition has been created bystudents and faculty of EmilyCarr University.This traveling exhibition isavailable for conferences andspecial events.Source: bci50.eciad.ca

www.iccaworld.com

Thank you!47th ICCA Congress & ExhibitionNovember 4th, 2008, Victoria, BC

International Congress and Convention Association