If you would like a chance to present your art at SLEA, now is the time to start putting your ideas together.
We offer full and quarter region spaces to successful recipients of a grant award. Second Life Endowment for the Arts has been approved by Linden Lab to proceed with Launch 2.
What is Launch 2?
Late in 2020, SLEA announced it was accepting applications from artists for a grant during the period of January to the end of June 2021. Grants were taken up from January 1st to coincide with the opening of SLEA. This was Launch 1. During May will we again accept applications for grants during the period of July 1st until the end of December. This six month period will be SLEA’s Launch 2.
The SLEA Steering Team, whom are identifiable by the ‘Liaison’ Tag, proposed a selection process to Linden Lab, i.e. a means for allocating grant awards in the event we are unable to accommodate all applicants. This has also been approved. This process will be explained in a future blog post and will be posted to the main SLEA group inworld.
In the meantime, having recovered from the initial busy opening period, we are now able to look to the future of SLEA and have some exciting developments and plans. If you have a great idea for a project and you’d like to be involved, chat to any member of the Steering Team (see below).
SLEA LIAISON
The Steering Team comprises a total of five including coordinator, Tansee (USA). We invited two additional residents to take on the role of liaison with full abilities on all nine regions. The team now comprises Dawny Daviau (Dutch residing in UK), Eupalinos Ugajin (France), Safar Fiertze (from UK residing in Portugal) and Regi Yifu (USA).
In the public information area under the landing pod, you will find on/offline indicators for each, therefore, if you need help or have a query, please make use of this paging facility.
SLOW LOOK GALLERY
This is situated in the dPod (data pod). A reception area has been completed by a volunteer. Phase 2 will entail a 2D Gallery representing gridwide artists & venues.
SLEA Art Walk
This will premier in April, but is an ongoing feature of Region 7. If a full grant sounds too daunting, you have the opportunity to showcase your work on a smaller scale. An invitation is open to all artists to display 3D work for 30 days. The project currently features five artists, but will be soon extended to eight.
SLEA STREET ARTIST CAFE SERIES
Developed February 1, the street art cafe series features a live stream from the UK of real-life jazz saxophonist Steve Who every Thursday at 8am. Crowds are intimate but steadily growing in number.
SLEA BRIDGE PROJECT
There are over 100 participants in the database. This is growing daily as venues get in touch. We are networking with other arts venues, magazines, groups and communities who have begun to fill kiosk display platforms. Venues are able to do a one month display promoting their role in the SL arts community. Five venues are so far in place.
SLEA ROAD TRIP SERIES
Education is provided by a host venue at SLEA with a field trip after to their own region. The first, Optical Illusions, hosted by Nothing (day.silvercloud), was launched during the third week of March. Seventeen attended and created art using light projectors. A continuation of the lights/projectors theme at the sandbox is viewable at time of writing.
SLEA ART SANDBOX
We are now scheduling weekly and monthly themed group or solo participation events (sometimes to music) making creations using SL tools. The first commences Saturday, April 3rd at 2pm, but the day and time may vary in future. Art education files offering tutorials commenced March 1st.
ARTS EDUCATION
Seanchai Library is coming to SLEA for a workshop which has been confirmed but not arranged. Discussions with an SLEA volunteer are currently underway with a view to holding a course on the application of art to educational practice.
INNOVATION
Currently showing wireframe photography and muse ideas.
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
There are conversations in place to begin a PAC Series once a month. Work is in progress to find artists.
We are also looking ahead to “2022: 2nd Annual SLEA Celebration of The Arts” to be held 3rd weekend in January.
MENTORING PROGRAM
Established January 11th to assist incoming Grant Artists. The program was not utilised to date but three former grant recipients are re-evaluating the program.
SLEA GOLDEN CANVAS ART HUNT
The idea is to let art venues sign up to be a part of an ‘ongoing’ hunt and receive a little golden canvas to hide in their own venue. After a set time period they put in a new gift and SLEA makes announcement. Upon participation, their Bridge Project banner will have a special icon showing participation, the rationale being increased traffic on the Bridge and to participating venues. This is currently work-in-progress.
*****Grant Artists Report *****
Region 1 – January & February – 60 creators displayed 2D art, live performances, creations based on art, collaborations with 15 stores, 5 media sponsors, and inclusion of many international residents.
Region 2 – January & February – An interactive concept, with 92 collaborators (many more than once) who created 3D art, wrote stories and contributed to living sculptures with three weekly events.
Region 3 – 499 visitors at time of writing with one well-attended major event (30+)
Region 4 – The Sway and Dance Troupe hosted weekly poetry/story readings with 10-12 regularly attending. Professional dance performances were shown weekly. These were consistently well-attended with about 20 people.
Region 4 – Lessons by the Sea was accepted for Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference 2021 for the SLEA concept. They hosted a literary field trip from another art venue and held an additional celebratory event. Both were well-supported by the community
Region 4 – Ant Farm has enjoyed a continuous flow of visitors to its exceptional education and art display in the use of lights & projections by two real life artists.
Region 4 – The 7 Dimensions is an artist’s representation of Frost, Volcano & Galaxy. It has enjoyed a steady flow of visitors but no data available.
Region 6 – Bioacoustics by a real-life artist who displays continuous impeccable growth is a good showcase of what SLEA offers artists.
Region 7 – Machinima Land hosted two major education workshops in machinima. There are ongoing plans for a future collaborative ongoing series. SLEA would like to offer a database of SL Machinima.
*****Social Media Report*****
Blog established September 2020 with four on the blogging team. Currently 48 people are following, 37 who have wordpress accounts and 11 email subscribers. As an example, during the first two weeks in March there were 354 views from over 40 countries. We have started to include SLurls directly to SLEA within blog posts which are used about 2-3 times daily. The blog is also part of the Second Life Bloggers Network.
* Facebook Official Page:
The Facebook official page has 370 followers. Facebook is the largest referrer to the blog through regularly sharing a link to the latest post. For example, of the 354 views above 172 were referrals from Facebook.
* Facebook Group Page has 134 followers.
* Instagram has 121 followers with active challenges which are also connected to Strawberry Linden.
* Flickr (official Page):
78 people follow
* Flickr Group:
Currently has 39 members with 534 photos posted.
* Twitter
78 followers
* Discord: A SLEA group channel has been established for Liaison and Volunteer use at the present time with plans of extending to the community when prepared.
* Youtube – while we don’t have our own youtube channel, many are documenting events at SLEA. These are reported in a monthly blog feature: “SLEA in the News“. There has been sufficient reporting externally to make this a lively post.
ALL IDEAS & PROJECTS LISTED HAVE BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY THE VOLUNTEER GROUP OF OVER 20 INDIVIDUALS – THANK YOU!
WE HAVE A NEW WEBSITE! 