June 2, 2008

By Jenny Carless

Photo Courtesy of Adrienne Pao and Robin Lasser, Ice Queen:
Glacial Retreat Dress Tent, 2008

When we're all connected, great things happen. When art and digital culture connect, the result is the 01SJ Global Festival of Art on the Edge, a five-day digital art event, to be held June 4-8 in San Jose, California, that brings together artists from around the world and showcases ground-breaking installations, interactive performances and new cinema.

01SJ, which debuted in San Jose in 2006 and will be held every other year, will incorporate multimedia exhibitions, films, concerts and performances throughout downtown parks, public streets, museums, theaters and clubs.

Cisco, a Visionary Sponsor of the festival, is lending its expertise to create the "San Jose Culture Network," a connected system of the company's digital signage that will be placed throughout the downtown area. Cisco is also sponsoring "We-C," an innovative program that focuses on bringing art to - and spotlighting the work of - at-risk young adults in Santa Clara County.

"We-C": Making the Invisible Visible

Developed by artist Dorit Cypis and sponsored by Cisco in partnership with Zero1 and Bill Wilson Center, We-C is a comprehensive media arts program for creative young adults (ages 14 to 24) of Bill Wilson Center who are experiencing difficult life transitions. It aims to engage these participants to look at themselves critically and consider how they want to be seen by the public, to whom they are often invisible. The program will introduce these youth to a wide range of professional art events.

"The We-C program has definitely changed my life," explains a 19-year-old man who has been helping to set up equipment and working with the artists. "I am now more open to art; I've also made connections, and people want to hire me now."

"[Through We-C] I've learned how to communicate better with people," adds a 15-year-old girl, another participant. "It's been a place where I can go and just be myself."

"Sponsoring We-C is a natural fit for Cisco because it aligns so well with our long-standing commitment to give back to our local communities and effect positive change through technology," explains Ron Ricci, vice president, Corporate Positioning at Cisco. "We hope to be able to take what we learn from our involvement with Bill Wilson Center and adapt it, as appropriate, in other cities and help young people in similar circumstances around the world."

San Jose Culture Network

The artistic expressions of the We-C participants will be displayed during the festival on digital display screens at various public locations via the San Jose Culture Network.

"Working with Zero1 and We-C, we are using our digital signage technology to enrich the festival and possibly bring hope into the lives of these teens and young adults," says Sandra Wheatley, Community Relations at Cisco. "Through We-C, we aim to call attention to the issues facing the young adult homeless population in Santa Clara County and to illustrate the power of the human network to connect a part of the community that is often not visible."

Jenny Carless is a freelance writer located in Santa Cruz, CA.