RIXC, The Center for New Media Culture 
28.5.2020, 14:00, zoom
Riga, Latvia
Participants: Agnese Baranova

By looking into examples of digital tactical activism, such as Transborder Immigrant Tool by Electronic Disturbance Theater and Tactical Technology Collective, but also the library Memory of the World, the workshop addressed possible tactics for curriculum dedicated to minorities that would also use digital technology.

By posing the following questions:

How can a curriculum be designed to empower minorities and actively shape them?

How can digital art tactics contribute to handling our society, its structures, functions and interdependencies? Can technology be used to un-learn everyday social relations and  establish new social patterns that allow for restructuring the ways in which people relate to one another, the ways in which social groups become public, visible and recognized?

The participants were expected to bring answers to the questions by selecting some of the words that were used as a point of further discussion:

EMPATHY, ARTIVISM, COMMERCIAL SUCCESS, OPEN-SOURCE, MEDIA LITERACY, AUDIENCE, HUMAN RIGHTS, EMPOWERING, LIBRARY, POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT, INTERVENTION IN SOCIAL/POLITICAL REALITY, COLLABORATION WITH NGO’S DEDICATED TO THE RIGHTS OF MINORITY, FUNCTIONALITY, DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION/STREAM/INTERNET, PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE PLAYER, ETHICS, SHARING.

Program that is run by RIXC is not in particular dedicated to minorities but to everyone, with diversification of the audience according to their age groups and interests.

In an attempt to think about possible educational program, RIXC would particularly emphasize the use of open source because already in their institution they stand behind the idea to have content that is available for wide and free use. For them it is important that segments for technical program are open source.

Another important aspect, when thinking about possible educational program, is the audience and in particular how to make connections to already existing or to the new audience. During their years long experience they are aware that it is very important to educate its own audience especially on technological or artistic aspects of the represented works. They are already working a lot with students and school children, but for them also a big part of the audience are scientists, artists, cultural workers. Seniors are also a very important group to whom they dedicate their content.

Library was also chosen as a relevant concept during the workshop as it provides additional knowledge that is not accessible elsewhere. They have their own library and they are also involved in publishing activities of books relevant for the field of science, art and technology.

Empathy is also considered as an important idea as it can link digital technologies involving and being dedicated to minorities, but it can also support the community to empathize with experiences of minority members.

In their experience social gaming projects could be an interesting tool to bring people together, especially younger generations, such as students.

Among other digital technologies, VR is relevant for them as it also interests seniors and people that are not necessarily digital savvy.