Professional Development: Conferences & Seminars: Broadcast Technologies and the Performing Arts

The Philadelphia Music Project’s first annual conference, "Broadcast Technologies and the Performing Arts," held at WHYY on May 11, 2000, focused on developing a Greater Philadelphia "digital community alliance" to connect presenters, performers and audiences by using emerging digital tools.

Fifty-three people attended the conference, representing 39 music presenting organizations, instrumental and vocal ensembles, new music groups, music schools and universities, multimedia arts groups, and dance and theatre organizations from the Greater Philadelphia area.

Three keynote speakers addressed the possibility of creating a digital community alliance from different perspectives. Richard Somerset-Ward, a Senior Fellow at the Benton Foundation, discussed the potential benefits of creating an online "civic space" to form community alliances and coalitions. Ken Finkel, Executive Director of Arts and Culture Services at WHYY, emphasized the need to conceive of a digital cultural community as a constantly evolving process with changing frameworks, rather than rigidly adhering to old organizational structures. Vincent Curren, General Manager of WXPN-FM, discussed the actual tools and labor involved in making the transition to digital technologies, using WXPN’s emerging Web site as a case study.

In a unique demonstration, the PRISM Saxophone Quartet gave a brief performance that was then streamed to WHYY’s website. Conference participants witnessed the live event and then the Internet broadcast as they learned about the tools necessary for Internet streaming, as well as the potential benefits such technology can offer a performing arts organization.

A Web site demonstration was then led by Chris Spurgeon, WHYY’s Senior Internet Developer. Mr. Spurgeon discussed the different ingredients in creating a useful and interesting website, rather than just the standard format of an "info blurb with dates." He then gave a tour of various music and performing arts Web sites that employ creative elements of thinking and design. Mr. Spurgeon also addressed Internet copyright questions and urged presenters and performers to consider Internet issues from the beginning of any commissioning and performance projects they work on.

The day ended with small group tours of WHYY’s new studios. WHYY staff discussed the new digital tools they use for radio broadcasting, news wiring, news writing, field broadcasting, editing, and archiving.