Octapod
Encyclopedia
Octapod is a not for profit independent arts and new media organisation based in Newcastle, New South Wales
, Australia
. Octapod supports a number of projects, community groups and creative types by providing an administrative base and important resources including a large meeting space, web hosting, zine library and project management advice.
. Initially known as The POD ( and officially registered as 'The Platypus Of Deliverance Association' - which won the debate against 'the Prince of Darkness Association'), the change of name came as a result of threatened legal action in 1998. Octapod was conceived as an incubator and a common infrastructure for a variety of independent projects. Octapod operated as a volunteer run and project based organisation until 2003 when it took on paid staff as the result of increased funding.
Most notably Octapod is responsible for overseeing the management of Newcastle's annual This Is Not Art
Festival and the festivals that it incorporates under its umbrella including Electrofringe
, the National Young Writers' Festival
, Sound Summit
and other projects.
In 2000, Octapod received considerably international attention when IDG
books threatened the organisation with legal action over the use of the term "for dummiez" in an online screenprinting guide. Members of Octapod responded by posting the correspondence from the company on an Octapod website Corporate Standover Tactics For Dummies.
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Octapod supports a number of projects, community groups and creative types by providing an administrative base and important resources including a large meeting space, web hosting, zine library and project management advice.
History
Octapod was founded as an informal collective in 1996 by 'a group of artists and students who liked the idea of a public access media space - where people could create and browse interesting and unusual, non-mainstream media' (Healy, 2005). It was formally incorporated in 1997. Founders included Damien Frost, Sean Healy, Aaron Bristow and Marcus WestburyMarcus Westbury
Marcus Westbury is an Australian festival director. He is currently based in Melbourne, Australia where he filmed the TV series Not Quite Art...
. Initially known as The POD ( and officially registered as 'The Platypus Of Deliverance Association' - which won the debate against 'the Prince of Darkness Association'), the change of name came as a result of threatened legal action in 1998. Octapod was conceived as an incubator and a common infrastructure for a variety of independent projects. Octapod operated as a volunteer run and project based organisation until 2003 when it took on paid staff as the result of increased funding.
Most notably Octapod is responsible for overseeing the management of Newcastle's annual This Is Not Art
This Is Not Art
This Is Not Art is a national festival of new media and arts organised in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia each year over the October long weekend. Since its humble beginnings in 1998, it has become one of the leading arts festivals in Australia dedicated to the work and ideas of communities...
Festival and the festivals that it incorporates under its umbrella including Electrofringe
Electrofringe
Electrofringe is a festival of digital, electronic and new media arts. Its focus is on emergent forms and techniques within media based arts practice and places a particular emphasis on encouraging young and emerging artists to interact with established artists...
, the National Young Writers' Festival
National Young Writers' Festival
The National Young Writers' Festival occurs annually in the city of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, over the New South Wales' Labour Day Holiday Weekend in late September/early October...
, Sound Summit
Sound Summit
Sound Summit is an annual independent conference / festival focusing on exploratory and innovative independent music that takes place in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia as part of the annual This Is Not Art Festival...
and other projects.
In 2000, Octapod received considerably international attention when IDG
IDG
International Data Group is a technology media, research, event management, and venture capital organization.IDG evolved from International Data Corporation which was formed in 1964 in Newtonville, Massachusetts, by Patrick Joseph McGovern and a friend, Fred Kirch...
books threatened the organisation with legal action over the use of the term "for dummiez" in an online screenprinting guide. Members of Octapod responded by posting the correspondence from the company on an Octapod website Corporate Standover Tactics For Dummies.
Current projects
- This Is Not ArtThis Is Not ArtThis Is Not Art is a national festival of new media and arts organised in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia each year over the October long weekend. Since its humble beginnings in 1998, it has become one of the leading arts festivals in Australia dedicated to the work and ideas of communities...
Festival - Culturehunter
- Community Media Space
Past Projects
- Newcastle Fringe Festival ( 1998, 1999 )
- 101 Bikes for Newcastle (bicycle recycling campaign)
- The New Pollution (Australian zine anthology book and web site)
- Evolver (web site)
- Virtual Newcastle - a photographic 'click and wander' tour of Newcastle.
- h2w2 (guidebook)
- Corporate Standover Tactics For Dummies