Ben Fox | Creative collaboration, intercultural innovation and making stuff

This week in the Goldfields Art Centre I met Alan Radford and Steve Austin of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Alan and Steve are both working as Engagement managers.

They have – as we discussed – possibly the most nerdy activities in the world competing with the CERN orienteering club. (If you know of more nerdy jobs, let me know)

Anyway – they let me know about Table Builder (read more cut/paste info after the break) which is a new system that allows you to make your own data products from the ABS data pool. We also discussed that as the census happens every 5 years and the population of Kalgoorlie changes by 50% every 2 years (completely ambit claim that they agreed with in a completely ambit manner) then the census probably is only a snapshot in a rapidly changing stream, (like a cross-section of a breaking wave – it is true, but may not reflect what’s before and after the snapshot). Venkat’s article on stream citizens is relevant in the Goldfields – FIFO miners, snowbirds, Aboriginal people, Highschool students, expat New Zealanders ( The greatest concentration of Kiwis outside NZ is here) all share high-mobility in common.

So, how can Australia measure it’s flowing cultures better?

Image: Animated screen showing a pile of suitcases in an Airport somewhere in the Stream.

Posted on November 15, 2013 In Collaboration, Culture, Ideas

Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) Festival – Brooklyn

October 30, 2013 — 2 Comments

This is a real estate developer driven event. The aim is to raise the profile of an area that is a good location but has been not so dynamic for a long time. The focus is street-art and live art that takes place over a few days. The usually quiet streets become a dynamic zone with some very interesting creative projects. Continue Reading…

In Art, Culture, Ideas, Live Art, Making

Last Saturday was the second Gold City Rollers home season roller derby bout. The whole event was super entertaining, held on a flat wooden track, the main audience discussion in the first fifteen minutes seemed to be “what is going on?” followed by intense cheering and gasping as skaters crashed into each other at speed.

(Art) work that causes people to ask questions is usually good. The audience certainly did that. As well there was a great follow-the-leader dance led by an official in a bright pink dress, a cowboy in animal print chaps, whip-cracking and of course evil zombie cheerleaders. A combination of high-speed skating manoeuvres, rolling formations punctuated by (sort of ) controlled falls made for a great show.

The half-time show was mild by comparison – relaxing even, but then paramedic-skater raised the stakes (and skates) with a hair-raising crash.

Below the break is a gallery of photos from the bout – enjoy Continue Reading…