2011 has been a long year of changes for 911 Media Arts Center. In the continuing face of the worst economic recession since the great depression, the Center has seen a drop in revenues from Foundation support, Government Agencies, Education Revenue, Memberships, and Individual Giving. We have matched these realities with reductions in staff, operating expenses, and facilities costs. At the end of this year, 911 Media is completely debt free and liquid to face 2012 with our best financial position in our past history.

These new financial realities have not impeded our core mission of providing access and instruction to artists to the tools of new media technology. We have transitioned from being a Supermarket to an Agency of New Media. Rather than stand alone, we continue to partner with other organizations to bring our daring, audacious and delightful exhibitions, education, equipment, and Youth Programs to the public. 911 Media has never been a building but a community. When the founding mothers started the Center at 911 East Pine, they pooled their resources and their knowledge to create opportunities for New Media Art and Documentary Film in the Seattle metropolitan area. The Center has had a nomadic existence, moving from Capitol Hill to the Cascade neighborhood, then to South Lake Union, and currently residing in the University District.

Achievements in a Down Economy

2012 saw 911 Media receiving support from King County, [4 Culture] and the City of Seattle [Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs]. In March we received a capacity building grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. We received a grant from the Vista Hermosa Foundation for a documentary film project. We also have posted our federal tax returns from the last seven years on our website as individual downloadable pdfs. On October 21st we honored Ed Marquand with the fourth Anne Focke Arts Leadership Award.

Education Achievements

106 Adults took 18 classes in 2011. New courses in Blender, and MAX/MSP were created. Beginning Final Cut Pro, After Effects, Web 101, Photoshop, Web Media Integration, Intermediate Final Cut Pro, HPX Certification, ran in 2011.

Youth Education Achievements

Six hundred youth, 20% of which were defined as “at risk,” took 27 classes. Programs included; Cartoon Animation, Digital Animation with After Effects, Web Design, [Coyote Central], Basic Video Production, [Northwest African American Museum], Young Producers Project [ACRS], Media Literacy Workshop, [Brightwater], Young Producers Project [Old Firehouse Teen Center, Redmond] and Digital Storytelling , 2 Young Producers Projects [911 Media Arts Center, Seattle].

Exhibitions

Move It!

Three exhibitions were presented with Ghost Gallery featuring experimental animation by Brian Markle, Nichole Rathburn, and Duff Hendrickson

Action 2

The exhibition was presented with Ghost Gallery. Organized by 911 Media Affiliate Curator Cait Willis the exhibition featured new video work by Joseph Gray, Keith Tilford, Izzie Lingels, Amanda Manitach, Tudor Robak and a collective group Nicolas Sassoon, Janne Parviainen, Sara Ludy, Sabrina Ratté, Dro Carey and Elekra Kb.

Nepo House 5k Walk Don’t Run

Artist Joe Gray image mapped the exterior of the venue with sonic interactivity.

Open Screening & Docutalk

Both monthly programs were held on the second and fourth Sundays of the month at the Seattle film Institute on Capitol Hill.

On Screen Magazine

The magazine was translated and integrated into the 911 Media website. This process included putting back issues from the last five years both on the web and in downloadable pdf formats, to be available soon. The future issues will be on line and available at no cost to the public.

Community Partnerships

911 Media continues to expanded our outreach by joining with the Museum of History and Industry [MOHAI] to run a community based video competition entitled History is _______!. Other agreements have been signed with the Asian American Journalist Association, Victory Studios and through the World Affairs Council, 911 Media Arts Center has hosted delegations of Media Artists from Central Asia, Europe, Africa, and Canada at the emphatic request of the United States State Department.

Making Media Matters…

…remains the central tenet of our core mission. The power of media and the empowerment of owning our own narrative is what we are here to do.