arts and culture : Innovation + Job News

Imagine having access to thousands of movies with no time limit and no storage on your hard drive. That's the promise of FlixFling, a service offered by Philadelphia's Invincible Pictures. And when you sign up for FlixFling, you get a free Roku Digital Video player, which also plays many other providers' offerings, including movies from Amazon and Netflix, music from Pandora, and TV shows from Hulu.

FlixFling is part of the larger vertical service offered by Invincible, a film producer and distributor with studios located in Northern Liberties. Tom Ashley is the CEO of Invincible and says his company was the first, before Netflix and competitors, to have a working version of streaming online film offerings for mobile devices.

"It's a digital locker system," says Ashley of FlixFling, which offers 5,000 titles with the basic monthly subscription, priced to compete with iTunes and Netflix streaming. FlixFlings offerings skew heavily toward indie productions. "When you buy a movie, we store it indefinitely." Some competitors require customers to view a film within 24 hours of start time, and must be stored on an individual's hard drive.

With FlixFling, says Ashley, "If you buy a movie, it streams instantly," and you can continue the show on your phone, laptop, tablet, and even inside Facebook. Ashley, who is adamantly against torrents because it stifles the revenue stream of independent filmmakers, takes aim at big cable companies, and offers consumers a chance to cut the cord, and say goodbye to $200 monthly bills. FlixFling's basic subscription is $12.99 per month, with premium titles available for an extra fee.

Source: Tom Ashley, FlixFling
Writer: Sue Spolan

Flying Bytes is innovation nuggets from throughout Greater Philadelphia, with a focus on food and beverage this week.

WHAT A LOVELY TACO YOU HAVE
It's art. It's tacos. It's coming to a neighborhood near you. Celebrity chef Jose Garces announced this week the launch of the Guapos Tacos truck, which will be hard to miss. It's covered in a mosaic of 45,000 beer bottle caps, designed by Jun Aizaki, who created the interiors of all seven of Garces' restaurants. Follow the truck on twitter @GuaposTacos.

BAKIN' & SNACKIN': A GOOD THING
Soup sales may be down, but Campbell's reports its Baking and Snacking sectors are on the rise. The company just released Second Quarter Results for 2011. While the company's core product, canned soup, decreased four percent, CEO Douglas R. Conant says "Baking and Snacking, our second largest segment, delivered top and bottom line growth in the quarter." A top seller is Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies.

IN OTHER CANNED NEWS
Philadelphia's Crown Holdings is expanding its production of aluminum beverage cans at all three of its manufacturing facilities in Vietnam. The Hanoi plant expansion will allow Crown to crank out 1.5 billion cans; in Ho Chi Minh City, expected output for 2012 is 3.2 billion cans. Crown's global clients include Coca-Cola, Heneken and Kronenbourg.

TAKE IT TO GO
Food flavoring company David Michael announced the upcoming Innovation Roadshow that will take place in Philadelphia on March 30. This year's conference is all about going global with food and beverage products and features Mary Wagner from Starbucks' global R&D division. David Michael & Co. produces over 40,000 flavors, stabilizers and natural colors.

Source: Garces Restaurant Group, Campell's Soup, Crown Holdings, David Michael & Co.
Writer: Sue Spolan

A degree in fine arts doesn't often come with instructions on how to take economic control of your creations. The Corzo Center for the Creative Economy at the University of the Arts steps in with a rescue plan, applying the concept of enterprise funding to creative business ideas. With a grant from the Dorrance Hamilton Foundation, UArts professor Neil Kleinman developed The Creative Incubator, a $10,000 opportunity open to graduating students and recent alumni to "give students in arts and media economic control over their lives."

On a recent Wednesday, Kleinman and associate Todd Hestand welcomed a dozen hopefuls to an orientation in preparation for the March 21 proposal deadline. "Some of you are here only for the money," said Kleinman, "Some of you are interested in getting self-positioned, to learn more about how to put an idea out there, and make it continue." Kleinman plans to give two to three applicants with sustainable ideas $10,000 each, divided into three payouts: a third up front, another midway, and the final payment after the project is complete, with the idea that once the $10,000 runs out, profitability is well underway. Last year, says Kleinman, about eight smaller grants were given out, but only one reached the final payout. "Many fell prey to the very problems we were afraid of: no sustainable plan, and lack of awareness about underlying costs." This year, there will be fewer grants and more competition, with greater scrutiny of applicants' business plans, budget, marketing structure and audience.

One applicant is Michael O'Bryan, a 2007 graduate of UArts, who is attempting to create workshops for marginalized youth, combining artistic exploration with civic engagement. He says he got the idea while working two jobs: as a Youth Services Coordinator at The Salvation Army, and as Music Department Coordinator and Community Outreach liaison at the New Freedom Theater.

The Corzo Center offers applicants like O'Bryan, as well as all community members regardless of application status, full entrepreneurial support, including assistance developing proposals and business plans, workshops, special programs, and real world business contacts. Eventually, says Kleinman, the Center hopes to expand its funding to include creative entrepreneurs citywide.

Source: Neil Kleinman, Michael O'Bryan, University of the Arts
Writer: Sue Spolan

Flying Bytes is innovation nuggets from around the region:

CALLING ALL FRANCOPHILE JETSETTERS
Get your beret and cafe au lait. This summer, US Airways starts direct flights from Philadelphia to Quebec City. The daily, year round service begins June 2 and offers three nonstop round trip flights. The quick trip to the Quebec capital is under 2 hours each way.

THE LONG AND $HORT OF IT
Turner Investments of Berwyn announced the launch this week of three alternative mutual funds that employ hedge fund strategies. The Medical Sciences Long/Short, the Market Neutral and the Titan Fund all rely on diversified long and short investments. Matt Glaser, who manages the Market Neutral, says the funds seek to deliver superior risk adjustment return for clients. "Post financial crisis investors are looking for ways to mitigate risk and lower volatility, so hedge funds, and mutual fund vehicles are here to stay."

EARLY TAKEOFF
Drexel University engineering students will be working on Boeing projects, thanks to a long term agreement signed this week between CDI-Aerospace and Boeing. Through the school's co-operative education program, students will be working on structural designs, software conversions and stress analysis for the CH-47 military helicopter, the V-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and the Boeing 787 commercial transport aircraft.

STEAMPUNK ACTION
The Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby is back for its 5th year, and organizers have put out a call for entries. Last year, participants crafted a bicycle powered steam engine, a conveyance that catapulted paint filled balloons onto a canvas, pirate ships and dragons, all foot powered. If your passion lives at the intersection of biking and art, visit the Sculpture Derby's home page for guidelines and registration forms. The event takes place May 21, and submit your entry form by April 15 to get free T-shirts for your team.

Source: USAirways; Henry Pyatt, Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby; Matt Glaser, Turner Investments, CDI
Writer: Sue Spolan

JJ Tiziou wants to share. And he wants you to share too. "You have to give people a voice," says Tiziou, a Philadelphia photographer and all around activist for the arts. "Everyone has a voice, but TV and billboards have such louder voices." Tiziou is the force behind the massive public art project How Philly Moves, the 50,000 square foot Mural Arts Program gateway project for the Philadelphia International Airport, scheduled for completion this June. Philadelphia's dancers are the subject, and everyone gets involved.

Tiziou is all about the crowd. As a community photographer, he's taken tens of thousands of pictures of Philadelphia residents. Some will end up in the airport mural, and some will grace the facade of the Kimmel Center as part of a projection project that will run during the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts.

Tiziou's passion is crowdsourcing: getting lots of citizens to contribute a little bit of time and and a little bit of money. People still want to express themselves as artists, and for that matter, says Tiziou, as investigative journalists, but these days major funding is scarce on all creative fronts. Who will pay for materials, or for the electric bill at the studio? "It used to be that there were gatekeepers," says Tiziou. Magazine editors did the selection, but also paid contributors. With the web, explains Tiziou, there is no formal exchange. A photographer can self-publish thousands of images, and people have come to expect all kinds of content without the price tag. "I want good stuff to be out there," says Tiziou. "That's the challenge. And an audience can be a powerful thing. The crowdsourcing component is key to the new paradigm. People need to be paid for their time in a sustainable way."

Tiziou cites Kickstarter and spot.us, two thriving examples of crowdsourced funding for creative projects. If each person contributes just a few dollars, the collective can provide money for major endeavors in both the arts and journalism. Tiziou also runs community supported house concerts out of his rowhome in University City. He asks the audience to make a donation to support the musicians as well as the venue.

Right now, you can stop by temporary studios set up in empty retail space on the top floor of The Gallery at Market East to see the How Philly Moves project in progress. And you can join the project's final Community Paint Day at The Gallery on Saturday, March 12.

Source: JJ Tiziou
Writer: Sue Spolan
Photo by Danilo Balladares

It's a museum at your fingertips. Drexel University's Goodwin College has teamed up with the National Constitution Center for a mobile app that brings a new layer of richness to the center's collections, and virtually brings those collections right out the door. Available at this time for iPhone and iPod users, the basic NCC app is free to download from the iTunes Store and includes news, links to the museum's store and blog, and admission information including hours, tickets and directions.

For a small fee, add interactive multimedia tours of both permanent and traveling exhibitions. That's a revenue stream with long term potential, because shows that stop at the NCC go on the road, and the app remains attached for the life of the exhibit.

Cory Schmitt is director of learning technologies at Goodwin, and he explains that when he started working at Drexel, the mobile tour collaboration with the NCC was somewhat of a back-burner idea. He and Kerry Sautner, who is both an adjunct instructor at Drexel and director of public programs at the NCC, saw iPods as a way to open up a lot of possibilities for engagement and fun.

Since then, Schmitt and team have developed a total of nine iPod tours for the museum. "Three or four are for permanent exhibits, and the rest are for traveling," says Schmitt. In June, the team will launch a tour to go along with a George Washington exhibit coming from Mount Vernon. That show is slated to travel for ten years, and the 99-cent app goes along with it.

Schmitt points out that the app is accessible globally, not just to people visiting the Constitution Center, citing value for "anyone who is interested in US history and democracy," and emphasizing that the NCC offering is living, with news and version updates.

The Constitution Center app, says Schmitt, is the first step in collaborations with local and national museums. "Now that we've completed research and development and have a template, we can go to other institutions and produce their mobile apps as well." Schmitt says his team hopes to develop the NCC app for Android and other mobile platforms.

Source: Cory Schmitt, Goodwin College, Drexel University

Writer: Sue Spolan

Love to love ya, baby, when we're talking about Philadelphia. The official LOVE gift shop is now open seven days a week at the Visitors Center on JFK Boulevard at 16th. On offer are 3 kinds of Valentine's gift baskets, plus miniature replicas of the famous LOVE sculpture, mugs, umbrellas, coasters, T-shirts and more. All items are gift wrapped free. There's also an online gift shop if you want LOVE delivered to your door.

Here's a look at other Valentine's Day finds around town:

VOWS, NOT VOWELS
Urban Outfitters launches a much anticipated wedding line this Valentine's Day, but what's up with the brand name? BHLDN does not trip easily off the tongue, or the page. Jennifer D'Aponte, BHLDN's marketing manager, explains that it's pronounced 'beholden.' Heirloom quality wedding gowns, bridesmaid ensembles, party dresses, jewelry, headpieces, footwear, and lingerie are curated to reflect the whimsy of Anthropologie with the modern styling of the Urban brand. Pop the question or say yes on Feb. 14, then head over to BHLDN and pick your entire outfit. The brand's first physical store opens in August. No word yet on where.

IT'S ONLY A LITTLE KINKY
Rittenhouse Square's Terra Mia bills itself as "the nation's only true organic nail spa," and offers reasonably priced thrills with the Blindfolded Manicure for Two. Or pedicure, or both, if you're nasty. The salon, which was built with recycled and sustainable materials, uses water based polish, so there's no unpleasant odor. Terra Mia is also offering half off taking it all off: from Feb. 11-14, get 50 percent off Brazilian or bikini waxing.

DEFLOWERED
Love the earth and love your lady with organic, sustainably grown blooms. Hana & Posy is Philadelphia's "eco-friendly florist" and won Philadelphia Magazine's Best of Philly 2010. The Old City shop is run by Kayo Higashimura, a former veterinarian who infuses bouquets with the style of her native Japan. Hana & Posy also sells gifts. You can shop for flowers and more online, and be sure to order early for the best selection. For last-minute shopping, call the store to arrange same-day delivery.

Source: LOVE Gift Shop, BHLDN, Terra Mia, Hana & Posy
Writer: Sue Spolan

Flying Bytes is innovation nuggets from around Greater Philadelphia:

RIDING AROUND IN YOUR OLD BLUE JEANS:: there's been a huge increase in eco-friendly automotive offerings, all on display at the 2011 Philadelphia International Auto Show, but Ford goes one better, offering recycled denim seat cloth on some 2012 models, according to Violet Marley, who represents the car maker at the convention, which runs through Feb. 11. Also, this just in from The Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia: 2011 show attendance jumped 28.4 percent from last year's opening weekend. That translates to 65,984 attendees in just two days, the third largest tally in the show's history.

DRIVEN TO ABSTRACTION: This is the last week you can catch Beyond Abstraction at the Center For Emerging Visual Artists at 1521 Locust Street, Philadelphia. Curated by Katrin Elia, the group show gathers the work of eight contemporary artists working in a range of media from canvas to video. While most shows begin with a subject in search of an artist, says Elia, Beyond Abstraction gathered artists first and came up with the umbrella concept later.

CAR POOL EQUITY: LLR Partners, a private equity mezzanine finance company, continues to grow, announcing four new hires this week. Jack Slye is the firm's new Vice President; Irene Lisyansky and Brian Berkin are LLR's newest Senior Associates, and Scott Williams takes the lead as Senior Analyst. LLR manages over $1.4 billion, providing interim and secondary financing to middle market companies in the 'financial, health care and business services, information technology, and education." Recently, LLR invested in Avenues: The World School, a private K-12 to open its flagship in Manhattan, with schools planned for major cities around the world.

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE EXPANSION: Pulsar Informatics, a research facility that specializes in the "assessment of cognitive performance and fatigue risk management," has outgrown its original space in the University Science Center Port Business Incubator and is moving to quarters that are triple the size on the Science Center's campus. Pulsar's fatigue assessment tools are now in use by the Department of Defense, The Federal Aviation Administration, and NASA, among others.

Source: Violet Marley, Ford; Katrin Elia, Beyond Abstraction; LLR Partners, Pulsar Informatics
Writer: Sue Spolan

From bars and tone to brick and mortar in a matter of months, PhillyCAM, the city's new public access television station, is moving to permanent headquarters in a former photography studio in Center City. While PhillyCAM, which is short for Philadelphia Community Access Media, took 27 years of activism to establish, it's about to set down roots at 7th and Ranstead, just a block west of Independence Mall.

Back in the 1980s, when the city's cable providers moved in, franchise agreements called for dedicated public access channels. But it took years of grassroots efforts to make the bandwidth a reality. In October 2009, with Gretjen Clausing taking the lead as Executive Director, PhillyCAM began broadcasting on Comcast and Verizon, and in mid 2010 opened up a temporary facility at The Painted Bride in Old City. With a growing roster of 230 member contributors, Clausing says PhillyCAM's programming schedule now runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Premiering this week are two youth produced programs: Girls Talk TV and the 30 minute drama Double Lives.

Membership, open to all area residents, provides programming privileges. Any member can submit a program, says Antoine Haywood, Membership and Outreach Director. In order to use cameras and editing equipment, members become certified through workshops, or by placing out with a qualifying exam.

PhillyCAM facility will boast an express studio for live shots that's visible from the street, a commons, a media lab, editing suites and a 1,000 square foot sound stage for larger productions. The project, designed by Center City's Metcalfe Architecture, is set to begin within the next few weeks, and scheduled for completion in June.

Source: Gretjen Clausing, Antoine Haywood, PhillyCAM
Writer: Sue Spolan

You've got to serve somebody. That's the message of newly launched ServePhiladelphia. It's an easy to use database that connects free people with places in need. Pick an area of interest from a pull down menu: Community Building, Education, Health, Leadership, Sustainability and more, and choose from dozens of projects that need your help. Selections run the gamut from gardening in the Wissahickon, to food distribution, to helping the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia translate English language guides into Vietnamese.

A city-led initiative, ServePhiladelphia launched this past Saturday, kicking off at the Free Library of Philadelphia with a project to get books to children learning to read. The initiative has a three part mission: to "create or elevate volunteer opportunities that impact educational outcomes and contribute to community vitality, to make it easier for citizens of every age to volunteer, and to support both public and private sector efforts to engage more volunteers in ways that have the greatest impact," according to Mayor Michael Nutter's kickoff message.

Nutter also announced the 2011 Volunteer Impact Challenge, with a three-time-a-year recognition ceremony for participants. Registration for ServePhiladelphia is simple, and allows citizens to bookmark interesting assignments as well as track hours. The initiative also has a Facebook page.

ServePhiladelphia is made possible by a Cities of Service Leadership Grant, allowing the hire of Catie C. Wolfgang, the City's first Chief Service Officer, and the establishment of the Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service. Cities of Service is a bipartisan coalition founded in New York City by 17 mayors working together to increase volunteerism. From its inception in 2009, Cities of Service now counts over 100 mayors in its ranks.

Source: Mayor Michael Nutter, ServePhiladelphia
Writer: Sue Spolan

It started humbly enough in Northern Liberties, and in a matter of months, Fourth Wall Arts Salon has taken center stage as a new kind of traveling variety show, coupling performing and fine arts with all the best aspects of new economy thinking. Sustainable, light, distributed and organic, Fourth Wall Arts Salon is back in a big way in 2011 this Saturday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at WHYY Studios in downtown Philadelphia.

Elijah Dornstreich, who founded Fourth Wall along with painter Keir Johnston and performer Ali "Brinae Ali" Bradley, says, "The year is shaping up incredibly for Fourth Wall. The level of our partnerships with city institutions in the next six months has really soared right to the top." While last year's events took place at some previously unexplored and almost secret venues like Steel Pony, a South Philadelphia clothing manufacturer, Fourth Wall has garnered the attention of the city's major cultural institutions. Events are planned for the University of the Arts, the brand new National Museum of American Jewish History on Independence Mall, The Mural Arts Program and the University of Pennsylvania. Also, check out Fourth Wall Presents: Art at The Sporting Club, a multi-level art exhibit running now through March, with a free opening this Thursday, Jan. 27, from 6-8 p.m.

This Saturday's event, in partnership with WHYY, the Delaware Valley's premiere public broadcasting outlet, includes host and spoken word artist Nina "Lyrispect" Ball, musician Tev Smith, poet Ms. Wise, dancer Jocelyn Isaac, The Jimmy Crack Corn Experiment jazz ensemble, magician/performance artist Ran'D Shine, and DJ Supreme on the turntables, along with work from visual artists Brad Carney and Liam Dean. For more information on the event and participating artists, visit Fourth Wall Arts Salon. Advance purchase price is $15, and price at the door is $20. Advance tickets are available through TicketLeap.

Writer: Sue Spolan
Source: Elijah Dornstreich, Fourth Wall Arts Salon

Flying Bytes is a weekly roundup of innovation news nuggets:

TGIVF: Miss Rachel's Lunch Pantry announces The Downtown Lunch Club, a new uber-healthy weekly lunch delivery service for Center City. Choose from three vegan options, pay just $10 via PayPal, order by Thursday, and get delivery to home or office on Friday. Coming soon: The Navy Yard Lunch Club.

Penn Players: The University of Pennsylvania plays a significant role in the growth of Philadelphia and the region, according to an upcoming report. This week's Penn Current newsletter highlights the statewide economic impact of Penn in 2010, Philadelphia's largest private employer, which "translates into $14.1 billion, and that number reflects a 46.5 percent increase since 2005," when the last report was issued.

Back to Basecamp: Basecamp Business has released the Business Calendar Network app for Android. Joining recent mobile app releases for iPhone and iPad, the Android app allows entrepreneurs to search for upcoming networking events by location and type, and lets users know if they can get their grub on.

Nutter for the Arts: Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has long been a proud supporter of the city's art scene, with strong ties to the Mural Arts Program and Philly's music community. This week Nutter received the 2011 Public Leadership in the Arts Award, hosted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Americans for the Arts. Mayor James Brainard of Carmel, Indiana and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson also received the award.

Cultural Cash Flow: The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance announced 40 winners of Project Stream seed grants, totaling more than $95,000. Local nonprofit arts groups and performers include Crossroads Music, Delaware County Community College and The Youth Orchestra of Bucks County. Recipients receive up to $3,000 each, and the initiative is funded by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts' (PCA) Partners in the Arts program, with additional support from PECO.

Writer: Sue Spolan

Party people need party places and PhillySpaceFinder hits the spot. With 163 venues in its database, PhillySpaceFinder is a powerful, free, and flexible tool to help groups, meetings, weddings, and performance events locate the perfect room.

The service began as a paperback guide called The Space Directory back in the early 1990s, published by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. Bringing the listing online creates a searchable database. According to Karim Olaechea, Public Relations Manager for the Cultural Alliance, the quest for a venue starts by narrowing down by type and specific neighborhood or radius around a zip code. "There's a lot of really key information about each space, including dimensions, cost, capacity, and permitted uses. Once you find a place, you can see what activities are allowed, if there are restrictions, hours of operation and overall policies." Each listing provides direct contact information.

PhillySpaceFinder is a joint effort co-sponsored by GPCA, the Theater Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, Philadelphia Music Project and Dance USA Philadelphia. The effort grew out of NYC Performing Arts Spaces, a similar initiative pioneered by the nonprofit umbrella group FracturedAtlas, but the Philadelphia version adds venue photos, interactive maps, and the ability to mark favorites and save searches.

Olaechea adds that "it's also a great resource for the venues themselves, because they can use the directory to get real revenues." There is no charge to list a space on the directory.

Source: Karim Olaechea, GPCA

Writer: Sue Spolan

When technology and art get it on, virtual sparks fly. Breadboard/EKG at the University City Science Center is calling for artists to participate in two public art projects that integrate mobile devices. The first, called DIS*LOCATIONS, "uses art to spiff up abandoned, vacated storefronts," says Dan Schimmel, Director of Breadboard. The second, Virtual Art @PIFA, is billed as "a series of site-specific virtual artworks throughout the city of Philadelphia," to be viewed via The Virtual Public Art Project's free Layar App for most iPhone and Android smart phone devices.

DIS*LOCATIONS is part of the City of Philadelphia's ReStore Corridors through Art program and is sponsored by The Leonard Pearlstein Gallery at Drexel University, in partnership with Breadboard and Drexel's Center for Mobilities Research. According to Schimmel, each DIS*LOCATIONS artist will be assigned an empty storefront, and will either create an installation inside the shop window or design a scrim to overlay the exterior surface of the building. Here's where technology comes into play: a QR code, which is a version of the bar code that smart phones can read, will accompany each artwork. Schimmel says passers by will use their phones to take a picture of the code and direct them to a website, as well as point to other projects in a walking path. DIS*LOCATIONS becomes a technology driven street art exhibit that's also a walking tour, meant to engage existing businesses and create new foot traffic.

Virtual Art @ PIFA is part of the upcoming citywide Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts which begins in April. Artists are asked to create virtual installations connected to real places in the city. "In Augmented Reality," says Schimmel, an artwork "could be floating over the South Street Bridge, or sitting in Rittenhouse Square." A smart phone running the Layar app recognizes GPS coordinates, and a 3D image appears on the screen. Schimmel has been deep into Augmented Reality, or AR, since Breadboard and the Virtual Public Art Project (VPAP) collaborated on a pilot project last November. "AR seems to be on the verge of changing our lives in terms of commercial and social activity." For example, says Schimmel, "If you go to a museum with a smart phone and view a mummy in a glass case, AR provides immersive enhancement to the exhibit. An animated mummy could walk out, and proceed to do things that would be customary for that time period." Or imagine walking into a shopping mall where you are identified as a potential customer. Retailers will send images and messages tailored to your profile and location.

Deadline for both applications is mid-February.

Source: Dan Schimmel, Breadboard

Writer: Sue Spolan