As we begin July, many are taking summer vacations to different countries, a different state, or perhaps just the rugged terrain of their own backyard.  For those who would like a little virtual escape, this week’s roundup throws us back to AMT Lab articles that featured digital collections, apps and innovations from around the world.

These locales are exotic to us here in Pittsburgh, PA, but we know our readership is spread out across the globe.  Feel free to share your own arts/tech summer adventures (at home or abroad) in the comments!

Europe

Denmark

In early 2013 we featured the Danish language platform “HintMe” that uses Twitter to make artwork accessible to mobile users.

Netherlands

The Rijksmuseum has some great arts and tech features, from their digital collections to what organizations can learn about their website redesign.

 

Finland

In 2011 we profiled the Savonlinna Festival’s crowdsourced, full-length opera, “Opera By You”.  Unfortunately the wreckamovie website is no longer available, leaving mainly the original previews, but it is still fascinating to learn about the original process!

 

Spain

In 2013, we shared Madrid's project libroexpress, a vending machine lending library in the city’s main train station.  As the article notes, all literature on the project is all in Spanish; however, by the looks of it this project is still very much alive!

 

Italy

Carnegie Mellon’s arts management program shares a dual degree program with University of Bologna, and we have had a few contributors live there and cover their arts and tech discoveries while abroad.  Some of that coverage included sharing Parma’s la Casa del Suono (House of Sound), a museum dedicated to the history and evolution of sound creation and transmission.

 

Germany

The Digital Concert Hall provides viewers with live musical broadcasts from the Berlin Philharmonic.  They continue to add to their collection, which for a fee can be streamed on mobile devices, tablets, or television/computer monitors.

 

England

England plays host to the CultureCode initiative, a still-active organization that seeks to bring together techies with artists.  While the links in the 2012 AMT Lab article don’t work, it’s interesting to see how the project has evolved.

 

France

While here in the USA we are familiar with Khan Academy, fewer may be familiar with the French web-based platform, Canal Educatif.  This 2012 article introduces the website, which is totally dedicated to teaching art history.  The website is still functioning and has numerous offerings for English-speakers (including a convenient English language homepage.)

 

Asia

Bhutan

The Kingdom of Bhutan, located between China and india, introduced the concept of Gross National Happiness way back in the 1970’s. This 2012 AMT Lab article shares artist Jonathan Harris’s journey to illustrate this through balloons in a project called Balloons of Bhutan.  Check out the website, which is still up.

 

China

This article discusses the joining of two chinese companies, Kuukie and NeochaEDGE, to allow Chinese businesses to access the works of local artists in order to design original business cards online.

 

India (and Germany)

This 2011 article introduces Project Y, a public art project that was part of a celebration of the diplomatic relations between India and Germany.  It featured numerous works that revolve around two rivers: the Yamuna in India and Elbe River in Germany. The showcase set out to share the stark difference in water quality between the two rivers.

 

Australia

 

This throwback to 2010 predicted the huge impact that social media would have on the arts--using Australia as an example.  An interesting read into how Australia’s early adopting of things like Tweet Seats and digital marketing were predictors for the future.

This 2012 article highlights a mobile app called The O, an early predecessor to other museum apps, which was introduced at Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art.