- Dr Richard Barbrook
- Dr. Richard Barbrook is the author of Pluto Press’s Spring 2007 release Imaginary Futures and has also written a number of highly influential essays on the clash between commerce and cooperation within the Internet, including ‘The Hi-Tech Gift Economy’, ‘Cyber-communism’, ‘The Regulation of Liberty’ and, with Andy Cameron, ‘The Californian Ideology’, published in 1995 it was a controversial critique of the neo-liberal politics of Wired magazine. He has recently published a book on the social groups shaping the information society, The Class of the New (2006). During the early 1980s, he was involved in pirate and community radio broadcasting and helped establish Spectrum Radio, a multi-lingual station in London, and published extensively on radio issues. Between 1995 and 2005, he coordinated the pioneering Hypermedia Research Centre at the University of Westminster and was course leader of its MA in Hypermedia Studies, the first of its kind on offer in Britain. Educated at Cambridge, Essex and Kent Universities, Barbrook is currently a Senior Lecturer of Politics at the University of Westminster.
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- View Richard’s MySpace page
- Alex Veness
- Alex Veness is a London-based artist working with issues of globalisation and the effects of upheaval in post-Soviet Russia as well as exploring the dramatic growth and realignment of the Chinese economy. He produced 16 artworks on paper in airbrush and watercolour for Imaginary Futures. Veness is currently Associate Lecturer in Painting at Wimbledon College of Art, University of the Arts London.
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- View Alex’s website
- Lisa Devaney
- A London-based Publicist, Lisa Devaney’s focus is on emerging technology, Net culture and new entertainment. Beginning her career as a print journalist in New York, winning awards for her feature writing, she transitioned to public relations in the mid-1990s. Working with top agencies, including Hill & Knowlton Public Relations, she introduced new consumer technology products and services, including Microsoft’s Windows XP, and working with Olympus, MTV, Showtime and CondéNast’s CondéNet web properties. During the autumn of 2002, she made international news headlines for co-founding and promoting WeWantWork.com, a campaign for employment for professionals who were made redundant following the collapse of New York City’s economy in the post-9/11 climate.
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- Visit Lisa’s Blog
- M (+44) 07711238173
- Ilze Black
- Ilze Black is a media artist and producer. She has curated numerous media productions, art events and happenings in and around London during last 10 years. She is one of the co-founders of the innovative new media arts collectives AmbientTV.net and Take2030. In 1990s post-Soviet Latvia, Ilze helped to set up the seminal art initiative art bureau OPEN. Her projects focus on network populism, free wireless, open communities and transnational society. Ilze also currently leads Waterman’s new media art programme and is an associate of NodeL and HiveNetworks. Her Here&Now productions produced and directed the video introduction for Imaginary Futures.
- Sarah Platt
- As business director of streaming media company Kinura, as well as working with Tate Modern’s interactive department, Sarah assists the Imaginary Futures team with content development needs. Kinura provides consultation for development of video projects, helping clients construct online video outreach campaigns, including video-on-demand, live webcasting, online presentations, Podcasting, Web TV and strategic consultation. Kinura’s clients include Microsoft, Toyota, Pfizer, ITN, BBC 2, E4 and Tate.
- http://www.kinura.com
- Matt Miller
- After graduating from the University of Westminster with a first class degree in Graphic Information Design in 1998, Matt worked as an Information Designer at Mahony Associates, designing sites for clients such as BT, Syntegra and Reuters. Following a spell at Entranet, Matt worked for the leading design company Navyblue. Specialising in web usability and interface design, Matt has worked on websites for clients such as Boots, Knoll, Ideal Standard and the English National Opera, as well as web applications for the NHS and several e-government initiatives. Matt is also a visiting lecturer at the University of Westminster, where he recently completed his MA in Hypermedia. Matt currently works at Inaria, a brand design agency specialising in luxury brands. He designed the Imaginary Futures website as well as several Flash presentations for Richard Barbrook.
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- Kate Risker
- On completion of a BA (Hons) Event Management in 2005, Kate quickly moved into the entertainment industry as a freelance event coordinator. Since finding her feet in London, she has developed a diverse portfolio of clientele in the art, technology and music event sectors, including Cybersonica, Imaginary Futures and Conran live entertainment restaurants. In addition to this she has just returned from a summer season working on the UK festival circuit, undertaking production work for Glastonbury, Reading and other boutique music festivals.
- Email Kate
The libertarian promise of proletarian communism had morphed into the grim reality of totalitarian Communism.
