In studio: Heartside Gallery & Studio

This week, Sarah Scott of Heartside Gallery and Studio is sharing about her organization. Sarah has been with the studio for ten years, empowering neighborhood residents through art and self-expression. The majority of the studio's artists are or have been homeless at some point. As a project of Heartside Ministries, the studio also looks for volunteers and collects art materials through a variety of methods, including generous neighbors and dumpster diving.

Music this week is Toby Bresnahan's "Endangered Species" from the album Far From Home.

MEDIA ANALYSIS

Filipino newspaper publisher banned from using guestworker program
A Filipino paper is being fined for inappropriately using the guestworker program to fill its ad sales room. The paper, which is published in Tagalog, purported that employees were being hired as journalists. Part of the guestworker program is to bring in talent to fill roles that cannot easily be filled by workforce immediately available. The defending attorney has argued that employees are doubling up in ad sales and reporting.
[Read more: Filipino Reporter, Business Week]

Poynter muses about Read It Later as a channel for long-form journalism
The advent of the Web has resulted in each generation becoming more adept at multitasking. This has led to shorter attention spans. Read it Later is a Web application in which readers can save the text content on a site to read at their leisure. The content is saved so it is consumable offline.
[Read more: Poynter]

Mobile magazine Nomad Editions to launch in October
A group of media entrepreneurs, including a former president of Newsweek, have embarked on a new venture to create a bite-sized, weekly mobile magazine. Each Friday beginning in October, the New York-based startup will publish the mobile magazine, meant to be consumed in about 30 minutes. Each issue will be topical and will have two long-form pieces accompanied by four shorter pieces.
[Read more: New York Times, Poynter, GoMoNews]

German paper tries its hand at augmented reality
A German paper published its first edition with augmented reality features. Augmented reality is often viewed as the third step of the internet, "Web 3.0," in which on top of interactive web content, technology interacts with the real world through devices that are able to identify real objects and add information only visible on the device's screen. The magazine requires the use of a smart phone, but when readers hover the device over the pages, extras and bonus features pop up.
[Read more: Columbia Journalism Review]

2010 Knight News Challenge: Public Radio Exchange Story Market
Public Radio Exchange has won a $75,000 grant to extend a concept and build on the open source software started by Spot.Us, in which the public both pitches story ideas and fund their coverage.
[Read more: Knight, Nieman Lab]

CALENDAR

[EDUCATION] Skeptics in the Pub
Friday, August 27 from 6-9 p.m. at Founders (235 Grandville Ave. SW)
This is event is hosted by the Center for Inquiry for skeptics to talk and share ideas in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. The group discusses the issues of the day and whatever else is on their minds. The idea is to have fun while promoting skepticism, science and rationality. To find the group at Founder's, look for table signs bearing the Center For Inquiry logo. Individuals are responsible for purchasing their own food/beverages. Contact Jennifer Beahan at [email protected] or call (616) 698-2342 for more information.
[More info]

[COMMUNITY EVENT] BACK-TO-SCHOOL: Northeast Park Party
Monday, August 30, 4-7 p.m. at Aberdeen Park (corner of Eastern Ave. and Evelyn St. NE)
GRPS has several back to school neighborhood park parties planned this year with food and helpful information about the district and the upcoming 2010-2011 school year. At this event, there will be GRPS information booths, food, fun games and children's activities. Check The Rapidian calendar for more information.
[More info]

[EDUCATION] Creating a Legacy: The Women of Grand Rapids
Through August 31 at Grand Rapids Public Library (111 Library St.)
This exhibit challenges that myth that women had little impact on public life in the city of Grand Rapids. It is not intended to showcase the most influential or outstanding women in Grand Rapids history but feature individuals who represent many time periods and areas of endeavor in which women have helped give our community its distinctive way of life, like Dr. Pearl Kendrik and Grace Eldering who developed the vaccine against whooping cough, Elizabeth Eaglesfield, the first women to practice law in Grand Rapids, or Evangeline Lamberts, the first woman elected to the Grand Rapids City Commission in 1961. For more information, visit the grpl.org events calendar.
[More info]

[ARTS] NO AGENDA PM
Thursday, September 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Founders (235 Grandville Avenue SW)
The creative public is invited to join AIGA West Michigan for cocktails and conversation with other designers and board members at the NO AGENDA evening get-together. This event is held to allow designers and their friends to network and share ideas. All designers are welcome. For more information, visit the Rapidian calendar.
[More info]

[ENVIRONMENT / LITERATURE] Celebrate The Guardians of Ga'Hoole
Thursday, September 2 from 3 to 4 p.m. at Grand Rapids Public Library Ottawa Hills Branch, 1150 Giddings SE
In this hands-on class for kids 8 and up, Blandford Nature Center staff will use live birds to demonstrate the various characteristics of owls, including feathers, nests, songs, beaks and feet. Kids will discuss the "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" book series by Kathryn Lasky, challenge themselves in a trivia competition, and make a craft based on the series and the upcoming movie "Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole."For more information, visit the GRPL events calendar.

[More info]