Robots and Power Tool Races and Free Ice Cream, Oh, My!!

We at EGS are well aware that Artscape is coming up but I have been hearing about something called Betascape. I know a dear friend of EGS is involved but I wanted to learn more. Betascape will be taking place at MICA at the same time as Artscape. According to the Betascape website,

“From July 16 - 18th, 2010, Betascape will showcase innovative technology
through a three-day series of demonstrations, exhibits, workshops, and social
events focused on cutting edge, experimental, and interactive technology.”

Shervonne Cherry gave me some insight to how Betascape came to be. Apparently people in the Baltimore Tech community have been trying to organize something similar to Betascape for some time now to no avail. Cherry states that,

"During a spring Bmore Smart meeting Heather Sarkissian of MP3car invited
Randi Vega from Baltimore Office of Promotion for the Arts (BOPA) and she was
so excited by the energy to help Baltimore, that she asked us how the tech
community could get more involved in what BOPA was doing."

Betascape has been heavily promoting via web and social networking sites about their upcoming event. I was impressed to learn that Betascape is a volunteer run project. Every person involved is passionate about technology in the Baltimore area. Their enthusiasm is contagious! I am very excited to attend their kickoff party on Thursday July 15 at The Windup Space. I have had my tickets for a few weeks now. Note to the wise…tickets are still available, FREE, and there will be FREE ICE CREAM! Be sure to register so they know you are coming. The speakers series will begin at 7:00pm and feature Doug Retzler: The Greening of Art, Zolt Levay: Art from Space, and Kevin 'KAL' Kallaugher: The Art of Political Satire. As the evening moves on there will also be some live music to keep spirits high! This sounds like a great way to kick off make your presence known at Artscape.

The event will be taking place Friday, July 16- Sunday, July 18. Cherry, a volunteer that has been in charge of the advertising also informed me that ,

"Innovate Baltimore is bringing together individuals and educational institutions
across Maryland to showcase their video games. Attendees can get out of the heat
and demo these locally created video games or play arcade favorites like Donkey
Kong, Pac-man, Mortal Kombat, Marvel vs. Capcom, and King of Fighters.”

In other words, we get to play some video games and get out of the heat! Where does EGS sign up?? Video games are not the only thing that will be at Betascape. There will be multiple DIY groups showcasing their work, robotics exhibit-with robots you can play with, and plenty of speakers on hand.

In a press release Bmore Smart- the talented brains behind Betascape,

“The Betascape tent will be located near the MICA Brown Center at 1301 Mount
Royal Avenue and Café Doris located within The Brown Center. You can find out
more about Betascape via the website http://www.betascape.org/, www.facebook.com/betascape , and www.twitter.com/betascape”.

This addition to Artscape seems a tad late but better late than never! We are thrilled for our friends behind Betascape and hope their event is a “Great success” (insert Borat voice here)!

xoxo,

The Divine Miss J