[Hidden-announce] Explore connecting the Region to the Growing Digital Marketplace

[webmaster]

REGIONAL OFFICIALS, ENTREPRENEURS AND ACADEMICS 
TO EXPLORE CONNECTING THE REGION TO THE GROWING DIGITAL MARKETPLACE

When: Tuesday, Oct. 3
Time: 5 - 7 p.m.
Where: The Jones Library basement room, Amity Street, Amherst.

Regional economic leaders, government officials and new media
entrepreneurs will meet from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3 in the
basement room at the Jones Library, Amity Street, Amherst, to share
short presentations on the growing digital marketplace and discuss how
the Pioneer Valley can leverage this sector for economic development.

The digital marketplace - also called new media - represents the
transmission of digital content to a variety of platforms from video
games to cell phones, laptops to movie theaters and the classroom. The
new media represents one of the fastest-growing and most lucrative
global markets.

The great news is that the region has some of the top film and new media
academic departments in the world, along with some of the top content
producers and new media techies. (See www.hidden-tech.net under "past
events" and Valley Goes Hollywood for examples) Even better, the new
media represents clean industry that's conducted on PCs, servers, or in
sound studios, and often within homes and small offices sprinkled
throughout the region. There may be a new media entrepreneur next door,
but you'd never know it.

Economic developers and government officials throughout the Pioneer
Valley are exploring a number of ways to breed economic development
through the studio arts, if not digital arts. For example, Franklin
County is promoting a creative initiative for artists and several
communities promote gallery evenings, artist studio walks, etc.- Private
developers, including those at Eastworks in Easthampton, Open Square in
Holyoke, and Richard Slobody and Barry Roberts --both in Amherst -- are
already creating space for technology entrepreneurs and artists without
advertising their space for the new media entrepreneurs in their midst.

What's needed to grow this sector is a synergy between all of these
players and the academic community to connect, cross-fertilize and
assist each other. Right now academics and new media entrepreneurs
rarely connect. The fact that the region is a hot-bed of new media
activity is not known to many outside of this niche. Cities and towns in
this region are drowning in high property taxes, yet this burgeoning
cluster, which could be acceptable to many with environmental concerns,
isn't being nurtured.

The Hidden-Tech board and other regional institutions and organizations
(listed below) are backing this Oct. 3 meeting to foster learning about
this sector and determine how best to leverage it for the benefit of the
Hidden-Tech network and the entire region. The event is free and the
public is invited to attend.

Amy Zuckerman, Principal of A - Z International Associates, and
Amherst-based strategic marketing firm, will facilitate. Zuckerman will
represent the boards of Hidden-Tech and the Regional Technology
Corporation.

The following new media entrepreneurs are offering short presentations:

-        Tom Adams - Reelife Documentary Productions Williamsburg

-        Raf Anzovin - Anzovin Studio - Amherst animator

-        Nancy Fletcher -   Executive Director, 
Act Now! and President, Fletcher Associates 
Public Relations - Media for Youth Development - Belchertown

-        Claudia Gere - President, Claudia Gere & Co. and Gere Publishing

-        Silvana Gravini Gravini.net Web development, Holyoke/Northampton

-        Paul Hake - Paul Hake Productions -- 
Advanced Media Development, Greenfield

-        Mary C. McKitrick - MCM Voices - Voice-Overs, Florence

-        Jon Reed Vice President of SAPtips and 
owner of ECA books Tech/trade publishing, Northampton

-        Joe Minton - Digital Development 
Management - Video Game Agent, Northampton

-        Carlyn Saltman - Your Story Matters - 
Personal history videographer & documentary filmmaker, Greenfield/Turners

The following officials and/or institutions are 
planning to attend among others:

-        State Rep. Ellen Storey

-        The Small Business Development Center

-        Samalid Hogan, staff member, The Pioneer 
Valley Regional Planning Commission

-        Ira Bryck, director, the UMass Family Business Center;

-        Craig Nicholson and Glenn Caffery of the UMass IT Program

-        John Coull, executive director, the Amherst Chamber of Commerce

-        Ann Hamilton, president, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce

-        Rick Feldman, president, the Northampton Chamber of Commerce,

-        Robert Riddle, Development officer, Hampshire College

-        Leo Hwang-Carlos, Associate Dean of 
Humanities, Greenfield Community College

-        Dee Boyle-Clapp, Project Coordinator, 
Fostering the Arts & Culture Partnership, Greenfield Community College

-        Hidden-Tech

-        Regional Technology Corporation

The following officials and developers can not 
attend, but asked to be kept informed of the proceedings:

-        Ellen Bemben, President, Regional Technology Corporation

-        Teri Anderson, Economic Development 
Coordinator, the Northampton Mayor's Office of Economic Development

-        John Aubin, owner, Open Square, Holyoke

 Contact: Amy Zuckerman, az at a-zinternational.com , 413-253-4124

 



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