ACM SIGGRAPH 2001-2002 Project Grant Awards

The recent ACM SIGGRAPH delegation to southern Africa ( 2000-2001.html) learned a great deal about the computer graphics activity in the region. Among the issues identified, two stand out: the need to help the graphics people in the area understand how a professional association works so they can build a stable and productive association of their own, and the state of educational resources in computer graphics in that region and how we might assist them in developing these resources for the benefit of the graphics field generally. This proposal is a project to increase volunteer experience and educational activity in southern activity. It will provide partial travel support for four educators from that region who have already received Educators Conference Grants to come to the SIGGRAPH 2001 conference so they may be more effective contributors to their regional association and so they may contribute more fully to the educational activity in the region.

Caveat: The Project Grants committee does NOT normally consider travel grants to be projects. This is a special case as it is part of a broader, strategic initiative of the organization.

It also should be noted that while this grant was approved in the 2000-2001 fiscal year, it will be carried out in the 2001-2002 fiscal year.

SIGGRAPH has been exhibiting Interactive Installations and performance works since the earliest art shows were established. From the onset, SIGGRAPH has archived all of the computer graphic animations selected for viewing in both the evening show and screening rooms, but little has been done to archive the interactive works. With the exception of 1988, the Art Show catalogs document the work displayed with a 2D image at best. More than a 2D image is needed to understand and explore this critical work.

The works are time-based and need to be documented in a more detailed fashion. This project will put together an online multimedia documentation of the works and historical information about the artists would be a benefit to the medium from 1974 onward.

This project, in collaboration with the Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org), is intended as the first phase of a permanent library of the best of computer graphics throughout its history, which itself will be a core component of a larger Internet Archive of Animation. We propose to: design; feasibility study; and proof-of-concept of an online archive of the works shown over the years at Siggraph's Electronic Theatre and Animation Screening rooms. This would include rights policy; process for rights clearance; media collection and conversion; and storage and serving infrastructure from the Internet Archive.