W2 Culture + Media House

As reported in the Globe & Mail, 24 Hours, CBC, CTV, The Tyee, Vancouver Observer, Rabble.ca, and elsewhere, W2 has opened its doors to independent journalists and bloggers from around the world—and around the corner. The program runs thru February 2010 and occupies 13,000 square feet of a 1903 heritage building in the heart of the city. Spread over four levels, W2 provides a custom mix of media production resources and an epic mix of daily programming highlighting Vancouver's diverse cultural scene. Participants can expect media events, receptions with international artists, screenings, live video streams from throughout the city, workshops, performances, conferences, and more from inspiring journalists and international artists in residence!

Just want to check us out? Our level 100 gallery is free and open to the public, media makers, and the social media community. To access more services, register for a Basic Media Access Pass or Full Media Access Pass.  Scroll down to review our benefits and services, and check out out printed broadsheet program guide for all the details. If you are on a limited budget and/or DTES resident and seeking a subsidized registration simply contact us to discuss remove registration barriers.

• Full Media Access Pass

  Recommended for individuals and teams who are looking for a home-base during the 2010 Olympics and require secure and dedicated media production supports. This pass provides 24/7 access to all media, cultural and social events to connect with media makers, artists and journalists. A rich mix of work and socializing:

  • Reserved access (includes complimentary beverages) to daily Cinq à Sept Receptions featuring guest hosts and daily speakers (from the sport, culture, media, NGO, and technology communities), live music and DJs, fresh video feeds, hors d’ouevres, and beverages. ($180 value)
  • Complimentary guest passes for your friends and colleagues to Cinq à Sept Receptions ($120 value)
  • Reserved tickets to all cultural events on 100 level ($300 value)
  • Reserved ticket to Fresh Media Olympics conference. ($40 value)
  • Souvenir shwag! Bring home your choice of souvenir W2 Culture+Media House Tshirt and buttons! ($20 value)
  • Access to three levels of the House: 100, 300, 400 levels
  • Salt Spring Coffee Co. fair trade organic coffee, your own souvenir mug with unlimited supply of fuel
  • Daily press briefings between 9am and 12noon from local and international NGOs, athletes, Cultural Olympiad artists and cultural organisations
  • Rendezvous, meeting, and interview studio
  • Secure premium high speed internet
  • Dedicated fully wired computer work stations
  • Printing and Zip Courier service (at-cost rush courier to local and international destinations)
  • Photography and scanning service (additional cost applies)
  • In-house silkscreening print services (caps, patches, tshirts,..)
  • Final Cut Pro editing suite
  • In-house Technical support
  • Access to W2 TV broadcasting platform
  • Limited access to video footage from W2 camera crews
  • Interpretation services (Mandarin, French, Spanish, Dutch, Korean.)
  • Local guides familiar with the Cultural Olympiad, socio-economic issues of the Downtown Eastside, and 2010 Olympics’ issues.
  • Ticketing service for cultural events

     Basic Media Access

        Recommended for individuals who have their own laptops and are looking for a media and culture  
        hub to connect with media makers, artists and journalists.
        Mix working and socializing with this package:

• Secure wireless internet
• Open access/unreserved work stations on Level 100 ONLY
• Gallery exhibitions
• Daily press briefings between 9am and 12noon from local and international NGOs, athletes, Cultural Olympiad artists and cultural organisations
• Admission to daily Cinq à Sept Reception featuring guest hosts and daily speakers (from the sport, culture, media, NGO, and technology communities), live music and DJs, fresh video feeds, hors d’ouevres, and beverages. Cinq à sept refers to “five to seven”, pronounced “sank-ah-set,” is a Québec French term for a time in the afternoon intended to be spent with friends and colleagues.

What we are about:

W2 Culture + Media House is making history as the first and likely last independent social media centre during an Olympics. Beijing was too controlled and London is expected to integrate social media having learned from Vancouver's inability to control and monetize the social media community.

W2 is taking it a step further and presenting 150 Djs, Vjs, visual and media artists, filmmakers, designers to reflect a diverse mix of Vancouver culture. We are also flying over a dozen artists and media makers from Europe and the USA. The W2 social media team will blog and tweet throughout the day and night maintaining the buzz and webcasting our programs live to a global audience. W2 has 25 in-house videographers, as well as our Fearless City Mobile team of 20 DTES mobile streamers. Lots of content, lots of excitement 24 hours/day across the street from the revitalized Woodward’s site.

W2 is largely volunteer-run with 175 volunteers trained and working on several working groups (operations; technical; events; cafe/catering; security). With a strong foundation of community interest, and without public subsidy, the W2 Culture + Media House relies on private sector sponsorships and a high volume of participants
to be sustainable. W2 provides the infrastructure for unaccredited media to work and play, and brings our 13,000 sq ft of space to life with an influx of Vancouver artists, designers and not-for-profits for daily media events and public celebrations. Our front facade is packaged up with a super hot “Fire with Fire” video installation that plays nightly on Hastings Street, courtesy of the Cultural Olympiad and Quebec video artist Isabelle Hayeur.

The W2 provides resources and support for independent journalists and bloggers from BC and around the world who are covering events for their local publication or media outlet. W2 collaborates within the social media and community media landscape in Vancouver and has invited key players to work with the project and make a major impact throughout the Olympics. While there are other social media promotion projects, the W2 Culture + Media House is the only physical space and infrastructure provider for social media during the Olympics outside of the BCIMC.

Program Highlights: (tickets included with Full Media Access Pass)

1. February 3: The Real Vancouver Writer's Series
2. February 4: 2nd Annual CrossRoads Slam Open Mic, poetry Slam and short film Festival
3. February 6: Hot One Inch silver medalists show featuring 50 Vancouver artists: Alan Ashton, Andrea Zariwny, Barb Clayden, Brent Clowater, Carl Oxley III, Carmen Wagner, Chandra V. Halko, Christopher Ellis, Christopher Williams, Colin McFarland, Daisy Chia, Dalia Vukmirovich, Darcy Paterson, David Fleming-Saraceno, David Shane, Ehren Salazar, Eileen Soo, Erica-May Chan, Erin Cooper, Erin Griffin, Erin Watkins, Gord Bruce, Hayley Arlidge, Jackson Smith, Janos Sitar, Jen Crothers, Joanne White, Justin Longoz, Karin Vengshoel, Kate Zisman, Kazuko Kusumoto, Kim Kalanj, Kris Brownlee, Lara Smith, Laura Mcintyre, Leslie Supnet, Malcolm Van Delst, Matt Bowen, Meghan Deutscher, Michelle Chau, Michelle Kuen Suet Fung, Miranda Pang, Neal Michael, Paul Edmondson, Phresha, Polly Nomial, Rachael Ashe, Rose Poon, Theresa Wong, and Tiffany Monk.
4. Feb 10: 9:30am Official Opening W2 Culture + Media House with Mayor Gregor
5. Feb 12 - Sun. Feb. 14: Downtown Art Walk
6. Feb 12: Foo’s Ho Ho dinner
7. Feb 13: Downtown ArtWalk AfterParty with 3 Women DJs for Pre-Valentine’s Bash $10
8. Feb 14: Chinese New Year Parade 9:30-11am
9. Feb 14: DTES Art Walk DTES CAN afterparty
10. Feb 16: Dustin Rivers - Squamish community opening
11. Feb 17: Foo’s Ho Ho pre-conference dinner
12. Feb 17: 10am-11am State of the Arts Press Conference
13. Feb 17: 2pm Fireside Chat
14. Feb 17: Neografik outdoor digital graffiti installation
15. Feb 18: AND – CONTRACT
16. Feb 18: Fresh Hot Type II
17. Feb 19: Foo’s Ho Ho dinner
18. Feb 19: Robert van Kranenburg - The Internet of Things
19. Feb 19: 9pm African Dance Party, Ezeadi Onokwulu
20. Feb 20: 3pm AND - COMPETE SALON DISABILITY ARTS Geoff McMurchy and Ruth Gould
21. Feb 20: 7pm AND - COMPETE SALON
22. Feb 20: 9pm – Sun Feb 21 2am: Bikes Inside: Indoor, head-to-head bike races with the Gastown Sprints! Disco, electro and dubstep by the Soft Infiltrators & Live dirty pop electro by Autacoid. Plus Bicycle Art, Prizes. bikesinside.com.
23. Feb 21 – Feb 28: Talking Stick Festival
24. Feb 21: AND - INFECT
25. Feb 21: Neografik outdoor digital graffiti installation
26. Feb 21: OMGIMON.TV party
27. Feb 22: Fresh Media Olympics Conference
28. Feb 22: Dustin Rivers opening
29. Feb 22: Lisa Jackson film night Art Without Reservations (Bravo TV Production) and NFB film screening of ‘Savage.’
30. Feb 23: Dustin Rivers - Squamish community opening
31. Feb 23: Annual national Homelessness Marathon program will be held overnight Feb 23-24
32. Feb 23: Inukshop – Innu Filmmakers ISUMA TV direct form Iqaluit, Nunavut
33. Feb 25: Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights Day
34. Feb 25: Mayor Gregor visit
35. Feb 25: 2:30pm – Lawrence Lessig (direct via internet from Harvard University)
36. Feb 26: OASIS Queer Party with DJ tobias
37. Feb 27: Expo 86 Remix Party hosted by Hard Rock Miners
38. Feb 27: Michael Barnholden Metis Reading & Photos 2-4pm
39. Feb 28: curated hip hop show