<nettime> Fwd: The .art TLD again: E-Flux are soliciting support for their bid

[Andreas Broeckmann <broeckmann@leuphana.de>]

-------- Original-Nachricht --------
Betreff: 	The Art domain
Datum: 	Wed, 20 Jun 2012 08:02:40 -0400
Von: 	Art-Agenda <art-agenda@mailer.e-flux.com>
	
*e-flux applies to develop the new .art internet domain*


Dear Colleagues,

We are writing to inform you about a new development that will have a
serious impact for art practitioners, institutions of art, and art
publics world wide.

The structure of the internet is about to shift in such a way that most
information pertaining to food will be found in a .food domain, while
most information on cars will likely be found in a .car domain, and so
forth. While at the moment this may appear to be a small technical
modification, it may have very significant consequences in the long run.
For many people, the internet has already become a major educational
tool. And while the internet is the first place we look to when we seek
to learn something, it also has a capacity that goes beyond this: as
millions of people around the world use the internet to find answers to
questions about art, the results they get will, over time, shape their
conception of art.

The authority that controls the internet by managing the database of
addresses of every website and webpage (ICANN), has accepted
applications and announced the list of companies who have applied to
open and manage new top-level domain namesâwhat comes after the dot in
the web address: .com, .org, .uk and so forth. The application process
is now closed; nearly 2000 applications were submitted and more than 500 
new internet domains will be approved within a year, ranging from .baby 
to .berlin and .art.

A full list of new domains that will come into existence in a few months 
can be viewed _here
<http://interspire.e-flux.com/link.php?M=91575&N=3067&L=6090&F=H>_.

It is incredibly important for all of us that the Art domain on the
internet be developed by a knowledgeable and responsible party, and in a 
focused and accessible way. e-flux has applied for the rights to develop 
and administer the .art domain, with the hopes of maintaining and 
distributing such a domain in a way that emphasizes the quality,
content, and educational and ethical values of the art
communityâsomething we have been able to achieve with the e-flux
announcement service for over a decade. Should we get the rights to
develop the Art domain, an advisory board of artists, art historians,
and curators will be formed to oversee the policies of this important
resource. We have also pledged to return a significant part of the
income produced by this service back to the art community, in the form
of grants and funding for art institutions and projects in places where
art funding is insufficient or entirely lacking.

Beginning in 1999 as an informal mailing list, e-flux is an artist-run
organization that has grown tremendously over the past ten years,
largely due to your involvement. In 2008 we were able to start a free
monthly journal whose readership now extends to many parts of the world.
We have published books and realized many projects, exhibitions,
lectures, and seminars, all of which were made available to audiences
internationally. Most importantly, we have been able to develop and
maintain a truly independent resource for information on contemporary
art that is trusted, highly regarded, and accessible to readers for
free. We envision the Art domain as an important resource for art
professionals, educators, institutions, and especially the public at large.

e-flux is the only applicant from the art community and we feel that
it's extremely important that the Art domain be managed from within our
community. The process of evaluating our application has started and we
are up against corporate investors and commercial interests, some of
whom have many millions to spend, and who have secured high power law
firms, etc.

For those of you who would like to learn more about e-flux's plans and
commitment to the art community as it regards to .ART TLD, please review 
our application at _here
<http://interspire.e-flux.com/link.php?M=91575&N=3067&L=6091&F=H>_.

We need your support to keep the domain of Art in the community of
people who make, study, present, and love art. ICANN is now accepting
public comments, which can be made via _this link
<http://interspire.e-flux.com/link.php?M=91575&N=3067&L=6088&F=H>_. The
comments will be considered by independent evaluators and will make a
difference, and your endorsement would be deeply appreciated.

Sincerely,
e-flux


A draft endorsement comment could look like this:

Dear ICANN,

Our organization/individual practitioner, (insert name), is an active
member of the art community since (insert date / year). Our activities
consist of (briefly describe your organization or your professional
activity), as can be seen on our website (insert URL).

We fully support and endorse e-flux's application for the .ART TLD, and
share their forward-looking vision for this innovative name space.

Sincerely,
(insert name of representative)
(insert name of individual/ company / organization)



311 East Broadway
New York, NY 10002, USA 	Contact
http://www.e-flux.com




#  distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission
#  <nettime>  is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
#  more info: http://mx.kein.org/mailman/listinfo/nettime-l
#  archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime@kein.org