Our Creative Technologists have graduated!
Hello, Rachel here, with a story that’s best told through images – warning, LOTS of photos ahead!
When I explain how I started working at Raspberry Pi, it ends up being a pretty long story, with lots of interests that became jobs, unexpected opportunities and chance meetings. At the time it didn’t seem very connected – I just followed what I was interested in at the time, found like-minded people, and tried to share what I love with new people too. Before I joined Raspberry Pi as Artist in Residence in 2013, I ran a small arts venue focused on celluloid film with a darkroom and film lab – I wanted everyone to try shooting and developing their own photos!
I’ve now been at the Raspberry Pi Foundation for three years and I’ve had the chance to meet loads of people involved in digital making, from lots of different backgrounds: computer science professionals, teachers, engineers, design agencies, musicians, artists, tinkerers, makers. The thing that every one of them has in common: they follow what they are interested in, don’t worry too much about what label they have, and just concentrate on doing interesting things they enjoy and sharing them with others.
I had an opportunity last year to run an ambitious programme for a small group of young people. Raspberry Pi Creative Technologists was a one-off project to see how a (mostly) online digital-making mentor programme might work. I wanted to make sure people from lots of different backgrounds were involved.
We had loads of fantastic applications – although almost everyone left it until a minute before the deadline to submit, leaving my nerves in shreds!
We picked a great group of young people:
They all wanted to explore how digital technology could enhance their creative pursuits, and their enthusiasms spanned everything from storytelling to animation to circus skills.
First feature in new @TheMagP1 is our amazing Creative Technologists. Well done folks! #RPCT https://t.co/MSy2KU6dtb pic.twitter.com/C0TJ1M986d
— R (@RachelRayns) July 30, 2015
Over the next 12 months, they developed their interests and skills through mentoring and field trips, starting in Cambridge at Raspberry Pi HQ:
Been great weekend meeting fellow Creative Technologists!
Big thanks to @RachelRayns, @ben_nuttall and @Raspberry_Pi! pic.twitter.com/Wz3lOyhkEO— Andrew Mulholland (@gbaman1) April 19, 2015
Then in Newcastle for Makerfaire UK:
Creative Technologists soldering their @makerfaire_uk badges #rpct pic.twitter.com/DtJ9RfE3tB
— Ben Nuttall (@ben_nuttall) April 25, 2015
Fantastic series of texts from @RachelRayns to the @Raspberry_Pi Creative Technologists at #makerfaireuk today #RPCT pic.twitter.com/VyNPL3Ocgk
— Helen Lynn (@helenlynn) April 25, 2015
In Sheffield with the Pimoroni crew:
Our Creative Technologists start their first workshop at @pimoroni: Intro to using the Camera Module with APIs #RPCT pic.twitter.com/wNK34QUg2n
— Raspberry Pi (@Raspberry_Pi) July 18, 2015
In London at Hellicar & Lewis for an openFrameworks masterclass and Tim Hunkin’s Novelty Automation:
It's only half ten and this is what we've become. @Raspberry_Pi #RPCT @connorbanona pic.twitter.com/VsZRXB9Jsp
— Hannah Rose Burdett (@HRBurdett) October 17, 2015
Our Creative Technologists had an amazing time at Tim Hunkin's @NovAutomation yesterday.Thanks for having us! #RPCT pic.twitter.com/08NMDyNAxO
— Raspberry Pi (@Raspberry_Pi) October 18, 2015
Back in Cambridge again for Raspberry Pi’s fourth birthday party, where they ran and supported workshops and gave talks:
Come and find us at the dots board table and make an airplane or rocket! Bundles of Painting Pi fun! #RPCT pic.twitter.com/2yH7d8P6oV
— RPiCreativeTech 2016 (@RasPiCT) March 5, 2016
In Manchester at the FutureEverything festival, where they ran more workshops:
About to head off for the first day of @FuturEverything :D Ready to be INSPIRED.
— Hannah Rose Burdett (@HRBurdett) March 31, 2016
Chatting to Ruby at Manchester Art Gallery #TheImitationGame pic.twitter.com/o4WDY9i5i5
— Hannah Rose Burdett (@HRBurdett) April 2, 2016
As the creative technologists began to dig into the programme, some found that it challenged their perceptions of their own interests and strengths, and drew on this experience in making decisions to change direction, both within the programme and in their lives outside it:
Proud of #rpct programme for what @radicxl has written! http://t.co/rBN9oad4K2 /cc @RachelRayns pic.twitter.com/DrwKn8Fbrt
— Ben Nuttall (@ben_nuttall) July 26, 2015
The programme culminated with the group’s New Works exhibition, where they revealed the varied and accomplished works that they have developed. They announced it at the Raspberry Pi Big Birthday Bash!
It's official: #RPCT Exhibition to be held at @Raspberry_Pi HQ on the 23rd of April! Stay tuned for a free ticket! pic.twitter.com/MKxbj0Knf2
— RPiCreativeTech 2016 (@RasPiCT) March 6, 2016
The exhibition was hosted at the new Raspberry Pi HQ:
Wonderfully effective capacitance based rope interaction from @OwenDaughtery @RasPiCT pic.twitter.com/zJCLvZzsgQ
— Joel Gethin Lewis (@JoelGethinLewis) April 23, 2016
This was addictive! @connorbanona @iamrobharvey #RPCT pic.twitter.com/V3ARkIVh0s
— Emily Bowers (@emilyjbowers) April 24, 2016
Wrapping up the exhibition. It's been an amazing day! Thanks to all for coming. #ThaliasQuest #rpct pic.twitter.com/FPakC13idC
— Hannah Rose Burdett (@HRBurdett) April 23, 2016
My interactive video is set up at the #RPCT exhibition. Follow @WhoIsTerror to see the true identity of Terror! pic.twitter.com/YcjhZzBHsM
— Yasmin🍁 (@YagmanX) April 23, 2016
And @radicxl has made this RIDONCULOUS projection-mapped popup book. One of many pages – we're speechless w… https://t.co/VFJCX9KNYv
— Raspberry Pi (@Raspberry_Pi) April 22, 2016
3D printed light clock from @miltonio94 @RasPiCT pic.twitter.com/hha0cRfviL
— Joel Gethin Lewis (@JoelGethinLewis) April 23, 2016
One of the best parts of the programme for me was seeing the creative technologists share their work and their new skills with others. They ran workshops at MozFest, FutureEverything and our Big Birthday Bash, as well as meeting with school groups.
https://twitter.com/connorbanona/status/663061377737715712
#RaspberryPi & #Scratch workshop at @WhitworthArt with @radamar @AmyMediaUK & @RasPiCT guys #Futr16 @FuturEverything pic.twitter.com/GJoUyIRhYv
— SharpFutures POD (@SharpFuturesPOD) March 31, 2016
Lovely vibe in the @Raspberry_Pi office today thanks to visits from @MaryMagsPiClub and our #creative technologists pic.twitter.com/AzcHZT173N
— Philip Colligan 🧢 (@philipcolligan) April 22, 2016
And, as if that weren’t enough, four of the group also completed an Arts Award Gold qualification – worth 35 UCAS points – as part of the programme!
@radicxl <3 pic.twitter.com/TZveypqZKx
— R (@RachelRayns) May 24, 2016
little message from the @Raspberry_Pi creative technologists pic.twitter.com/GvN3yPBRKX
— mads (@radicxl) April 30, 2016
I’m incredibly proud of our newly graduated creative technologists and I can’t wait to see what they do next. We’ve gained a great deal from the understanding the programme has given us of working with young people, introducing digital making to an audience from diverse backgrounds, and delivering online mentoring and support. It’s been a hugely valuable experience, and it’s one that will help to shape the work we do in future.
5 comments
Michael Horne
Great stuff, Rachel. It’s been really inspiring to hear all about the CTs’ exploits and was wonderful to be able to come and see their projects at the Exhibition. Congratulations all round :-)
Rachel Rayns
:) thanks.
They are a very inspiring bunch!
Raspberry Pi Staff Liz Upton
I’m going to miss these guys! It’s been really great having them around.
Steve Foster
A superb overview of this inspiring programme. I only wish I had had such a great opportunity when I was this age (but then computers were mahoosive back then). Working with teenagers myself, I know how inspiring, creative and vibrant they can be and having met the Creative Technologists at the PiParty and in their New Works exhibition, they did not disappoint. I left both events encouraged by hearing of their experiences with all the partners involved and a true sense that they valued this chance to ‘do something different’. Thank you to the CT team at RPF for offering such a valuable experience. Can’t help but wonder, will there be anything similar anytime soon?
Mike Cook
It was great meeting these folks at the birthday bash. I wish them all the best in what ever they go on to do. I know it will be good.