Libre Graphics Meeting 2016
By Larisa Blazic, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Media, Arts and Design, University of Westminster
The Libre Graphics Meeting (LGM) is a meeting about free and open source software for graphics such as raster graphics editor Gimp, vector graphics editor Inkscape, desktop publishing software Scribus, free sketching and painting program Krita, 3D creation Blender, among many other amazing projects. Held yearly since 2006 and hosted by a different institution each year, LGM attracts developers, artists, and professionals who use and help improve free and open source software graphics applications. Unlike many events devoted to free and libre open source software, LGM has always had a strong artistic focus, with designers and artists showcasing their work alongside the work of software developers. It is one of the best examples of community and cross-disciplinary engagement in the world of free software graphics.
From 15th–18th April 2016, Westminster School of Media Arts & Design (WSMAD) at the University of Westminster (London) hosted the 11th edition of the Libre Graphics Meeting. LGM16 focused on the topic “Other Dimensions,” encompassing time-based media and the third dimension, as well as new additions to LGM’s established focus on graphics. The full programme of the event details each session’s discussions.
The Software Sustainability Institute kindly sponsored the meeting through Larisa Blazic, one of Institute’s fellows in the 2015 program. Raniere Silva, Community Officer, represented the Institute and delivered a lighting talk about Institute’s work: community building practice, Software Carpentry training workshops and Collaborations Workshops. Raniere also helped the organisers to create traffic on Twitter—whose followers have already increased by a couple of hundreds.
WSMAD generously supported LGM16; staff and students helped with the organisation and delivery of the event. However, the success of this year’s LGB at an educational institution stems from opportunities that were made available for staff and students to get involved. Namely, a student design competition–which included the designing of visual identity, signage, website, programme leaflet, exhibition flyer, wayfinding, keepsakes–and the Libre Graphics pilot workshop.
Over five months, we jointly organised the students competition with Phil Langley, local co-organiser, Colin Bailey, course leader and Hans Reichert, senior lecturer and typography expert, whose invaluable input and help are greatly appreciated. During the competition, Phil diligently helped the students on every aspect of the brief, and, as a result, they created this year’s striking logo and the most effective signage LGM has had according to visitors feedback!
Striking logo created by WSMAD’s students for LGM16.
Libre Graphics pilot workshop attracted staff and students from the BA in Animation, BA in Illustration and Visual Communication, and BA in Graphic Communication Design. This workshop was a three-day event held a year ahead of LGM16 to promote the Libre Graphics culture and practice amongst our young creatives, share our enthusiasm for free software and its ethics, and simply encourage our attendees to use of technology beyond creative consumerism. Staff and students, from 5 different BA courses: Graphic Communication Design, Contemporary Media Practice, Illustration and Visual Communication, Animation, and Photography & Digital Imaging Technologies, helped the participants with registration, information on campus, program or just general chit-chat – they were really great! Hosting free software lovers in the UK high education institution and coordinating non-hierarchical and top-down central organisation can be challenging. However, I’m very happy we stayed on top of most of the global LGM organisation requests and delivered a successful event.
Pat David, a long-term community member, created a lovely series of LGM attendees’ and students’ portraits available on Flicker. Additionally, Gregory Pittman wrote short blog posts about most of the talks (including lighting talks).
LGM16 attracted over 150 participants from Brussels, UK, USA, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Holland, Canada, Brazil, France, Italy, Gambia, Tunisia, Portugal, Greece, Czech Republic, Sweden, Ukraine, Austria and India in this year’s LGM. On top of a rich programme of talks, birds of a feather sessions, workshops, ad-hoc hackathons and social events, we organised the Libre Graphics Culture and Practice Exhibition at the London Gallery West with over 30 participating artists, designers, photographers, typographers, animators and educational experiments. Next year's Libre Graphics Meeting will be hosted by João S. O. Bueno in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil –everyone is welcome!
Libre Graphics Meeting 2016 is supported by Autonomous Tech Fetish|Common House, Bryden Wood, Fossbox, Furtherfield, the Software Sustainability Institute and the University of Westminster.
Photos: Courtesy of Christopher Rogers and WSMAD.