The Ubuntu Free Culture Showcase is an initiative to showcase free culture artists in each version of Ubuntu. Each time a new version of Ubuntu is released, we will include a package full of example content (rather craftily named…example-content), and with Ubuntu being installed on so many computers around the world, it is a great opportunity to bring the Ubuntu ethos to the creative arts and showcase some free culture content.
A carefully chosen panel of creative types in the Ubuntu community (Cory Kontros, Luis de Bethencourt, Luke Yelavich, Lydia Pintscher and Tony Whitmore) picked their top three entries from each of the categories (Audio and Video) and then sent the finalists to the Community Council to pick the winners.
The winners are:
Andrés Vidau (Audio Winner) - Download Entry
Andrés Vidau was born in Mexico City in the roaring 70’s. It wasn’t very long before he found his way into playing the drums. He and 3 friends formed the band: GasMoztaza. Starting in music with some punk rock and ska rhythms. A few years later got into electronic music and formed the band: Caravanacid which enjoyed a moderate success within the Mexican Trance Scene. From Mexico City he moved to the Caribbean where he made underwater movies for diving tourism and then finally moved to Barcelona where he resides now. Patas de Trapo is a track that was born in a one-track side project, and in collaboration with guitar player Mauricio Barron, current member of indie rock band A Colores. With Mauricio playing the guitar and Andres sequencing the rest of the song. Andrés is an Electronics Engineer and Ubuntu user since Gutsy Gibbon.
Andrew Higginson (Video WInner) - Download Entry
Andrew is not your typical English computer user. He is fourteen and produces artwork on his computer, with Free Software. The likes of Inkscape and The GIMP are his tools, all for the low price of nothing. He discovered Ubuntu in the latter part of 2006 and since then hasn’t gone back. Projects like Wikipedia allowed him to develop his artwork skills, something he is very thankful for, as it allows him to ‘wow’ his friends as he does now. He loves the fact that Free Software enables someone with his lack of an income, to produce such great pieces of work, at such high quality, without having to break the bank. Free software has not only introduced him to unleash his creative side in computing, but to be able to give back to such programs that initially helped him is an extraordinary experience, that only free software can offer. His creation – ‘Stop Motion Ubuntu’ that you see in the Examples folder, was his first venture away from still images to moving ones. Again he only used free software, available in Ubuntu – and his webcam. While not sure how it would turn out, he is surprised at how well it was received and will certainly continue to use video as a new medium. When he hasn’t got homework scattered across the desk, Andrew spends most of his time creating artwork, coding with Python, helping new Ubuntu users (like he once was) via Launchpad Answers and when he can, writing on his blog. Generally he moves from project to project, helping out wherever he can.
Both Andrés and Andrew’s submissions will be on the Ubuntu 8.10 disc, exposing their work to millions of Ubuntu users. Congratulations guys!
Also, we are going to do this for every release of Ubuntu, so creative people…get those creative juices flowing ready for the Jaunty Jackalope Ubuntu Free Culture Showcase!
