Here’s a great film about the Vancouver 2010 Social Media coverage. Highlights include recognition that citizen journalists gave the Paralympic Games a profile, when broadcasters fail. As well, recognition of the different roles of citizen and investigative journalists.

Another Olympic Games has drawn to a close. Thanks so much to all of our new friends, especially W2 and, in particular, Irwin Oostindie, Lianne Payne. As well, thanks to Steve Kammerer, Jessica Compton and Kelly, Liz Schulze, Carolyn Liu and Jim Rupert who helped our massive team with accommodation. Finally, thanks also to the Abandon Normal Devices Festival and the Carnegie Trust. We will continue to post items about Vancouver 2010 over the next few months, keeping track of what happened for many years to come. Enjoy the Paralympic …

‘Vectorial Elevation’ is an interactive art installation, by Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, which features 20 10-kilowatt robotic searchlights along the shoreline. The beams illuminate over a one-kilometre patch of sky and are visible from more than 15 kilometres away.

Taking advantage of the influx of Olympic visitors, the Whistler Arts Council promotes the endives of local artists throughout the Village as part of its Arts Walk, which links 43 host galleries together hosted by a variety of spaces from coffee shops to hotel lobbies. However, it’s not only these locations that promote artistic interest. The centre of the village offers as well plenty of opportunities to explore or observe artwork.

Roundhouse, Vancouver’s community centre is a historical monument, its 374 steam engine being the one that pulled the first transcontinental train into Vancouver. Ten of the Roundhouse staff had to be laid off a week before the Olympics started due to money diverted to finance the Games.

Artist Ken Wesman, who has been drawing inspiration from the Olympics since the 1988 Games of Calgary, is raising money for the YWCA in Vancouver, a non-profit organisation working mainly with children and women who have suffered from domestic abuse, by auctioning his Olympic themed paintings.

Following the model of BCMC the village of Whistler, one of the main hosts of the Olympic outdoor competitions, has put together a similar centre catering for the media in town interested in following stories out the beaten Olympic track: the Whistler Media House. This article also features a list of digital resources for the Winter Games.

On the 26th of February, the International Olympic Academy Participants Association (IOAPA) are holding a reunion in Vancouver for all past participants who are in the city for the Games.  The event will be held between 5pm-7pm within the Reception of 1090 Boulevard, followed by a further chance to connect at Subeez Restaurant, on the corner of Homer and Smithe, from 7pm until late.
Please RSVP to Katherine Ringrose if you wish to attend.

Atos Origin, the Olympic’s IT partner since Beijing and suppliers since Barcelona, do not want to grab the limelight during this, or indeed, any games. In fact, they actively seek out to be as invisible as they can, knowing that the entire technical infrastructure; from press releases to results, to venue computer terminals and international media coverage depends on their ability to remain ubiquitous, a silent but incredibly important factor of mega events facilitation. A error in the delivery, a server crash or a system failure, could spell disaster for the whole operation.

The Vancouver Art Gallery, located in Robson Square, which includes the British Columbia Canada Pavilion at its 4th floor, is marking the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with a dynamic exhibition of British Columbia’s renowned artists.