[vc_row type=”in_container” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
WESTAF Update Notes #71 | August 2012 IMTour Grant Recipients Selected WESTAF Welcomes Nicole Stephan CaFE\u2122 Launches New User Interface Introducing ZAPP\u00ae 2.0 <\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/strong>From Anthony Radich, Executive Director
\n<\/span>This is the 71st\u00a0in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/span>The artist roster for the WESTAF Independent Music Tour (IMTour) project has now been selected. The artists were chosen by a national panel of music industry professionals, consisting of \u00a0booking agents Erick Carer of Uncle Booking; Craig Grossman and David Priebe of Green Room Music Source; and Stefan Goldby, Executive Producer at Buzzine Networks. These panelists work with the largest names in independent music and were immensely helpful in identifying bands that are on par with nationally successful acts. The groups selected are: Snake Rattle Rattle Snake, Ian Cooke, Mane Rok, The Changing Colors, Paper Bird, and The Photo Atlas. The participating musicians will receive financial and technical support for touring to nonprofit performing arts presenters in the WESTAF region. For additional information on these artists, please visit the IMTour site at http:\/\/imtour.org\/. Please contact<\/span> Bryce Merril<\/a><\/span>\u00a0for more information.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/span><\/span>WESTAF is pleased to announce the addition of data and design specialist Nicole Stephan to the WESTAF team. Stephan holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in graphic design and recently obtained her master\u2019s degree in the interdisciplinary field of information and communication technologies for development. She is in the first graduating class in this emerging field from the University of Colorado\u2019s Alliance for Technology Learning and Society (ATLAS) Institute. Her field research, conducted in Kathmandu, focused on the utilization of internet communication technologies at Nepal\u2019s largest fair trade handicraft organization. Stephan previously served as data design lead on a Wall Street Journal<\/i>\/Dow Jones Adviser web tool, an innovative charting platform displaying up-to-the-second economic data and market sentiment. Stephan will work primarily on the Creative Vitality\u2122 Index project, leading the redevelopment of the CVI\u2122 Data on Demand <\/i>web tool.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/span>WESTAF\u2019s CallForEntry.org will relaunch this August ushering in a host of new enhancements. Based on customer feedback that WESTAF has collected over the past 18 months, the site will be reintroduced to the public with an updated graphic interface, modernized administrative functionality, and intuitive design features created to help artists, jurors, and administrators effortlessly navigate the site. For specifics on the over 100 site improvements, contact Raquel Vasquez at<\/span> Raquel Vasquez<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/span>Throughout the summer and fall, several exciting new features and enhancements are coming for users of the ZAPPlication\u00ae system. For the first time since 2004, the system will have a sleek new front-end design that creates an even more user-friendly system experience. New artist-requested functionality will allow applicants to submit multiple applications to the same event using a single profile. Another artist-friendly addition is the ability to preview application images in the exact same manner as jurors will view the information during the jury process. Event administrators will benefit from many ZAPP\u00ae 2.0 enhancements, including an updated Event Editor section with new smart editing capacities and the ability to add show location maps. Improved text editors and communication portals will allow administrators to further streamline their artist relations and communication efforts. For additional information, please contact<\/span> Leah Charney<\/span>.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n