Strictly speaking, Are.na is a framework for drawing connections between pieces of information. Thanks to the people that use and support us, it has become a richly layered and complex space for meaning-making, collaboration, and organizing thought.
As we continue to build the infrastructure and tools that make up Are.na, we’re looking for new ways to support the loose-knit communities that have grown around it, and the bodies of knowledge they are creating.
This blog is one way we have been highlighting imaginative and unsolicited uses of Are.na. Today, we’re taking another step towards supporting people who are putting ideas together and making them accessible to everyone.
We’re happy to announce Are.na Grants, a new initiative to support research, writing, and other creative projects that are developed and built on Are.na. Grants of $500 each will be awarded in three categories, and may be used to expand on an existing line of research or start a new endeavor.
For the first set of grants, we are especially interested in projects that address issues around the shifting nature of “knowledge work,” algorithmic governance, and networked learning, though proposals of all kinds are welcome. Proposals may cover or combine a wide range of disciplines and enthusiasms.
Recipients will be selected by jury members John Michael Boling, Laurel Schwulst, and Dena Yago, along with the Are.na team. The announcement of grant recipients along with features on grant projects will be published on the Are.na blog.
The grant categories include:
Individual projects. Many people already use Are.na for personal and professional research on a range of topics, including gossip as a communication system, the poetry of tools, and social activism as brand strategy. This grant will support new visual, written, or other multimedia outputs based on research collected using Are.na
Team projects. This grant will support new visual, written, or other multimedia output mounted by a team or organization using Are.na for collaborative research and thinking.
Web projects using the Are.na API. Some things that have already been built on the Are.na API include print are.na, a tool for turning any Are.na channel into a printable PDF booklet, and Pilgrim, a bookmarklet that aims to provide a better experience for consuming long-form text and exploring related materials on the web. Grantees will receive initial training and regular technical support from the Are.na team.
Submissions should comprise a link to an Are.na channel containing your name, a 150-word statement, a single sketch or image, and a proposed timeline for completion. The deadline for applying is October 27, 2017, and recipients will be announced November 6, 2017. You can take a look at the full application instructions at the bottom of this post.
Our intention behind Are.na is to provide a platform for people, whether alone or with others, to pursue their interests and organize their thinking. We want to create a different kind of online environment where curiosity is valued and transparency is a given. We believe one of the greatest promises of the internet is the ability to collaboratively create, organize, and share knowledge. Are.na Grants are a small way in which we hope to support critical dialogue around the creation of more ethical, equitable platforms that support the dignity and joy of thinking.
Full application instructions
If you don’t already have an Are.na account, sign up here: are.na/sign_up.
Make a Closed or Private channel for your submission. The channel name is your project title.
Add the following as individual blocks:
Your preferred name or team name along with a 150-word project statement as a text block
At least one sketch or image block
A proposed timeline for completion as a text or image block
Email a link to the channel to [email protected].