A massive good luck to support Extreme Environments Programme: Antarctica Presented by City University’s School of Creative Media before they leave for their extreme expedition tonight! The team is very excited with a WONDERFULLY HUGE last minute backing from Russian internet security multinational Kaspersky Labs on FringeBacker! Thanks, Kaspersky! Come on board now and freeze your mark on Earth’s last frontier! It’s the world’s first university research expedition to the South Pole. Let’s support them on FringeBacker!

Congratulations to Kat Roma Greer for her successfully funded ‘Micro Galleries’. As a brilliantly creative part of Very Hong Kong Festival 2013, Micro Galleries featured artists from around the world who let art permeate the less trodden streets and alleyways of Wanchai. Words can hardly do justice to the creativity of Greer and these artists. See how they claimed back alleyways, and transformed them into innovative public galleries.

The Steps of the Sun by Micro Colour artist Noel Wilson

Micro Colour artist Liina Klauss creating "waste water" - transforming bottle caps into a waste installation in drainage!

The first crowdfunded Instagram exhibition! Well done, Hong Kong kaleidoscope by InstaYay, raising over HK$19,543 (102% overfunded) for their Very Hong Kong Festival 2013 exhibition. Hong Kong kaleidoscope's Instagram exhibition showed the many facets of old and new Hong Kong, adorned on bamboo scaffolding at Dominion Gardens in Wan Chai. Check out these fantastic photos taken at the exhibition.

A thank you list made by InstaYay to specially thank all the backers who help them to reach the fundraising goal

Museums and the Web is the largest international conference devoted to art, science, and natural and cultural heritage content online. This year Museums and the Web Asia 2013 was held December 8-12 in Hong Kong, China at the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel and Towers. Together with Professor Leonard Steinbach from John's Hopkins University, FringeBacker was thrilled to share insights at 2 workshops with museum professionals on crowdfunding for museums --- 'The How-to's, Why-to's, If-to's, Where-to's of Crowdfunding Museum Programs and Projects in Asia’ and ‘Crowdfunding: It’s Getting Crowded in Here…. Are We Having Funds Yet?’. Crowdfunding case studies from the Louvre, the Smithsonian and other leading museums, aroused a heated discussion and energetic exchange among the attendees. We’ve had a fantastic “Week at the Museum” and we look forward to another one next year!

A HUGE, HUGE turnout at FringeBacker’s seminar at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s World SME Expo (Dec 5-7), addressing crowdfunding for businesses. This is one of TDC’s the biggest events of the year, many thanks to TDC and their committees for inviting FringeBacker to speak to this great Expo! Looking forward to more hot events from the TDC in 2014!

Seminar 1: Cashing In on Innovation and Creativity

Seminar 2: Starting a Business: Dos and Don'ts

FringeBacker is proud to announce its strategic partnership with World Vision's and Asian Football Confederation's One Goal campaign, and to be its exclusive crowdfunding platform. The campaign leverages on the power of and the passion for football in the region, and will seek to tackle the poor nutritional practices and access that have been holding back Asia and Asian football.

Group picture of all the One Goal Partners and Ambassador Deborah Henry
From L-R : Eric Drosin (Communications Director, Royal DSM), Emma Highwood [Head of Community Football, Football Federation of Australia (FFA)], Regina Moench-Pfanner (Dr.) [Director of Singapore Office Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)], Gerald Ng (Regional Finance Director, DSM Nutritional Products Asia Pacific), Deborah Henry (Onegoal.asia Ambassador), Liew Tong Ngan (CEO, World Vision Malaysia), Maryann Hwee (Executive Director, Fringebacker), Stuart Rmalingam[Director of Marketing & Social Responsibility, Asian Football Confederation (AFC)], Stefan Germann (Dr.) (Executive Director, onegoal.asia), and Urs Zanitti [CEO, Asian Football Development Project (AFDP)].

Signing Ceremony between AFC and WVI
From L –R (sitting) : One Goal Co-Chairmans - HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein (Vice President, FIFA – ASIA) & Trihadi Saptoadi (Regional Leader-South Asia & Pacific Region, World Vision International)

Congratulations to the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble! They have successfully raised over HK$10,450 (104% overfunded) for their innovative music concert, The Treachery of Images: Music Inspired by Surrealist Art. The concert was presented at the SOUTHSITE Salon with raving reviews. We’re looking forward to more of their upcoming singular music innovations, to continuously uphold the mission of presenting contemporary music to Hong Kong audiences.

Congratulations to "TOFU & VIOLENCE", the art campaign promoting charitable cause by FringeBacker-funded artist Claire Lee who raised over $27,100 (142% overfunded). The funding allows Lee to launch her exhibition with large scale paintings & photography, and to publish a charity art book. All net proceeds of the book will be donated to Rain Lily, a violence prevention organization to support its service for survivors of sexual violence.

In this project, Claire gave a brick of tofu to a group of participants of different backgrounds, asked them to use their bare hands or any body parts to hold and exist with it, in order to reveal the most basic instinct in us all – to protect, to destroy or to manipulate. Her campaign has helped turned the spotlight on different kinds of violence, including women’s rights and gender equity. Lee aims to play a part in helping to transform the way that people treat victims of abuse, and give the victims the courage and the voice to stand up for themselves. Through this amazing interaction of social cause, public participation and art, Lee reaches out to the Hong Kong community and encourages the public to support her cause in spreading the message of nonviolence, and especially helping abused women to restore their life with confidence and dignity.

“Tofu & Violence” Exhibition and Book Launch

Backers are excited to see photographs of themselves handling tofu and evoking deep emotions.

Belgian surrealist master Rene Magritte will be brought to musical life in Hong Kong? The Hong Kong New Music Ensemble will present an unprecedented music concert inspired by surrealist art. This group of contemporary music trailblazers will combine Magritte’s works with unfamiliar music materials, concocting what might be one of the most surprising concerts in the city. Be inspired, and support HKNME on: 

http://www.fringebacker.com/en/projects/treachery_of_images/

FringeBacker is delighted to be the official Crowdfunding Partner of the Very Hong Kong Festival, the city’s first independent, community-based, art, culture and design festival. From British sculptor Antony Gormley to pianist Michelle Kim and many many more, over 50 local and international events are scheduled to take place throughout Hong Kong at this massive festival. It’s the first time that crowdfunding is partnering with a major arts festival anywhere in Asia, which is why we’re so thrilled! Everyone can now get directly involved with the best cultural events at VHK, which will run for a week starting Saturday 7 December. Some of the individual events are on FringeBacker now. Not only can you fund Very Hong Kong itself but you can also support the individual events.

VeryHK x FringeBacker: JupYeah
To inspire the entire city with our spirit of sharing, JupYeah will be hosting the first free-admission swap event at the Kwun Tong Promenade and thousands of people are expected to come with their swappables for exchange.

VeryHK x FringeBacker: Micro Galleries
Reclaiming disused and forgotten spaces in Wan Chai, the artist Kat Roma Greer’s Micro Galleries embody the idea that art does not need to be locked away in pristine galleries -- it can permeate the streets and change the way that we see the world.

VeryHK x FringeBacker: HONG KONG kaleidoscope
HONG KONG kaleidoscope aims to show the many unique facets of Hong Kong, old and new, from the eyes of a very diverse group. They hope this exhibition could help in cultivating and increasing our appreciation of Hong Kong and its people.

VeryHK x FringeBacker: Installation Art
“Goals”, as this creative installation is named, portrays a big school of sardines following a source of light, symbolizing Hong Konger’s constant struggle to reach for their goals. The installation will be displayed at the Central Star Ferry Pier.