In the past two months we’ve celebrated New Year’s Day (on the Gregorian calendar), Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year, and now at ITP, we’re commemorating our own new beginnings: our 2012 grant cycle.

The 2012 deadline arrived at midnight February 1st, and the results are an incredible range of grant proposals. Teams from as far as Thailand, and diverse as students, professors, artists, scientists, photographers, and journalists have submitted proposals for their creative collaborations on climate change.

ITP grant partner CityLab7 documents the creation of their storefront Mushroom Farm. To read more and see photos chronicling the building of the greenhouse, click here.

Libby Modern recently reflected on the past year and her involvement in developing the Super Power Magic Motion Machine (SPM3) and what the future holds in store for the project.

From idea to innovation, SPM3 is a bike, an art exhibit, a power plant all in one — a mobile art installation that closely resembles a bicycle and trailer. However this is no ordinary bike. It’a custom-made piece of art that transforms into a pedal-powered generator, allowing three other bikes to hook to its mobile trailer and create power. Traveling through greater Lancaster, PA, the SPM3 will cast the conversation about energy consumption in a whole new light.

You, the grant partners, keep contributing to the ITP community and carry the dividends back to your own communities. These are just some of your inspiring tales.

Stephen Antupit and Chris Saleeba, of CityLab7 and the Fertile Grounds project, were brimming with enthusiasm and creativity after their recent trip to the 2011 BALLE Conference in Bellingham, WA.

“What’s in it for WE vs. what’s in it for ME?,” “Locavesting,” “The age of Pro-creativity,” and gaining new skills to navigate the Donor – NonProfit relationship were the key themes of the conference.

The Super Power Magic Motion Machine (SPM3) is a pedal-powered mobile art installation and performance piece in Lancaster, PA to raise awareness about energy consumption and human innovation: a custom-made bicycle with a trailer attachment to carry components to convert human power into electricity, initiating a public discourse about energy generation, consumption, and community empowerment.

Click here to see the PDF article about SPM3

Invoking the Pause is pleased to announce the 2011 “Blossoming Possibilities” Grants