The Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation will celebrate invention and innovation in skate culture, history and art this summer through a bi-coastal collaboration with two Smithsonian Affiliate museums, the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, Fla., and the Museum of History & Industry in Seattle, as well as the International Association of Skateboard Companies.
Innoskate Lakeland will take place June 21, coinciding with global Go Skateboarding Day, and will feature explorations of the intersection of art and innovation through the lens of skateboarding culture. Programs at MOHAI Aug. 16 will highlight the history of skateboarding and innovation in Seattle. Panel discussions, demonstrations, hands-on activities and other programs with skaters and innovators will make up the programs at both locations. For event information, visit innoskate.tumblr.com.
The 2014 events will build on the success of the Lemelson Center’s initial 2013 program. With the Washington Monument and the National Mall as a backdrop, leading figures from skateboarding’s history engaged in skate demonstrations, panel discussions and other programs that explored the impact of skate culture’s technological and artistic innovations in American culture.
“Skateboarding is surrounded by a culture of inventive creativity and imagination,” said Jeffrey Brodie, deputy director of the Lemelson Center and Innoskate coordinator. “This year’s special Northwest/Southeast connection allows us to explore skateboard culture in new and unexpected ways and to strengthen the collaborations between the skateboarding community, the Lemelson Center and Smithsonian Affiliate institutions.”
Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, Fla. is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts in Central Florida. The museum is one of the Top 10 art museums in the State of Florida, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian and the only art museum accredited by the American Association of Museums serving the 561,000 residents of Polk County. For more information, visit www.polkmuseumofart.org.
MOHAI is dedicated to enriching lives through preserving, sharing and teaching the diverse history of Seattle, the Puget Sound region and the nation. As the largest private heritage organization in the State of Washington, the museum engages communities through interactive exhibits, online resources and award-winning public and youth education programs. For more information, visit www.mohai.org.
The International Association of Skateboard Companies is the member-owned not-for-profit trade association of skateboarding. IASC’s goals are to promote skateboarding, increase participation, educate and save their members money. For more information, visit http://theiasc.org.
The Lemelson Center has led the study of invention and innovation at the Smithsonian since 1995. The center’s activities advance scholarship on the history of invention, share stories about inventors and their work and nurture creativity in young people. The center is supported by The Lemelson Foundation and located in the National Museum of American History. For more information, visit http://invention.smithsonian.org.
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