The New Cool: Respect - Ambition - Success follows hot on the heels of The Dowse's break-through exhibition Respect: Aotearoa Hip Hop.

Aotearoa's new generation of street-smart and savvy entrepreneurs are the undisputed New Cool of business. They're young, hip, innovative and ambitious and have leapt into the business world from our snow fields, skate parks, clubs, spacie parlours, art schools and back streets. The New Cool are dancing to their own version of the commercial beat and reshaping the way we think about business.

Inspired by Dawn Raid Entertainment's story of business success in Respect, The New Cool celebrates 12 companies who are engaging creativity and business to create the products, lifestyles and communities they want.

Image: Jason Crawford and Kylee Davis of Insidious FixThe New Cool: Respect - Ambition - Success follows hot on the heels of The Dowse's break-through exhibition Respect: Aotearoa Hip Hop.

Aotearoa's new generation of street-smart and savvy entrepreneurs are the undisputed New Cool of business. They're young, hip, innovative and ambitious and have leapt into the business world from our snow fields, skate parks, clubs, spacie parlours, art schools and back streets. The New Cool are dancing to their own version of the commercial beat and reshaping the way we think about business.

Inspired by Dawn Raid Entertainment's story of business success in Respect, The New Cool celebrates 12 companies who are engaging creativity and business to create the products, lifestyles and communities they want.

Image: Jason Crawford and Kylee Davis of Insidious FixHaving found their way into business from the country's snowfields, skate parks, clubs, spacie parlours, art schools and back streets, each company is ambitious in their pursuit of success - however they choose to define it. While they move to different beats, a respect for Aotearoa and their generation underpin their business practices.

The New Cool is a multi-media exhibition experience. It features a dynamic mix of interviews, graphics, product installations, music, moving image, website animations, video games and more.

The New Cool provides a unique insight into the companies profiled, and invites you to engage with concepts of enterprise and business through a range of interactive activities.

The New Cool showcases the stories of 12 young New Zealand companies, celebrating creative business outside the 9 to 5. Defying the 'slacker' reputation of youth culture, companies (including Dawn Raid Entertainment, Huffer Clothing, Loop Aot(ear)roa Recordings, Disruptiv, Illicit, Sidhe Interactive, and Insidious Fix) have successfully transformed their creative passions into business dollars.

These inspirational stories are all about big ideas and very small beginnings, the hard years, the timely successes, the concept of 'co-opitition' that comes from working with and for your mates, and the simple satisfaction of waking up each day and loving what you do.

Businesses profiled :

Dawn Raid Entertainment
www.dawnraid.co.nz

Disruptiv
www.disruptiv.com

Firstfloor Publishing
www.magazino.co.nz

Huffer Research and Development
www.huffer.co.nz

Illicit Streetwear
www.illicit.co.nz

Inject Design
www.injectdesign.co.nz

Insidious Fix
www.fix.co.nz

Loop Aot(ear)oa Recordings
www.loop.co.nz

Metia Interactive
www.metia.co.nz/

Misery
www.illicit.co.nz/misery/

Sidhe Interactive
www.sidhe.co.nz

Sticky Pictures
www.stickypictures.co.nz

The New Cool Seminars
Presented by The Dowse and the Centre for Creative Industries at WelTec
A series of three free seminars will also run alongside the exhibition giving visitors the opportunity to meet the directors of some of The New Cool companies and learn how to develop a positive entrepreneurial attitude. This is an awesome opportunity to meet the creators of some of your favourite brands and hear how they got to where they are today!

Aotearoa Beat: Saturday 2 July 2pm
Directors from Dawn Raid Entertainment, Disruptiv and Loop Aot(ear)oa Recordings handle some of Aotearoa's hottest talent. They discuss their multi-faceted involvement in the music industry both locally and globally. They are joined by Inject Design, creators of Fat Freddy's Drop website and graphic identity.

On the couch - mags, TV and videogames: Saturday 9 July 2pm
The creators of Manual, Spoke and Staple magazines join Sticky Pictures, the directors of the award winning TV series The Living Room, to talk about creating magazines and television about the cultures they love. They are joined by Mario Wynand from Sidhe Interactive, whose videogame Stacey Jones Rugby League debuted at number one in Australasia, and Metia Interactive's Maru Nihoniho.

Clothing with attitude: Saturday 16 July 2pm
Dan Buckley from Huffer, Steve Hodge from Illicit, Kylee Davis from Insidious Fix and Tanya Thompson, aka Misery, are the creative brains behind four very different clothing labels. They talk about the ins and outs of the rag trade in New Zealand, and how they've found their niche in a very competitive market.

Reserve your place now! email dowse@huttcity.govt.nz to register.

It will not only reserve you a place at the seminar(s) of your choice, but help us tailor them to reflect your interests. If there are any burning questions you want answered, or topics tackled let us know!

You can also register in person at The Dowse or phone 04 570 6500
Please note the seminars will be held at The Centre for Creative Industries at WelTec, C Block, Kensington Ave, Petone.

Attendee's will receive a FREE New Cool Business Guide and CCI Pack.

For more info check: http://www.dowse.org.nz/comingsoon/coming_NewCool.htm

Get into The New Cool!

The New Cool
The Dowse 45 Laings Rd, Lower Hutt (04) 570 6500
9th June - 30th August 2005

The New Cool is touring nationally: watch this space for venues and dates!