Artworking
Speed Networking for Artists
By Isaac Mell
An idea may form in a single head, but many hands finesse it into existence. The instigators of Artworking: Speed Networking for Artists realize this. Their very event, on Thu 4/19 @ 7pm at Light Bistro, is the result of a solitary concept becoming a successful collaboration.
Bridget Callahan had the initial idea. In fact, she had two, of which Artworking was the second. The first was for an augmented reality app that would reveal seemingly empty, routine structures (a bus stop, for example) to be bursting with flora, fauna, fantasy. But before her idea could become (augmented) reality, a program designer would have to write the code.
She considered the fact that her circumstances—originating a concept but needing help from somebody else with the birth—could apply to others. And that’s when she had the second idea: a networking event not for the corporate type, but the creative.
On her blog, she writes that she asked herself, “How many other people out there are like me? They have this great idea, but they’re not an artist, or a musician, or a filmmaker, and they can’t pull it off alone. So this is going to be an event where those people can meet up and share what ideas or skills they have, and see what everybody else has got, maybe see where our ideas intersect, and hopefully meet someone who might help these ideas actually live.”
Enter Elana Averbach, founder of dating and relationship coaching site KickStartLove. She had already perfected a networking template from her speed dating events, which average a 95% match rate.
Of course, Averbach is also interested in art and creativity, especially playwriting. She has worked this love into the event: Local theaters have donated tickets, for which participants can vie in the charity raffle. Proceeds from the Artworking event will benefit the Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival, which gives first- through twelfth-graders the opportunity to see their scripts produced on stage by professional directors.
Artworking is sponsored by advertising and marketing firm PavlishGroup. And not only is filmmaker and web designer Don Pavlish a sponsor of Artworking, he will also be a participant.
The team has prepared pencils and recycled notepads for each participant, so that during the sessions, when inspiration hits, you can scribble a picture, draw a diagram, make a word map—to make yourself clear, to amuse yourself, or to work your creative juices into a lather. A cocktail menu, consisting of favorite drinks of artists past, will also help.
You can have as many ideas and connect with as many collaborators as you want. One of the evening’s ideas, chosen by vote, will receive a cash prize. But you aren’t required to come prepared with your own project: you might have a set of skills to offer and just want to help someone out.
From this, ideas happen: the mixing and mingling, colliding and combining, heightening and harmonizing of overlapping opposites. Sculptors and dancers, kinesthetic as they are, may find commonality in their motions and stimulation in their differences. Even the more obvious pairings, like the writer and the filmmaker, or the performing musician and the poster designer, will create a whole greater than the sum of their parts among their methods, influences, and perspectives.
“The goal of Artworking is to connect artists and creative people from all over Cleveland who would otherwise not have an opportunity to meet each other,” Averbach says. “It’s just people who enjoy creativity, who have cool ideas, who want to improve Cleveland, who want to create something interesting and new in the world, and this is a good community where they can connect.”
Artworking happens on Thu 4/19 at 7PM @ Light Bistro. Tickets are $15 (drink included). Tickets must be pre-ordered before the event (and before they sell out), so purchase online at http://www.KickStartLove.com.
Isaac Mell grew up in South Euclid, OH and attended American Jewish University in Los Angeles. He welcomes conversations with potential employers, collaborators and friends.
Cleveland, OH 44113