An invitation to gather
SHARE
Our ability to tell stories is a uniquely human trait and has always been present in humanity, from cave paintings to podcasts. It is one of the oldest forms of communication and has been used to teach, entertain and influence people for centuries. Sharing stories has always had connection at its core with the unique power to inspire and influence our emotions.
In the modern world storytelling has perhaps lost one of its superpowers which is to gather us, together, in person. Storytelling in Marrakech has rich and ancient roots, there is an old saying, “when a storyteller dies, the library burns”. The stories told in Marrakech only exist in the minds of their narrators who share them at gatherings and take their repertoire to the grave. I keep thinking back to this phrase, it has such depth and meaning but also captures the missing piece to the modern storytelling puzzle.
HUNGER
Stories are used to share our thoughts, feelings and experiences. Ultimately, we make sense of the world through the receiving and giving of stories. However, due to modern technology and the rise of social media apps we are now swamped with stories. At their core, this particular type of story strives to sell you another product, desire or lifestyle. We are in the breadth of an era of quick content, another flash of a story with each swipe. Nothing nourishing, just time spent. The outcome of this is that we are both desensitized and bored. Not only have we become over informed but the substance is missing.
We’re all hungry for authentic connection.
GATHER
Most of the stories we consume in the modern day are recorded and can be listened to anytime, anywhere. They are often rehearsed and edited, this removes the reason or necessity to gather. A story told in person is in itself alive. The story will change from one telling to the next depending on the presence and mood of the storyteller.
“The presence of teller and audience, and the immediacy of the moment, are not fully captured by any form of technology”-Joseph Bruchac
We have had the pleasure of hosting poetry evenings here at Tribe. I am always struck by the mood and presence of the room. How the shared feeling and tension can quickly shift from laughter, to sorrow, to joy and hope. There is a direct and respectful spotlight on the reader with no distractions. There’s no elaborate scenery or props, just a room of like minded people. What we are left with is a collective experience. An experience that cannot be replicated or shared outside of the space. Telling stories leaves the audience with the gift of an empathetic and shared emotional response. The teller and the listener share and experience emotion in real time, a give and take of energy.
Sacred spaces for telling stories in person are rare and more important than ever. Live storytelling gives you the power to cut through the noise and make meaningful connections to both inspire and influence. Let’s slow down. Take some time to sit with us and share stories.
“We tell stories because we are human. But we are also made more human because we tell stories”. –Amanda Gormon
The invitation
Tribe Porty is collaborating with Soapbox to bring you an evening of storytelling. The first of these evenings is in partnership with Porty Pride with the theme of love. Join us at Tribe Porty on June 28th to gather, be inspired, to be heard, to tell (and to listen) to stories.
You can find out more and book your space by clicking here. Tickets will be pay what you can with proceeds going to Porty Pride.
If you’re interested in telling and sharing a story, or know someone who might be, please email soapboxforcreatives@gmail.com with the title ‘The Story Sessions’.
Thanks for reading,
Alice
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Creative Workspaces that Move People
A Place to tap into your creative work
Tribe is slowly picking back up and gaining new members; more and more people are needing community and a creative space now more than ever. It has been such a long time for so many of us who have been cooped up in a small flat or sharing a kitchen table with a partner. Taking never ending zoom calls and not seeing another human in the flesh has taken its toll-not only on our wellbeing but on our creativity and productivity.
Over the years, many people have asked advice about how to turn their extra space into a coworking space. Beyond the basics, desks, seating, good wifi- the community part is an art. The people are what makes spaces special. And the people part is the hard work. We are all different, with different needs. One of our hot deskers was telling me the other day that he comes to Tribe because it taps into the creative work. He has structured his working week in such a way that he does his creative thinking work from Tribe because the space and the people in the space encourage that kind of work. This is such music to my ears as this is what we set out to create with Tribe.
There is no shortage of designer spaces to work from around the globe.
- Although we don’t require members to match their jackets with their cubicle, we do love our handcrafted, creative oasis on Windsor Place. We find it important to;
- Surround yourself with inspiration,
- Curate your working week, being organised with your time and scheduling in creative thinking time,
- If you work from different places, have different tasks for each space to help you stay on track,
- Ask others about what they are working on,
- Share your work, your challenges and discoveries,
- Have an accountability group, board or trusted group you can get support and inspiration from.
The Future of Coworking and Supply & Demand
A few folk have made some assumptions that coworking spaces will be exploding in the near future. We have certainly seen a new group of members, not just freelancers but people unable to do their work from home for practical or emotional reasons. The pandemic has forced us to change our model and reduce the size of our event space due to no events taking place for so long. This is true for many other coworking spaces as well. According to Deskmag’s 2020 Coworking Trends Europe, “While the supply is often shaped by the demand, this is less the case during this pandemic. Example: Legal measures such as distancing rules often have shrunk the desk capacity, especially in open workspaces. The prohibition of physical events have negatively impacted community oriented activities despite their demand.”
This has definitely been true for Tribe but the recent ease of lock down is building confidence for our members to return.
We will continue to adapt and respond to our community and challenge the definition of what workspace is, from where work is done to how it’s done, and then keep our spaces creative to reflect that.
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
– Charles Darwin
If you have any questions or want to book a free trial day, please get in touch.
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