A few weeks ago I Scribed the Find Your Talent Conference at the Quarterhouse in Folkestone. Approximately 120 young people from the Shepway area congregated to take part in the conference and explore ways of engaging in different cultural activities.

This first section of Scribing is taken straight, as it was drawn. I haven’t coloured or manipulated the image. I used to be quite pure about keeping things in their original state. I now think that to organise the information in the best possible way, make it look attractive and come alive is the best for the audience. Especially when the majority of the time it will be used as an aide memoir, a reflective document.  Graphic Facilitation is another discipline which requires a different way of working. The feedback loops are sharper and quicker.

The conference focused on the meaning of ‘talent’ and through a number of different activities, the conference, explored different questions around the theme of talent. My work during the conference was based in both plenary and  break-out sessions, where the individual activities were taking place. As a practice, I took visual notes in a sketchbook while I floated around the activities and then collected the synthesis onto the large walls back in the plenary room. This way of working seems to be quite effective.

The Keynote Speaker for the conference was Deborah Szebeko, director and founder of ‘thinkpublic’ a public service and communication design company. Deborah presented a bit about her background and how she came to think about setting up the company and then led a discussion with the young people about creativity.

Aim Higher is a national programme that exists to encourage young people to stay in education.It is intended to provide information and resources to help young people think about University as a serious option for their futures.

I have just completed the third, of three, one day workshops with three Kent based schools. The events were designed and run by Year One Consulting, who I partner with regularly. The events were fun and engaging and the young people explored their experiences before university at event one, at university at event two and after university at the final event.  The third event required the students design and run their own restaurant in a simulation. This was to set up learning and responses regarding the world of work. They also heard from  a Leiutenenat Commander in the Royal Navy. This was followed by a Q&A session. I captured the proceedings and as always, was surprised by the creativity of the young people.

Of course, when I Scribe I seem to find the opportunity for a ‘Dad Joke’ or two (Dad jokes are the type of joke that provokes groaning from all that witness them) Here is a good example. When presenting one of the teams read out that their restaurant would provide a ‘live Italian’ instead of a ‘live Italian band’ Hilarity ensued! I apologise for the poor Italian accent.

I was lucky enough to be invited to Scribe for the Kent County Youth Theatre Festival at the Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate on Sunday the 22nd of March. Young people from county-wide theatre groups were exposed to a broad range of theatre-based workshops and activities delivered by professionals. As a Scribe, I positioned myself and boards in the atrium of the Academy and I spent my time between the various workshops capturing the proceedings in my sketchbook and then transfering my lap capture to the boards to make a visual synthesis of the day.

The portion of the Scribing below captures the essence of the workshop phase of the day. The young people took part in workshops on Physical Theatre, Musical Theatre, Masks, Make-Up and Film. I was greatly impressed with it all. My favourite workshop was delivered by the Strangeface Mask Company. I was transfixed as the young volunteers from the audience donned masks and changed their whole physicalities. Their awkwardness of being in front of a group was transformed behind these amazing masks. It was interesting to “read” the conflicting languages being delivered between the mask’s expression and the young person’s gait. The dichotomy produced quite unexpected results.

I also captured the youth theatre leaders discussion. The leaders aired their views and shared best practice and discussed a whole range of topics, it was a real pleasure to capture this conversation. It flowed really nicely and was facilitated well by the KCC arts team.

Here’s the link to an article about Scribing and how it has been used at the Design Council. Thanks to Jess at the Design Council for writing the article. It was an enjoyable process talking to you on the phone and getting some of these thoughts down on ‘paper’.

Click for link to article.