Story 2013: a kaleidoscope manifesto
Believe in clouds. Be stubborn. Keep your rococo aesthetic. Lob your opinions upwards. Rise up like an octopus, like a rubber parachute, like a chewy umbrella. Don’t believe the hype. Investigate peace. Be joyously, defiantly subjective. Send your characters to remedial school. Talk to the person next to you. Walk into a story. Listen to the voice in your ear. Be careful because it’s pretty hardcore. Form the dough into convex sets and place on a separating hyperplane. Put on yellow wellies and walk into a flooded room. Make important decisions in the moment. Have your superhero and eat it. Put a little piece of your heart into everything you do. Orchestrate emotion on a massive scale. See the new world through the tear gas. Don’t be afraid.
Picture by Steve Kay
This is a snapshot manifesto drawn from the words of the speakers at a brilliant, inspiring day yesterday at The Conway Hall for Story 2013. Here’s who said what…
Believe in clouds. The Children’s Republic of Shoreditch at The Ministry of Stories.
Be stubborn. Singer Edwyn Collins.
Keep your rococo aesthetic. NYC artist Molly Crabapple.
Lob your opinions upwards. Rob Manuel, co-founder of B3TA.
Rise up like an octopus, like a rubber parachute, like a chewy umbrella. Children’s writer and illustrator Laura Dockrill.
Don’t believe the hype. Public Enemy / Digital consultant Alex Balfour.
Investigate peace. Film producer Rebecca O’Brien.
Be joyously, defiantly subjective. Molly Crabapple.
Send your characters to remedial school. Ben Boucquelet, creator of The Amazing World of Gumball.
Talk to the person next to you. Mary Hamilton, zombie herder.
Walk into a story. Playwright Alecky Blythe.
Listen to the voice in your ear. Alecky Blythe.
Be careful because it’s pretty hardcore. Ben Boucquelet.
Form the dough into convex sets and place on a separating hyperplane. Economist Diane Coyle.
Put on yellow wellies and walk into a flooded room. Fiona Romeo of the National Maritime Museum.
Make important decisions in the moment. Animator Michael Please.
Have your superhero and eat it. Academic and writer Alice Bell.
Put a little piece of your heart into everything you do. Ben Boucquelet.
Orchestrate emotion on a massive scale. Alex Balfour.
See the new world through the tear gas. Molly Crabapple.
Don’t be afraid. Molly Crabapple.