HOW TO ENJOY PAGODA
Be yourself. There is no pressure to be any certain kind of person at Pagoda. You can treat this residency like a space to take off masks, leave egos and the need to perform at the door. Show up with an open mind to learn, rejuvenate, and explore parts of your and your work from a new lens.
Bring your best self and be ready to contribute. It’s a co-created residency, and what you get out of it will be based on what you put in. This works best when you are giving and receiving, rather than being consumers of an experience that ‘someone else’ is providing.
It really helps if you come to the event rested, relaxed and ready to give, rather than arriving tired, stressed and needing lots of support. If you know you need extra support, please organize to come with people whom you trust to provide that.
Intellectual honesty is going to be critical to keep us on track towards our North Star. Let’s keep it real. Our time together is too short to masquerading or pretending. We can be honest while being respectful to each other and the work that has happened. The best way to create an honest space is to practice it yourself. When you do, you are creating an incredible value for others to learn from you and your experiences.
Many days together can feel long, so take responsibility to look after your needs, rest, and make sure you don’t run out of steam. Also own your views and be willing to challenge others and be challenged. Please don’t expect others to necessarily share your views, or to do what you ask. Lastly, while we are creating a comfortable space with a dedicated venue staff and organizing team. Take responsibility for the spaces we all share, and don’t expect to always be served.
Ask for what you want. There are ample opportunities to contribute and to receive, so make the most of them. If what you want is not on the menu then please add it yourself or ask if there is someone else who is interested in the same thing.
Take some risks. If it feels right for you then we invite you to introduce yourself to someone new, offer a new workshop, ask for help with a project, or share a story about why you do what you do.
While we will do our best to create a high-trust environment, it is important to maintain personal and professional boundaries that feel right for you. Don’t disclose information that you might regret sharing later. Everyone has different boundaries. Please be respectful and if in doubt ask people what experience they are up for, rather than assuming that we are all on the same page.
You and others might share vulnerable parts of yourself, work, or thoughts you might not put out publicly. Unless something is explicitly public knowledge, keep what is shared during Pagoda as confidential information.