Promoting Passion 2024

I attended the Promoting Passion Convention in August, a concept created and brought to life by the fantastic Brooke Shaden @brookeshaden and her amazing team.

PPC was brought to the UK at Keele University, and I couldn't miss the chance to surround myself with creatives both nationally and internationally with interests in all different genres. Poetry to painting, music to photography, With around 70 people in attendance, I'm sure if you named it, there would be someone who did it.

It was amazing!

Now, I'm a little shy and definitely love to be creative behind my camera and computer so it was quite overwhelming to begin with, Rooms full of laughter and chatter, familiarity and connection. I know this is going to sound a little cliche, but it was such a life changing experience. Not only did it provide opportunities to explore others passions, it also gave an opportunity to develop your own. But more than that, it gave you an opportunity to face yourself, work on stepping out of your comfort zone, being vulnerable and open to everything that was being offered. This would all make much more sense if you had been there, and I recommend you do if you get the opportunity ;)

With that in mind, here is a little taster of the week.....

Ideas shared, friends made, and plans in place for the next step in the journey!

There is so much more I could share and I'll save that for next time, but just before I go. I want to share a game we played, my American friends will need to remind me of what they called it.... it was a subject / theme given from us to one of three of our amazingly talented speakers. The first, an illustrator, Gillian Eilidh O'Mara @light.on.the.sea had to draw the theme. Then our poet, Adam Gary @adamgarypoetry came in to see if he could guess the theme from the drawing and had 7 minutes to write a poem, for our final speaker, Sara Lando @holeinthefabric, who is amazingly talented in many things...including bacteria (we'll revisit this later ;)) needed to create a 3D work of art.

Here is where you come in.... I am going to work backwards through the three to see if you can guess what the group chose.....

Our last clue, and your first is Sara's 3D art - can you even believe this was created at a moments notice with just the materials in her bag?!:

Can you guess what the theme might be?

• Write an answer

Just to end, I thought this was quite fitting:

In a hall aglow with dreams untold, Creative hearts gather, both young and old. Whispers of passion dance in the air, Ideas like fireflies, flicker and flare.

A tapestry woven, of stories and schemes, United we stand, in the light of our dreams. With laughter and insight, we spark and ignite, Connecting with souls in this vibrant, warm light.

Workshops and panels, the sharing of art, Each spark adds a thread, to the loom of the heart. From poets to painters, each voice holds a key, Unlocking the chambers where visions run free.

In the rhythm of chatter, collaborators find ,The rhythm of passion that echoes the mind. They weave through the moments, in word and in sound, A symphony of purpose, where connections abound.

With each breath we take, let our spirits unfurl, In a world of ideas, watch creation whirl. From strangers to allies, our paths intertwine, In the glow of this gathering, bright futures align.

So let’s kindle the flames of what we adore, Together we’ll build, and together we’ll soar. At this creative conference, let’s plant every seed, For the heart of our passion is the world that we need.