"Channel as Gift"

Workshop by Laurel Schwulst
Hosted by Are.na
December 21, 2024 @ 1pm EST (online)

In this workshop, we will explore compiling a private Are.na channel (collection of things) as a gift for someone specific, as outlined here. What makes a good gift, and how can we transmit this digitally? We'll explore various formats and starting points for considering your Are.na channel as a gift, as well as time and dialogue.

Date and Time:
* 1pm EST on Saturday, 12.21.24
* 10am PST on Saturday, 12.21.24
* 7pm CET on Saturday, 12.21.24

Duration:
* 2 hours

Location:
* Online - Zoom

Number of Participants:
* ~30 total

Registration:
* Fill out this form ↗

Led by Laurel Schwulst (artist, designer, educator) based in NYC. Laurel has taught at Princeton, Yale, and Fruitful School. She also began the Are.na Gift Shop and continues to explore what makes a good gift.

Facilitated...

( Part 1 )

How to gift an Are.na Channel to someone

1) Create a new private channel

2) Fill the Are.na channel with the contents of the gift, however much or little is appropriate

Optional: In the channel's description or as a block itself, commemorate the gift with some context, perhaps with "To" and "From" fields, like the outside of a literal gift. Consider the channel's metadata the "gift wrap."

3) On the channel page, click "More" next to the "Connect" button. Select "Edit." Then, scroll down and click "Transfer Ownership." Search for the recipient's name. Select them and press "Save" at the bottom.

4) You should be notified (via email) when your recipient accepts your gift. The channel is now theirs and no longer yours.

Beginnings of Are.na Gift Shop

I think Are.na people would want to think about what a gift can be and would be genuinely excited about taking “gift” to the next level. So another question is, “Does it consider a gift expansively?” I think that’s the biggest one to unpack still, but it’s almost like “What's a minimum viable gift? Does this gift consider how it will live on in the future? How will it be circulated?” There’s probably a lot more there, but my ideal dream would be that we can clarify what a gift is at its essence, and the possibility of gifts in the present and future age.

(2022)

Gift → Gifting

What makes a good gift?

It's a timeless question to ponder...

Time + Attention = Gift

Attention + Time = Gift

the secret to being a good present-giver is simply to have notes for each special person in your life, and to add to it when you think of something for them, or when they tell you they want or need something. there is not much more to it than that.

being a good gift giver is like being a photographer.

it's a meta consciousness as you move through the world, thinking about people and what might be nice for them.

you'll see things and think, "this could be a gift for …” making connections between things and people.

how to give a good gift:

step 1.
have a gift recipient in mind

step 2.
let some time pass (a month, a year...)

step 3.
during that time, let your everyday life have the filter of gifts good for this person. naturally, you'll accumulate some gifts: whether they be items, experiences, thoughtful notes, etc.

I’ve been wondering lately how one might exude generosity with every interaction — gifting at the root level.

— Laurel Schwulst, “Gifting Guides”

Even the way one speaks, the messages one sends, can be thought of through the lens of generosity. Simple texts and emails can feel like gifts. It’s the care and time someone took to address something to you specifically.

— Laurel Schwulst, “Gifting Guides”

I love when people give me playlists for my birthday. I think for me it's that foresight, or the fact that someone has been thinking about you as they buy or make something.

Maybe the best gift is when it's something you want and you're positive that the other person would want it too, because you can feel like there's an overlap of what you can both feel excited about.

Collect things you think they would like:
* Playlist (music)
* Reader (texts)
* ...

(Can also be mixed media. Try titling your collection / gift to see if it influences its specific form.)

Compile a memory capsule of the past year with this person. Include photos, screenshots, texts (or just choose one). If these memories are associated with a particular date, include that if you’d like.

Create a catalogue of activities you'd like to do with this person, or events you'd like to attend together. Then it acts as a nice menu for the future or when you're together this holiday season...