Case Study - 20x20 online events
20x20 speaker Rick Sanders with his presentation via zoom
A series of quick-fire sharing events to help inspire creativity across the Black Country
20x20, is a series of online events in which two creatives spend 20 seconds each presenting their work and experiences with the help of 20 slides.
Creative Advisors for each of the four areas of the Black Country were asked to select presenters for their region to take part.
Speakers were selected to reflect the local area and to represent a variety of backgrounds and diverse skills. The most important factor, however, was that these speakers were inspiring: we wanted to showcase creatives from whom people would want to learn.
Presentations took place on Zoom, with 5-20 attendees per session, and concurrently on Facebook Live; they were also recorded and posted on Facebook, YouTube and the CBC blog so that they could be accessed after the event.
Getting used to Zoom functionality
Zoom contributors had the opportunity to ask questions following the presentations, which enabled interactivity, but this did present some issues across sharing via social platforms (as those watching on Facebook had faces from the Zoom audience appear). We responded to this by upgrading to a webinar function which ensured that just the host and speakers were visible.
The project enabled us to stay visible; to reach out to different audiences, and to help people to connect with each other. These factors were particularly important in the Dudley area, as we had just begun across the Borough during 2020, and the pandemic meant that almost all activity was cancelled.
The 20x20 project helped us show that creativity was still alive in the locality and ensured that local people knew about CBC. The project was received warmly and it gave people something to look forward to as presentations were serialised.
Following the success of the project in Dudley and Walsall, 2021 will see the project develop, with presentations from Wolverhampton and Sandwell.
Learning during lockdown
In terms of learning from the 20x20 project, the team were impressed by what was achievable under difficult circumstances and enjoyed the challenge of communicating the concept to others. It was important to have content to share, even if some was a little “rough and ready”. A highlight of this programme was the “generosity of creatives and artists to talk about their practice” and for people to share knowledge and be inspired.
In terms of the legacy of the project, the team will continue to use online technologies to engage people and believe that it might provide opportunities for those unable to attend events in person.
The 20x20 project suggests that a “hybrid approach” might well be successful. The 20x20 project was all about inspiring young people and helping them to find a direction for their creativity. It promotes pride in the area and aims to retain talent as the project shows that “you don’t need to move out of the Black Country to be a successful creative”.