“There’s something incredible about Dundee”
It seems that the city has just the right size and the people have just the right spirit to look for, engage with and enjoy at its best working with others! Before 11th November’s Make/Share on Turning Points, we look back on collaboration…
At October’s Make/Share event, the group discussed themes about collaborative working and we were amazed – at first, by the number of people who came along, and also – by the way the group engaged with the theme. There was a real enthusiasm in working collaboratively, learning from each other and sharing knowledge, tools and ideas.
In response to the question: what are our examples of working environment in Dundee that facilitate collaboration? One answer was “this room”. The space we were in was, as always was Dundee MakerSpace, a social workspace for all people interested in making. The room was also the Make/Share event, a free event for reflecting collectively on the making process. This room could also be our networks – an intangible collective of people sharing passion for creativity and collaboration as people, space and activities blending together to work best as a greater entity.
We asked everyone to share their thoughts, experiences, examples, challenges and tips about collaboration and we would like to share them with you here.
Give examples of working environments in Dundee that facilitate collaboration!
Central Library ; Dundee University Societies ; Fleet Collective ; DCA info space/activity room ; Dundee Commons festival ; The DJCAD bubble ; The Student allotment in the Botanic Gardens ; Music sessions in various venues ; Dundee SkillShare ; Sailing boat ; Abertay University and Roseangle Arts Cafe.
Are you/have you ever engaged in collaborative work? Tell us where, with whom, for what!
Yuck’N Yum, RBBC Projects ; Bhuntang Marmalade ; Bitter Rind ; Generator Projects ; Ikle Film Festival ; Andy.And.Or ; Artificial Womb ; Dundee Dundee MakerSpace is run by everyone ; Prof Project Abertay with the best group of schoolboys + team ; Heritage Blue Print with Young Scot & NTS ; Dundee Service Jam ; DEESIGN Magazine ; Game Jams Abertay Professional Module – Entertainment Design ; MAKLab ; Poorboy – my discipline is collaborative ; Reading and writing groups, schools and nurseries, local artists ; Being pals with Kirsty McKeown.
What do you like the most about collaborative working?
New perspectives ; it quashes my despotic side ; more sustainable/more diversity/more input/ideas ; working to each other’s strengths ; meeting people + learning new skills ; creating a project and bringing that to life/team work ; collectively we’re more imaginative ; seeing art develop ; it’s a learning and social experience ; sharing ideas + learning from other people ; being in the pub together ; positivity.
What do you fear the most about collaborative working?
Decision making ; committing but not having time to commit ; having to deal with human beings ; having less creative control ; losing friends ; bad communication team + members disappearing ; the project going into the ground ; the person who just doesn’t ; people not pulling their weight ; the person who secretly wants me to fulfill a remit in their project + pretends it’s collaboration ; not having the confidence to speak out ; not being listened to ; not being asked to collaborate ; the other person thinking I’m an idiot ; rejection.
Keys to a successful collaboration?
Patience ; respect for each other’s time and skills ; open mindedness ; knowing about you want to get out of it ; cash flow ; motivations/goals ; good communication + happy team ; being in a beautiful space.
Then we asked them to jot down their own questions about collaboration. Funding was one of them and that’s an interrogation we could collectively answer through perhaps cataloging all the resources available to grab for Dundee. Another question from the group was: could there be a forum/network of people looking to collaborate in Dundee?
More blog posts about the October Make/Share event:
Leanne Fischler – Giving a Talk on Skill Share Dundee
Simone Elliot – Make/Share
Abbi McCarffrey – Creative Dundee: Make / Share
Theme for next event is Turning Point(s) – See line up here!
How do we recognise what’s not going to work? How do we overcome challenging circumstances? What’s next? How do we plan your future project after one failed? How and what do we learn from your failures? What are the mistakes that make a positive difference?
Wed 11th Nov, 7pm – 8.30
Dundee Makerspace, Unit 5,
Vision Building,
Greenmarket,
Dundee.
Free.