When we first launched the EDC in 2021, those of us involved from the beginning leaned into the idea of a collective, deciding that this space ought to be managed by a core circle working in a collaborative and non-hierarchical manner. We decided to call ourselves “curators” with the original meaning of that word in mind, curators as caretakers of a creative space. Museums and cultural spaces have curators, but so do parks and gardens. Think of the EDC as a place to nurture and cultivate together, with such examples in mind.
We are volunteers in this labor, and the EDC depends on the generosity and commitment folks have brought to this role. We’ve been working on an annual cycle from August to July, and while any curator is welcome to remain with the circle as long as they wish, we ask that folks commit with at least a year in mind. Here’s more on the scope of these commitments, a working vision for our role and responsibility that continues to evolve with us.
BASELINE Commitments: We each agree to—
- Attend monthly curator meetings in the first week of each month, and share our updates with the group beforehand if we are unable to attend that month
- Check in on the EDC platform regularly (ideally every couple of days) and respond to curatorial queries and discussions in a timely manner
- Make at least one public post each week on the EDC platform (something simple: a thought, a quote, a photo, an event that caught your eye, a link to something you’re reading, anything that might resonate with the spirit of our space)
- Share one “Story” on the EDC platform over the year
- Try to show up for events and gatherings (online or in person)
- Take on one creative commitment over the year
- Help with one caretaking commitment over the year
- Work with the Coordinator in fulfilling our responsibilities
CREATIVE Commitments:
We each agree to organize at least one program each year, which could involve—
- Creating and moderating a group on the platform
- Facilitating an online or in-person discussion
- Organizing an online or in-person talk or seminar
- Planning an event based outdoors, in nature
- Planning an activist engagement for the collective
- Convening people around a regular theme (like books or food)
- Organizing a “making/doing” workshop
- Hosting a storytelling event or poetry reading
- Developing a collective project on ecological design or life-centered design
CARETAKING Commitments:
We each agree to support the health and growth of the collective in at least one of these ways—
- Communications: newsletters, social media, and other communications
- Community-building: membership, participation, recruiting curators
- Fundraising: institutional sponsorships, grant-writing, donations, other support
- Technology: monitoring, moderating, maintaining, and improving our platform
- Strategy: evolving our mission, vision, strategies, and partnerships