Community: a force for good | An inspiring debate hosted by Jack Horner
We recently hosted another get-together in the ‘Gather Round Presents’ series, turning the cosy meeting room at our Brunswick Square co-working space into an all-out forum on the topic of ‘community’.
Joined by 30 members and non-members from various creative disciplines, the event initially centred on the experience and insights of prolific founder Jack Horner, but soon became a riveting, open conversation.
We covered some big questions and plenty of ground. What constitutes community? Common interests? Friendships? Do work colleagues qualify? Who decides? What makes community a force for good? And this sense of community in the working world (and in creativity) — is it a significant shift? Or is it a fad?
Jack is a big advocate of communities, and we were excited to have him share tales and takes on the idea. In the 00s, he co-founded and built the award-winning agency FRUKT, working with global organisations like Diesel, Coke and Mastercard on their role and activation in culture and entertainment. Some of the agency’s success hinged on ‘Fandom’, a sense of community which moved beyond brand affinity in a novel and compelling way — something he feels has lost its authenticity in recent years, perhaps becoming more of a ‘fad’.
Jack reflected on how FRUKT really was a genuine community. “We were all mates pulling in the same direction. We hung out with each other and perhaps the test of an authentic bond is that many of us still do.” He went on to lament the potential loss of such community in modern working practices, and said “it’s why places to convene are so important, like Gather Round and the sense of community being nurtured here”.
He’s also the driving force behind DOT DOT DOT, a community of creative sector founders and leaders offering their creative expertise and business chops to “changemakers who run charities and non-profits.” DOT DOT DOT was founded to specifically enable creative leaders to give something back using their networks, creativity and creative resources. The collective has been growing for over a decade, offering pro-bono brand work. Jack tells us the community “thrives on creativity, energy, and connecting people”, and says “the depth of connection is absolutely key”.
Depth of connection is something of a blueprint for community, Jack highlights that ‘Moving beyond the superficial definitely suggests more of a shift than a fad.’
Attendee Karen Cording had a thought-provoking take. “This idea of ‘shift or fad’ reminds me of a concept called ‘collective effervescence’, a theory by Dr Dacher Keltner. He discusses the fact that, when we’re together, humans’ nervous systems can sync up; it’s called ‘Co-regulation’”. Karen also said: “Whether you call it community, collective or just a gathering, something special happens when humans are together. And, for me, communities provide a space to experience this benefit. That’s a shift, surely?”
Such a sentiment is evident in another of Jack’s pursuits. Recognising the rising challenge of loneliness in the modern world, and especially among men, Jack and his co-founders developed IceBreakers as a community to support men’s mental health through…well…community. And nature. And the potential to find balance between masculine and feminine energies. IceBreaker’s work in rural and remote areas incorporates movement, nature immersion and breath work along side the establishing of safe spaces for men to just talk openly and with some vulnerability.
He spoke warmly about Jamma De Samba, a large community samba band (with based in Bath and Frome). “It’s SUCH a broad range of members, literally anyone can join. I can’t think of any other way I’d end up in the same room as these people, and yet we have such a wonderful bond. They are my band, my mates”. Jamma play carnivals, street parties and festivals across the South West.
And finally, most recently Jack has launched a free local magazine and event listings website, nearfield. The mission has been to inspire people to experience more in the South West. As Jack puts it — “Bristol does Bristol really well, Frome does Frome really well, but there’s not anything bringing the whole region together.” The magazine aims to bring people together around the things they love, drive support for local venues, bars and other spaces, and ultimately become “TimeOut for the countryside” covering a 25 mile radius of Bath and Bristol.. Again, common interests serve as a fabulous foundation for community. If you’re not familiar with nearfield — check them out on Instagram or head into either of the Gather Round locations to find copies of the print version!
Evidently, a common theme in Jack’s career has been cultivating spaces for creative and purpose-led communities to thrive. On this, Andy German chipped in: “I find that, in the creative industry, we have so many common interests with our peers and colleagues. Whether it’s our love for film, music, culture, fashion or our general outlook on life, it’s quite easy — and always inspiring — to find someone with common ground. I don’t know if that’s necessarily the same in traditionally less creative sectors? For creatives, I sense that feeling more relaxed and having more in common with each other means our work environments can tend to feel like communities.”
Another attendee, Jardine Miles, said “As someone who has been building communities over the last few years, hearing Jack’s story was incredibly inspiring, but what stood out the most was the community in the room itself”.
So, what about Gather Round? Founder Jason Smith was at the event, and said “Community is about the collective, of course, but also so much about each individual. How do they use it? How do they contribute? How does the community work for them? People use Gather Round in different ways — some for strength and support; others for social connection. This event really goes to show that every community is used differently and has a different purpose for each member. You get back what you put in, and that’s up to you.”
A massive thank you to Jack Horner and to everyone who came along. Shout out also to Banh Wagon for providing the tasty lunch. We love partnering with local businesses, and these guys are gems. Those sensational stacked subs (on us!) were perfect for getting the conversation rolling a little later on.
Keep your eyes peeled on our Instagram for announcements of our upcoming events, and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to get your name on the guest list.
Gather Round is a growing family of unique creative workspaces, designed to foster a positive community of like-minded creative people through an open and supportive culture. Our considered spaces are designed to adapt to the diverse needs of our members....
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