Frequently
Asked
Questions

What is What Matters Now (5-minutes-max)?

What Matters Now is a free, freestyle, global, bottom-up, online event on Friday, July 10, 2020. You can attend or perform live or recorded via YouTube. It’s a series of 5-minute “lightning” talks and performances on the theme (loosely) of “what matters now” — by and for everyone who is creating, making, thinking, caring for each other, and innovating amid the uncertainty of COVID-19. It’s a chance to celebrate, share and learn, be surprised, and be together. We’ll raise some money for charity, and have a DJ’d dance party at the end. Anyone can attend. Anyone can apply to give a talk or performance: Everyone who wants to will be given a chance to shine.

What’s the purpose?

What matters now? The pandemic has killed over 500,000 people and sickened another 9 million people around the world; put a third of the world’s population into a shutdown; and brought new levels of psychological distress and misery to hundreds of millions of people. And we are deeply affected by the ongoing protests against police violence and racism around the world. Many people are doing brave and honest work, often outside the limelight, to alleviate these crises, find truth, and think and do in new ways.

  • We want to bring all of this into the light so we can learn and be inspired together.

  • We want to highlight the talent, creative thinking, problem solving, innovation, and fresh ideas coming out as we struggle with the COVID-19 crisis — and we also want to highlight the ways we are caring for ourselves and our families, friends and neighbors, and communities

  • We want to gain a broader perspective on what matters now, and what might be possible

  • We want to see each other and celebrate, despite the hardships

  • We want to strengthen and grow our community

  • We want to help each other to grow and succeed

What kind of talks/performances are you looking for?

We are looking for people to perform, share, or talk about something they do or are passionate about related to the event theme: what matters now. 5 minutes in length

  • Ignite or Pecha Kucha talks

  • Short conference-style presentations, mini TED-style talks (with or without slides)

  • Audience-participation

  • Artists showing and speaking about their work

  • Spoken word, prose, poetry

  • Music, song, dance, theater, comedyShort films, animations

  • Other!

Who can give a talk or perform?

Anyone. We are actively looking for participants and organizers from all around the world — including all of the top level UN geoscheme regions: Northern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Northern America, Asia, Europe, Oceania. Anyone who will abide by our code of conduct can apply to give a talk, no experience required! Everyone who wants to will be given a slot in the live program or invited to record and upload their talk as an official video.

Note that we’re using a mutual aid/community care model to support volunteer performers/organizers financially. See below.

How do I propose a talk?

Propose a talk here as soon as possible! (Our original deadline was June 26 but we’ll be accepting proposals for as long as we can!)

What language will this be in?

We imagine that there will be many languages used. The primary language is English, but we want performers to work in the language they’re most comfortable in. If you want to contribute your translation or interpretation skills please get in touch!

Will the content be available in accessible formats?

We will encourage all presenters to share their work in accessible formats (for example, closed captions, text/transcripts, etc.)

Who is putting this together?

We are a loose-knit volunteer global community of people who work in culture, museums, libraries, creative and performing arts, education, scientific research, civil society, community service, cities and neighborhood development, climate action, and more. We are makers, thinkers, creators, and doers. We are kids and adults — all ages, all genders. We are diverse and respectful of one another. We like to learn. We want to make the world a better place. [To Do — link to organizers page]

Do you need volunteers?

Yes! Check out the About-Contact page and get in touch! See below about community care/mutual aid.

Is anybody making money on this?

This is a not-for-profit event run on a community care/mutual aid model. Organizers and participants can request to either give, or receive, financial compensation for their efforts in suggested amounts between a £50 donation, or equivalent in your preferred currency (“I can donate to support others”) and £50 of support (“I need to be compensated for my effort”). Funds raised but not needed for community care/mutual aid will be donated to causes specified by the participants.

If you have other needs, questions, or suggestions about community care/mutual aid please let us know.