The First Tamil Typography Workshop in the History!
#22 Blog Thursday
Team Madrasters is always unique in exploring content. One of the most significant milestones in the journey of Madrasters is Tamil Typography Workshop on 29 April 2018.
Highlights
- 29 April 2018 | IITM Research Park — Chennai, India
- Tamil Typography workshop — Website
- 48 Participants
- 4 hours — Hands-on Workshop
- 1 Volunteer — Jeevanantham Jiva
- 1 Organizer — Jack Anto
- 1 Speaker — Artist six
Readers Caution: Sharing experience as an event organizer and a partial attendee.
It all started with my good friend Artist six on a general discussion during one of our post-session conversation in Salem. It was on the train, the chat started with one question to Artist Six: “Why can’t we do a Tamil Typography Workshop? Because people know you by Tamil Typographic Artist. Why can’t you share the knowledge?”
That’s the spark. The small task was given to Artist six to come with the overall structure of the content. The content should be digestible for 4 hours. In return and within a week’s time shared the complete synopsis of the workshop. Artist six gave me an interesting fact. There wasn’t no workshop happened for Tamil Typography in the history and our will a debut. But I was not confident and little hesitant to believe. So we didn’t do any promotion about the debut workshop in Tamil Typography. I was in particular in keeping it silent. Even though Artist six pushed me to promote, but I didn’t :(
Quick points before the workshop
- Date finalized & Hall booking
- Promotion Designs, Mailer and Website Launch
- 4.5 rehearsals before the event. (0.5 was on the phone)
- The material listed, purchased and the special packing — Workshop Kit.
- Specific food and beverages for the participants
- One volunteer hand picked by the speaker (Volunteer Jiva)
- Registered 40 Participants — Target Fixed!
- Registered participant WhatsApp group — For last minute communication
Workshop Day — 29 April 2018.
Core team including the speaker were there at the venue at 7:00 AM IST, and we were the setting up things. Artist Six made it special to all the participant by writing the participants name in Tamil in the Workshop kit. And it was like a game, with a random name throughout the hall. Registration started at 9:00 AM and within 9:20 all the participant checked in including the few stop registrations.
At 9:30 IST, all the participant, was asked to move inside the hall. With the surprise participants were hunting their name in the workshop kit (Handwritten typo by the speaker). With a warm welcome, I started the event by introducing the speaker, then session started! Over to Artist six.
It was continuous 4 hours workshop, no breaks. But we shared some snacks and beverages in the middle of the hands-on time. We were particular about the break because we don’t want the participant to get distracted by giving a break and at the same time we made them feel like home. Let them have the snack at their place itself and continue the hands-on.
End of sessions
Almost towards the end of 20 mins. We made everyone to introduce them individually and ask them to share their interest in Tamil Typography and what pushed them to attend this session. It was a meaningful talk by all the participants, the success of the workshop was felt, when everyone shared their stories.
Achievement is tasted, only when you do it by yourself.
Interesting Facts
- 50% of the participant was not from Chennai. They traveled all way from the native to attend the workshop.
- 1 international participant from Malaysia
- 48 Participants (Few last minute stop registration)
- 50% of the participants age was above 30
Vote of Thanks
Last five minutes rejoice. With the hesitation and doubts, I shared that we have made the history of conducting the Debut workshop on Tamil Typography. One of the participants stood up and said, that he was part of Tamil Typography conference which was held on 2016 at Tamil Virtual Academy. From his own word appreciated us and said.
“You guys are correct, at 2016 we conducted a conference for Tamil Typography. That was not a workshop, it was a conference. Team Madrasters made the history of conducting the First Tamil Typography workshop. And I’m happy to be a participant in the workshop. Please don’t be hesitant, feel proud that you have conducted it.”
— True-words from the participant.
The moment of rejoicing is felt when a stranger accepts and declare you are correct.
I have organized many meet-ups or workshops. This one stays strong with me, hence thought of sharing my happiness as a blog.
Silent contributors: Raghavendra Venkataraman, Mohammed Suhail, mahes jeevan, Daniel Doss, Yeshvanth & Anantha Natarajan
#22 Blog Thursday posted, and you have finished reading it, and my chewing continues. Fingers crossed to see my last #52 Blog Thursday post.
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