Last week I spoke at Glug which is a really fantastic series of events for the creative industry. The format and venue changes each time but generally involves speakers in a really informal, welcoming environment. There is normally a bar (which seems pretty key too - it's Glug innit) and is great for catching up with old mates and meeting new people. Industry meet ups always seem so cringy in other sectors but this is far from the business card, handshakes and grey off the peg suit thing you would expect, trust me.
Although it started in London, there are now six other cities in the UK and abroad that have regular events and our Brighton ones are well hosted by design agency Crush and illustration Agency Rush.
The event last week was at The Sallis Benny Theatre, a place I hadn't been back to since my university days an eye-watering aaaaaaaaaggggggeeee ago. The theme this time was "Passion" with speakers from the design industry who have branched out and followed another path instead or alongside their day job.
The talks were brilliant actually, with Adam Kemény and his Photobot business (a photobooth completely out of the ordinary and a fantastic start-up story to boot) and Matt Sewell, the "Banksy of the bird world" (yes really).
To be honest I've never spoken to a large audience like this, certainly not in a bona fide auditorium and certainly not 8.5 months pregnant with my lung capacity at like 20% either. By hey, I wheezed my way through it and it was pretty good fun. As you can imagine, pizza featured quite heavily (what, no really?) as well as how and why I started the blog and where it has led me to today, in a completely unforecasted twist actually - one that I couldn't really say much at the event or here yet either!
Still, the feedback was great (as well as all the tweets and emails I received - thanks!) and even managed to wangle someone a table at a packed out restaurant that night. I like to be useful at least.
Afterwards they showed the incredible film The Man Whose Mind Exploded by Toby Amies - a touching documentary of local Brighton resident Drako Oho Zarhazar, an eclectic man (understatement) in his 70s who suffers shocking memory loss after a series of accidents. I loved it, especially the relationship that formed between Drako and Toby over the course of four years filming. Check it out if you can.
For upcoming Glug events visit www.glugevents.com
Images via Glug and www.alice-jacobs.com
