How did the idea of the Matchstick Movement come about?
Creativity is generally considered as a gift or a talent of few but we don't think this is the case. Everyone has talent and creativity in them. But due to our choices, personal lives, responsibilities and liabilities, expressing creativity is the last thing on our mind. And that's how Matchstick Movement came to be - to be a firestarter and rekindle the talents and passions of people in a relaxed, intimate and non-judgemental environment. It aims to use creative expression as a means to bust the stress and mundanity of everyday life, to connect with like-minded people and pick up new forms of expression. Sometimes, it just takes a nice evening for us to realise how much fun we have expressing our creativity.
What exactly do you plan to do under this movement?
We plan to build a platform where people can experience different forms of creativity (art, writing, craft, culinary, music, etc) and in doing so, highlight local talent and indigenous crafts/skills. We aim to offer a more enriching alternative for guests compared to other social interests like restaurants, pubs, cinemas, malls, etc. We have launched with shorter format experiences that typically range between three- four hours but in the near future, we plan to add longer format versions which may even be a full-day event; depending on the subject. We also wish to highlight the warmth of Goan hospitality, as these events are at the moment held in a heritage home in Fontainhas.
There are so many different kind of art related workshops and events out there. What makes yours different?
We like to define our events as experiences rather than workshops. It's not intended to be an intense training session or skill development course, but a well curated experience where we stoke the hidden talents of our guests so that they can express themselves independently and have a fun and relaxed evening, in like-minded company. Moreover, we design such events specifically for people with no prior experience whatsoever in the subject; making it very easy for anyone, from all ages, to join. Everything is provided for. You just need to show up and have fun!
How often do you plan to have meet ups?
We are aiming to have these events at least once a month if not every fortnight. There is a lot of curating that goes into each event. Developing the subject. Finding facilitators. Procuring materials. Planning the food and beverages. The whole ambience. And mind you - our venue is in a heritage home. We can't keep inconveniencing the daily life of the family. Once we find other venues, we may increase the frequency of events.
You already had one introductory meet up on October 14. What was the response like? And what were some of the things you learnt?
We were completely surprised at the response to our introductory meet-up - ‘An Evening with Watercolours'. Since there were so many workshops and events happening around, we decided to announce our first workshop three weeks in advance, hoping to fill up our limited seats in that time. Within two days, we were fully booked! And this happened, solely relying on social media! Our guests had a great time, we received wonderful feedback. Besides the fact that they had fun dabbling in watercolours, our bruschetta bar was a hit. I think we also realised that we need to keep the workshop simple and not too technical, that good food, music and drinks go a long way.
Tell us a little more about the upcoming event
Our next event happening on November 5, is a self-portrait session in acrylics. Prita Salgaonkar, an artist specialised in portraits will be facilitating the session. It's an open canvas for our guests to bring out their true persona on it. It's not going to be one of those realistic self-portrait workshops but more focussed on highlighting characteristics and traits.
Every venture starts out small, but there's always a big dream behind it. What is the big dream that you hope to achieve eventually?
We hope it never becomes a business-oriented venture but stays true to its idea of a movement. We dream that Matchstick Movement develops into an experience-based platform to kindle creative pursuits and also act as a revival for indigenous talents, arts and crafts.
Your take on the reception to creative talent in Goa right now
There is never a dearth of creative talent. Exposure is always the concern. Once a talent gets noticed, opportunities are plenty. We also often notice that people shy away to express their creative side. The mundanity and demands of everyday life often overpower creativity and its expression - especially for the common man. We hope Matchstick Movement can change this.
How long did it take to put this together and were there any unexpected hurdles along the way?
Ezer had been toying with the idea for hosting creative experiences for a couple of years now. And Danica has always been vocal on promoting the arts in Goa. So, it was just a matter of putting thoughts out on paper and developing the idea. We first spoke about it three months back. Distilling the idea took some time. But once we got there, things have been moving quite swiftly. And surely, the support of our families and friends helped the most.
Will these meet-ups be at this fixed place always or are you looking at exploring other venues too?
Hosting events in Goan homes always has a warm and welcoming touch to it. Our guests love it. We are exploring other similar venues. The kind of events we host in future will mostly decide the venue we would choose. Also, we will explore the option of hosting in villages too. It's the experience that matters at the end of the day!
