We’re all community builders.
From sports teams to books clubs, neighbourhood block parties to political rallies, we all play a role in building the communities around us. It feels good.
I got my first big community “high” organising festivals in college. I loved it so much I got my first job doing it. I traveled across the country producing inter-college battle-of-the-bands competitions, “Campus Rock Idols”. Forging partnerships between young artists and brands strengthened both of their aims and planted the seeds of India’s independent music scene.
As time went on, the concerts grew larger and the stakes higher, producing acts like Roger Waters, Sting, Elton John, Rolling Stones and Norah Jones among others. The hours were gruelling but the energy of a packed stadium and the sound of crowds singing along to their favourite songs fueled me.
By the 2010’s, the industry was expanding its notions of community, building them online. Everyone wanted the same thing – to cultivate friends, followers and fans. By then I’d expanded my scope of work, consulting with marketers, designers, artists, storytellers, digital creators and entrepreneurs. I helped them define their mission, build their audiences and create engaging experiences for their consumers.
Over the past several months, I’ve had some time to reflect on my career. I’ve been bringing people together under different banners for two decades. But what lies beneath this desire to come together? What makes community building so powerful? And what turns a mass into a movement?
I scoured the internet, poured through books and listened to podcasts to find out. What follows are the results of my research. I’m not a writer, many of these stories here are excerpted straight from the source, to which I hope I’ve given well deserved credit. Rather, this is collection of insights and case studies that explore what’s worked, what hasn’t and where we may be headed as we build the communities of the future.
We’re in exciting times for sure -- redefining boundaries and reimagining how we wish to be with one another. As we become more discerning, building trust will be key. In the face of divisiveness, finding common values and building goodwill will become even more valuable.
I believe that building community is about to get more creative, more relevant and more impactful than ever before.
Enjoy!
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