A young woman is shown to the table where I'm sitting - she has come in search of the Encounters project - she's read about it in the programme and is curious. It's after the time I officially finish, but I'm still there so am happy to chat for a little while. She's glad and says she wants to go and get her friend - will I wait? Yes.
A couple of minutes later she's back with her friend. They are both arts students. Having completed some of their studies already, both will be starting new courses at the beginning of the next academic year.
They're at the festival because one of their friends is involved with its organisation.
We discuss the Encounters project, how it's been unfolding. They're particularly interested in the idea of 'mapping conversations', and how it may be possible to approach this. This is something I've been experimenting with intermittently, in a very lo-fi way. I say I don't pretend to be an expert on this or claim to have a formula for it - I'm trying things out and seeing how and whether it works, and am interested in other people's responses.
We move across to the mapping and discuss it for a while. There's a reference to Happenings included. One of the students is particularly interested in Happenings. She's also interested in small things that just happen - and in ways of paying attention to these small things. We discuss the idea of art as an act of making special. She wonders out loud what it would be like if lots of people were attentive to small things, moments, interactions - and made the effort to acknowledge and appreciate these small things.
Their friend comes across - she's on a break now. We say our goodbyes.
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