An outlet for nervous and creative energy in our isolated, uncertain, frightening, and infuriating present; a space for collaboration, connection, and sharing of texts, images, sounds and whatever else.
Our first guest was a cute raccoon because he makes us feel calmer in this horrifying moment.
This is your invitation.
We hope you join us. It’s a conversation, and we’re excited for you to meet each other and invite others. And maybe, one day, the table can go analog.
We look forward to your contributions--short texts, gifs, photos, video, sounds, doodles. It can relate directly to “this moment” or not. Maybe you want to share an idea for a project that you always dreamed of starting or one that the present moment has put into question. Maybe you’ll find someone to collaborate with at the table, or sharing it is a way to let go.
While we are acting as hosts, we’ll keep editing to a minimum and make speed of posting a priority for those who often can’t access that privilege. Texts with 500 words or less are preferred (for all of our distracted minds), but we are also open to longer contributions. (Image formatting recommendations can be found here.)
Simply send them to us at thelongtbl[at]protonmail.com
See below for timely prompts.
1. November 2020
When we started the long table in April, the idea was to create a space that would be an outlet for nervous and creative energy at a moment when the present felt isolated, uncertain, frightening, maddening. The date for our next gathering, November 1, puts us (again) closer to peak nervousness, so we're just going with no prompt for the coming one, and looking forward for what you share. Please send your contributions to longtbl[at]protonmail.com by Saturday, Oct 31.
11. October 2020
Will be the next gathering. While we have maintain an open call, we are providing WEATHER as a prompt for those who find it helpful/fun.
13. September 2020: HABIT!
Our prompt for the next gathering—if you want to work with one—will be HABIT. At the start of this season of crisis, our habits were disrupted. We struggled to maintain some of them while letting go of others happily. Some (hugging, face-touching) we missed, and others (wearing masks, 20-sec handwashes) we took on not knowing when we might be able to unlearn them. We hope joining The Long Table is a new habit for you, and we look forward to reading/hearing/seeing/sharing what you contribute. Please send your contributions to longtbl[at]protonmail.com by Saturday, September 12th.
11. July 2020: Pleasure!
Is our prompt for the next gathering on July 11. We’re curious to see what you send in. The deadline for submissions is July 10 sent to thelongtbl[at]protonmail.com.
28. June 2020
we have chosen LABOR as a prompt for the next gathering, thinking about things that take time and effort, what requires maintenance and care, and who labors or works to begin with. You might take this prompt into an altogether different direction, or choose not to work with a prompt in the first place.
Either way, we look forward to what you share. We ask for submissions by June 27th for the next gathering on June 28th, sent to thelongtbl[at]protonmail.com
14. June 2020
For the next gathering, we’re offering the prompt STREETS in addition to our usual open call. Many streets are ablaze right now, battlegrounds for justice, peace, and rage. Others are traversed with ease, becoming places for wandering, even if at a distance. Contributions are due June 13th. We look forward to yours. Feel free to forward the invitation to others who are interested.
31 May 2020:
In addition to a general open call for contributions, for those interested in a specific point of inspiration, we offer the prompt DREAMS.
Please send contributions to thelongtbl[at]protonmail.com by 30 May. We look forward to what you all make!
17 May 2020:
Prompt: We invite you to share what other tables you’re spending time at these days, what tables you miss, or ones that have been meaningful to you in the past. We started off with an image of Pascale’s table (above), and last week Jessica’s contribution features an image of the table in her garden. We’re curious to see what you send in.
Open call: The invitation to the table continues to be open to any and all contributions. We aren’t limited by linear time, which means you shouldn’t feel that way either. If you have a project that you made two years ago, or even posted elsewhere two days ago, feel free to place it on the table.
Contributions that reach us (thelongtbl[at]protonmail.com) by Saturday, May 16th will be included in the next gathering.