“From the get-go it’s about curiosity…about curiosity for what happens on the stage when that person gets up there to tell their story – and what happens in the room when they share that story.” ~ Lila Honaker

What if there were a mechanism – a format – that kept novelty high, provided some assurance that the information being imparted was important (at least to someone), and that might tap into things we know perhaps a bit about? 

Wouldn’t that seem like a pretty great curiosity vehicle?

I think so!

Which is just one of the reasons I think PechaKucha is such a cool concept. Japanese for “chitchat”, PechaKucha features talks on any topic of interest, accompanied by 20 slides, shown for just 20 seconds each.

Knoxville has been host to close to 60 PechaKucha events with almost 200 presentations over nearly 15 years. A team of volunteer curators put the pieces in place to make the magic happen. I was delighted to be in conversation with two of those curators, Lila Honaker and Matthew DeBardelaben.

We had a great time digging into the joy of discovering and building community, the common roots of “curiosity” and “curation,” gateways to empathy, the unexpected power of sharing our passions, why constraints are so constructive, how to get started with a PechaKucha in your community — and learning to love the history of ampersand.

There’s definitely a defined space — that playground [of PechaKucha] — but there’s so much to do and see, so much agency that I have in the process, that doesn’t stifle my curiosity but supports it. Fosters it.

Matthew DeBardelaben

Listen to Ep. #302: Curiosity at PechaKucha Night Knoxville, with Lila Honaker & Matthew deBardelaben

Take a look at PechaKucha Night Knoxville — or any of the other hundreds of PechaKucha chapters around the world! In Knoxville? Check out the upcoming event: PechaKucha Night Knoxville Vol. 57, November 6, 6:30pm.

Matthew DeBardelaben and Lila Honaker are busy people!

Read this fascinating research on the interplay of curiosity, confidence, and importance of knowing information.

Loved this conversation about structures that foster curiosity? Check out these C2BC Classics: Meeting People Where They Are, with Andy Isaacson; Lessons in Curiosity from Creative Mornings, with Regina Buono & Jessica Whalen; The Human Library, with Ronni Abergel; & Curiosity Connects Us, with Philippa Hughes.

Theme music by Sean Balick. “Turning on the Lights” by Speakeasy, via Blue Dot Sessions.

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