One of the most common, exciting, important, and controversial styles of communication is gossip. Gossip fuels reality tv programs and tabloids. It can be used as a protective web to prevent harm from reoccurring. Or it can be used to bully, intimidate, and maintain positions of power.

In this workshop, we will explore our relationship to gossip and rumors. What effect does gossip have on our communities? What is “productive” gossip and what is “harmful” gossip? And how does gossip affect the way that we interact with those around us?

James Parnell (He/Him)

James Parnell is a Hague-based curator, facilitator, dancer, and zinester who focuses on community building, collective learning, and the conflicts that arise in these practices. He often works in cultures and artistic communities on the margins, such as queer communities, Black communities, and independent publishers.