About this project

What is this project, the Looplore Experiment? The short answer: a kind of summer camp for adults. It’s a place to take a break from the day-to-day and immerse yourself in creative projects alongside others. We think creating is important – no talents or skills required, no pressure to produce anything – just learn, enjoy, relax, and create.

To create such a place, we started with one weekend last summer. The inaugural Looplore Experiment drew 45 people to a campground in an Oregon forest. Most were from the Northwest, but some came from as far as Illinois and Texas. Campers signed up for two workshops – from rag rugs to fiddle tunes to pinhole photography. We also cooked and ate together, swam in the river, silk screened t-shirts, and made buttons and dioramas. At night we staged a variety show and played music. The second edition of the Looplore Experiment is in July.

Am I a Looplorist? We hope so! The first experiment was a collaborative effort with all campers participating in some way – teaching a workshop, planning a menu, decorating the campsite. Figuring this out together as a group was the best part, and the Looplore Experiment continues to be an evolving endeavor that brings together creative minds, the likes of you. We hope you’ll be involved in the next phase of our experiment.

We'd like to turn this weekend camp into a permanent fixture in the Pacific Northwest and make it accessible to more people – of all ages, economic situations, creative experiences, and perceived artistic “abilities.” We want you to join us – whether that means coming to camp this year or in 10 years, sharing your ideas for making Looplore even more fun and truly sustainable, making a donation, or spreading the word to family and friends who you think may be potential Looplorists.

remove

What will this Kickstarter project fund?  We want to build a base of support so we’re around for years to come! Your donations will help us accomplish three important steps towards long-term sustainability.

First, we’d like to invest in some camp and craft supplies, including tables for workshop leaders, cooking equipment for our volunteer chefs, and unique crafting supplies -- like a button maker (this we’ll get for 2011!). Second, we'd like to create a nest egg so we can cover campsite fees and food up front, before campers pay the registration fee (which, by the way, is truly a bargain!). A nest egg will also allow us to provide scholarships to campers who need financial support to attend Looplore.

Finally, we’re curious about what Looplore could look like in years to come. We’d like to organize a gathering for campers, artists, and supporters like you to come together to create a long-term vision and plan for Looplore in order to file the paperwork to get our 501c3 status. We’ll ask our supporters to contribute thoughts and ideas to this process, and donations will help cover some of the gathering’s expenses like transportation.

Can’t attend Looplore this year, but still want to connect? We're running this campaign before the 2011 camp so you can experience the Looplore Experiment from afar with our rewards, made with love by our dear Looplorists.

Also, visit our website or our Facebook page. And please share with anyone who would enjoy Looplore!

Thank you for everything, and we hope to create with you at the Looplore Experiment one day…