Calgary is filled with many amazing people with a variety of diverse talents, beliefs and ideas. While meeting them all would probably be impossible, We Should Know Each Other is the perfect party to get acquainted with as many different people as you can.
WSKEO is a community gathering where all kinds of people from across Calgary can come together to expand their social circles and meet new people. WSKEO began four and a half years ago when Mark Hopkins, the co-founder and current co-artistic director of the local Swallow A Bicycle Theatre, transitioned from writing to theatre. He soon realized that none of his new friends in theatre knew his old friends.
“None of my theatre friends knew my writing friends and none of my dance friends knew any of my friends and I just thought everyone should be friends,” says Hopkins. “When different communities come together the effect is really great.”
It soon became apparent to Hopkins that the arts community in Calgary was divided — people did not really interact with people outside of their field. So, in February 2008, he started hosting WSKEO parties in his living room once every two weeks, where random people could come to meet up in a safe and open place to get to know each other.
“I normally invite around 1,000–2,000 people and about 12 people show up,” explains Hopkins. “But I never really know who is going to come or how many will come — it’s always random.”
Because of this randomness, each party is different from the last, which adds to the sense of discovery provided by WSKEO.
“The parties have no theme and normally take shape depending on who is there,” says Hopkins. “Sometimes everyone will bring instruments and we’ll have a jam session and sing along and other times a political candidate will show up and we’ll have a political debate. It’s always different.”
The demographic has changed significantly since the beginning of these events, becoming much more diverse and varied.
“When it first started, everyone was quite similar to myself — they were all in their 20s or 30s, Caucasian and artistic,” explains Hopkins. “But now it has greatly diversified and we have people from ages 18–65 with a lot of cultural and racial diversity.”
September 29 will mark the 100th WSKEO party. For this free event Hopkins has partnered with the funding group Calgary Arts Development, who have recently purchased the abandoned building that used to be King Edward school — the building that will be used for the party. Hopkins and his friends are planning to fill the school to the brim with dozens of different groups and activities.
“You’ll walk in and everywhere you turn there will be a different group and activity,” says Hopkins. “There will be arts groups, poetry readings, dance performances, robotic furniture and a slow dance party, to name a few. We are even showing Ghostbusters on the side of the building.”
With this We Should Know Each Other event looking to be the biggest yet, there is no better time to go and try to meet some new people. As for the future of WSKEO, Hopkins says he hasn’t even had time to think about it.
“Over the summer I have met with some other community-based groups and there’s a lot we can do,” says Hopkins. “I think after this event I’m just going to digest it and see who I can team up with.”