ROMANIA ‘24
Stone Soup - Experience Design Camp
6-10 September 2024
Applications are now closed.
Leave your work, bring your curiosity
Stone Soup goes beyond being just an event—it's a profound, life-changing journey. Imagine five adventurous days immersed in spontaneous creativity, where magic unfolds at every turn.
a Transformative Journey
At Stone Soup, you'll have the opportunity to experiment, share your expertise, and collaborate on extraordinary experiences. It's a unique chance to unlock the secrets of your craft and explore your passions alongside a vibrant community of makers, doers, and dreamers.
This camp is designed to ignite inspiration through workshops, co-designed experiences, skill development, and new discoveries.
Growing Community
Join a vibrant community of passionate makers, doers, and dreamers. Since our first Stone Soup in 2018, we’ve welcomed artists, woodworkers, physicists, designers, entrepreneurs, chefs, parents, architects, actors, directors, event organizers, storytellers, and many more.
Each event brings together an inspiring mix of participants. By blending new participants (fresh ingredients) with returning alumni (seasoned components), we ensure that each gathering remains fresh, exciting, and full of flavor.
our Playground
Welcome to Albastru și Origini, our unique location nestled in the enchanting landscapes of Oltenia in southwestern Romania. This historic venue features beautifully restored houses over 100 years old, relocated from northern Romania.
The location is a 15 minute drive from Călimănești, which is easily accessible by bus or car from Bucharest (3 hours) and Sibiu (1.5 hours).
Ticket prices
Stone Soup isn't a business; it's a community of Experience Designers. No one profits, and any remaining funds will be refunded. Limited scholarships are available for those needing financial assistance. The ticket price covers accommodation, meals, materials, and includes a small donation to the scholarship fund.
Types of Tickets:
Regular Ticket: 290€
Scholarship ticket: 100€
Solidarity Ticket: 450€ (This is for people who have access to more wealth and who are willing to contribute to the scholarship fund).
Sleeping Preferences (These prices are added on top of ticket price):
Bring-your-own tent/van: Free
Communal bed in a room (private): €25 per person/whole stay
Shared bed in communal room: €12.50 per person/whole stay
Private Room: €100 per room/whole stay
Bed or tent
Our location offers accommodations in both beds and tents. There are four houses with shared bedrooms, each containing 2, 4, or 6 beds per room. In total, we have 9 single beds and 7 double beds. Each house includes a shared bathroom and shower. Additionally, we have a spacious green area perfect for setting up tents. Parking is available outside.
Receive guidance along the way
In August participants will be assigned to a group with whom you will co-create magical experiences. In this group of participants, there will be one Guide who can offer help along the way. This group will help you get introduced to other participants, prepare, and set intentions for the camp.
In the month after the Soup, we’ll gather again - virtually - to decompress, reflect and collect feedback.
Participating in Stone Soup takes vulnerability, trust, and leaps of faith. Our principles have been formed to inspire and guide us during the France 2023 Stone Soup. Please read them carefully!
During the weekend, we’re all part of the community. We have a few expectations we would like to share with you. So you know what to expect.
Please read them carefully!
FAQ
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If you feel a calling for it, that is a good sign! Have a look to the Stone Soup Principles and Stone Soup Expectations. Do these constraints feel inspiring rather than limiting? Do you have the openness in your life right now to let new things in? Then Stone Soup is for you!
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At Stone Soup there’s no us and them, there is no distinction between organizer and participant, between creator and audience. We collectively contribute to each other’s learning experience. Workshops, experiences, and spontaneous adventures are all initiated by the participants themselves for one big exchange of skills, stories, and explorations. Come with something you’ve prepared or co-create spontaneously, don’t be afraid to show your talent and contribute in any way you like. What are you curious to explore and learn? What are you excited to share?
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There is no pre-prepared program at Stone Soup. There is an overarching structure of the gathering created by sharing all meals together, and by having a collective Opening and Closing Ceremony. Within that frame, the activities, experiences, and workshops are co-created by us, the participants.
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After participants are known, we will figure that out together. But to give you an idea already, people will carpool together or go by public transport and get pick up by the closed train station.
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Applicants for Stone Soup Romania '24 will be selected based on a combination of open applications and invitations.
We always make sure there are some spots reserved for people who have never attended a Stone Soup before, to keep our community open and evolving.
If more applications are received than available application spots, priority will be given to those who will be able to attend all days of the camp. If there are still more applicants than spots, a lottery will be conducted. -
We interpret experience design in the broadest terms as the act of intentionally creating an experience for other people. We design experiences of all kinds of genres, such as immersive dinners, rituals, guided walks, outdoor games, and participatory theater. But there are hardly any limits to the kind of moment or interaction we consider worthy of design - we’ve designed everything from an afterlife meditation to a castle basement rave, from a tasting competition to a cloud watching workshop. Experiences can be for an audience of 1 or for a large group, they can be scripted or improvised, can be involve tools & technology or just the senses. In line with our principles, we tend towards participatory & co-created experiences.
At Stone Soup a mix of professionals, hobbyists & enthusiasts come together, united by the intention to design and participate in a wide range of experiences. Together we play, explore and test ideas and reflect. We believe that everyone can be an experience-designer and so we embrace to have a colorful and diverse mix of people participating. -
The applications for Waitlist are still open. If a spot opens up, we’ll reach out to you right away at the email you provided.
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Our cancellation policy is that we always aim to return your money in full, but that it depends on the expenses we’ve already made and whether or not we find a replacement for your spot.
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We believe that everyone can be an experience-designer and so we aim to have a colorful and diverse mix of people participating.
Stone Soup is not a conference or industry event and therefore there are no specific qualifications required in order to participate. The mindset and intentions you express in your application form will be what determines if you are a fit! Any background you have can be a valuable asset to co-creating meaningful and memorable experiences. -
No, everyone is welcome to apply.
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Yes, Stone Soup is not a business, it’s a community of experience designers. No one receives a monetary profit and all left-over money is offered to be refunded. Costs take care of the venue, groceries, creative supplies, venue insurance, miscellaneous, and scholarships. Transport is not included.
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Yes, we are fully mindful of food allergies, and the catering for the event at Stone Soup will be adapted accordingly.
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Yes you can.
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Absolutely! If you have any questions about the camp, reach out to us at stonesoupzoom@gmail.com
From previous Stone Soups
TESTIMONIALS
What other say about Stone Soup
““It’s hard to find words to describe how amazing Stone Soup is. The experiences, the people. So much fun, depth, play, expansion and connection. Love love love!” ”
““Imagine a retreat with no agenda— where the programming is brought in parcels by the other attendees to create a flexible, organic weekend with design thinking workshops & chakra balancing meditations on equal footing.” ”
““It’s amazing how little you need to create something beautiful with enormous impact.””
““If people sign up for some random, bottom-up improvised event, for its intrinsic value, well, then it is exactly the self-selected crowd I am looking for.” ”
““The prep work beforehand seemed intimidating […]. It turned out to not really be an issue since so much of it could be improvised once there. It’s a great environment to test out ideas and arrive with half-finished projects.” ”
““Of course all the experiences and workshops we did are standing out in my memory because they were amazing, but I also really appreciated the small and meaningful conversations I had with some people.” ”
We’re here to answer your questions
If you have any questions about the camp, reach out to us at stonesoupzoom@gmail.com