Staying connected: Our 2nd annual creative fair

It's been hard to stay connected over the past few years as the world has shifted to a remote-first work climate. At Textio, we strive to build meaningful connections with each other. We do many of the typical remote connection initiatives like Donut calls and meeting icebreakers, but from time to time, we crave something a bit more creative and fun!

That's how our CEO Kieran Snyder came up with the idea to showcase our team's diverse talents outside of work. Our annual creative fair is a unique way that Textio prioritizes connection and gets us closer with those on different teams.

“Learn by making is one of Textio's core principles, and we are a team of makers. We started the creative fair to celebrate the talents and passions of our diverse team. When we get a view into what's important to someone outside of work, we feel greater knowledge and appreciation for who they are as a person.”

- Kieran Snyder

The story behind Textio's creative fair

As a fully distributed company since 2020, we’ve worked hard to cultivate a culture that can withstand the challenges of no longer being co-located. Connection across our distributed teams is a big part of succeeding in our new normal. The Textio Creative Fair—started last year—is an opportunity for all Textios to connect over our creative pet projects. And prizes are awarded based on four categories: brought me joy, wow, this is creative, inspired me, and delightfully unexpected.

Highlights from this year's creative fair 

Our 2nd annual creative fair did not disappoint! Textios submitted everything from tasty meals they cooked to woodworking, crafts, poems, paintings, and even original music. All in all, we were blown away by the talent on our team and how much Textios love to learn by making. 

Painting by Tacita Morway

Triangle Side Table (Walnut) by Alex Schokking  

Candle Twisting by Ashley Evans  

When Life Gives You Lemons by Ariel Tam 

Dog lamp by Chris Zamierowski 

Haus, a song by Raphael Gunn (check out the song here)

Apple Piecaken by Dawn Wright 

The Best Picture I Have or Will Ever Take by Liz Falvo 

Connection is culture. If you don't have some level of closeness outside of the day-to-day, it's hard to do excellent work together. At Textio, we love coming together to celebrate our team's talents. We're already looking forward to next year's creative fair and seeing what our team comes up with next.