We're excited to have you! It's going to be a great time, and you're the reason.

This event is something special. The Symposium is dedicated to hands-on projects, where students get to try something out and take home a completed project. Where else can a student make a knife, beads, stained glass, cast medallions, stamp coins, or repoussé badges and take them home?

This year, we're dedicating the event to Theophilus, On Divers Arts, the premier medieval metal and glass working treatise. We are especially interested in having classes taught from the projects and techniques in this text!

Class Options

• First, we have our usual monolithic hands-on classes. This is the perfect venue for that 4-8 hour class you've been wanting to teach. These classes are generally the most fun for everybody involved, and are immensely popular. Expect to be forced to turn students away for lack of space. If you're running one of these, you may wish to reserve some Monday time to help students from Saturday and Sunday to finish up. There is invariably someone running behind on these projects. Example from last time: knife-making, bronze-casting, stained glass.
  


• Second, we have the Techniques Track. This is new: a dedicated forum lasting for the whole event. Different teachers will take short (1-hour or so) blocks to cover a topic which doesn't merit a long class, or to provide an overview of a more complicated art to show students what's possible. It's nice when these can be hands-on, but many of them won't be. If you have a lecture class, this is where you should consider teaching it. If you're teaching a project class and can take a 1-hour break to show a large group what's possible, please consider teaching a techniques track as well. Examples include wire-drawing, inlay techniques, and an overview of repoussé.


• Finally, for those big things which just can't be made hands-on, we have the demonstrations. We'll put you on the schedule, but we'll make sure people know you can't take students. Examples from last time: bell casting, iron smelting.

Teaching at the Symposium

If you are interested, here's what you should do...

First, plan out the facilities and equipment you'll need. This is a primitive site, and tables, chairs, and electricity will all be limited. Some of these can be provided if you let us know in advance. We may even be able to provide access to specialized equipment. In 2008, one blacksmith graciously opened his forge to allow several classes to be taught at it.

Second, write our your class description, including any materials fee. Don't be dull and dry in your description. We want students to be excited to take your class!

A word on materials fees: don't be afraid to charge them, especially for a hands-on class. Last time, one class was $35 in materials costs and sold out. We'd rather have you charge for materials than not teach because of cost considerations.

Next, contact the event steward, you're sure you can teach it.

Finally, you should register your class with RUSH, the Royal University of Scir-Hafoc. Registering your class allows students to get RUSH credit for the class. Use the online form.

Facilities

The Symposium is held at a privately owned property. We'll be out in the country, and the event will be a camping event. The site has a large permanent barn suitable for some indoor classes, and has several fields and a pond.

Water: Potable water is from an on-site cistern. It isn't bottomless, but is easily large enough for our needs. There is also a pond for large quantities of non-drinking water. If you expect to need a 1000-gallon slack tub, we'd prefer you use the pond. (If you have a project that needs a 1000-gallon slack tub, the event stewards want to take your class!)

Electricity: Electricity is available from the barn. Outlets are limited; if you expect to need electricity, let the event steward know early. If you need electricity but are teaching outside the barn, bring your own extension cord. We may have a few spares, but there are no guarantees.

Fire: There are no fire restrictions at this site. Just don't burn down the barn. (Don't take this as a challenge!)

We will have the usual Port-o-Johns on site. New this year, we will also have a shower trailer.