CZT : AE

A. Co-learning
We believe there is value in learning from each other.

Interaction with the local and international CZT community is an invaluable facet to the CZT experience, as a whole, and should be protected and nurtured through co-learning opportunities.

Our main objective is to provide an opportunity for CZTs, internationally, to come together virtually, for the purposes of networking, sharing ideas and classroom techniques.

We recognize that there is value in furthering and building upon our existing Zentangle® knowledge, not only for ourselves as artists and artisans, but also as CZTs in every community.

B. Empowering
We believe in empowering each other.

We are all co-adventurers on this Zentangle® journey; we are mindful that we come from all walks of life and there is value in exploring different experiences, opinions and perspectives. By listening and sharing openly, we are also empowering each other.

Here are some ways we will do this at each edition:-

• Scholarship Programme - In 2020, for the first time ever, we had offered 5 partial-scholarship positions to CZTs who are in need of financial assistance. We have chosen to continue this initiative for CZT : AE 2021 Spring Edition, even though a majority of participants had given us their written feedback in 2020, to say that they had found our fees affordable and value-for money for what was provided. 
• Recognising our Instructors - Each year, it is our CZT instructors who make the entire CZT : AE event possible by their volunteering and generous contributions. It is CZT : AE tradition for all our instructors to join the event as participants, and they receive a special discount to do so. In addition to the instructor’s discount, each CZT instructor will receive an ex-gratia token sum, as a form of gratitude and recognition. [ This fixed sum is determined at the end of the event, after making deductions for event costs, materials and other ancillaries. ]

C. Networking
We believe in nurturing positive ties.

Like pen and paper, we are better together.

We actively utilise this event as a vehicle to promote and nurture friendly ties with CZTs in Asia, Europe, America and beyond in the years to come.

Even as we may now be forced to practice social distancing in a strange and different era, no CZT should feel like he or she faces the world alone. We can stay connected and supported, even in a strange and disconcerting time.

Here are some ways we will do this at each edition:-

• Regional Zoom Meetings - If you are interested in sharing your own projects or unique teaching experience(s) with the community, there will be live, open-sharing timeslots allocated to do so, for example. These optional sessions will be held via Zoom, according to various geographical regions, to accommodate different timezones. Zoom meeting schedules will be released through our exclusive Facebook group and announcement emails at a later time, in accordance to instructor schedules. These sessions offer the precious opportunity to promote conversations between our instructors and participants. These will take place as 60-90 minute sessions for question and answer, sharing and feedback. This is also a valuable opportunity to “meet” your instructors and thank them “in person”!
• Facebook Group - In addition to this, the exclusive Facebook group for instructors and participants will also function as a key vehicle for mingling, sharing art and exchanging ideas. This group will be available for all participants to interact and share for a year. Thereafter, the group will be archived and you will still be able to access everything shared there as long as you remain a member in it. The only difference is, after archiving, that no new posts and comments may be made.
• LINE CHAT Groups - There will also be exclusive LINE Chat groups for instructors, as well as, participants. These groups are optional for participants, and are meant to facilitate discussion before and during the event, as well as to encourage real-time interaction even after the event has ended.

D. Giving Back
We believe in causes.

Aside from the time and effort each instructor puts into the CZT : AE event, we are also able to give back to the larger community.

• Donation of Proceeds - Each year, CZT : AE donates a portion of proceeds to valid causes around the international community. In the interest of transparency, this amount is always reported to participants at the close of accounts. This year, a portion of our proceeds will be donated to the UNHCR Ukraine crisis emergency response [ read more here:https://donate.unhcr.org/int/en/ukraine-emergency ].
  
  
• The CZT : AE Fund - If there are any remaining funds after donation, this amount always seeds into the following year’s CZT : AE fund, to kick start the event for the following year. This ensures that the cycle of learning, of sharing, of giving back…… will always be allowed to perpetuate itself.

Read more about our organisers.