We are out of practice. Not at posting, scrolling or texting. But at connecting. Face to face, in real life. Now we hesitate, overthink; and choose to play safe. Playing it safe builds an unstable foundation for connection. It creates comfort, as well as limits experiences.
Matchstick exists for one reason—
To get people talking again.
Not perfectly,
Not smoothly,
Just for real.
The Matchstick Mixer seeks out to provide a safe space whereby people can form new connections. Everyone is encouraged to show up as their most authentic selves, and enjoy the process of meeting someone new – whether that be a friend, a business contact, or even a romantic partner.
Zawadi is a writer and photographer based in The Hague, who initially began DJing at various events and festivals in and around London. Throughout that time, they cultivated their own community while working at a music studio in Shoreditch called Matter of Time, by hosting quarterly vinyl listening clubs. Now, aside from Matchstick, Zawadi spends her weekdays writing for a dating column titled ‘Pulse,’ and her weekends at the emerging cultural venue Inter-City.
Anne is Queer Kenyan who established herself as an organiser based in The Hague. She has gotten a chance to be part of multiple communities in the city as she primarily grew up here. Anne has organised for feminist, diasporic, religious, and political communities. She is the kind of person to have her fingers in multiple pies. Apart from Matchstick, Anne reminisces on entanglements, social issues, and personal experiences through her writing. More specifically, she is a spoken word artist and part time poet. She spends her weekends rolling joints for her friends, at a park or at a friends listening to vinyls. On the flipside, her weekdays are spent at an established corporation that will not be named, getting her money up!