Have you ever heard of a live scribe? No, I hadn't either, until a few months ago when I went to the ßÙßÇÂþ» Youth Arts and Culture Festival. It was a great day, filled with lots and lots of different creative opportunities to try out and all for free!
There was a woman set up in the middle of the room with a big sketchbook. I was interested so I took a closer look. She was illustrating (beautifully I might add) the whole event. I asked her about what she was doing and she told me, “Hi, I’m Annalees and I'm a live scribe”. Hummm interesting I thought… a live scribe… I wanted to find out more.
So, what’s a live scribe? Well, it’s kind of like having a real-life comic book being drawn in front of you. Instead of just writing notes, a live scribe listens to what’s happening and draws it out in real time, little sketches, symbols, stick figures, big words in bubble letters, all on a giant page.
It’s not just doodling for fun either. It’s a way of turning a whole event into one big, easy-to-understand visual story. Imagine someone speaking, and as they talk, their ideas magically appear on a page in pictures and keywords. That’s exactly what a live scribe does.
By the end of the event, you’re left with this amazing visual map of everything that happened. It’s clever, memorable, and honestly, super satisfying to watch in action. I left thinking, “Why didn’t I know about this before?!”
Watching her work made me realise just how many creative jobs are out there, some you may never have even thought about! From live scribes to graphic recorders, illustrators, animators, and beyond, there are so many ways to turn creativity into a career.
If you’re feeling inspired, check out some of our upcoming events to get ideas and discover what your own creative future could look like. Who knows you might find your dream job in a place you never expected!
Check out 's drawings to see some of the fun we had at the festival. If you’ve got ideas for events you’d love to attend, why not join our Youth Collective to get your voice heard and help shape the next creative adventures here at Escalate Arts?
