Art of Hosting

What it is

Not a single method but a framework that integrates several. Art of Hosting (AoH) practitioners treat themselves as "hosts" of conversations rather than "facilitators" running an agenda. They prepare a clear purpose, invite the right mix of people, arrange the space, and then move fluidly between different gathering forms depending on what the work needs.

The community of practice emerged in the late 1990s through facilitators including Chris Corrigan, Toke Møller, Monica Nissén, and others.

Why it works

A complex social challenge rarely fits one format. Some conversations need a circle. Some need rotating tables. Some need self-organized sessions. Some need a strengths-focused inquiry. Art of Hosting is a way of holding a multi-day or multi-session gathering that moves between forms as the work requires, rather than forcing every conversation into one method.

The framing of "host" rather than "facilitator" also does work. A facilitator stands in front of a process. A host welcomes a guest. The relational frame changes what the room feels like.

What you need

• Time: 2 to 8 hours for a single session. Multi-day for intensive work.
• People: 8 to 1,000+ participants. Diverse perspectives are essential.
• Space: Physical space with movable furniture, multiple breakout areas, welcoming atmosphere.
• Materials: Flip charts, markers, name tags, optional recording equipment.
• Skills: Facilitation training. Comfort with emergence and uncertainty. Ability to listen deeply. Capacity to hold space.
• Energy level: Moderate to high.

How to host it

1. Get clear on purpose first. AoH starts with the "calling question": *Why are we gathering? What is the work we're being called to do?* Spend real time here. A clear calling question is the spine of the whole gathering.
2. Invite the right mix. Diversity of perspective, lived experience, role, and power. Not "the usual suspects." A small core team can map who needs to be in the room.
3. Prepare the space. Movable furniture. Multiple corners for breakouts. Welcoming sound and light. Food. The room is one of your co-hosts.
4. Open with circle. Begin most AoH gatherings with a circle check-in (see [Talking Circle](./talking-circle.md)). It establishes presence and accountability before any task begins.
5. Move between methods. Over the course of a session or multi-day, draw on:

• [World Cafe](./world-cafe.md) for cross-pollinating ideas across small groups.
• [Open Space Technology](./open-space.md) for participant-driven sessions on emerging topics.
• [Appreciative Inquiry](./appreciative-inquiry.md) for strengths-based exploration.
• Talking circles for the deeper or harder conversations.
• Pro-action cafe for moving from conversation to commitment.

1. Build harvesting in. AoH treats "harvesting" as as important as hosting. What does the group take away in writing, in commitments, in images, in body memory? Use graphic recording, summary writers, photo documentation, group action lists.
2. Close with circle. End the way you began. Each voice. Each presence acknowledged.
3. Plan the follow-through before you leave. Who is doing what, by when? What is the next gathering? How will the harvest be shared?

Variations

Single-method use. Most communities don't host days-long AoH gatherings; they pick one method (cafe, circle, Open Space) for a specific need. That's fine. AoH is also a way of thinking, not just a multi-day format.

Cohort training. AoH practitioners run multi-day trainings that introduce the methodology. These are deep introductions and worth attending if you do this work regularly. See artofhosting.org for upcoming offerings.

Online AoH. Adapts to virtual contexts. The methods scale to video.

Stories from neighborhoods

The AoH community of practice has been used by nonprofits addressing social change, city planning initiatives, healthcare reform, climate adaptation, and organizational transformation. Practitioners work in Toronto, Vancouver, the Nordic countries, the U.S., the U.K., across Africa, and globally.

The strongest single reference is Chris Corrigan's blog at chriscorrigan.com, which has been published since 2002 and includes a deep archive of practice writing.

Where to learn more

• The home community: Art of Hosting
• Practitioner blog: Chris Corrigan
• Adjacent recipes: [World Cafe](./world-cafe.md), [Open Space Technology](./open-space.md), [Talking Circle](./talking-circle.md), [Appreciative Inquiry](./appreciative-inquiry.md)

Details

• steps: **Get clear on purpose first.** AoH starts with the "calling question": *Why are we gathering? What is the work we're being called to do?* Spend real time here. A clear calling question is the spine of the whole gathering., **Invite the right mix.** Diversity of perspective, lived experience, role, and power. Not "the usual suspects." A small core team can map who needs to be in the room., **Prepare the space.** Movable furniture. Multiple corners for breakouts. Welcoming sound and light. Food. The room is one of your co-hosts., **Open with circle.** Begin most AoH gatherings with a circle check-in (see [Talking Circle](./talking-circle.md)). It establishes presence and accountability before any task begins., **Move between methods.** Over the course of a session or multi-day, draw on: - [World Cafe](./world-cafe.md) for cross-pollinating ideas across small groups. - [Open Space Technology](./open-space.md) for participant-driven sessions on emerging topics. - [Appreciative Inquiry](./appreciative-inquiry.md) for strengths-based exploration. - Talking circles for the deeper or harder conversations. - Pro-action cafe for moving from conversation to commitment., **Build harvesting in.** AoH treats "harvesting" as as important as hosting. What does the group take away in writing, in commitments, in images, in body memory? Use graphic recording, summary writers, photo documentation, group action lists., **Close with circle.** End the way you began. Each voice. Each presence acknowledged., **Plan the follow-through before you leave.** Who is doing what, by when? What is the next gathering? How will the harvest be shared?
• file path: recipes/04-gathering-design/art-of-hosting.md
• variations: **Single-method use.** Most communities don't host days-long AoH gatherings; they pick one method (cafe, circle, Open Space) for a specific need. That's fine. AoH is also a way of thinking, not just a multi-day format. **Cohort training.** AoH practitioners run multi-day trainings that introduce the methodology. These are deep introductions and worth attending if you do this work regularly. See [artofhosting.org](https://artofhosting.org/) for upcoming offerings. **Online AoH.** Adapts to virtual contexts. The methods scale to video.
• ingredients: {"time":"2 to 8 hours for a single session. Multi-day for intensive work.","space":"Physical space with movable furniture, multiple breakout areas, welcoming atmosphere.","people":"8 to 1,000+ participants. Diverse perspectives are essential.","skills":"Facilitation training. Comfort with emergence and uncertainty. Ability to listen deeply. Capacity to hold space.","materials":"Flip charts, markers, name tags, optional recording equipment.","energy_level":"Moderate to high."}
• where to learn more: - The home community: [Art of Hosting](https://artofhosting.org/) - Practitioner blog: [Chris Corrigan](https://chriscorrigan.com/) - Adjacent recipes: [World Cafe](./world-cafe.md), [Open Space Technology](./open-space.md), [Talking Circle](./talking-circle.md), [Appreciative Inquiry](./appreciative-inquiry.md)
• stories from neighborhoods: The AoH community of practice has been used by nonprofits addressing social change, city planning initiatives, healthcare reform, climate adaptation, and organizational transformation. Practitioners work in Toronto, Vancouver, the Nordic countries, the U.S., the U.K., across Africa, and globally. The strongest single reference is **Chris Corrigan's blog** at [chriscorrigan.com](https://chriscorrigan.com/), which has been published since 2002 and includes a deep archive of practice writing.