Introducing Stomping Ground

At Stomping Ground we believe that the fabric of community is woven through stories. There are so many interesting stories, histories, and events that have happened and are happening all around us. We want to provide a place to share and listen to those stories. Our mobile app will be launching soon, but before it comes out I’d like to tell you a bit about the motivations behind Stomping Ground.

I feel more connected to my surroundings when I know the context and history of a place, whether it’s ancient or recent. Even in the places I have lived all my life, there are always additional layers that surprise me. I want to know who painted the mural outside my office building and what it means to them; I want to know about the decaying building foundation I came across while on a hike; I want to know who designed the building I live in and why they made the choices they did. I want to hear from the specialty tea shop owner: why she chose to start a business in my community and her relationships with her suppliers. These and countless other stories are the reason we are working on Stomping Ground.

There is something powerful about physically being in a place while learning about it, so Stomping Ground focuses on location based stories. Instead of looking at a mural on a screen, listeners physically go and view the art in person, seeing it in its true size, its full shape and its vibrant colors. This way the piece is experienced as it was intended by the artist, while listeners hear the artist or curator talk about what makes this artwork special.

The stories on Stomping Ground are all in audio format, told in first person, by someone who has direct experience and knowledge of the place they are speaking about. We chose audio as our medium because it has a more personal touch, and it’s an enjoyable format. As a listener, audio helps me feel as if I am connecting with a friend. I build a stronger connection to the speaker and their story if I can hear them hesitate, laugh, and stress certain words. With audio we can enable the listener to take in their surroundings and enjoy an uninterrupted visual experience while they learn or laugh along with a story.

Stomping Ground is created by myself and my co-founder Sarah Knapp. I am a software developer based in Ontario, Canada, while Sarah is a Hudson Valley based entrepreneur focused on community and outdoor exploration. Sarah and I connected over a love for art, outdoor adventure and media, but we found the strongest bond in our shared ethics and a desire to build a company with a strong social mission. It is our hope that learning about your surroundings from local experts, artists, store owners, and non-profits will help you foster a stronger connection with your community and help all of us grow into better, more participatory community members. We are delighted to bring you Stomping Ground and the plethora of rich stories that it will contain. Stay tuned to find out when we are launching in your area!