In a perfect, utopian art world, good art would be viewed accompanied by a healthy heaping of pad Thai, and emerging artists would be given their time to shine alongside established artists in venues absent of the pretensions of a white-walled gallery or museum. In the year 2000, Casey Kelbaugh started that very phenomenon in his tiny Seattle backyard. Kelbaugh invited his friends and fellow photographers to bring over something to eat and drink as well as slides of their work. With that, the Slideluck Potshow was born, giving work that wouldn't otherwise be viewed the attention it deserved and reinventing the idea of the slide show. An overnight success, Kelbaugh hosted 20 similar events in Seattle before moving to New York in 2003.

While Kelbaugh didn't think the format would work in commercial-centric New York, it quickly caught on and in the seven years since, the gatherings have gone global, taking place in cities as varied as London, Sao Paolo and Austin. Known to draw crowds as large as 1,200, attendees comprised of artists, photographers, curators, designers and art buyers mingle and discuss art in a relaxed, non-competitive environment. The night begins with a feast followed by a slide show, where short attention spans are nurtured, allowing each participant — who have included Shepard Fairey, Alec Soth, and Eugene Mirman — only five minutes to present their work. This unique, communal format brings the fun back into viewing art, with guests experiencing each image together. There is usually no admission fee or special list; the only requirement is that you bring something to eat or drink.

The latest installment brought Kelbaugh, a commercial and advertising photographer who has shot for the New York Times and the Associated Press among others, to Nairobi, where a crowd of nearly 400 people showed up. Along with local food, the slide show featured a photo essay of malaria and HIV epidemics in the slums and documentation of child abuse in South Africa, paired with some lighter moments, such as a piece about the clothing designs of Nike Kondakis — all made from recycled parachutes.

Save the date for future events being held at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art on April 10; a collaborative event with Ladies Lotto in Los Angeles, also in April, exploring the contemporary female experience; and an all day summer event in Woodstock. Arrive hungry.