Join the 2023 Science Events Summit!
The Science Festival Alliance has done amazing things together.
What do we want to do next?
This is more than an idle question. The Alliance is at a crossroads in many respects. It’s not just that the world has changed, we as a group are changing too. Consider:
- Many people that previously took leadership roles in the Alliance have graduated to new positions. In fact, a majority of our contacts at member festivals are new since 2020. Many are just now experiencing their first in-person festivals, and many have never met other Alliance members in-person. It is time to weave this community of practice together in new ways.
- There are less member festivals reporting than in 2019, but there are many opportunities to add new members. The Alliance could grow quickly, in many directions at once. This growth needs to be strategic and intentional.
- We have new staff support ready to put our ideas into action. Late last year Alethea Campbell joined MIT Musuem staff as the first coordinator for the Science Festival Alliance since 2019.*
- Due to the timing of funding cycles, there are currently only two funded projects supporting the Alliance. Several more funders may be ready to move forward with us, depending on what we are ready to do together.
It is clear that the Alliance is set up for great things ahead. But before we can make the most of our opportunities together, we first need to decide what we want to do next.
The first step takes place at the 2023 Science Events Summit.
The Summit will be different this year. We’ll still have sessions for sharing creative ideas to help you run your events. But this year the Summit is dedicated to the next evolution of our work together. Whether you’re an events veteran or new to the field, please join in to set the direction and shape of your community of practice.
Because this year is so different, registration is limited. We’ll be considering decisions about the future of our community, and this process will work best with a smaller group.
Since we’ll be taking some of your time for the needs of the Alliance, registration is heavily subsidized. For $500 you are taken care of with:
- a room of your own at the Summit's boutique hotel for the nights of June 4 and 5;
- breakfast, lunch, and sessions and workshops on June 5 – 6; and
- the Summit dinner on June 5.
The 2023 Science Events Summit will meet at the Carter Center in Atlanta, GA. This beautiful and historic facility is President Carter's library and museum. The Carter Center and Summit dinner are each within 15-minutes walking distance of the Summit hotel. So there’s no need to rent a car.
All you have to do is register, and then get yourself to the Summit hotel on Sunday!
Find out more at the Science Events Summit website
Save your spot now at the Science Events Summit registration page
*Who is working on the Alliance these days? Ben Wiehe and Alethea Campbell are on staff at the MIT Museum, and work on funded projects that include part-time support for the Alliance. Amanda Figueroa was previously the coordinator of Experimental Practice at the MIT Museum, which brought her into frequent contact with the Alliance. Amanda moved away from the Boston area, and is now supporting some aspects of the Alliance via her organization Brown Art Ink. Daniel Aguirre is also continuing to support some aspects of the Alliance via his organization Pueblo.
