The Experiment | London 2012
Being the very first event and thus inherently experimental, we needed to figure out the best way to translate our vision into a real event, professionally run and managed and delivering a great conference experience for the attendees. We got great feedback. One attendee said it was the best £50 he’d ever spent. So, we think we largely pulled it off!
We used the “Unconference” idea as the design platform to guide our construction of the event. The London event laid the ground for the various elements that have today become integral to Semiofest. Short presentations of 12-15 minutes each, interesting keynotes, ice-breakers or shared activities that help the attendees get to know each other better and form a professional connection, inspiration slots that are loosely related to semiotics but are energizing and panel discussions, if they are a better way to address some of the key professional issues that the community is grappling with. All of this took place in a “cool venue” that was not a posh hotel room, like a typical business conference or a fusty lecture theatre like an academic symposium in a University. From the very first event at London, we had the attendance and support of academic Semioticians as well, those with a keen interest in the applied side of things. Prof. Paul Cobley, one of the leading British academic semioticians attended the London event and has been a supporter ever since.
London being a city with so many options for food and eating out, there were longer lunches and dinners as well so people could get to network and connect over a good meal; nothing brings people together better than good food and drink.
Some highlights from Semiofest London 2012
A short film with some testimonials and a flavour of the atmosphere at Westbourne Studios – edited by George Nindi.
2 intensive days of Semiofest at Westbourne Studios, W10. We had 23 talks,
2 inspiration slots and 3 panel discussions. And 1 live decoding session.
London being a city with so many options for food and eating out, there were longer lunches and dinners as well so people could get to network and connect over a good meal; nothing brings people together better than good food and drink.
To find out much more and in detail about what happened at Semiofest 2012, read Chris’s blogpost.