Join us for the Seattle XR Unconference!

It will be an XR event like no other: an informal gathering of folks who think immersive technologies are cool coming together to talk about design, development, production, ethics, art, sound, business, and really anything that seems interesting.

Unlike a structured event such as a regular conference, where the organizers tell you what’s going to happen and you just sit and listen, an unconference is a place where you set the agenda. We’ll be facilitating, but the topics are up to you.

You’ll find topics you weren’t expecting, sessions that take unexpected turns, talks that change direction and grow in interest through audience interaction, and far more opportunity and support for networking.

Once the day is done, we’ll be heading to a nearby bar (venue TBD) so we can continue the conversation.

I’m new to all this. Is this event for me?

Absolutely!

An unconference is a great place to get familiar with this field. Sessions will range from advanced to beginner, and will cover a wide range of topics. If you’re still uncomfortable, please let us know (see our contact info below) and we’d be happy to talk to you and make sure you know at least a few people at the event.

How does this all work?

If you want to host a session, you suggest a topic that you want to talk about. You don’t need to know a lot about it, you just need to want to talk about it. We’ll gauge interest, share it with other attendees, and find you a place to talk. You’re not expected to prepare anything or even to do most of the talking, though you can if you want to.

Unconference sessions tend to be much more like conversations than presentations, in that they’re organized on the spur of the moment, flow with the mood and interest of participants, and are generally smaller than the large presentations you might see at a conference.

If you don’t want to run a session, you’re welcome to come along and just listen if that’s what you want. Our job is to ensure that folks who do want to talk are comfortable in doing so, that they have a place to do it, and that the event as a whole runs smoothly. The history of unconferences suggests that there’s no shortage of people who have topics they want to talk about, so we’re not worried about that!

Frequently Asked Questions

Hang on. This sounds complicated. How exactly does it work?

Most of the complexity is on us. You’ll suggest topics by writing each one on a post-it note. We’ll then poll everyone else on which topics they think are interesting using a vote board. Based on that, we’ll assign topics to spaces and time slots and then just get out of the way (or even better, go to sessions and participate as regular attendees).

Our goal will be to maintain a very light touch. We might merge topics if we think they’re basically the same, and if we run out of space some topics might miss out, but we’ll be following an open process throughout, and pretty much anything we decide will be open for discussion.

What are you spending our ticket money on?

Primarily catering, but also on materials and a few expenses related to administration. Any funds left over remain with SITA, the Seattle Immersive Technology Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, for use to subsidize future events.

Oh man, I’d love to come, but I really can’t afford the cost. Is there any way I can get in for free?

For sure.

Contact us and let us know about your circumstances and we’ll get you sorted. As a community event with relatively low costs to run, we want to make sure as many people can come regardless of resources. Of course, if you do have the funds, we ask that you buy a ticket and support the event so that we can run it again. If you’re feeling extra flush with cash, SITA is a registered non-profit and always open to donations that let us run more events and make things easier for those who need a break at the moment to participate.

I have dietary requirements. Do I have to pay the full price if I can’t eat your food?

We’ll be providing regular, vegetarian, and vegan options. Let us know what your requirements are when you register, and if we think we can’t accommodate you, we’ll let you know and will refund you 50% of your entry fee. You’re also welcome to simply sign up with a “I’ll bring my own food” ticket.

Seattle XR Unconference is quite a mouthful. How about ???

Many of the most successful unconferences of the past have had “camp” in the name – Foo Camp being the best example. We’d love a catchier name, but we haven’t come up with one yet. In fact, I might have to run a session on finding one. Got an idea? Let us know!

What do you mean by more support for networking?

If you’re anything like me, you find networking at traditional events to be challenging unless you’re a speaker. I find introductions awkward, and conversations are often stilted until you’ve had a chance to get to know someone, which you probably won’t have time to do. Because an unconference provides many more people a chance to speak, you’ll naturally get to know a bit about each other during sessions and thus these challenging aspects of networking either go away or are much reduced!

Disclaimers

We, the organizers, along with our fiscal and venue sponsors, the Seattle Immersive Technology Association and WeWork Labs, take no responsibility for you or your stuff while you’re at the event. We recommend you keep your belonging on you at all times. If you have any problems, please let us know so we can help, but are ultimately responsible for your person and belongings.

Code of Conduct

The Seattle Immersive Technology Association is committed to providing a harassment-free environment for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion (or lack thereof), or expertise.

We do not tolerate harassment of any kind. Harassment may include but is not limited to verbal abuse, sexually explicit or derogatory language, offensive or sexual cartoons or materials, mimicry, offensive gestures, unwelcome sexual advances, and inappropriate physical contact. In general, sexual advances of any kind are considered unwelcome by default and are not appropriate at this event. We will, in general, give more weight to the account of the victim over that of the aggressor in interpreting whether harassment has occurred.

Drugs and alcohol are not permitted on site. Individuals who appear intoxicated or otherwise under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be asked to leave the event until they have recovered.

If you are being harassed, notice someone being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact an organizer or volunteer immediately.

If, in the eyes of the Organizers, an individual attending the event is seen to have violated these rules, they may be warned, sanctioned, or asked to leave the event without a refund (if applicable).

In short – be aware of your actions and their effects on others and be nice to one another.

Refund Policy

We will refund your ticket if we receive your request to do so at least 7 days before the event. We may, at our discretion, give late refunds in extenuating circumstances if we are able to re-sell your ticket.

This policy exists so that we can recoup our costs once we’ve committed to spending money based on your attendance.

Image Policy

We will collect video and images throughout the event for use in our public gallery and promotional materials for future events. By attending the event, you give us permission to use your image in this way.

If you would like to attend but are not comfortable about being in photos, please tell an organizer and we’ll arrange to avoid capturing your image.

Attendees may collect video and images for their own use following the normal rules for doing so in public. Please be aware that taking photos and video of someone without their consent may be deemed a form of harassment and thus violate our code of conduct.

Contacting Us

For more information about the event, or for any other questions, drop us a line at [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you!