Un-Conference
We held the first Talk About Local Unconference in Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday 3rd October 2009 – we think it was a huge success. We wrote it up in detail. We hope to hold other unconferences in 2010 in other parts of the country.
We were delighted that the Stoke unconference got great reviews in The Guardian and Paid Content as well as a wonderful outpouring on Twitter captured in a TweetDoc. We were pleased with the power of the talk about local network to convene so many talented and enthusiastic local web publishers and activists in Stoke on Trent on a cold, often wet Saturday afternoon.
Archive follows
details of unconference
We are proud to announce that the Unconference is being hosted by Staffordshire University Faculty of Arts, Media & Design in the film theatre which is a very short walk from the railway station. Directions to the campus can be found here
The address for the Film Theatre is College Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 2DE for those coming by car the directions linked above are comprehensive, you can park at the uni, turn right just after the film theatre towards the security lodge through the barrier and left.
Those arriving by train the directions are:
Leave the station by main entrance (pretty much the only way you can get out!)
In front of you there is a hotel and a statue that looks like this
Cross the road towards the hotel and statue
Turn left and walk toward the mini round about
Turn right at the mini round about
Film theatre is on the right
Use the link below for Google maps
We are rather awestruck to have some of the best hyperlocal web people signed up to attend the event , so it will be a fantastic day with some great people to meet.
Timetable
- 0930 Registration opens in the Film Theatre Foyer
- Un-Conference planning, Networking & Coffee
- 1030 Welcome speech in the Film Theatre
- 1100 Morning Sessions
- 1300 Lunch (yes the free one)
- 1400 Afternoon Sessions
- 1600 Closing speeches & mutual back slapping
- 1700 Drinks & Networking in the Clayhanger Bar at the North Staffordshire Hotel (opposite the Rail Station)
Once you have registered please join our Google Group and start some conversations, plan who you want to meet up with, and what stuff you would like to discuss, learn & teach at the Un-Conference. We have got you this far, we’ll be there on the day to make you feel welcome and to make sure things run smoothly but we hand it over to you to run sessions and have discussions about the stuff that is important to you.
There are just a few places left, so please click HERE and fill in our very simple registration form.
Getting to Stoke
Stoke is easily accessible from most rail routes, the M6 and even canal.
What we’ll be doing
Tag for Twitter and Delicious: #tal09
The unconference is not for you to come and be comatised by web 2.0 marketeers telling you how you can monetize 24/365 relationships or transition viral ROI it is for real people, running real hyperlocal sites to network with people who are doing the same thing.
The thing people say to us most when we are talking about Talk About Local (and you may have noticed we love to talk about it!) is ‘I didn’t know anyone else was doing this’ so we are giving you the chance to meet up with all the other people who you didn’t know were doing the same as you!
The format is going to be Unconference, fun, relaxed and informal. As well and the unconference event, we will be holding social media surgeries where you can come along and speak to friendly developers and experts to get advice about your site or how to fix that niggling problem you just can’t seem to get your head around.
The best bit is it’s free! Yes FREE!
But there is no such thing as a free lunch I hear you cry.
Well actually there is because we will even feed you during the day!
We’re very grateful to our sponsors for making all this possible: Business Link, Media Trust, Ofcom and Cisco.