After its warm up round in 2015, TEDxBushwick is coming back in 2016 with even more ambitious plans and programming.
Last year’s theme “Translating Transformation” aimed to open a dialogue about the power of change. This year, the buzz phrase at TEDxBushwick is “Collaborative Creation,” as “it is said that if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.”
This year’s conference will be held on March 26, 2016 at a venue yet to be announced. The organizers are currently looking to feature local voices who could weigh in on big ideas relating to partnerships, groups and organizations or the general intimate experience of human collaboration where ideas are born, developed and spread. The deadline for speakers to apply is October 15, 2015.
TEDxBushwick is also looking for volunteers from the community to help shape up the event.
“There is a lot of opportunities that come with the TEDx brand,” TEDxBushwick licensee Lori Corpuz explained. “You’ll get a lot of exposure, and there is a wonderful community with other TEDx people in the country.”
One of the main points of criticism of the last year’s TEDxBushwick was its insufficient connection to the local community. A license to hold an independently organized TEDx conference, has to be applied for every year. Last year’s licensee, a startup founder Minda Aguhob spent some time living in Bushwick but the event itself could have benefitted from a larger amount of Bushwick speakers; a host familiar with the area; and particularly from a greater outreach to the community.
“Last year’s event was pulled together very fast; this year we want to plan more in advance,” explained Lori Corpuz. And so this year, the organizers want to slowly acquaint Bushwick with the upcoming conference also through three events held before the actual conference in March.
The first one of the events, a panel on the topic of “The Stories We Tell About Collaborative Creation,” will take place this coming Wednesday, August 12, at 7PM at Lot 45 (411 Troutman St). (Disclosure: the author is one of the panelists).
This year’s licensee, a business analyst Lori Corpuz, plans to build on her experience volunteering at last year’s conference–she was a sponsorship and budget director as well as director of volunteers.
Artist and a long-term Bushwick resident, Rah Crawford, who also publishes WickBush, was a speaker at last year’s event. This year he is acting as a creative director and co-organizer.
“Last year’s organizers are very much involved this year as advisors,” Lori Corpuz told us. “I want everyone at TEDxBushwick to collaborate in more meaningful way,” she added.
TEDxBushwick, March 21, 2015. Venue TBD. Stay tuned.
The Stories We Tell About Collaborative Creation TEDxBushwick panel, Wednesday, August 12, 7PM at Lot 45, 411 Troutman St, Bushwick. Tickets are $15 and $20 at the door.