Join us for a dynamic conversation! Dive into open, participant-led XR talks on design, ethics, and beyond. Everyone's welcome—no set agendaAbout this Event
We are excited to invite you to Seattle XR Unconference 2024. A lot has changed in the five years since our last Unconference in 2019 and we're excited to do it all again!
The goal is to bring folks interested in immersive technologies together to informally talk about design, development, production, ethics, art, sound, business, and really anything that seems intriguing.
Unlike other conferences, at an Unconference there are no planned talks - you, the attendee, help shape the conversation. We will help facilitate, but the topics are up to you.
If you haven’t been to an Unconference, we welcome you! They are a ton of fun.
I've never been to an Unconference. Is this event for me?
Definitely!
An unconference is a great place to get familiar with the XR field. If you're still uncomfortable or confused by the idea, please contact us and we'd be happy to talk to you about.
How does this all work?
If you want to host a session, you can suggest a topic that you want to talk about. You don’t have to be an expert on the topic, you just need to want to talk about it. We’ll gauge interest from the other attendees and find you a place to talk. You don’t need to prepare anything and you don’t need to do most of the talking, though you can if you want.
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 regular conference.
If you don't want to run a session, you're welcome to come along and just listen.
The history of unconferences suggests that there's no shortage of people who have topics they want to talk about, so we're just 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.
Is there parking? How do I get there if I don’t have a car?
By car:
Yes, for the event, there is free parking in the UW GlX garage. We'll share a door code to attendees closer to the event.
By bus/train:
From the University of Washington, take the 542 bus at 15th Ave NE & NE Campus Pkwy to Redmond Technology Station and then take the 2 Line Link Rail to Spring District Station then walk 5 minutes to GIX.
From Downtown Seattle, take the 550 bus at 2nd Ave and Seneca to South Bellevue Station and then take the 2 Line Link Rail to Spring District Station then walk 5 minutes to GIX.
What are you spending our ticket money on?
Primarily renting out the space at GIX and providing some light refreshments. Any funds left over remain with SITA, the Seattle Immersive Technology Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that has been the backer of Seattle VR since 2016, to be used in subsidizing 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?
Definitely.
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.
Thanks to our Sponsors and Community Partners!
The University of Washington Global Innovation Exchange are giving a great rate on a great space and we're really grateful for their support!
Disclaimers
We, the organizers, along with our fiscal and venue sponsors, the Seattle Immersive Technology Association and University of Washington Global Innovation Exchange (GIX), take no responsibility for you or your stuff while you're at the event. We recommend you keep your belongings with you at all times. If you have any problems, please let us know so we can help, but you 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 may 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].
Event Venue
UW Global Innovation Exchange, 12280 NE District Way, Bellevue, United States
USD 12.51 to USD 23.18
