Games for Change Festival 2020: The Virtual Fest Examining the Positive Impact of Games

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Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Wednesday, 20 May 2020 20:16

Written by Brad Balfour

In this time of social distancing and sheltering in place, video games have entered into a new relevancy. Not only are they the distraction and escapism tools that they’re usually considered, they’re how we interact with our friends when we can’t see them, and explore new worlds from the confines of our living rooms. The Games for Change Festival has been going on for years and has always known there was a socially important aspect to games. The Games for Change Festival explores the positive power of digital games and virtual technologies in three days of keynotes, panels, and networking workshops running July 14 - 16, 2020. For the first time registration will be free to all (though RSVP is required), as the festival is now going virtual. The festival’s programming revolve around four tracks: 

• Civics & Social Issues
• Games for Learning
• Health & Wellness
• XR for Change

This The XR for Change interactive sessions showcases the positive influence of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, and the festival will have The Games for Change Award, which looks at important works and movement forward in games in the last year.

The festival will also have a Virtual Marketplace exhibiting games and demos to organizations, schools, and nonprofits,

To learn more, go to:http://festival.gamesforchange.org/

July 14 - 16, 2020

AMP Music Summit Ponders a Post-Covid Music Industry

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Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Tuesday, 05 May 2020 15:35

Written by Brad Balfour

Looking at the future of the music industry, the AMP Music Summit debuts their Virtual Summit

As a response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Streaming on May 6, 2020 at https://ampmusicsummit.com, the sumit aims to prep the music industry for a “post-Covid-19 world” with panel discussions and fireside chats. 

AMP Music Summit is created and curated by music industry veterans Josh Levine, Seth Combs and Simon Rust Lamb, Esq. "Our summit exists to empower the music ecosphere to support and inspire each other through tales of truth and transformation, " said Simon Rust Lamb.  

Key topics include: how to lead through tough times, pivoting in the face of immense challenge, livestreaming case studies and insights, marketing and monetization, the future of the live music business, staying safe & sane, and tips for finding employment in the face of widespread unemployment.  AMP Summit producers and speakers are all volunteering their time as an act of service. Donations during the Summit will be directed to COVID-19 relief funds.

To learn more, go to: https://ampmusicsummit.com/

AMP Music Summit
May 6, 2020

More Delays: BookExpo, UnBound & BookCon

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Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Wednesday, 15 April 2020 16:01

Written by Brad Balfour

Time to clear out those calendars. Convention conglomerate ReedPop has announced that their literary conventions, BookExpo, UnBound and BookCon will now take place in the spring of 2021.

The events were previously postponed from their original May dates to late July, but the scope of the Pandemic, 2020 is being written off for BookExpo and many other conventions.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce that we will not be holding BookExpo, UnBound and BookCon in 2020. From our publishers, booksellers and sidelines exhibitors to our authors and librarians to our book loving fans, we know how many people are impacted by this decision and we continue to stand with you all to helpbring the book community together and support one another,”said Jenny Martin, Event Director BookExpo & BookCon. “We are now looking forward and can’t wait to return with a stronger show than ever in 2021.”

According to a press release from ReedPop, they are finding new ways to "celebrate books virtually", but no concrete announcements have been made.