I'm not part of an organization. Can I still attend?

I'm not a media maker. Can I still attend?

Can I propose a session for the conference?

Can I get a display table at the AMC?

When do I table?

Can I leave my table set up overnight?

Can I perform at the AMC?

Can I organize a caucus for a particular group or to discuss a particular topic?

Basics

What is the Allied Media Conference?

The Allied Media Conference cultivates strategies for a more just and creative world. We come together to share tools and tactics for transforming our communities through media-based organizing.

When is the conference?

Thursday, July 16 to Sunday, July 19, 2009. The detailed AMC schedule with start times for sessions and special events will be released as the conference approaches. Check back.

What time does the conference begin and end?

Thursday, July 16, is reserved for pre-conference meet-ups and special strategy sessions. The conference will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, July 16 and does not let up until 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 19. You don't want to miss a minute, so plan your travel accordingly.

Housing and Logistics

Where is the conference?

The AMC will be held in the McGregor Conference Center and Community Arts Building on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit. The conference weekend will also feature several off campus events, including our bowling & karaoke party (July 17) and music event (June 18). The bowling party will be at the Garden Bowl in the Majestic Theatre Complex. The Garden Bowl is the oldest active bowling alley in the U.S. The location of music event will be announced soon.

Where will I stay?

When you register, you can reserve a room in the Wayne State residence hall or a place in the crash space. Details on those and other options are listed on the Places to Stay page.

How will I get around?

We will provide a shuttle to off-campus events, but other than that you will walk to get meals or anything else you need off-campus. If you are going to have a car during the AMC, you might consider purchasing a parking pass for the on-site garage. You can purchase parking when you register. More info on the Getting Around Detroit page.

Can I request to stay with specific people in the dorm?

Please let us know your roommate request when you register.

Can I cancel my registration?

We hate to see you go. Registration can be canceled and refunded. A $25 administrative fee will be deducted from your refund. Housing and parking reservations are non-refundable after June 4, 2009.

Why that weekend?

The AMC has been held on the third weekend of June for the past 10 conference. For the 2009 conference, we had to move the conference to July 16-19 due to availability restrictions on our conference space. For some, that rescheduling may be inconvenient. For others who were never able to attend the AMC because of scheduling conflicts with our June dates, the move to July is an exciting opportunity to finally be able to attend.

Funding

Can I donate money to the conference?

Yes, you can donate money to the conference. Thank you!

How much does the conference cost?

The requested registration fee is $100, the actual cost of the conference per participant. You can choose to pay the standard rate of $70 or the scholarship rate of $30.

If you can, please support the participation of others as a neighbor ($250) or community ($500) supporter. We encourage you to register at the highest level that you can afford.

This "sliding scale" keeps the conference affordable without requiring a big bureaucracy to award discounts. It requires the good faith of all registrants, so please respect the other conference attendees and pay what you can afford. Prices of other items are listed on the conference registration page.

Do you offer group rates?

No, we don't.

Do you have scholarships to help me afford the conference?

We offer a sliding scale registration fee, which means you can select a scholarship rate of $30. Learn about collaborative fundraising opportunities through the Allied Resource Initiative.

Can I volunteer my time in place of a registration fee?

We welcome people's contribution of time and energy to promote the conference beforehand and facilitate it during. But we still request that you contribute an amount of money within the sliding scale of $100-$30 when you register.

Program

Why do you organize the AMC?

Because media should be a tool for transformation and not a commodity to passively consume; because political change requires open and active networks of communication; because our stories have been misrepresented, misinterpreted, and straight up missing from corporate media. We gather to share skills, strategize, and build the media we envision and that our movements for justice demand.

More than just a single weekend, the AMC is a vibrant network of people and organizations. We come together to share tactics for living in the world that is and for shaping the world that we want.

Who attends the Allied Media Conference?

The Allied Media Conference brings together a vibrant and diverse community people using media to incite change: filmmakers, radio producers, youth organizers, publishers, entrepreneurs, musicians, web designers, dancers, artists, and YOU.

What happens at the conference?

Hands-on workshops, the AMC Media Lab, panel discussions, film screenings, music, bowling.

Participation

I'm not part of an organization. Can I still attend?

Yes. Many people attend the AMC as individuals because they want to get more involved with the participatory media community, craft stronger connections, or are just curious.

I'm not a media maker. Can I still attend?

Yes. And whether or not you think of yourself as a "media maker," the AMC is about using communications more effectively, and all humans are communicators.

Can I propose a session for the conference?

Yes. Use this form.

Can I get a display table at the AMC?

Yes. You can reserve a table when you register for the conference. You have three options: A full table is $50; a half table is $30. Tables are 3 feet by 6 feet.

When can I table?

The exhibition area in the Outer Gallery of the Community Arts Building is open for tabling on Friday (8AM-6PM), Saturday (8AM-6PM) & Sunday (10AM-3PM). Times include set-up and clean-up.

Can I leave my table set up overnight?

The exhibition area will be locked overnight. However, if you have any high-value items, you should not leave them on your table overnight.

Can I perform at the AMC?

Performers at the AMC are usually drawn from the circle of past participants, but we are always eager to hear new music. If you want to let us know about your music project, use the session proposal form.

Can I organize a caucus for a particular group or to discuss a particular topic?

We do our best to support your networking at the conference. Please use the session proposal form to request space for a caucus.

If you don't see the answer to your question here

contact us.