Social Impact
X-Culture Program Inspires Students to Innovate in the Events Industry
It’s difficult to say who learned the most from a competition that brought together students and event experts: The students who solved a real-life business events challenge or the experienced professionals who got a glimpse into next-gen’s perceptions of the events industry.
To Space and Beyond
Two Convening Leaders sessions showed how the innovative Space Cities Network initiative can serve as a blueprint for other sectors — and underscore how events can leverage the power of the knowledge economy.
‘Right Now, We’re in Triage Mode’
Event and hospitality workers are playing a big role in helping devastated areas throughout the Southeast recover from Hurricane Helene. In the Gulf, Category-5 Milton threatens to batter Florida’s Gulf Coast once again. Here’s how you can help.
Empowering Latinx Nonprofits in the Fundraising World
Fundraising Con Ganas, a two-day conference geared toward helping small- and medium-sized Latinx-focused nonprofits, addresses an industry inequity and ensures that what participants learn has organization-wide impact.
Making Space for Makers in Portland
Portland’s My People’s Market has created opportunities for local makers and entrepreneurs who need a platform — and the events, tourism, and hospitality industries are a part of the mix.
Discovering Indigenous Culture Through Crafts and Stories
Marc Forgette, founder of Makatew Workshops, uses Indigenous crafting sessions at meetings and events to help participants focus on the story he shares about his Indigenous heritage.
How Knoxville Became a Model for Supporting Local Makers
As Etsy’s first official U.S. ‘Maker City,’ Knoxville, Tennessee, is growing the local economy through arts, crafts, and entrepreneurship.
Academic Conferences Tackle the Taylor Swift Phenomenon
Taylor Swift’s fans are legion, but she has also attracted the attention of academia: In the past six months, two successful academic conferences have been built around discussing her impact on the economy and pop culture.
How an Agrifood Event Is Cultivating Innovation and International Participation
Rooted in New York but reaching the world online, the Grow-NY Competition and Summit provides $3 million in funding for innovative startups working throughout the agrifood ecosystem, from new farming technologies to ready-to-eat food products.
Why Organizations Are Choosing to Meet in Controversial Destinations
Instead of canceling their events at — or boycotting — politically polarized host destinations, organizations are choosing to show up and speak up, in a show of support.
Indigenous Artwork Gives Visual Identity to HIV Science Conference
When the International AIDS Society commissioned a local artist for its conference logo, it did more than honor the Indigenous population of host city Brisbane. It helped raise awareness of that community’s challenges with HIV.
Medical Group Takes Training Workshops on the Road
To better support physicians’ soft skills development, the American College of Chest Physicians launched a country-wide tour of its empathetic listening training workshops, focused on the critical first five minutes of clinician/patient interaction.