Podfication

THIS POST IS NOW CLOSED, THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT HAS BEEN CHOSEN. THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR ANONYMOUS DONOR <3

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Hey guys! We've received a very generous anonymous donation of a partial scholarship to help someone come to Podfication 2016 who would not have otherwise been able to afford it. Thank you so, so much, anonymous benefactor! <3

So here's the deal: we will waive your $5 registration fee, and you will receive $175.00 towards travel & lodgings. PLEASE NOTE that this is all the money that is available, and it's likely not enough to even cover roundtrip airfare from anywhere, so you will have to cover the remainder of your travel expenses yourself.

In order to apply, please reply to this post with your full name, online handle (if different from the logged in account you are posting from, otherwise no need), and email where we can contact you. You MUST be able to receive a PayPal payment from us. All comments will be screened.

We're not going to ask for your bank statements and tax returns or anything, but guys, please, honor system: please only apply for this if you really want to come to Podfication, and this $175 is the difference between you being there and not.

This post will stay open for a week until July 22 12:01 AM CDT (GMT -5). We will use a random number generator to select a recipient, and will notify them later that day.

What is Podfication?
An informal gathering of podfic creators and listeners! Come join us in Minneapolis for a couple days of informal hanging out, discussion, and of course recording.

When and where is this thing?
October 22nd & 23rd, 2016 at the Geek Partnership Society's Event Horizon community center. (1121 Jackson St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413)

Why Minneapolis? Isn't Minnesota COLD?
Because that's where Bess and Jo live. And look, it's PROBABLY not going to snow in October. Probably. (Also, more seriously, we have direct access to facilities and resources here, and autumn in the Midwest is actually very lovely.)

So kind of like a convention?
Kind of. But kind of not. I did mention the informal thing, right? For one, there's no hotel. The Geek Partnership Society is kindly renting us a couple of their community center rooms for the weekend for much less than it would cost to contract a hotel. That being the case, we're requiring a small attendance fee of $5.00 when you RSVP, although we may ask for additional donations down the road so we can cover the operational costs, but give us a bit more time to work out the logistics of that. We'll let you know.

So where am I going to stay?
The Event Horizon center is a convenient bus ride from downtown Minneapolis, which has many hotels. There may also be some locals who can accommodate a few people, at their discretion. For more info, check out this post to find roommates and/or coordinate lodgings.

Geek Community Center, huh? That sounds kind of neat.
Yes! And it is! But let me manage your expectations about our venue here a little. There isn't much by way of restaurants or hotels within walking distance of it. The ceilings are high, and it's right next to railroad tracks. The building is shared with quite a few other groups including a nerdy taiko group and a Christian Youth Ministry and the sound does bleed between rooms when things get bumping. We know it's not always ideal for recording, but it is a space we can all gather and talk about all things podfic! We went with it to keep the risk and costs behind this thing as low as possible to start with.

Don't get us wrong, there are lovely things about it too! We'll have access to two rooms, one that has some comfy couch seating for hanging out and chatting, and one that can be used for more formal panel type discussions. We'll also have access to a small kitchenette.

Who's behind the curtain?
Thus far, the people who could ostensibly be considered responsible for this thing's existence are revolutionaryjo and bessyboo. We might require some extra staff and volunteers down the road. We'll let you know.

Sounds great, I'm in!
Awesome! You can RSVP for $5.00 (USD) here through Eventbrite.

I have so many more questions.
So do I, friend. So do I. We'll be periodically updating this community as time goes on with more information as we get organized. In the meantime, join up and if you want to ask us a question directly, shoot us an email (podfication at gmail) or drop us a comment.