Thrive
Upcoming conference will focus on artistic technology
A conference focused on artistic technology will be held in October at Coastal Creative in St. Petersburg.
The inaugural CTRL + Create event will feature panels, workshops and live demonstrations of tech products and various tools. Topics covered include music production, photography, digital design, AI and immersive storytelling.
Attendees will be able to explore hands-on activities, such as projection mapping, virtual reality experiences and photography sessions on location (to practice lighting techniques).
Speakers for the Oct. 17 conference have not yet been announced.
Basha Ferdinand is the event organizer.
There will also be a showcase, in partnership with The Artistic Incubator Tampa, that highlights local artists’ work. Guests will be able to see theatrical performances, DJs, live paintings and LED walls with digital art created by graphic designers.
CTRL + Create “focuses on the intersection of creativity and technology,” organizer Basha Ferdinand explained to the Catalyst.
The main goal of the conference is networking and education, she said. “I found that there was an opportunity for us to create an event for creative professionals to come together to connect with one another.”
Ferdinand hopes it inspires partnerships.
“A lot of people work in silos and are disjointed amongst other creative professionals that work in similar realms,” she explained. “This event is meant to house them all together and allow them to collaborate on different projects.”
She also believes CTRL + Create is a way to teach individuals about industry tools and software locally. Many companies have to send their employees “elsewhere to conferences and trainings outside of the market,” she said.
While the event is focused on professionals, Ferdinand wants college students to participate as well. A student ticket option will be available soon.
“We want to show density in the talent pool and so for those that will be entering it very soon, we want them to have exposure to this type of content and the professionals early on,” she explained.
CTRL + Create’s sessions will take place between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The artist showcase will begin around 6 p.m.
Coastal Creative is at 2201 1st Avenue S.
