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Frequently Asked Questions

Basics

What time does the conference begin and end?

Housing and Logistics

Can I cancel my registration?

Conference Costs

Is my credit card information secure when I register online?

Program

What happens at the conference?

Participate

What is the timeline for organizing an AMC session?
 

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. Read more about the mission and vision of the conference.

WHEN IS THE CONFERENCE?

Thursday, June 23 to Sunday, June 26, 2011. Check out the conference schedule.

WHAT TIME DOES THE CONFERENCE BEGIN & END?

Thursday, June 23 is reserved for pre-conference meet-ups and special strategy sessions. We are hosting a pre-conference art event that night. The conference will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, June 18 and does not let up until Sunday evening, June 20. 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 pre-conference event at Re:View Gallery (June 23), bowling & karaoke party at the Garden Bowl in the Majestic Theatre Complex (June 24) , and music event at MOCAD (June 25).

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. More info on the Getting Around Detroit page.

CAN I REQUEST TO STAY WITH SPECIFIC PEOPLE IN THE DORM?

You can share your residence hall suite with up to 3 other people. Please let us know your roommate request when you register.

CAN I SHARE MY DORM ROOM?

The AMC offers housing in the Wayne State Towers Residence Hall. Rooms are suite style, containing four one-person bedrooms, each with a single-person bed, attached to a shared living space with a sitting area and an attached bathroom. The cost is $45 per person, per night, for a one-person bedroom. Each person staying in the dorms must purchase their own single-person room, so you cannot save money by sharing a room.* Wayne State issues cards to each individual staying in the dorms. The front desk is staffed 24 hours a day and they strictly enforce a one-person-per-card policy.

*The one exception is for this rule: WSU will allow parents with small children to have their child sleep on the floor of the dorm room at no cost. Bring your own sleeping bag, mat and pillow. Some parents do this to reduce costs.

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.

Conference Costs

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 supporter ($500) . 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 grassroots fundraising strategies for getting the AMC.

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. Here are is a list of our volunteer needs. We request that volunteers support the conference by paying for registration, because registration revenue is critical to the sustainability of the Allied Media Conference. We will be flexible on this and grant some complimentary registrations.

IS MY CREDIT CARD INFORMATION SECURE WHEN I REGISTER ONLINE?

Your credit card transaction is safe with AMP. Our credit card transactions are processed by PayPal. We use high-grade encryption, secured by GeoTrust, so eavesdropping of your transaction is strongly prevented. In your browser, you can click on the padlock icon either in the url bar on top or the status bar on the bottom to view details of our SSL certification.

Program

WHY DO YOU ORGANIZE THE AMC?

We believe we can create the world we want to live in through participatory media and creative communications. Creating our own media is a process of speaking and listening that allows us to imagine other realities and then organize our communities to make them real. When we choose to use media in this way, we transform ourselves from consumers of information to producers, from objects within narratives of exploitation and violence to active subjects in the transformation of the world.

As we enter the second decade of the 21st Century, more and more social justice activists recognize that we need new organizing practices rooted in deep listening and communication of many voices.

WHO ATTENDS THE AMC?

The Allied Media Conference brings together a vibrant and diverse community people using media to incite change: filmmakers, radio producers, technologists, youth organizers, writers, entrepreneurs, musicians, dancers, artists, and beyond!

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE CONFERENCE?

Over 130 workshops, panels, film screenings, art and music events, strategy sessions, the AMC Media Lab, and bowling!

Participation

I AM NOT PART OF AN ORGANIZATION. CAN I STILL ATTEND?

Yes. Many people attend the AMC as individuals.

I AM NOT A MEDIA MAKER. CAN I STILL ATTEND?

Yes. Whether or not you think of yourself as a "media maker," the AMC is about becoming a more thoughtful and effective communicator, something that is important for everyone.

CAN I GET A TABLE IN THE EXHIBITION AREA?

Yes. You can reserve a table when you register for the conference. You have two 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-7PM), Saturday (8AM-530PM) & Sunday (10AM-330PM). 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.

FOR MY TABLE, CAN I SHIP MATERIALS IN ADVANCE OF THE AMC?

Yes, please ship to: 

attn: Allied Media Conference
McGregor Memorial Conference Center
Wayne State University
495 Ferry Mall

Detroit, MI 48202 

Make sure you materials arrive one day in advance of the AMC.

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, send us your stuff.

CAN I ORGANIZE A CAUCUS FOR A PARTICULAR GROUP TOP DISCUSS A PARTICULAR TOPIC?

We do our best to support your networking at the conference. Please submit a session proposal to propose your caucus.

CAN I PROPOSE A SESSION FOR THE AMC?

WHAT MAKES AN AWESOME AMC SESSION PROPOSAL?

A clear connection to media and communications. Our definition of media includes everything from breakdancing, to building your own radio station, to web-design, fashion-design and everything in between.

An emphasis on strategies rather than issues.  Sessions that help us name the problem are important, but they can't stop there.  Make sure your session proposal incorporates media-based organizing strategies towards solutions.

Interactivity and creativity. Structure your session to make the information accessible to multiple learning styles.  This may include a mix of: small group conversations, visual presentations of information, handouts, games and creative expression.  

Collaboration.  We love AMC sessions designed by multiple organizations or individuals. Even better, connect your session to an ongoing organizing process that extends beyond the conference. While collaboration is strongly encouraged, we also welcome workshops from individuals and groups.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF GOOD SESSION DESCRIPTIONS?

Here are some nice ones from the last AMC:

HOW ARE AMC SESSIONS SELECTED?

Sessions will be reviewed by a committee of sixty AMC advisers, including track coordinators, track advisers and conference staff.  These reviewers will consider the following criteria when evaluating session proposals:

  • Does this session advance media strategies for a more just and creative world?  
  • Is this session aligned with the AMP network principles?
  • Does this session evolve or build-off of ideas from previous AMC years? 
AMC staff will make final decisions around conference content, based on the recommendations of session reviewers and available space in the conference schedule.  

WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR ORGANIZING AN AMC2011 SESSION?

March 21: session proposal deadline
April 8: accepted sessions announced
April 29: session outlines due
April 29: final scholarship requests from presenters due
May 5: final session scheduling requests, session descriptions, titles and bios due
May 15: A/V, supplies & space requests due
June 10: presenter registration deadline
June 23-26: AMC2011