What to expect from Glasgow's first BarCamp

BarCamp is an international network of user generated conferences - or unconferences - open, participatory workshop-events, whose content is provided by participants. The first BarCamps focused on early-stage web applications, related open source technologies, social protocols and open data formats. Subsequently, the format has also been used for a variety of other topics, including public transit, health care, and political organizing.

While loosely structured, there are some agreed rules at BarCamp. Attendees are encouraged to present or facilitate a session. Everyone is also asked to share information and experiences of the event, both live and after the fact, via public web channels including (but not limited to) blogging, photo sharing, social bookmarking, twittering, wiki-ing. This open encouragement to share everything about the event is in deliberate contrast to the "off the record by default" and "no recordings" rules at many private invite-only participant driven conferences.

What do you home to achieve through running BarCamp?

The aim of BarCamp 2010 is to informally share new ideas and concepts in the latest in digital and technological innovation. It’s a great opportunity to get together a broad range of professionals, from in-house, start-ups and established companies right across the creative digital industries divide.

This particular event acknowledges the companies and infrastructure already in place to help the growth of the industry in context to strategies and initiatives such as Digital Inspiration and Interactive Scotland. It also looks at the involvement of broadcasters such as STV and others to help realise maximum potential in terms of innovation, economic and industry growth.

Who is involved with it?

BarCamp is an independent event and, in this case, it has been organised by New Media Corp in association with Interactive Scotland. STV will host the event. In the spirit of open interaction, the event is open to anyone working in the creative digital sector. Although there is a loose structure, there is an opportunity for anyone who wishes to present at the event and to share the content following the event.

Contributors include STV, Realtime Worlds, Scotsman.com, Dog, Realise, Whitespace, Innovation Digital, Spider Online, New Media Corp, Wildfire, w00tonomy, ISO Design, University of Abertay and the digital team at the Scottish Government, with music from Radio Magnetic/ Inner Ear.

This particular BarCamp has intentionally tried to broaden the appeal of the event in recognition of the broad church that is digital and in turn to get more people together with a shared passion and interest in digital innovation.

What will happen on the evening?

4.30/5pm – Registration/ networking

Welcome by STV/ New Media Corp

Breakout presentations (multiple simultaneous sessions)

RealTime Worlds - APB

Question Time – What’s Next in Digital Innovation - chaired by The Drum

Live World Cup match/ Rapid Fire Unplugged (open participation)/ Networking

10pm – event ends

Will this become a regular event?

Although this is the first BarCamp to take place in Glasgow, this event has previously taken place in Edinburgh. Based on interest and feedback, it may well pave the way to future BarCamps in Glasgow and across the rest of Scotland, which is a good indicator of a vibrant and thriving industry.