All Things Open 2020 Update – April 21

April 21, 2020

Like most of you, we’ve been glued to media trying to get as much information as possible about the current coronavirus situation. Above all else we’re concerned about the safety and health of our loved ones, colleagues, and the ATO community.

We’re also watching and monitoring with the future in mind. As most reading this know, All Things Open 2020 is scheduled for October 18-20 (Sunday – Tuesday) in downtown Raleigh.

At the moment, we are planning to host the conference as an in-person event at the Raleigh Convention Center. We believe the situation can and (hopefully) will improve over the coming months and that we can avoid a future spike in infections.

However, we also fully realize the situation and associated variables are fluid and can change quickly. Because of this we’re maintaining flexibility and preparing to deliver the conference in a variety of possible formats.

What might these formats be?

  1. Strictly in-person, as we have delivered the event for the first 7 years. This is obviously the optimal scenario and one we sincerely hope materializes. We love in-person events and hosting this format will mean the overall situation has improved, risk has decreased, and people are safer, which is our primary concern.
  2. A hybrid approach, meaning there is an in-person component and a virtual component. In this scenario, we would host content on-site, and would also livestream and record the content for a remote audience. Some content might only be offered virtually, delivered by virtual speakers live and in real-time.
  3. A virtual event. We feel this format can be done well while delivering a ton of value to attendees and participants. Attendee safety is again our primary concern, so this absolutely remains an option if needed.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will continue to provide updates to our community as we progress and get closer to October. We also pledge to do the very best job possible to gather all available data, the foundation on which any decision will be made.

Anyone with thoughts or suggestions on the current situation is encouraged to contact us directly at info@allthingsopen.org.