2003 Ad

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, June 1, 2003

Byline: GORDON YOUNG

Summer is a great time for conferences and workshops that can rejuvenate creative juices. It's also the obvious time to get the hell out of the office before you start head-butting cubicle walls. Plus, in this anything-goes economy, these getaways can provide an excellent opportunity to network - and prospect for your next career move.

HOW Design Conference

June 5-8, New Orleans www.howconference.com

Now in its 13th year, the creativity, business, and technology conference for graphic designers offers a chance to fine-tune technical skills as well as get a handle on the big picture. The long list of speakers assembled by HOW magazine is impressive. Leatrice Eiseman, a consultant to Pantone, Inc., will offer insight into the latest color trends and the forces driving them. (Hint: White is the new black.) Designer Petrula Vrontikis, author of inspiration = ideas: A Creativity Sourcebook for Graphic Designers, will reveal how some of the world's best graphic artists find inspiration. Representatives from FRCH Design Worldwide will provide tips on maintaining an energetic and innovative work environment - presumably without threats, intimidation, or bribes. And former Critique managing editor Nancy Bernard will explain how to create a stronger aesthetic vocabulary that should help fend off comments like, "This layout just looks weird, dude." Plus, it's in New Orleans.

IRE Annual Conference

June 5-8, Washington, D.C. www.ire.org

In a world where information seems increasingly complex and harder to obtain, the Investigative Reporters and Editors' annual gathering is the obvious place to beef up your knowledge about war coverage, libel issues affecting magazines, and techniques for monitoring government corruption. There will also be writing workshops and one-on-one mentoring from accomplished investigative journalists. And don't think IRE is all computer-assisted document searches and no fun: There's sure to be some animated information exchanges during the late-night sessions at the National Press Club bar.

Writers & Editors/One-on-One Conference

July 11-13, Chicago www.magazinewriters.com

It's no secret that writers are often what might politely be described as "difficult." And writers say the same thing about editors, although the language is probably a bit more colorful. The ninth annual One-on-One conference is a good way to get the relationship started right. A collection of top editors - from the likes of Details, Fitness, Family Circle, and Popular Science - will get to entertain pitches from a select group of seasoned freelancers. It's a chance to hear loads of story ideas, with immediate feedback given and assignments sometimes handed out. It should all be very friendly. In fact, no slap fights or shouting matches have ever been reported.

The Advertising Festival

September 2-5, Paris, France www.theadverstisingfestival.com

Nothing beats a little commerce to smooth over cultural and foreign-policy differences. The Advertising Festival, at the Disneyland Resort Paris, will bring together people from all types of media from around the world to explore everything from the latest developments in audience research to the effectiveness of youth marketing. The emphasis will be on more unconventional advertising media in a world market. Just don't order any "freedom fries" at the conference hotel.