How to Convene

We made it! It’s time for the first-ever GIA Virtual Convening, and we are so glad you are joining us! Whether you’re a first-timer or an old-hat, this virtual way of meeting is new for all of us. Fear not, we’ve got you covered. The GIA team put together these resources to support an easier and more joyful virtual convening experience. Click on any of the links below for recommendations, guidance, or troubleshooting tips.

And, as always, if you need us, we’re here to help. Email us at gia@giarts.org if the answer to your question is not included below.

What to Expect

Dual Track Conference

As we prepare to host the 2022 annual conference online and in NYC, we are both excited and cautious about re-emerging into the world collectively following months of stay-at-home orders and extra precautions to keep ourselves and each other safe and healthy. For the first time, the GIA conference will feature dual tracks:

• In-Person Track: a traditional in-person conference experience that readily meets all the local requirements for safely gathering and considers well-being of all present as central to a full and engaging experience; designed to be immersive within New York’s cultural ecosystem while overlapping with the virtual experience in themes, ideas, speakers, and opportunities for learning from and with peers.
• Virtual Track: a remote conference experience designed to be fully engaging and interactive while overlapping with the in-person experience in themes, ideas, speakers, and opportunities for learning from and with peers.

We welcome everyone to join the 2022 GIA Conference from wherever is most suitable for their needs and comfort. More details on the full schedule of events and speakers will be available throughout the summer.

Helpful Tips for Participants

• Feel free to indicate to other participants your comfort level with contact, physical distancing, and shared public areas.
• Have a bottle of water near you, and a snack should you need it. Hydration is known to combat Zoom fatigue!
• We recommend minimizing use of devices and turning off notifications to help you focus better. (And watch The Social Dilemma if you need incentive to cancel notifications altogether.)
• We recommend using the blank pages in the back of your conference program or having some paper and pen ready for notes.
• Take advantage of social and stretch breaks! If you need some inspiration, check out this simple and stretch-filled chair yoga flow by Arianna Elizabeth.

General Etiquette for Virtual Sessions

• If you are eating something, turn off your camera, please. Really, no one needs to see you eat that properly gooey mac and cheese, unless you’re going to share.
• When it makes sense, please mute yourself when not talking. This is especially important if there is background noise. It can be quite distracting if those sounds of life – a juicy conversation about at-home-art class, you typing that email you forgot to send, the dog barking at that taunting squirrel, the toilet flushing! – distract the speakers, performance, etc.
• Ask questions in a chat feature vs trying to ask while a speaker is talking, unless it’s a discussion.
• Ambient noises and visuals can be distracting, try to join sessions and roundtables in a quiet space with fewer distractions.