Bristol Knowledge Unconference - December 12th/13th 2009

The world requires we all have a touch of the Polymath about us these days, even if it's in a small way. Whatever your profession, chances are you double up your tasks, updating your skills so you can present your ideas, design and build a website, write a blog, take and edit photos and videos, (not to mention the fraught task of buying the camera in the first place). There will be metrics to analyse, hard drives and internet connections to SysAdmin, decisions about copyright licences to be made. For the hardware hackers out there, there are all the practical skills such as soldering, working out resistance, connecting and programming Arduinos, constructing a container, sewing to be contended with. Because it's fun to pick up new skills and knowledge, we get stuck into these tasks with relish, but they still have to be learned if you want to give your ideas a run out in the sun.

And to do so, you could buy a book or go to the web - both perfectly sound options, especially the book buying bit! - or you could find an expert and learn from them. But should there be a chance to spend a complete weekend in the company of wall-to-wall experts, who are happy to let you know what they know, then surely that's an opportunity worth leaping at.

All of which is a preamble to set up The Bristol Knowledge Unconference:

The Bristol Knowledge Unconference will be taking place at the Arnolfini Arts Centre in Bristol, UK on the 12th and 13th December. It fuses together knowledge/information/wisdom, discussions, games, being social, networking and a bar!

The Bristol Knowledge Unconference is for all people who are involved with "Knowledge", and like to go to an event which is practically focused, yet informal. No matter what background you have you are free (gratis and libre) - whether you're a Web Developer, a Knowledge Engineer, a Semantic Web Engineer, a Graphics Designer, a Psychologist, a Scientist, a Knowledge Manager, an Information Architect or Anything Else - there will be something there for you. The mission is to bridge the gaps between different communities and to learn.

This years Bristol Knowledge Unconference (2009) will have a subtitle: "The Art of Knowledge". It is one part of a weekend entitled "unCraftivism", which brings together various art+tech events (such as the Knowledge Unconference, Dorkbot and Robotics Labs), "unCraftivism" itself is a satellite event of the "Craftivism" exhibition at the Arnolfini Arts Exhibition.

The event is an unconference (a very informal conference, a bit like a Barcamp), and so there is no charge for entry and it's quite free-form during the days. Attendees will be free to move from talk to talk across the events happening that weekend. Feel free to put your name on the "I'm coming" list on the Bristol Knowledge Unconference 2009 web page, and if you feel like giving a talk, discussion, demo or game then please do. You get get in touch with Daniel Lewis, the organiser of the Unconference, if you have any questions, queries, comments or suggestions (Tel: +447834355516 - Email: danieljohnlewis [at] gmail [dot] com ).