The annual Kansas Professional Communicators conference, open to both KPC members and nonmembers, is happening Saturday, March 21, at the Wichita Art Museum. Special pre-conference tours of creative and news agencies, followed by a mixer at Cocoa Dolce, 235 N. St. Francis, are scheduled for Friday, March 20.
The theme for this year’s conference is “Work Your Magic,” with a session focusing on conjuring creativity and a panel discussion on levitating yourself to stand out in a crowd. Jill Miller is moderating the panel discussion and will be joined by Dawn Monroe, Andy McFayden and Carla Eckels, who have been working their magic to be successful at promoting themselves to clients and employer.
There will also be concurrent Tricks of the Trade mini-sessions to help participants learn some new skills. Vanessa Whiteside from LifeBoat Creative will lead a session on social media strategies. Darcy Gray and graphic designer Deb Simpson will introduce you to the online DIY graphics programs Adobe Spark and Canva. Madeline McCullough will share some photography tips, and MeLinda Schnyder will share resources that are available to help freelancers.
Beccy Tanner, a longtime Wichita Eagle reporter who has parlayed her niche of writing interesting Kansas stories into an after-newspapers career teaching and sharing history, will be the luncheon speaker. KPC will also recognize its Communicator of Achievement and communications contest winners during the luncheon.
Free and low-cost March 20 pre-conference events:
The March 20 afternoon tours to Justin McClure Creative and KMUW radio, both located at 121 N. Mead, will be free and open to anyone who wants to hear more about how a video production house is attracting national clients and how the local NPR station is filling the gap of bringing more local news. Show up at 1:30 p.m. to join us.
WPC and KPC are co-sponsoring a networking and social mixer from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Cocoa Dolce’s downtown chocolate lounge, 235 N. St. Francis. Cost is $5 and payable at the door; drinks and food purchases are complimentary. A dine-around, where groups can go to Old Town-area restaurants, will follow the mixer.
For additional information and to register, go to the Kansas Professional Communicators website.