Make
Show a process that taught you something: wood, metal, paper, food, hardware, or whatever refuses to behave.
Come share what keeps you up
At Prairie Signal, nobody arrives with all the answers. Bring a stubborn question, a half-working prototype, or a point of view. The room makes the program together.
Reserve a seatThe venue
The Foundry
A restored machine shop with worn brick, honest acoustics, and enough corners for side conversations. Bike racks face 14th Street; the Old Market bus stops one block east.
The tracks
Talks are organized around four practical ways of making.
Creative practice
Share the draft before it becomes tidy. We want the wrong turns, rituals, and odd references that shaped the final work.
Technology
Explain a tool in plain language, then tell us where it failed. The best demos leave room for disagreement.
Kitchen sink
Good stories rarely fit a label. Pitch the strange crossover, local obsession, or useful lesson that belongs nowhere else.
The agenda
Here’s what to expect.
7:00 PM
Opening frequency
Doors open, soup is hot, name tags are optional, and the first round of ideas goes on the wall.
9:20 PM
Five minutes, no deck
A rapid round for discoveries that do not need a keynote or a projector.
10:30 PM
Night signal
Music, late snacks, and one final question for tomorrow.
8:30 AM
Breakfast & sign-ups
Fresh coffee, cardamom buns, and the first chance to claim an open session.
9:30 AM
Morning sessions
Thirty-minute conversations across the four tracks.
12:15 PM
Lunch & introductions
A long-table meal with useful strangers from the other side of the room.
3:10 PM
Afternoon exchange
Trade one skill, one recommendation, and one honest unfinished thought.
5:00 PM
Closing loop
Share what changed, then head into the city with a new collaborator.
The FAQ’s
What am I paying for?
The pass covers meals, the venue, accessibility support, and fair pay for the small crew.
How long are the talks?
Most sessions run 25 minutes with 15 minutes left for the room.
Can I pitch a sales presentation?
No. Teach a method, unpack a mistake, or invite a genuine discussion instead.
Who gets to speak?
Anyone attending can propose a session at breakfast. The group builds the board together.
What should I bring?
A notebook, a water bottle, and one question you would like help answering.
The supporters
A huge thanks to the local organizations keeping the room open.
Platinum
MILLWORK LABS
Gold
PINE & CIRCUIT
Silver
BEMIS FIELD
NORTHLINE
LANTERN CO-OP
Bronze
Birch Street
Soft Static
Red Thread
Recurring
Help Prairie Signal return next year
Crew meal fund
Student pass pool
Thanks for tuning in
Tell one person. Bring another.
| This is part of the Prairie Signal archive | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
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