Promoting Passion Convention
REGISTER FOR PPC2025
Generously sponsored by Sony Alpha and Sony Alpha Female.
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Promoting Passion started as an answer to a question I saw at every conference I spoke at: Where is the space for artists to explore community, wild creativity, and deep inspiration? I decided to create the space I felt was missing, and that turned into Promoting Passion. In 2015 I opened the doors to an experimental event that would come to shape the lives of many artists who sought a place to belong in an authentic way. Now, that community has become family, and we can’t wait to welcome you in.
2025 is our 10th anniversary event!
Images by Kim Winey Photography.
Meet the Leaders
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Matt Beaty
Matt is a black and white film photographer, former printing/framing/gallery owner, and professor with a niche expertise in historic printing processes like Platinum Palladium. He’s coming to PPC to teach the Platinum/Palladium process and to discuss other historic photographic processes.
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Nancy Borowick
Nancy is a widely celebrated narrative photojournalist photographer who has received many awards for her poignant, touching works on grief, like when she documented her parents’ dual battles with cancer, and her most recent work published with NPR about stillbirth in the US.
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Joel McKerrow
Joel is a middle grade published author and poet, innovative and inspiring speaker, and our resident Aussie! His way of seeing the world will inspire you to embrace your inner child. His spoken word poetry works its way into your soul and stays there for years to come, gently nudging the way you see the world into a more nuanced and beautiful frame.
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Colette Peri
Colette is a stop motion artist and branding expert with clients like Nikelodeon, Barnes & Noble, Pottery Barn, Doritos, REI, Adidas, and so many more. Her energy and creativity inspires multitudes of ideas in others, and makes you believe you can do anything.
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Brooke Shaden
Brooke started Promoting Passion to bring the focus back to community, creativity, and a celebration of the unconventional.
Working as an artist for 15 years, Brooke has been a leader in opening conversations around grief and darkness, openly sharing the techniques that have made her a widely known contemporary artist.
Each registration includes:
4 nights' in a private or shared room at New Harmony Inn & Conference Center
4 full buffet breakfasts, 3 lunches, 4 dinners including non-alcoholic beverages with options for vegans & vegetarians
Access to 3+ days of content, including
A special welcome session
Daily workshops
Daily lectures
Photoshoots with professional models and guidance
An opportunity to exhibit work in an art show (put it on your CV!)
PLUS other creative sessions and connection with like-minded people.
Travel
Promoting Passion Convention
New Harmony, IN
September 22-26, 2025
EARLY BIRD $1,350 / REGULAR $1,450 (shared room)
EARLY BIRD $1,650 / REGULAR $1,750 (private room)
To get early bird pricing, use coupon code: PARTOFTHEFAM
At the New Harmony Inn & Conference Center.
Check-in between 4-6pm on Sept 22
Check-out before 10am on Sept 26
The closest airport is Evansville (EVV), a 30-min drive from the venue. There is a shuttle you may book ($) with the New Harmony Inn & Conference Center.
Other airports with driving times to New Harmony: Louisville KY (2hrs), St. Louis MO (2hrs 15 mins), Nashville TN (2hrs 45mins), Indianapolis IN (2hrs 45mins), Chicago IL (5hrs - has great connecting flights into Evansville).
Please use the Facebook group (linked in confirmation email) to locate a ride if you are looking to carpool.
www.rome2rio.com is an excellent app that can help you map your journey step by step.
If you need assistance, please message our event manager.
Shared Room at New Harmony Inn & Conference Center
Private Room at New Harmony Inn & Conference Center
PACKING LIST
Average daytime high of 80F, evening low of 60F.
Everything on this list is optional.
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Sweater/raincoat
Sneakers or boots
Snazzy outfits
PJs or onesie
Bathing suit
Water bottle
Sunglasses
Mask or face covering
Notebook + pen
Laptop
Camera
Lenses: 1 wide, 1 portrait
Tripod
Card reader
Prints of your work (5-30 pieces, up to 50cm/20in)
Business cards
FAQs
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Yes, through our registration system you need only put down a 20% deposit to claim your spot at PPC 2025. This enables a 6-month payment plan. Equal installments of your final balance will be automatically deducted on the 6th of every month, starting the month after your initial purchase, until your balance reaches zero.
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We welcome up to 70 people into PPC to keep the event small and intimate.
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Registrations are non-refundable, but you have the option to purchase ticket protection through our registration website. Registration may be transferred, which you can facilitate through the ticketing platform as well. PPC is not responsible for facilitating registration transfers.
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2-3 workshops will occur simultaneously each day of the event, but you do not sign up for the workshops. You should choose whichever workshop you feel called to in the moment, even if that means switching classes partway through.
Lectures do not occur simultaneously so there is no need to choose between lecturers. -
During PPC, we have time built in for free creating, meaning you can do or make whatever you want during this time. Models will be available for photo shoots, but we also encourage creativity sessions like writing, or simply sitting down to have more in-depth conversations with other community members.
During Creating collaboration, someone will always lead a session, so if you aren’t sure what to do, join in the structured, speaker-led fun! Models will be available to shoot with, and we encourage you to join with other community members to collaborate on some art. -
Our art show is an extremely special night. Prepare to dress snazzy, whatever that means to you. You will be asked to bring anywhere from 3-30 pieces of your art along to the event where an evening is dedicated to showcasing those works, just like a gallery exhibition.
Each person gets roughly 2×3 feet of space to lay out their works (we recommend displaying artworks that are not more than about 20×20 inches, but you can figure out a fun way to display anything you like!). Everyone will set their art out and then walk the room to explore other artists work.
We recommend bringing business cards, a QR code printout to your social media, or anything else someone can pick up as a takeaway so they can look you up further. -
Wear your pajamas or onesie and join in on a fun, no-stress, evening creativity session! We can’t reveal what the craft will be this year because it’s always a surprise, but in years past we’ve done freeform clay and paper marbling!
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Join in on group Zoom calls ahead of the event. There will be a couple led by the PPC team, but there will also be pop-up calls led by community members to get to know each other and arrange travel. Join the Facebook group (linked in your confirmation email) to put the word out that you’re looking for travel advice or a travel buddy. We recommend the website Rome2Rio to figure out travel, since it specifies how exactly to get from point A to point B.
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PPC has moved locations every year since its inception, from Boone NC to Joshua Tree CA, and even the UK! Indiana may seem like a strange choice, but it has everything we want in a venue: a strange little artsy town complete with a hedge maze, cemetery on a hillside, a Twin Peaks themed coffee shop, two 19th century cabins converted into Camera Obscuras, and plenty of nature like rivers and lakes. Think of it like a more haunted Stars Hollow. Plus, the conference center fees were low enough that we didn’t have to raise prices exorbitantly this year (as opposed to every single other venue we researched). Finally, after scouting the venue, I found it to be centrally located in the U.S., beautiful, comfortable, and I had a feeling of certainty that it was meant to be the home of PPC.
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