Promoting Passion Convention
REGISTER FOR PPC2025
Generously sponsored by Sony Alpha and Sony Alpha Female.
Keep scrolling for more information.
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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Taylor Mali
Taylor Mali is one of the most well-known poets to have emerged from the poetry slam movement and one of the original poets to appear on the HBO series “Def Poetry Jam.” A four-time National Poetry Slam champion, he is the author of five collections of poetry and a chapbook, The Whetting Stone, which won the 2017 Rattle Chapbook Prize. He is the author of the acclaimed nonfiction book, What Teachers Make: In Praise of the Greatest Job in the World.
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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.
Detailed Schedule
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12:00pm-3:00pm Trolly tours of New Harmony
3:00pm-6:00pm Hotel Check-in
4:00pm-6:00pm Check-in for Promoting Passion (Conference Center)
6:30pm-7:30pm Dinner (Ballroom A)
8:00pm-10:00pm Welcome Session (Ballroom B)
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7:30am-8:30am Breakfast (Ballroom A)
8:30am-9:30am Orientation (Ballroom B)
9:30am-10:30am Lecture: Brooke Shaden (Ballroom B)
10:30am-10:45am Break
10:45am-11:45am In Conversation (Ballroom B)
12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch (Ballroom A)
1:30pm-3:30pm Workshops
Brooke Shaden (Great Room)
“Mixed Media Fine Art Photography”During this class, Brooke will demonstrate how to create art with a scalpel; to pare back and sculpt your story, and to come out the other side with something honest and powerful. Together, we’ll all get our hands dirty to make art that goes beyond traditional creative photography, using techniques like sculpture, mixed media, and photography to get us working outside the box.
There will be a strong focus on:
- Hands-on creating
- How to go deeper in your art
- How to refine your taste to elevate your art
- How to create unique works that stand out.Matt Beaty (Bayou Room)
“Platinum Palladium Printing”Journey back to the late 1800s with an in-depth, hands-on dive into Platinum/Palladium (platinotype) printmaking the way that photographers did during the late 19th century. We will learn the basics of the oldest and most stable photographic print process ever, including the creation of digital negatives, paper choices, paper coating, and UV exposure. Each participant will get the opportunity to make their own print, so make sure you have a digital file ready!
Learning Outcomes: Participants will understand the history and chemistry of platinotype printing, as well as the basics of digital negatives, Pt/Pd paper coating and exposure. Each participant will walk away with one of their own images that they made as a Pt/Pd print, available for them to take home.
Colette Peri (Ballroom B)
“Sparking Creativity: A Stop-Motion Workshop”Join stop-motion artist Colette Peri for a playful, hands-on session designed to spark your creativity and teach you the magic of stop-motion animation. Whether you’re a content creator, small business owner, or just someone looking to infuse more creativity into your work, this session will equip you with tools to tell compelling visual stories— using just your phone. You’ll discover how stop-motion bridges the gap between photography and video, bringing still objects to life. No fancy gear required, just your curiosity and willingness to play.
In this session, you’ll explore:
- How to create engaging animations using just a smartphone
- Creative techniques for styling, lighting, and bringing your ideas to life
- Best practices for sharing your work on social media and collaborating with brands3:30pm-4:30pm Break
5:00pm-6:00pm Dinner (Ballroom A)
6:00pm-10:00pm Art Show + Snazzy Dress Night (Ballroom A&B)
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7:30am-8:30am Breakfast (Ballroom A)
8:30am-9:30am Optional Field Trip (Ballroom B)
9:30am-10:30am Lecture: Taylor Mali (Ballroom B)
10:30am-10:45am Break
10:45am-11:45am Story Sessions (Ballroom B)
12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch (Ballroom A)
1:30pm-3:30pm Workshops
Matt Beaty (Bayou Room) (Repeat)
“Platinum Palladium Printing”Journey back to the late 1800s with an in-depth, hands-on dive into Platinum/Palladium (platinotype) printmaking the way that photographers did during the late 19th century. We will learn the basics of the oldest and most stable photographic print process ever, including the creation of digital negatives, paper choices, paper coating, and UV exposure. Each participant will get the opportunity to make their own print, so make sure you have a digital file ready!
Learning Outcomes: Participants will understand the history and chemistry of platinotype printing, as well as the basics of digital negatives, Pt/Pd paper coating and exposure. Each participant will walk away with one of their own images that they made as a Pt/Pd print, available for them to take home.
Taylor Mali (Ballroom B)
How the Light Gets InIn this workshop, we’ll explore how poetry can celebrate or at least decorate the imperfections we all inhabit. Imagine poetry as a kind of kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing cracked pottery with gold and thereby calling attention to each beautiful flaw rather than trying to pretend the cracks aren’t there. Our goal will be to prove that Leonard Cohen was right when he sang, "There is a crack, a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in.” No experience necessary!
Nancy Borowick (Great Room)
“Establishing Connection and Creating Meaningful Images”What are the through-lines and the universal themes that make a photo essay truly resonate? Nancy will dive into these questions as she unpacks the nuanced and powerful nature of narrative project development, exploring the various ways to establish intimacy with your subjects and how to take that trust and connection and create a meaningful, cohesive, and authentic body of work. The workshop will consist of a presentation of Nancy’s newest body of work, a breakdown of her storyboarding process and will demonstrate in person how she establishes connection with her subjects to create powerful images. There will be a hands-on experiment around establishing connection with your camera so make sure to bring it to this program!
3:30pm-4:00pm Break
4:00pm-6:00pm Creative Collaboration (Ballroom B)
6:30pm-7:30pm Dinner (Ballroom A)
8:00pm-10:00pm Hands-on Creative Session + Pajama Night (Ballroom B)
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7:30am-8:30am Breakfast (Ballroom A)
8:30am-9:30am Optional Field Trip (Ballroom B)
9:30am-10:30am Lecture: Nancy Borowick (Ballroom B)
10:30am-10:45am Break
10:45am-11:45am Roundtable Discussions (Ballroom B)
12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch (Ballroom A)
1:30pm-3:30pm Workshops
Brooke Shaden (Bayou Room)
“How to Speak About Your Work”The trifecta that every artist needs to learn is: personal style, technique, and how to speak about your work. Whether it’s in writing or verbally, this is the make or break step to communicating your vision, becoming an ambassador for clients, being included in exhibitions, and more. During this workshop, Brooke will teach:
How to write and speak about your work more effectively
Tips for public speaking
How to write a proposal for your work
How to give an artist talk
Ways to stand out as an artist and storyteller
Her journey as an artist has been fueled by the ability to communicate about her work, and this workshop will take your skills to another level in being able to do the same about yours, whether via social media, an artist talk, a proposal, and more.
Colette Peri (Ballroom B)
“Create More, Scroll Less: A New Way to Use Social Media”You’re creating nonstop, the numbers are growing, and yet something feels off. In a world where creatives are rewarded for being “always on,” it’s easy to lose yourself to the algorithm. Industry-leading stop-motion artist Colette Peri explores what it truly means to set boundaries as a creative professional, so you can keep showing up, creating more than you consume, without burning out. You’ll learn the most effective method to break the doomscrolling habit, escape the comparison trap, and finally feel present in both your real life and your online one.
In this session, you’ll explore:
- Why creatives are especially vulnerable to endless scrolling and what to do about it
- A practical framework for treating social media like a shop— with set hours it's open (and closed)
- How boredom, boundaries, and breaks actually fuel your best creative ideasNancy Borowick (Great Room)
“Establishing Connection and Creating Meaningful Images”What are the through-lines and the universal themes that make a photo essay truly resonate? Nancy will dive into these questions as she unpacks the nuanced and powerful nature of narrative project development, exploring the various ways to establish intimacy with your subjects and how to take that trust and connection and create a meaningful, cohesive, and authentic body of work. The workshop will consist of a presentation of Nancy’s newest body of work, a breakdown of her storyboarding process and will demonstrate in person how she establishes connection with her subjects to create powerful images. There will be a hands-on experiment around establishing connection with your camera so make sure to bring it to this program!
3:30pm-4:00pm Break
4:00pm-6:00pm Creative Collaboration (Ballroom B)
6:30pm-7:30pm Dinner (Ballroom A)
8:00pm-10:00pm Closing Ceremony (Ballroom B)
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7:30am-9:00am Breakfast (Ballroom A)
Departure by 11:00am.
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
$1,450 (shared room)
$1,750 (private room)
At the New Harmony Inn & Conference Center.
Check-in between 4-6pm on Sept 22
Check-out before 10am on Sept 26
The closest airport is Evansville (EVV), a 30-min drive from the venue. There is a shuttle you may book ($) 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.
