XOXO (festival)
xoxo annual festival conference held portland oregon described experimental festival independent artist live work online xoxo founded andy baio andy mcmillan funding prepaid ticket contribution via kickstarter technology website verge called internet best festival xoxo held every year except held result covid pandemic final festival held xoxo annual festival conference focused indie creator artist working web except larger conference conference limited around attendee organizer introduced application lottery system promote diversity discourage attendee focused marketing attendee speaker festival often independent creator festival eschewed corporate nature conference festival centered around technology talk first two event generally reflected enthusiasm around indie creator later event featured reflection challenge independent artist criticism web broader technology industry focus social justice activism inaugural event held portland yale union laundry building september approximately participant year event funded kickstarter raising associated event included live music film screening arcade independently produced video game market food truck news medium blogger noted impressive list speaker intimate tone missing technologyfocused conference ruth brown wrote audience overwhelmingly white male middle class educated festival returned yale union laundry building speaker workshop film music show game event market baio described artist hacker maker using internet make living love independently without sacrificing creative financial control handle increased interest remaining small conference ticket fringe event ticket application process question intended filter people wanted market attendee portland monthly compared event larger south southwest festival quoting matthew haughey saying sxsw speaker business selling technology xoxo speaker creating thing rachel edidin described event wired creative incubator painfully earnest unflaggingly positive criticized event high ticket cost introduced barrier access mirrored issue sought resist xoxo held redd former ironwork facility industrial area portland conference speaker included feminist medium critic anita sarkeesian data visualization designer rachel binx software engineer edna piranha welcome night vale creator joseph fink lifehacker founder gina trapani lexicographer erin mckean technologist paul ford sarkeesians appearance met controversy gamergate supporter one protester trespassing festival ground portland police called festival casey newton wrote verge festival focus freelance indie artist likely conference see tech ceo listening freelance jewelry designer talk struggle paying rent attendance capped people attendee selected application lottery process aimed increase diversity xoxo held revolution hall portland oregon baio mcmillan aimed increase number talk focusing challenge independent creator offer criticism previous year also capped attendance people speaker included video game developer zoe quinn anita sarkeesian web technologist eric meyer engadget wrote many talk emotionally driven centered around difficult issue independent guardian attributed festival popularity gentleness emotive undertone thoughtful curation also commitment supporting individual artist business corporates festival adopted chat software slack time conference xoxo slack instance channel verge later credited xoxo bringing slack mainstream xoxo also held revolution hall attended attendee speaker included musician neil cicierega journalist sarah jeong satirist jenn schiffer itchio founder leaf corcoran verge called internet best festival highlighted attention detail focus diversity curation followup article featured highlight discovery festival lineup organizer announced would hosting event following year instead choosing focus outpost workspace founded mid oneyear hiatus sixth xoxo held september – new venue veteran memorial coliseum nearly twice size past year attendee attended xoxo festival opened keynote comedian cameron esposito production rape joke standup special speaker included author john hodgman author ijeoma oluo rapper producer open mike eagle anita sarkeesian festival closed unannounced concert lizzo festival main stage surprised attendee show performing karaoke blue ox bar dedicated popup dive bar created event onsite installation included secret speakeasy accessible solving series puzzle accessible via telephone booth around venue dear future interactive installation illustrator alice lee inviting attendee mail postcard future self festival also introduced event called artcode showcased quirky webbased art comic night experimenting larger event xoxo returned previous size venue seventh year attendee revolution hall organizer cited desire return comfortable accessible intimate size – xoxo festival canceled due covid pandemic interview willamette week festival cofounder andy baio said due uncertainty duration pandemic last xoxo may last one march festival organizer published blog post announcing august xoxo festival would last explained decreased sponsor budget independent artist financial struggle well danger covid make xoxo unsustainable june organizer xoxo announced opening shared paywhatyoucan workspace bring favorite people project indie art tech one roof square foot building portland central eastside industrial district outpost open february december closed citing rising rental cost official website website