PIDapalooza is taking a break

PIDapalooza
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Hi all, in case you missed it, the PIDapalooza organizers shared the following message earlier this week, to let everyone know that there won’t be a PIDapalooza in 2022. We’d love to hear your thoughts about the future of the event in this brief survey - or feel free to comment here. Thanks!

PIDapalooza was always something more than a conference—an opportunity to bring together the people who run and integrate identifier systems, experiment with and learn from each other, while not taking it all too seriously.

When PIDapalooza 2021 came around in the midst of the pandemic, we had an opportunity to collaborate like never before. Naturally, this meant hosting a 24-hour online PID party (…because as you know, a PID don’t stop!) and we hosted 1,100 of you from all corners of the globe; it was the ultimate PID party!

The world has changed since 2015 when we were California-dreaming up the idea of a festival for persistent identifiers. So have the discussions around the identification of research objects. PIDs have graduated to the mainstream and are being discussed at conferences and working groups far and wide. Open metadata and identifiers are being written into national policies and included in funding requirements across the globe.

It’s really cool that PIDapalooza helped to bring attention to the importance of this part of the research infrastructure, and helped form some solid partnerships along the way. During the last few months, we have been reflecting on the success of the PID message and on where to focus next.

We realized that we would need some new creative energy to meet the changing priorities of the community at large so we decided we will be taking some time out to focus on wider topics and deliver on some of our collaborative efforts. This means that we will not be running a PIDapalooza in 2022.

Yes, the gig guide for 2022 is out and we won’t be on it, but we know we’ll see you soon to rekindle that eternal flame in other venues!

If you want to help refuel the flame, please share your requests for a reunion tour. Click the survey link below, use the hashtag #FutureofPIDapalooza, or email info@pidapalooza.org.

If you inspire any hits on a future album, we promise to include your name in the liner notes :wink:

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Maybe I’m just not listening in the right places, but I’ve only seen modest response to this announcement; some notes of disappointment; a couple questions, but primarily silence. Perhaps you all are just responding via the survey link. Or perhaps the flame that burned so brightly is fading and it was the right decision to exit the stage on a high note. I acknowledge that I might just uncomfortably walking around the stadium after everyone has left feeling a bit lonesome. Do others feel the same way?

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I feel the same way, thanks for posting Todd. My job title is “program leader for PID communities” so PIDapalooza has been the most important and most valuable conference for me, it has been the best place to have dedicated time to focus with others on all PIDs.

I can understand how the organizers are probably burnt out from the substantial effort that goes into planning each year. I’m wondering if there might be an opportunity to open up organizing/planning responsibilities to other organizations so that the same people/organizations do not have to take on the planning year after year. I would definitely be interested in stepping up to help, especially if that means we can keep the event going!

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Thanks for the feedback @sheila.rabun - I do encourage you and everyone who’s interested in the future of PIDapalooza to share your views here or via the online survey

I’m not sure how much longer it will stay open for (@mariagould @Gin please can you advise, thanks!)