It's become a pervasive theme of this recesssion that we should not be so distracted by the falling sky that we miss what could be the perfect moment to start a company.  To foster and reward the entrepreneurial spirit in the midst of economic uncertainty, the Startup 2009 Conference offers emerging online companies a chance to be vetted by some of Silicon Valley's most discerning judges, including Jason Calacanis and John Battelle.  Applying to the conference is free, and all companies that apply will be evaluated for possible investment.  One of the finalists will take home a $50,000 prize, comprising ... Continue Reading

It's always great to be nominated for an award. You get to be a part of a group that includes others who, like yourself, have been elevated by the distinction of being nominated for an award. And from there you have a chance to be the one who gets to go up on stage and get photographed. Ain't nothing wrong with that. Eventbrite has been selected as a finalist by the editors of CNET for the 2009 Webware 100 awards! To win all we need to do is have the most votes. Simple. Because we like a challenge, we thought we'd ... Continue Reading

Now in its third year, the London International Documentary Festival has emerged as one of the most important documentary film festivals in Europe.  The LIDF is unique among film festivals in that they don't just screen films and send you home.  Instead, they create an event around each film screening, which also includes comments and Q&A with the filmmakers, critical discussion with some of the UK's foremost film critics and ample opportunity for audience participation.  "Unlike other film festivals, the LIDF doesn't stop when the film finishes. The festival aims to provide a platform for some sort of response. Our films have ... Continue Reading

We've had a lot of Tweetups on Eventbrite lately, so it's been really fun to see all the diversity in the events and to watch how they come together. For the uninitiated, a Tweetup is "A real world meeting between two or more people who know each other through the online Twitter service." Based on what we've seen, the typical Tweetup has eleven attendees and is held at a restaurant or bar, 8 out of ten times.  The next most popular venue type was a private residence.  We reached out to a number of Tweetup organizers in the hopes of ... Continue Reading

I really admire the wordsmith who first thought to juxtapose the two words "chocolate" and "salon".  The result conjures a feeling of sumptuous decadence, which I think was exactly the idea.  I can't help but picture languid aristocrats in togas.  But I digress.  To say that this is an event for chocolate lovers is an understament of the obvious.  What this is, dear reader, is a chance to put some of the best chocolate made in this country into your mouth.  Anyone with a sense of taste should attend. Samples are reputed to be abundant and generously dispensed, more so, as the afternoon wears ... Continue Reading

Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Dr. Cornel West, Ice Cube, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Hill Harper, Kevin Powell and others weigh in on the challenges of black men and boys in the documentary “Bring Your ‘A’ Game.” The Atlanta premiere will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Executive Conference Center of the Leadership Center at Morehouse College (at the corner of West End Avenue and Westview Drive). Director and co-producer Mario Van Peebles is scheduled to be in attendance for a panel discussion after the screening. Register at http://agame.eventbrite.com.

All of the Academy Award-nominated documentaries this year will be screened at the Writers Guild of America in Beverly Hills. BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

• The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
• Encounters at the End of the World
• The Garden
• Man on Wire
• Trouble the Water

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

• The Conscience of Nhem En
• The Final Inch
• Smile Pinki
• The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306

The event, sponsored by the International Documentary Association, is open to the public. The first screening is at 9:30 a.m., the last at 9:30 p.m. All-day passes ... Continue Reading

ArtSpan is one of the most influential and important non-profits in the San Fransisco art scene.  Their programs contribute directly to the vitality of the arts community in the Bay Area by providing art education to children and by creating opportunities for emerging artists to pursue their creative ambitions and sell their work.  The ArtSpan Benefit Art Show and Auction is an annual event that raises money to support the various ArtSpan programs.  Members of the public are invited to bid on more than 140 works, ranging from paintings to sculpture to mixed mediums, from some of the most talented ... Continue Reading

Happy 2009, eventholders!  This is the 4th installment in the "How to Promote your Events Online" series, though I am dropping that part from the titles from now on.  Too many words. The goal of this article will be to share a number of simple tactics you can use to try to improve the performance of your Eventbrite event registration pages in search engine results.   These recommendations and tips derive from some of the things I've seen work for some of our eventholders. 1. The very first point is to be sure your event is public.  There's a little check box at the bottom of your event creation form, ... Continue Reading

Brevity has long been a virtue. Twitter made of that virtue a medium.   The Shorty Awards in NY will celebrate that medium's best.  Attend.