Society for Photographic Education
45^th National Conference – March 2008

March 13-16, 2008 in Denver, Colorado

Conference Registration | Conference Schedule | 2008 Speakers
Hotel information | Travel information | In and About Denver | Opportunities
Sponsors and Exhibitors | Exhibits Fair Floor Plan | Exhibits Fair Information | 2008 Scheduled Events
2008 SPE Film Festival Showcase | Highlighted Receptions | Portfolio Reviews
Thursday Industry Seminars | Apple Training Sessions | Industry and Educator Forum
Student Volunteers | Student Seminar | Student Award Recipients

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

February 22, 2008
Early Bird & Volunteer Registration Postmark Deadline

February 18, 2008
Deadline for Hotel Reservations at Discounted Rate

February 20, 2008
Deadline for Registration Cancellation with Refund

February 29, 2008
Late Registration Postmark Deadline

Agents of Change: Art and Advocacy

The work of a photographic artist took center stage during the 108th United States Congress. On the agenda was the fate of drilling for oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).  According to Secretary Gale Norton ANWR was “a flat white nothingness.” In response, Senator Barbara Boxer denounced drilling and held up a book of photographs by Subhanker Banerjee that showed the refuge brimming with life. Congress voted to save ANWR from drilling for two more years.  
   
Lens-based artists have been catalysts for change with imagery that advocates social and environmental awareness.  Artists bear witness, interpret, expose and address problems ranging from the Aids epidemic and stereotypes in race and gender to the plight of refugees in war torn countries. In what ways are artists responding to the local and global challenges that are reshaping politics, cultures, economies and the planet? As educators, artists and scholars, what has been the historical impact of our advocacy? What role will we play in shaping the future?

Denver and the Rocky Mountain West have long been home to diverse and often opposing political, social, economic and environmental interests. With fortunes historically linked to extractive industries like mining, natural gas, and oil, Denver is also a leader in urban planning and energy conservation. The Mile High City has been invigorated by major new projects in the arts. The Denver Art Museum has opened its new Hamilton Building, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind. The Denver Museum of Contemporary Art has broken ground for a new 27,000 square foot environmentally-efficient building. Denver is a dynamic and growing modern city that enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year and the magnificent Rocky Mountains in the backyard.

Joann Brennan
Conference Chair

Conference Committee

The conference committee for 2008 - Denver is as follows: Joann Brennan (Chair), Rebecca Cummins, Margaret Stratton, Carlos Diaz, Carola Dreidemie, Angie Buckley and Liz Allen.

LOCAL COMMITTEE
Angie Buckley, Chair
Rachel Hawthorn
Roddy MacInnes
Lincoln Phillips
Mary Anne Redding
Adrianna Santiago
Andrea Wallace

Conference Registration

The conference registration form can be downloaded here.

The 2008 conference registration rates are the following:

*Member conference rates require a 2008 membership. If you are not currently a member or your membership has expired, please include the appropriate membership fee to be eligible for the members' rate. Please note that non-member rates are more expensive than membership + member rate. Early registrations need to be postmarked by Feb. 14, 2008.

Daypasses

Day and session passes are available at conference registration onsite. Daypass holders have unlimited access to the presentations for their respective day, but do not include pre-conference workshops, seminars, student portfolio critiques or professional portfolio sessions. Only full registrations include the option to participate in student portfolio critiques or professional portfolio sessions, workshops or seminars.

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Conference Hotel

The 2008 SPE National Conference will be held at the Adam's Mark Hotel (1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202) March 13-16, 2008. Located in the heart of Downtown Denver, The Adam's Mark is on the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall with a wide selection of restaurants, entertainment and shopping. The Adam's Mark Hotel is within walking distance to the Denver Art Museum and many other cultural sites.

The conference room rate is $149, plus tax. To make reservations please visit the following url: https://resweb.passkey.com/go/spe0308 or call by phone via the following reservation numbers: 1-877-642-9212 (Toll Free), 1-314-993-2326 (International). If calling by phone, please identify yourself as an attendee of the "SPE National Conference" when making your reservation to receive the discounted rate. No code is required for online reservations. Please remember to make your reservation early, as rooms at the conference hotel may sell out well before the reservation deadline, February 18, 2008.

Check-in as at 3:00 pm. Early check-ins will be granted on availability. Checkout time is 12:00 noon. Late checkouts are based on availability at a half-day rate. The Adam's Mark requests a 24-hour advance notice for early departures, fees may apply. All reservations must be guaranteed by check, money order or valid major credit card equal to one night's room rate plus applicable occupancy tax. Cancellation must be received 48 hours prior to arrival or the deposit amount will be forfeited. "No shows" will be charged one night's room rate plus applicable tax and reservations may be reinstated at the hotel's discretion, subject to availability.

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Conference Airline

Purchase your ticket online at www.united.com and receive a 5% discount off the lowest applicable fares. After you link to www.united.com, enter your origin and destination, travel dates. Click on more search options and enter your promotion code number 577QM; then we will display the available flights. There are no fees for booking online at www.united.com when you use the special promotion code. Code is case sensitive so please use capital letters.

To check schedules and to take advantage of this offer, please visit, www.united.com

If you already are a Mileage Plus member you will receive 1000 bonus miles. Not a member yet? Sign up at www.united.com to start your account towards free travel.

Online booking is only applicable to travel within the United States. To make a reservation over the phone, please call the MeetingsPlus Reservation Service Center at 1-800-521-4041. The MeetingsPlus Reservation Service Center hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 10:00 pm (ET) and Saturday thru Sunday 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (ET). For international travel, please contact your local reservation office.

Airport Shuttle Transportation

Denver International Airport is approximately 24 miles from the Adam's Mark Hotel and takes approximately 40 minutes to travel between. SuperShuttle is offering a discounted rate of $30 round trip per person between the dates of March 10-18, 2008. One-way fares per person cost $19. To make reservations and pre-pay on-line visit www.supershuttle.com, enter the discount code, 42TLJ. Passengers can also present a coupon (download here) at the SuperShuttle Denver counter at Denver International Airport in order to pay the discounted fare. No reservations are needed from the airport.

Driving Directions

From Denver International Airport and from the East: From the Airport, depart on Pena Boulevard and merge onto I-70 West. From the East, take I-70 or I-76 West. From I-70 or I-76 West, merge onto I-25 South. Take I-25 South to the Colfax Ave East exit, turn left at the light at Colfax Ave and take Colfax Ave eight blocks to Court Place. Turn left at Court Place and go north one block. The hotel will be on your left.

From the North: Take I-25 South to the Colfax Ave East exit, turn left at the light at Colfax Ave and take Colfax Ave eight blocks to Court Pl. Turn left at Court Place and go north one block. The hotel will be on your left.

From the South: Take I-25 North to the Colfax Ave East exit, turn right at the light at Colfax Ave and take Colfax Ave eight blocks to Court Place. Turn left at Court Place and go north one block. The hotel will be on your left.

From the West: Take I-70 or I-76 East to I-25 South. Take I-25 South to Colfax Ave East exit, turn right at the light at Colfax Ave and take Colfax Ave eight blocks to Court Place. Turn left at Court Place and go north one block. The Hotel will be on your left.

Parking at the Adam's Mark

Rates as of 9/20/07:
Overnight Valet $ 24.00
Overnight Self-Parked Vehicle $ 15.00
All Day Self-Parking $ 14.00
Self-Parking Each 1/2 Hour M-F $ 2.00 ($14.00 maximum daily charge)
All Day Valet Parking $ 15.00
All Day Saturday/Sunday $ 5.00
Monday-Friday After 4:00 PM $ 5.00

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In and About Denver

Some trivia about Denver: Denver is the 20^th largest metro area in America, and has the 10^th largest downtown area. It has been called "Highest Educated City," "Baby Boomer Capital" and "Thin City." Contrary to popular belief, Denver is not in the mountains—it is near them. The "Foothills" (a gentle series of peaks ranging from 7,000 to 11,000 feet high) start to rise 15 miles west of the city. Slightly beyond that is the Continental Divide and a series of peaks soaring to heights of 14,000 feet known locally as the "Front Range." Denver itself is located on high, rolling plains. (Source: Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau) www.denver.org

Month of Photography

In addition to hosting the SPE conference this year, Denver is home to the Month of Photography celebration in March. Check the blog at http://303photo.blogspot.com for show listings, maps, events, calls for entry and more. Plan out your art fun while visiting the Mile High City and see what Denver has to offer!

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Student Volunteers

2008 Student Volunteer Registration

Students, you have a unique opportunity to get involved at the conference and meet other students across the country—volunteer! You'll be able to attend the conference for a greatly reduced conference fee of $25. Most of the volunteers will help with the lectures. Other volunteers will help with the auctions, portfolio sessions, registration, etc. Each volunteer is required to work eight hours (spread over the conference) and must attend one of the training sessions on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 from 4-6 pm or in the evening from 9-11 pm. A late, final training session is Thursday, March 13, 2008 from 8-10 am. Volunteers attending the Wednesday training will be given preference in assignments. All volunteers need to pre-register for the conference and be 2008 members of SPE. The postmark deadline for volunteer registration is February 14, 2008. Volunteers and Scholarship recipients are invited to participate in the popular Student Seminar on Thursday morning, March 13, 2008 from 9 am to noon. This special seminar is only open to student volunteers and scholarship recipients.

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Opportunities

The Society for Photographic Education in collaboration with The Center for Fine Art Photography will present an online exhibition of work created by SPE members. Fifty photographers will be chosen to exhibit their work in the Center's online gallery. Ten of the fifty images will also be selected to exhibit their work in the Center's gallery in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Deadline: February 26, 2008

For more information click here.

PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS NEEDED

If you are interested in reviewing portfolios by our professional members (non-students*), please contact Nate Larson at nl@natelarson.com.

*At this time we do not need reviewers for Student Portfolio Critiques.

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Questions

For general questions or if you require special assistance during the conference, please contact:
SPE National Office
2530 Superior Avenue, #403
Cleveland, OH 44114

phone 216 622 2733
fax 216 622 2712
or email membership@spenational.org.

Sponsor Opportunities, Exhibits Fair or Advertising questions:
Contact the national office membership@spenational.org, 216 622 2733.

2008 conference contacts:
Ashley Peel Pinkham, national conference planner, ashley@spenational.org

Conference Chair: Joann Brennan

(photo at top copyright of the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau)

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