Open Spaces

PyCon US 2023 isn't just about attending talks and workshops, it's also about being a part of the community and having the opportunity to shape the event through opportunities like our Open Spaces.

Open Spaces are self-organized meetups that take place in one hour intervals in dedicated rooms throughout the conference. While most of the conference is planned months in advance, Open Spaces are created "in real time" by PyCon US attendees throughout the conference. Open Spaces let you self-gather, self-define, and self-organize any way you like.

They're a chance for attendees to come together and discuss a wide range of topics, from technical subjects like computer security and data science, to fun activities like board games and AcroYoga.

So whether you're interested in Python-powered maker projects, diversity initiatives, or just want to connect with other attendees, Open Spaces at PyCon US 2023 are the perfect way to do it. Don't miss out on this unique and exciting part of the conference – be sure to show up and see what's happening!

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE IN AN OPEN SPACE?

It's pretty easy: Just show up :)

During PyCon US, there will be Open Spaces boards across from the Staff Office (Room 150ABC). The boards act as a time table for all the Open Spaces, so you know where and when to go for the Open Spaces you're interested in. If a topic is not listed yet, find an open time slot and add it!

WHAT OPEN SPACES ARE THERE?

There are Open Spaces on many subjects a bunch of PyCon US attendees would like to discuss. Since the PyCon US attendees are a diverse bunch, so are the Open Spaces. In past years, we've had a mani/pedi party, a feminist hacking space, an AcroYoga space, and a board games room. There's also plenty of the usual suspects of technical subjects, from computer security to your favorite Python project to professional occupations like DevOps.

WHERE AND WHEN ARE THE OPEN SPACES?

The Open Spaces are in a set of dedicated rooms during all three of the conference days (Friday, April 21, Saturday, April 22, and Sunday April 23). Some rooms may be needed for other events during portions of some days; please consult the Open Spaces boards onsite for the final word on what's going on where.

HOW DO I HOST AN OPEN SPACE?

The best part? Anyone can host an Open Space! Simply fill out a sticky card with your topic and description, and add it to the Open Spaces board in the open time slot that works for you. It’s also a great idea to add your Twitter handle to the card in case anyone interested in attending your Open Space has a question or would like to contact you about it. In order to promote your Open Space we encourage you to tweet about it and use the hashtag #PyConOpenSpace to make sure people see your tweets.

IDEAS FOR OPEN SPACES

Here are a few ideas for potential Open Space topics and activities:

  • Hacker space (maker projects) that use Python (e.g. in Raspbery Pis, iOT, home automation, robots / drones / blimps auto piloted with Python)
  • Hacking/networking/devops
  • Data visualization/science
  • Natural language processing and generation (e.g. chatbots)
  • Quantified Self
  • Diversity initiatives, for example a feminist hackerspace
  • A space for organizers - of conferences, workshops, diversity initiatives (Django Girls, PyLadies, etc.)
  • Framework specific Open Spaces, for example, Django or Flask
  • How to contribute to open source - a help / mentoring group for beginners
  • Git
  • Support - how to avoid burnout
  • Recruitment workshops

If there's a certain Open Space you'd love to see at PyCon but you don't want to host it yourself, please add it to our list and maybe someone else will take up the topic and host an Open Space about it.

PLANNED OPEN SPACES

If you have an idea for an Open Space, and a day and time when you want to meet, please email us and we will list it here on this page. Please note that you will still have to add a card to the Open Spaces boards at PyCon US to officially book a time slot for your Open Space.

Planned Open Spaces so far:

  • TBA

Email us with your idea!