VidCon Australia Launches in Melbourne, Announces Partnership with YouTube
Tickets are selling fast as VidCon — World’s Largest Online Video Conference — announces YouTube partnership for first-ever VidCon Australia in Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia(18 Nov 2016)
VidCon (vidcon.com), the world’s largest online video conference for fans, creators, and industry professionals, today announced that YouTube will be the title sponsor for the first-ever VidCon Australia, which will take place in Melbourne, September 9-10, 2017, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The long-awaited VidCon Australia — with its European counterpart, VidCon Europe, at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam, April 7-9 — will welcome approximately 7,500 fans and creators, with a custom experience designed to celebrate the unique online video ecosystem of those regions.
YouTube will have a significant presence at the event, creating their own unique activities for fans, creators, and industry attendees.
"It's fantastic to see VidCon coming to Australia for the first time in 2017. Melbourne is an incredible city to welcome the world's largest online video community event,” Chris Dodson, Head of YouTube Marketing, Google Australia said. “We look forward to working with the team at VidCon to gather fans, creators, brands, and industry colleagues to celebrate the ever-expanding online video ecosystem in Australia.”
VidCon programming and tickets follow a three-track format, designed for everyone from the most passionate fans to the biggest media companies. The Community Track engages attendees interested in experiencing the online video culture through Q&As, discussions, concerts, interviews, movie nights, meetups, signings, and games. The Creator Track serves attendees looking to make better content, grow their online presence, enter the industry, meet fellow creators, and learn the ins-and-outs of online video culture. The Industry Track features keynotes, fireside chats, seminars, and product demonstrations geared toward attendees working in the online video industry. This two-day celebration in Melbourne will feature programming, activities and entertainment for all three tracks throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Michael Gardner, Chief Operating Officer of VidCon, and Colin Hickey, VidCon’s Executive Vice President, said, “When investigating new markets for VidCon, we were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of our partners at YouTube, Creative Victoria, the Melbourne Convention Bureau, and more, to bring VidCon to Australia. After digging deeper to understand the Australian creator and audience landscape, we discovered that there is a conspicuously unsatiated appetite to make real-world connections within the region’s online video community. We couldn’t be happier about the pairing of VidCon and Australia to celebrate, uplift, and accelerate online video.”
Similar to the 8th Annual VidCon (in Anaheim, California, June 21-24), VidCon Australia will feature a variety of endemic and non-endemic sponsors and exhibitors. As veteran VidCon fans know well, these events are packed with robust content, performances, and high-energy celebration, and the VidCon team is determined to continue this tradition overseas. Attendees of the first-ever VidCon Australia in Melbourne should expect an online-video celebration of global proportions.
“We are pleased to welcome VidCon to Melbourne, Victoria for their first annual celebration of online video in Australia. Melbourne is a creative and innovative city and when we started working with VidCon we knew right away that their mission matched Melbourne’s culture, and would generate real buzz in the online video community. We couldn’t be more pleased to host VidCon Australia in 2017 and the years to come.” said Karen Bolinger, Chief Executive Officer, Melbourne Convention Bureau.
Though specific programming and Featured Creators will be announced in upcoming months, VidCon experiences record ticket sales each year and routinely sells out. Anyone planning to attend VidCon Australia is encouraged to register as soon as possible. Tickets can be purchased now at vidconaustralia.com.
About VidCon
VidCon owns and operates the world’s largest events for and about the online video community. Each VidCon assembles fans, veteran and amateur creators, working professionals, and industry thought-leaders who gather to celebrate the online video ecosystem. The original VidCon, now renamed VidCon US, was founded by Hank and John Green. Total attendance has grown from 1,400 in 2010 to over 26,000 in 2016. VidCon Europe and VidCon Australia will both debut in 2017.