Perhaps because the Internet has become such a rich source of information, some graphic arts and printing conferences have evaporated. It's no longer necessary to make a pilgrimage to a trade show for the sole purpose of cornering someone in a booth to get answers to questions about equipment or software. Instead, it's easy to go to a vendor Web site and scroll through posted information. The venerable Seybold Seminars became a casualty of this shift in recent years, a victim of declining attendance. However, there's still a market for the large shows such as DRUPA and On Demand Expo, which feature running presses printing live jobs and finishing equipment spewing out pocketfolders. Printing Industry EventsIn addition to featuring fully operational equipment, most printing exhibitions, conferences, and trade shows offer seminars on printing issues. Some exhibitors provide hands-on educational demos. And don't forget to fill up your bag with all those cute tchotchkes such as promotional light-up pens, squeezable software mascots, and company T-shirts.
The GraphEXPO shows in Chicago occur annually, but every four years (2001, 2005, 2009, and so on), they kick it up a notch and present the even larger PRINT show. The PRINT shows include actual operating printing and finishing equipment and occupy the massive McCormick Place Convention Center from the floors to the rafters. Wear comfortable shoes. Design ConferencesMany design-oriented conferences are worth attending for the hands-on training sessions that are presented by software sponsors or training consultants. Don't forget to leave extra space in your suitcase for those tempting paper samples too.
Both the InDesign Conference and the Creative Suite Conference are well attended by designers and printers. The informal atmosphere encourages real-world questions and the opportunity to network. Acrobat/PDF ConferencesEntire conferences devoted to a file format? Why, you never hear anyone gushing about a weekend spent at the annual TIFF Festival. There is not a theme park named EPS World. The fact that there are two PDF-themed annual conferences is evidence of the importance of Acrobat and the PDF file format across a wide range of industries. While you may not be interested in some of the developer-level sessions, there are always sessions devoted to the use of PDF in print. Both conferences are sponsored in part by industry vendors such as Adobe, Enfocus, Global Graphics, and Logitech. Both conferences, held annually, feature training sessions, seminars, and vendor exhibits. Many industry speakers and sponsors participate in both events. How can you choose which conference to attend? Consider the session listings and the location.
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