The Athar Festival of Creativity returns this year (taking place on November 5th and 6th) and builds on the success of the inaugural edition that hosted over 1,400 attendees, including more than a hundred speakers, joined by industry professionals and young talent from the region and beyond.
The Athar Festival Content Programme is created through the Call for Content which is open for submissions to all players within the creative space including but not limited to creative agencies, media agencies, communications agencies, publishers, technology, social media platforms, advertisers, media, brands, film and music makers, government, start-ups, universities and any parallel sectors.
Speaking proposals are open to companies locally and globally and should be submitted via our online portal before Friday 24 May. All submitted proposals will be reviewed and selected based on the merit of the idea and all the submitters will be notified of the outcome before Monday 1 July.
Speakers
At the 2024 edition of Athar Festival, you will have an opportunity to submit a speaker proposal for one of our curated panel discussions or submit your own content proposal within one of the festival themes accompanied by your nominated speaker(s).
When submitting your content & speaker proposal you will be asked to select one of the suggested themes and sub-topics for the Athar Festival Content Programme. If you are unsure which topic is the most suitable for your idea, please select ‘other’ and we will review where we think it fits best.
When creating the title for your sessions, keep in mind that delegates will be scrolling through the programme to choose which sessions to attend.
Your title should not only grab their attention but also provide a concise summary of what the session is about. While witty and catchy titles can be effective, make sure the subject matter is still clearly conveyed.
How can you make your proposal stand out?
- The best talks are those that focus on a single idea and really delve into it – we are looking for innovative ideas, their practical applications and relevance to current challenges
- Be specific – thoroughly planned, well-crafted, detailed narratives result in the best sessions
- Don’t be shy to share what you have learned from your failures, as this adds a lot of authenticity to your submission and it’s something that Athar delegates appreciate a lot
- If you’re exploring a topic don’t simply share your own viewpoint or use your work as an example. Include an analysis of the great work of others as well
- Explain why and how and think about what it means for the future of this industry
- Sessions, where agencies co-present with brands, tend to be the most popular and well-attended
- Sales presentations or showreels of work disguised as a talk won’t impress the audience. Include case studies that the audience can learn from, explore the opinions of others and explain the backstory of your views
There is no charge to speak at the Festival, however, please note that Athar Festival does not pay fees or cover travel or accommodation expenses. Speakers receive a complimentary pass for the two days of the Festival (please note that this does not include the Awards Ceremony)
Please submit your speaking proposals through the Call for Content Portal – www.atharfestival.com/CFC
