Let's start with some context: over the many years of Third Coast Conferences, Filmless Festivals and The Fest, many of you have trekked across states and oceans to arrive — a journey that, to say the least, hasn't always been accessible to everyone. Between flights, hotels, and registration fees, our time together tends to carry a hefty price tag, not to mention the days away from work. Some of you, reading this, have never been able to attend for all of these reasons—and we’ve been working hard to change that.

Third Coast is a small non-profit with a generous community that holds it together. And this year, we’re going through an evolution that’s been building for many years: to transform and disrupt the audio industry, and to de-center the status quo. In 2020, this means shifting our Conference venue from a costly hotel to a virtual world. And so, while we're sad not to be meeting in person this year, we're thrilled to introduce radically more accessible pricing that better aligns with Third Coast’s strengthened and evolving values, and supports our tiny team struggling to stay afloat.

​We want everyone to feel invited to our programs, regardless of ability to pay a heady ticket price. So we've created a new pricing philosophy, one that is community-conscious, responsive, and honors the needs of our audiences. In a collective pricing model, we invite our community to consider what they’re able to offer alongside what others need. This way, we all arrive more equitably, together.

So, what does collective pricing mean for Third Place?