The What IF…Festival of INNOVATION AND IMAGINATION invites you to propose an “Experience” (an exhibit, an experiment, an activity, a unique collaboration, or any other form of experiential interface that creates an important experience for the viewer/participant). Express your own innovation and imagination or the imagination within your organization, group of friends, business, or company, and devise a way to demonstrate it.

Entrepreneurs, business owners, scientists, engineers, makers, health  professionals, students, educators, corporations, garage geeks, artists, musicians, performers, inventors, designers, gardeners, chefs, marketing pros, start ups ...

The WHAT IF Festival is September 14, 2019, with select Experiences from throughout the region and beyond. Hours of operation for the Festival are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Fees:      Fees increase for applications after August 1.  
Imagination Celebration is a non-profit organization producing this celebration as a Day of Joy and Wow's for all ages - a day that draws thousands of us together to explore, investigate, experiment, learn something, stretch ourselves into something new, and engage with each other.   This is a Festival designed to show off what you do while helping us be a stronger, more innovative, more creative, more curious, more engaged, more knowledgeable community.  We collect booth fees to cover our costs for producing the event – street closures, security, barricades, marketing, printing, electricity, cleaning, trash.  Thank you for choosing to participate and sharing what you do!

Please note:   If you propose a surprising collaboration, something unusual, the Festival Team may sponsor your application and waive your participation fee.  

• Shine a light on diverse forms of innovation and imagination in our community. Show off interesting people, cool businesses, important tools and technology.
• Engage as many people as possible in a day of “wows!” together. Engage people of all ages in their own personally creative experiences. Celebrate together – share joys and aha’s!
• Cultivate creative collaborations and relationships that connect our community. Foster more innovation, invention, sustainability ideas, entrepreneurs, and creators.  

* Though broadly inclusive, the Festival does not allow overtly political or religious subject matter.

Applications might:
• Demonstrate innovative process, innovative product, or both. Have you been inventing/building something amazing that the region should know about?
• Show collaboration between/among surprising partners, such as among multiple usually unrelated businesses, or between technology and art, or ranching and dancing, or …??
• Span different cultures or geographical areas.
• Result in a presentation, play, interactive exhibit, installation, or some completely unexpected interactive Experience.

Each application must show that:
• The proposed Experience is engaging/educational. Note: Sponsorships with product exhibition are available. A separate area is available for retail sales of innovative and imaginative products and services. There is an
additional fee if you are planning to sell anything (items, memberships,etc.)
• The proposed Experience is in good taste, appropriate for a family-friendly event and professionally presented and/or executed.
Please complete one proposal for each Experience you want to present. We call each element of the Festival an “Experience”, whether it is an exhibit, a performance, an experiment, an activity or any other form of interaction that creates an experience for the viewer/participant. Use your imagination! Make people say "WOW!"

NOT QUITE SURE YET? You know that you and/or your organization is doing something interesting, imaginative, innovative, but you are uncertain as to how that translates into an Interactive Experience. Contact us before going further with this application! Our Experience Committee will be happy to talk with you over the phone or meet with you and brainstorm on how you can have the maximum impact with your Experience at this year's Festival.  Contact:  WhatIF@imaginationcelebration.org

Importantly, we invite applications in any domain/discipline: arts, technology, business, education, culinary, retail, medical, sports, environment, ranching, gardening/farming, etc. We encourage inventions devised in your garage, or new processes for doing things.

The following Selection Criteria will be used to evaluate Experience applications. The criteria are meant to give guidance. Your proposal should clearly describe how it meets each criteria:
1. The proposed Experience is innovative and/or imaginative with a “Wow” factor for Festival attendees.
2. The Experience is engaging, interactive, and/or participative and educational.
3. The Experience is inclusive, sensitive to diversity, and does not judge others with different viewpoints or beliefs.
Criteria 4 and 6 are special criteria and though not required, are highly encouraged.
4. The proposal demonstrates collaboration (e.g., across communities, ages, disciplines, geographic areas, cultures, organizations and/or businesses, etc.).
5. The Experience is “Green."
6. The Experience encourages adults to engage and discover their creativity!

ATTENTION !  IF THERE IS A RED STAR NEXT TO THE QUESTION, YOU MUST ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN ORDER FOR YOUR FORM TO SUBMIT.  THANKS!

If this is a collaboration, who is your collaborator?   If this is a surprising collaboration, something unusual, the Festival Team may choose to sponsor your application and there will be no participation fee.  

We will try to accommodate requirements for accepted Experiences.  Questions? Ask us!

Approved Experiences require:

1) Signed Contract:  We will send you a contract and logistics package

2) Participant Fee:  
 - $150 for a minimum of 10 x 10 space outside or one of the limited inside spaces  (you provide your own tent and tables)    
 - $100 additional fee if selling items at your booth
 -  $275 for professional quality tent and table installed for you by tent rental company (includes participant fee)
 
3)   A Certificate of Insurance:  
Indicating that Imagination Celebration and the City of Colorado Springs is listed as additional insured on your liability insurance policy must be faxed/emailed by August 30.  (This is standard for festivals. Please contact us at whatif@imaginationcelebration.org if you have any questions or concerns about this requirement.  We can help you figure it out.  If you are selected for participation, please carefully read the contract you are provided.)