Holding an Event
Want to host an event at Root Access? Fantastic! Here are some things you should know…
Scheduling and Planning
Events should be relevant to maker or hacker interests, and must be fitting for a non-profit organization. Examples of relevant events would include talks or classes by people knowledgeable in nerdy fields, workshops for making something, or an art gathering. Examples of inappropriate events include campaign events and anything that would violate the Code of Conduct.
Check the events calendar and find an open date/time for your event. If the event is a regular meetup, it’s best to pick a set day each month, e.g., the 2nd Thursday, for a consistent schedule.
Please allow an hour between events to allow for everyone to set up and wrap up. If you are doing an event on a weekday, be aware that most people have day jobs; we have found that 6:30pm is a good start time that gives people anough time to arrive.
Once you have your preferred date/time, get in touch with Root Access leadership to get your event on the calendar. If you have any special requirements regarding the arrangement and layout of the space, please let us know.
Pricing and Fees
Root Access does not charge to host community events that are free and open to the public.
If your event charges a fee, the split is 50/50 (sans material fees for classes) between the event organizers and the hackerspace, unless otherwise arranged. Attendees of free events should be encouraged to make a donation to Root Access. (A recommended donation is $10, knowing that some will donate more, some will donate less, and others will donate nothing.)
Advertising Your Event
The first step is to create advertising assets for your event. This includes a thorough description and a photo or graphic for social media posts and event listings. These should be shared with Root Access leadership.
We will do everything we can to help advertise the event, including…
Post on Twitter and Instagram.
Create a Facebook event. (If you create your own Facebook event, please add Root Access as a co-host.)
Create an event listing on Meetup.
Share it in our community Discord.
If you post about the event on any social media platforms where we have a presence, please tag Root Access and we will re-share the post.
Running Your Event
Before your event…
Arrive with enough time to set up and, if necessary, rearrange the space.
Ensure your presenters can connect to our projector. (We generally use a Chromecast.)
During your event…
Document your event! Take lots of pictures and video.
Encourage attendees to make a donation to Root Access.
After your event…
Offer to give a tour of the hackerspace to attendees, or arrange to have a member do this.
Clean up, take out any full trash cans, and reset the tables and chairs to their standard configuration.
Send pictures, videos, and a recap of your event to Root Access so that we can share it on our blog and social media accounts.