PICNIC Festival 2012

Since 2006, the annual PICNIC Festival has been one of Europe’s premier events focused on innovation and creativity.

PICNIC Festival 2012 will be an international gathering of approximately 3500 professionals representing business, technology, government and non profit, education and the creative industries.

The Festival will be an active learning environment where companies and organizations can understand this ‘new ownership’ shift. At the Festival, they can question assumptions and then improve and re-imagine by developing new ideas, concepts and prototypes.

The goal is to discover opportunities for transformation: processes, cultures, products, services, models and experiences.

The Festival will take place on September 17 and 18 at Amsterdam’s new EYE Film Institute.

Festival Theme: “New Ownership: the shift from top down to bottom up”

Connected technology is empowering people, businesses and organizations to drive change on a local and global scale. The Internet has increased awareness of issues and social media is providing a stronger ability to take action. A new notion of ownership has emerged: people are taking matters back into their own hands as they realize that everyone can potentially fulfil a role regardless of their position or location. Everyone has the power to do things for themselves on an even greater scale.

PICNIC Festival 2012’s programming will focus on the impact of “new ownership” in seven main areas:
• fundamentals
• governance
• business
• sustainability
• education
• health/life sciences
• media

Festival participants will be able to choose from a wide range of activities. Programming will include:
• lectures
• interactive debates and discussions
• co-creation workshops and challenges
• start up competitions
• a SME exhibition
• matchmaking activities