Community Media Fest
October 14-16, 2025
Alliance, Ohio
Where Storytellers, Creators, and Changemakers Connect
2025 Fest Theme:
Power to Shape What’s Next: Tools, Talent, and Tactics for Tomorrow
This year’s theme focuses on preparing for the future—through revitalized content, next-generation training, and new strategies for meaningful community engagement.
About:
Community Media Fest is a regional gathering for anyone using media to inform, engage, and empower their communities. From hands-on technical training to strategy sessions on civic storytelling and cross-sector collaboration, this event brings together high school and college students, local media centers, nonprofit communicators, independent creators, and educators.
Whether you're behind the camera, in the classroom, on the mic, or leading a community initiative — this is where stories, skills, and strategies meet.
Hosted by the Central States Region of the Alliance for Community Media, Community Media Fest is more than a conference. It’s a creative lab, learning space, and networking hub for building what’s next — together.
REGISTRATION OPEN [click to register]
Full Conference Registration: $75
One-Day Registration: $40
Youth/Student Registration: $25
Philo Reception & Awards Only: $25
Conference Program is available online
or download here:
Community Media Fest 2025
Hotel Accommodations:
Hampton Inn and Suites
1831 West State Street, Alliance, OH 44601 US
+1-330-382-5775
or
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
2341 West State St, Alliance, OH 44601 US
+1-330-382-5775
Meet the Vendors
CASTUS
Tightrope Media Systems
NPi Audio Visual Solutions
CKS Service, LLC
First Choice Security and Drone Solutions
Thanks to our Sponsors
Welcome Reception Sponsor
CASTUS
Lunch Plenary Sponsor
Telvue Corporation
Coffee/Snack Break Sponsors
NPi Audio Visual Solutions
CKS Service, LLC
Conference Schedule
[subject to change]
| Tuesday, October 14 | ||
| TBD | Potential Pre-Conference Tour | TBA |
| 3:00 PM | Registration Open | Glamorgan Castle Rotunda |
| 3:30 PM | Quick-fire Roundtable Sessions | Castle (Various Locations) |
| 4:30 PM | Networking Break | Castle Rotunda |
| 4:45 PM | CS Region Membership Meeting | Castle Drawing Room |
| 5:30 PM | Welcome Reception & Tours sponsored by CASTUS | Castle Rotunda |
| 7:00 PM | Dinner on Your Own | |
| 7:00 PM | AHS Marching Band Concert | AHS Auditroium |
| Wednesday, October 15 | ||
| 9:00 AM | Registration Open | UMU Hoover-Price Campus Center (HPCC) Lobby |
| Open Tours | Raider Student Media, Spectrum Channel 1022: Alliance, Kehres Stadium | |
| 10:00 AM | Meet with Vendors - Vendor Showcase | HPCC Newbold Room |
| 10:30 AM | Welcome | HPCC Newbold Room |
| 11:00 AM | Freelance & Film Clubs: Collaborative Creativity in Action | HPCC Alumni Room |
| From Classroom to Camera: On-Air Skills for New Voices | HPCC Campus Grounds | |
| Hoover High School Mobile Storyteller Tour | HPCC Parking Lot | |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch & Plenary sponsored by Telvue | HPCC Kresge Dining Commons Solarium |
| Tools+Talent - Power: Training for Relevance and Resilience | ||
| 1:15 PM | Networking Break | HPCC Lobby |
| 1:30 PM | Content We Can Share: Building a Regional Story Exchange - Open Discussion | HPCC Alumni Room |
| The Future is Already Creating: Creators, Tools, and Media Disruption | HPCC Campus Grounds | |
| 2:30 PM | Networking Break | HPCC Lobby |
| 2:45 PM | More Than Meetings: Building Civic Power Through Community Media | HPCC Alumni Room |
| Local Streams, Real Dollars: Launching Subscription Platforms & Monetization | HPCC Campus Grounds | |
| 3:45 PM | Networking Break | HPCC Lobby |
| 4:00 PM | Train Together: Co-Designing Regional Media Training Programs (Open Discussion) | HPCC Alumni Room |
| Student Tech Track: Produce the Philo Awards Broadcast (hands-on workshop?) | AHS TV Studio | |
| 5:00 PM | Vendor Showcase Ends | HPCC Newbold Room |
| 5:00 PM | Break | |
| 6:00 PM | Philo Reception & TOUR: Spectrum Channel 1022: Alliance Studios | AHS North Lobby |
| 7:00 PM | Philo Awards / Student Tech Lab: Produce the Philo Awards Broadcast | AHS Auditorium/AHS TV Studio |
| Thursday, October 16 | ||
| 9:00 AM | Registration Open | Glamorgan Castle Rotunda |
| 10:00 AM | Redefining What Counts: Talking About Our Impact | Castle Drawing Room |
| Drone + Camera Playground: Tools for Visual Storytelling | Castle Outside | |
| 11:00 AM | Networking Break | Castle Rotunda |
| 11:15 AM | Where Do We Go From Here? Open Forum for Community Media’s Future | Castle Drawing Room |
| 12:15 PM | Event Concludes | |
| TBD | Potential Afternoon Tour | |
Conference Locations
Activities for the conference will be held at the following locations:
Glamorgan Castle
200 Glamorgan St.
Alliance OH 44601
Alliance High School
400 Glamorgan St.
Alliance, OH 44601
University of Mount Union Hoover-Price Campus Center
420 W Simpson St,
Alliance, OH 44601