Pecha Kucha

Have you heard about Pecha Kucha?

Pecha Kucha Nights, now held around in cities around the world, were conceived by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture) in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network and show their work in public. Designers come from all backgrounds including artists, engineers, architects, manufacturers and animators.

The key to Pecha Kucha'a success is its patented system for avoiding long-winded presentations. Each designer is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each – giving 6 minutes, 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up and gives more people the chance to show.

Pecha Kucha (which is Japanese for the sound of conversation) has tapped into a demand for a forum in which creative work can be easily and informally shown, without having to rent a gallery or chat up a magazine editor.

Brisbane is holding its next Pecha Kucha Night as part of its Ideas Festival this Friday night at 8.20 pm at the State Library. Entry is free and speakers include Project Runway winner Juli Grbac and Vein Wear shoe designer Chris McCallum.

To check if your city is one of 181 worldwide to host a Pecha Kucha night, visit the official site for schedules. You can also apply to start one in your city if it doesn't have it.