WordCamp Europe 2015 will be held at the end of June in Seville, Spain, but organizers are already finalizing host city applications for the 2016 event. A final call for host cities went out today and organizers announced that applications will close on Friday, April 24.
This highly anticipated WordPress event is expected to bring in roughly 1,000 attendees from around the world. Such a massive undertaking requires a revolving planning process that prepares for the next year’s event while simultaneously planning the current year.
Organizers for 2016 will be required to attend and assist in organizing the 2015 event as part of the new organizer mentoring program the team is piloting this year. Candidates must demonstrate excellent communication skills and become a reliable point of contact before being selected to the learn the ropes for the 2016 event.
“We think it’s important for next year’s team to get involved in this year’s organization,” co-organizer Petya Raykovska said. “That’s why we started early and one of the requirements for the applying teams is to be available to join the team in Seville if chosen.”
WordPress representatives in cities vying for the chance to host WCEU 2016 are required to complete a budget for each proposed venue and a detailed application form, which includes a team member summary, transportation and hotel information, and several other aspects of the event.
“Compiling the application takes time and it’s understandable they’ll all come in the last week,” Raykovska said. She and other members of the organization team have been in contact with several local WordPress communities that will be applying, as the prospect can be somewhat daunting given the level of detail required.
“Some teams need a bit of a nudge to feel confident enough to apply, even if they’ve done exceptional work organizing their local events,” she said.
The host city for WCEU 2016 will be selected by mid-May, which will give the new organizers enough time to get involved in the most active and important stages of the 2015 event. A sample budget and application form are available on the WordCamp Europe website. Local European WordPress communities have five remaining days to apply.