If anyone had told me that we would go through an extended period of time when we would be isolated from others outside our immediate households, I wouldn’t have believed them. But then it happened. For over two years.

Now that that’s over (hopefully) we’re reconnecting and relearning how to be together. In some ways it’s been a welcome celebration – I’m still basking in the residual glow of #PSEWeb 2022’s “great reunion”. It’s also been occasionally aggravating – it’s all-day, back-to-back meetings OR head into the office.

Despite the challenges and uncertainties of this new reality I feel there’s been one very hopeful development, a renewed appreciation of connectivity and community. All that forced alone-ness seems to have left us with a unique, collective understanding of what it means to be together. We’ve become hyper-aware of the pros and cons of shared experiences; our conduct when interacting with others is more careful and deliberate; we’re more considerate of the needs of those around us and we’re more diligent about responding to those needs.

For our #PSEWeb association, this means a number of fundamental changes are in the works. Notice the update to our #PSEWeb (formally #PSEWEB) hashtag? That’s one of them. We’ve also been implementing some structural revisions, including the addition of our new Marketing Director (Francophone Audiences) and our Equity Advisor. We’re setting big goals for what we want to become and determining how we’ll get there together. Keep an eye on our site for more news and updates on our progress.

For our upcoming #PSEWeb 2023 conference, we’re looking to rethink what it means to be communicators, particularly in exploring ways to encourage connections and build bridges. As we go through this time of change and transition, let’s re-imagine what we can become when we’re connected and together – connected with our audiences, connected with our institutions, connected in our environments and of course, connected in our #PSEWeb community.  

I know we’re up for this challenge. #PSEWeb has always been powered by a community of impressively strong, ever-resourceful, passionately creative professionals. I’m so looking forward to learning from, and being inspired by, your stories and experiences. Let’s do this!

#PSEWeb 2023 graphic by Ty Dale™

Montreal artist Matt Evans of the Pop Module produced our #PSEWEB 2022 conference graphic as a riff on our existing branding. For #PSEWeb 2023, we asked Vancouver Artist, Ty Dale™, to produce an entirely new graphic that reflects our current focus and themes. We’re so excited by what he’s come up with. What ideas and concepts do you see in this image? How does it relate to the work you’re doing lately – the projects you’re working on and the goals you’re aspiring to achieve?