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{{Short description|Annual art and technology festival and conference in Portland, Oregon}}
{{COI|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox recurring event
{{Infobox recurring event
|name = XOXO
|name = XOXO
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|alt =
|alt =
|caption = One of the speakers at XOXO 2012, Chad Dickerson of [[Etsy]]
|caption = One of the speakers at XOXO 2012, Chad Dickerson of [[Etsy]]
|status = Active
|status = Defunct
|genre = Art, technology
|genre = Art, technology
|date = <!-- {{start date|YYYY|mm|dd}} "dates=" also works, but do not use both -->
|date = <!-- {{start date|YYYY|mm|dd}} "dates=" also works, but do not use both -->
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|coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LON|type:event|display=inline,title}} -->
|coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LON|type:event|display=inline,title}} -->
|country = [[United States]]
|country = [[United States]]
|years_active = <!-- {{age|YYYY|mm|dd}} Date of the first occurrence -->
|years_active = 2012–2024
|first = 2012
|first = 2012
|founder_name = [[Andy Baio]]<br>[[Andy McMillan (designer)|Andy McMillan]]
|founder_name = [[Andy Baio]]<br>[[Andy McMillan (designer)|Andy McMillan]]
|last = <!-- Date of most recent event; if the event will not be held again, use {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
|last = {{End date|2024|08|24}}
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'''XOXO''' is an annual festival and conference held in [[Portland, Oregon]], that describes itself as "an experimental festival for independent artists who live and work online".<ref>{{cite web|title=XOXO Festival|url=https://xoxofest.com/|website=XOXO Festival|publisher=XOXO|access-date=7 July 2020}}</ref> XOXO was founded in 2012 by [[Andy Baio]] and [[Andy McMillan (designer)|Andy McMillan]] with funding from prepaid tickets and other contributions via [[Kickstarter]].
'''XOXO''' was an annual festival and conference held in [[Portland, Oregon]], that described itself as "an experimental festival for independent artists who live and work online".<ref>{{cite web|title=XOXO Festival|url=https://xoxofest.com/|website=XOXO Festival|publisher=XOXO|access-date=July 7, 2020|archive-date=June 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630025713/https://xoxofest.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> XOXO was founded in 2012 by [[Andy Baio]] and [[Andy McMillan (designer)|Andy McMillan]] with funding from prepaid tickets and other contributions via [[Kickstarter]]. In 2016, technology website [[The Verge|''The Verge'']] called it "the internet's best festival".<ref name="our favorite discoveries" />

XOXO was held every year from 2012 to 2019 except for 2017. It was not held between 2020 and 2023, as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The final festival was held in 2024.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Hazel |first=Jess |date=August 20, 2024 |title=XOXO in Portland looks back on years of connection for online community with final festival this weekend |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2024/08/20/xoxo-festival-portland-looks-back-connections-final-event/ |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=[[Oregon Public Broadcasting]] |language=en}}</ref>


== History ==
== History ==
XOXO was an annual festival and conference that focused on [[Indie art|indie]] creators and artists working on the web. Except for a larger conference in 2018, the conference was limited to around 1,000 attendees, and organizers introduced an application and lottery system to promote diversity and discourage attendees who were focused on marketing to other attendees.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="wired-2013" /> Speakers at the festivals were most often independent creators, and the festival eschewed the corporate nature of other conferences and festivals centered around technology.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=September 4, 2018 |title=Independent internet festival XOXO is back, featuring the best of the online world |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2018/09/xoxo_independent_internet_festival.html |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=[[The Oregonian]] |language=en |archive-date=December 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206055418/https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2018/09/xoxo_independent_internet_festival.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="theverge.com" /> Talks at the first two events generally reflected enthusiasm around being an indie creator,<ref name=":6" /> while later events featured more reflection on the challenges of being an independent artist, criticism of the web and the broader technology industry, and focus on social justice and activism.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":4" />


=== XOXO 2012 ===
=== 2012 ===


The inaugural event was held in Portland's [[Yale Union Laundry Building]] in September 2012 with approximately 400 participants.<ref name="verge-dream">{{cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2012/9/19/3359592/xoxo-festival-2012-internet-party-conference|title=The Dream of the Internet is Alive in Portland: Inside the XOXO Festival|last=Gantz|first=Ryan|work=The Verge|date=September 19, 2012 |access-date=December 30, 2012}}</ref> The first day of the conference focused on talks from independent creators from fields such as film, comics, music, art and illustration, video games, hardware design and product design, while the second centered on technology, and those building tools to facilitate and encourage independent creativity through the web. Speakers and performers included [[Dan Harmon]], [[Adam Savage]], [[MC Frontalot]], [[Christopher Poole|Chris Poole]], [[Bre Pettis]], [[Julia Nunes]], [[The Kleptones]], [[The Limousines]], and the creators of [[Kickstarter]], [[MetaFilter]], [[VHX]], [[Simple (bank)|Simple]], ''[[Diesel Sweeties]]'', ''[[Indie Game: The Movie]]'' and ''[[World of Goo]]''.
The inaugural event was held in Portland's [[Yale Union Laundry Building]] in September 2012 with approximately 400 participants.<ref name="verge-dream">{{cite news |last=Gantz |first=Ryan |date=September 19, 2012 |title=The Dream of the Internet is Alive in Portland: Inside the XOXO Festival |url=https://www.theverge.com/2012/9/19/3359592/xoxo-festival-2012-internet-party-conference |access-date=December 30, 2012 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref> That year's event was funded on Kickstarter, raising $175,000.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Hudson |first=Laura |date=August 24, 2015 |title=The Radical XOXO Conference Thinks It Knows the Secret to Great Ideas: Get More Women |url=https://www.pdxmonthly.com/arts-and-culture/2015/08/portland-s-xoxo-arts-tech-festival-unleashes-the-creative-power-of-diversity |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=[[Portland Monthly]] |language=en-US |archive-date=September 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901171131/https://www.pdxmonthly.com/arts-and-culture/2015/08/portland-s-xoxo-arts-tech-festival-unleashes-the-creative-power-of-diversity |url-status=live }}</ref>


Associated events included live music, film screenings, an arcade of independently produced videogames, a market, and food trucks.<ref name="nyt-festival">{{cite news|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/xoxo-a-festival-of-indie-internet-creativity/|work=New York Times Bits Blog|title=XOXO: A Festival of Indie Internet Creativity|first1=Jenna|last1=Wortham|last2=Gallagher|first2=David F.|date=September 18, 2012 |access-date=December 30, 2012}}</ref>
Associated events included live music, film screenings, an arcade of independently produced video games, a market, and food trucks.<ref name="nyt-festival">{{cite news |last1=Wortham |first1=Jenna |last2=Gallagher |first2=David F. |date=September 18, 2012 |title=XOXO: A Festival of Indie Internet Creativity |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/xoxo-a-festival-of-indie-internet-creativity/ |access-date=December 30, 2012 |work=[[New York Times]] Bits Blog |archive-date=December 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227053643/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/xoxo-a-festival-of-indie-internet-creativity/ |url-status=live }}</ref> News media and bloggers noted an "impressive list of speakers" and an "intimate tone" missing from other technology-focused conferences.<ref name="verge-dream"/> Ruth Brown wrote "the audience was overwhelmingly white, male, middle class and educated."<ref name="PGB">{{cite web | url = http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-29204-reflections_on_the_x.html | title = Reflections on the XOXO Festival | author = Ruth Brown | date = September 18, 2012 | access-date = September 28, 2014 | work = [[Willamette Week]] | archive-date = March 6, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150306164736/http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-29204-reflections_on_the_x.html | url-status = live }}</ref>


⚫
=== 2013 ===
News media and bloggers noted an "impressive list of speakers" and an "intimate tone" missing from other technology-focused conferences.<ref name="verge-dream"/> Ruth Brown wrote "the audience was overwhelmingly white, male, middle class and educated."<ref name="PGB">{{cite web | url = http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-29204-reflections_on_the_x.html | title = Reflections on the XOXO Festival | author = Ruth Brown | date = 2012-09-18 | access-date = 2014-09-28 | work = [[Willamette Week]] }}</ref>
⚫
The festival returned to the [[Yale Union Laundry Building]] with speakers, workshops, films, music shows, game events, and a market.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Larsen |first1=Luke |date=September 20, 2013 |title=Technology, creativity cross at XOXO |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/09/technology_creativity_cross_at.html |access-date=November 10, 2013 |work=[[The Oregonian]] |archive-date=November 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111015155/http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/09/technology_creativity_cross_at.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Baio described it as being "about artists and hackers and makers that are using the internet to make a living doing what they love independently without sacrificing creative or financial control".<ref name="wired-2013">{{cite magazine |last1=Edidin |first1=Rachel |date=September 20, 2013 |title=The Record-Breaking XOXO Festival Returns to Cross-Pollinate Art and Tech |url=https://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/09/xoxo-2013/ |access-date=November 10, 2013 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |archive-date=November 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131121225517/http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/09/xoxo-2013/ |url-status=live }}</ref> To handle increased interest while remaining small (500 conference tickets and 200 "fringe event" tickets), it had an application process with questions intended to filter out people who wanted to market to attendees.<ref name="wired-2013"/>


''[[Portland Monthly]]'' compared the event to the larger [[South by Southwest]] festival, quoting [[Matthew Haughey]] saying SXSW speakers are "in the business of selling technologies" and XOXO speakers are "creating things".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Patall |first1=Marty |date=September 3, 2013 |title=How the XOXO Festival Charms Cutting-Edge Thinkers |url=http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/arts-and-entertainment/articles/how-the-xoxo-festival-charms-cutting-edge-thinkers-september-2013 |access-date=November 10, 2013 |work=[[Portland Monthly]] |archive-date=November 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111015511/http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/arts-and-entertainment/articles/how-the-xoxo-festival-charms-cutting-edge-thinkers-september-2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> Rachel Edidin described the event in [[Wired (magazine)|''Wired'']] as a "creative incubator" that is "painfully earnest, unflaggingly positive", and criticized the event for high ticket costs that introduced barriers to access that mirrored some of the issues it sought to resist.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Edidin |first=Rachel |date=September 30, 2013 |title=XOXO and the High Costs of Not Selling Out |url=https://www.wired.com/2013/09/trickle-down-innovation-collateral-cost-of-indie-independence-2/ |access-date=September 1, 2024 |work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref>
⚫
=== XOXO 2013 ===
⚫
XOXO returned to the [[Yale Union Laundry Building]] in September 2013 with speakers, workshops, films, music shows, game events, and a market.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/09/technology_creativity_cross_at.html |work= The Oregonian |title= Technology, creativity cross at XOXO |first1= Luke |last1= Larsen |date= September 20, 2013 |access-date= November 10, 2013}}</ref> Baio described it as being "about artists and hackers and makers that are using the internet to make a living doing what they love independently without sacrificing creative or financial control".<ref name="wired-2013">{{cite news |url= https://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/09/xoxo-2013/ |work= Wired |title= The Record-Breaking XOXO Festival Returns to Cross-Pollinate Art and Tech |first1= Rachel |last1= Edidin |date= September 20, 2013 |access-date= November 10, 2013}}</ref> ''[[Portland Monthly]]'' compared the event to the larger [[South by Southwest]] festival, quoting [[Matthew Haughey]] saying SXSW speakers are "in the business of selling technologies" and XOXO speakers are "creating things".<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/arts-and-entertainment/articles/how-the-xoxo-festival-charms-cutting-edge-thinkers-september-2013 |work= Portland Monthly |title= How the XOXO Festival Charms Cutting-Edge Thinkers |first1= Marty |last1= Patall |date= September 3, 2013 |access-date= November 10, 2013}}</ref> To handle increased interest while remaining small (500 conference tickets and 200 "fringe event" tickets), it had an application process with questions intended to filter out people who wanted to market to attendees.<ref name="wired-2013"/>


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=== 2014 ===
Speakers and performers included [[Tim Schafer]], [[Vi Hart]], [[Evan Williams (Internet entrepreneur)|Evan Williams]], [[Molly Crabapple]], [[Marco Arment]], [[Jack Conte]], [[Erika Moen]], [[Jay Smooth]], [[Adrian Holovaty]], and the creators of [[Cards Against Humanity]], [[Pinboard (website)|Pinboard]], and [[Panic (company)|Panic]]. The editors of [[Boing Boing]]—[[Mark Frauenfelder]], [[Cory Doctorow]], [[David Pescovitz]], and [[Xeni Jardin]]—appeared together on stage for the first time to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the [[zine]]'s launch in 1988. Musical performances included [[Anamanaguchi]], [[Jack Conte]], [[Jonathan Coulton]], and [[Jim Guthrie (singer-songwriter)|Jim Guthrie]].<ref>{{cite web|title = Announcing XOXO Music|url = http://blog.xoxofest.com/post/58255108449/announcing-xoxo-music|date = August 14, 2013|access-date = March 25, 2015|website = XOXOFest Blog}}</ref>

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=== XOXO 2014 ===


[[File:XOXO Festival 2014.jpg|thumb|XOXO 2014 inside The Redd]]
[[File:XOXO Festival 2014.jpg|thumb|XOXO 2014 inside The Redd]]


XOXO 2014 was held at The Redd, a former ironworks facility in an industrial area of Portland.<ref name="theverge.com" /> Conference speakers included feminist media critic [[Anita Sarkeesian]], data visualization designer [[Rachel Binx]], software engineer Edna Piranha, [[Welcome to Night Vale|''Welcome to Night Vale'']] creator Joseph Fink, [[Lifehacker]] founder [[Gina Trapani]], [[Lexicography|lexicographer]] [[Erin McKean]], and technologist [[Paul Ford (technologist)|Paul Ford]].<ref name="theverge.com" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Hatmaker |first=Taylor |date=September 18, 2014 |title=Thinkers, makers, and dreamers anonymous |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/death-failure-xoxo-2014/ |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=[[The Daily Dot]] |language=en-US |archive-date=May 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519044152/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/death-failure-xoxo-2014/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Sarkeesian's appearance was met with controversy from [[Gamergate controversy|Gamergate]] supporters, with one protester trespassing the festival grounds and [[Portland Police Bureau|Portland Police]] being called to the festival. [[Casey Newton]] wrote in ''[[The Verge]]'' about the festival's focus on freelance and indie artists: "this is likely to be the only conference where you see tech CEOs listening to a freelance jewelry designer talk about her struggles paying the rent."<ref name="theverge.com">{{cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |author-link=Casey Newton |date=September 16, 2014 |title=A tiny gathering of artists has become the most interesting weekend in tech |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/9/16/6240305/xoxo-festival-2014-portland-web |access-date=August 27, 2017 |website=[[The Verge]] |archive-date=August 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827124442/https://www.theverge.com/2014/9/16/6240305/xoxo-festival-2014-portland-web |url-status=live }}</ref> Attendance was capped at 1,000 people, and attendees were selected through an application and lottery process that aimed to increase diversity.<ref name=":0" />
In 2014, the third XOXO was held on September 11–14, 2014 at The Redd, a former metal stamping facility in an industrial area of SE Portland.{{Citation needed|date=April 2018}}


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=== 2015 ===
The XOXO lineup was announced in June 2014<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://twitter.com/xoxo/status/481499607814651904|title = Alright, here’s what we’ve got in store for you in September: www.2014.xoxofest.com (You can also now submit your registration!)"|date = June 24, 2014|access-date = April 2, 2018|format= tweet|website = Twitter|last = XOXO}}</ref> and conference tickets were sold out by the first week of July.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://twitter.com/xoxo/status/486260604366503936|title = Conference + Festival passes are now *sold out*. Still a few Festival passes left, we'll email the next random batch of attendees shortly.|date = July 7, 2014|access-date = March 25, 2015|website = Twitter|publisher = XOXO}}</ref> Conference speakers included [[Anita Sarkeesian]], [[Hank Green]], [[Gina Trapani]], [[Golan Levin]], [[John Gruber]], [[Leigh Alexander (journalist)|Leigh Alexander]], [[Kevin Kelly (editor)|Kevin Kelly]], [[Justin Hall]], [[Jonathan Mann (musician)|Jonathan Mann]], [[Rachel Binx]], and [[Welcome to Night Vale]] co-creator Joseph Fink. Sarkeesian's appearance was met with controversy from [[Gamergate controversy|Gamergate]] supporters, with one protester passing out leaflets.<ref name="theverge.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/9/16/6240305/xoxo-festival-2014-portland-web|title=How XOXO Festival is pushing the web forward|first=Casey|last=Newton|date=16 September 2014|website=The Verge|access-date=27 August 2017}}</ref>


XOXO 2015 was held at the [[Revolution Hall]] in [[Portland, Oregon]].<ref>{{cite web |title=XOXO |url=https://2015.xoxofest.com/conference |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623093710/https://2015.xoxofest.com/conference |archive-date=June 23, 2016 |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=2015.xoxofest.com}}</ref> Baio and McMillan aimed to increase the number of talks focusing on the challenges of being an independent creator, and to offer more criticism than previous years. They also capped attendance at 750 people.<ref name=":1" /> Speakers included video game developer [[Zoë Quinn|Zoe Quinn]], Anita Sarkeesian, and web technologist [[Eric A. Meyer]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |author-link=Casey Newton |date=September 14, 2015 |title=How Gamergate's earliest target came to empathize with her abusers |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/14/9326207/zoe-quinn-gamergate-xoxo-festival |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=[[The Verge]] |language=en |archive-date=May 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502002116/https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/14/9326207/zoe-quinn-gamergate-xoxo-festival |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Engadget]]'' wrote many talks were "emotionally driven... centered around the difficult issues of being independent."<ref name=":7">{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Nicole |date=September 19, 2015 |title=How an independent art and technology festival captured my heart |url=https://www.engadget.com/2015/09/19/xoxofest-2015/ |access-date=January 22, 2016 |website=[[Engadget]] |archive-date=January 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123193245/http://www.engadget.com/2015/09/19/xoxofest-2015/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[The Guardian]]'' attributed the festival's popularity to "its gentleness, its emotive undertone and thoughtful curation, but also its commitment to supporting individual artists over businesses and corporates."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kiss |first1=Jemima |date=October 28, 2015 |title=Makerbase and the mission to dispel tech's 'founders' myths |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/28/makerbase-and-the-mission-to-dispel-techs-founders-myths |access-date=January 22, 2016 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>
A new evening event, XOXO Story, was added in 2014 with live performances of popular podcasts like [[Harmontown]], [[John Roderick (musician)|John Roderick]]'s Rendezvous, and [[Song Exploder]] featuring an interview with [[The Thermals]]. A second night of music was also added, including performances from [[Pomplamoose]], [[YACHT (band)|YACHT]], [[Molly Lewis]], [[John Roderick (musician)|John Roderick]] and [[Sean Nelson]] from [[The Long Winters]], [[Mike Doughty]], and [[Nerf Herder]]. XOXO Arcade featured 10 unreleased or exhibition-only games, such as [[Quadrilateral Cowboy]] and the ten-player [[Killer Queen (video game)|Killer Queen]] arcade cabinet, and new work from [[Keita Takahashi]], [[Threes (game)|Threes]] creator [[Asher Vollmer]], and [[QWOP]] creator [[Bennett Foddy]].


In 2015, the festival adopted the chat software [[Slack (software)|Slack]], and by the time of the conference the XOXO Slack instance had more than 150 channels.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Newton |first=Casey |author-link=Casey Newton |date=2015-09-18 |title=Why Slack could be the future of conferences |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/18/9349425/slack-future-of-conferences-xoxo-festival |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=[[The Verge]] |language=en}}</ref> ''The Verge'' later credited XOXO for bringing Slack into the mainstream.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Pavlus |first=John |date=June 3, 2019 |title=Your conference is too damn big |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90353359/your-conference-is-too-damn-big |access-date=September 1, 2024 |work=[[Fast Company]] |archive-date=October 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027015141/https://www.fastcompany.com/90353359/your-conference-is-too-damn-big |url-status=live }}</ref>
Ten films and shorts were shown at XOXO Film, including previews of the first two episodes of [[Natasha Allegri]]'s Bee & Puppycat series, new animations from [[David OReilly (artist)|David OReilly]] and [[PES (director)|PES]], and the debut of Empire Uncut, the crowdsourced sequel to [[Star Wars Uncut]].


=== XOXO 2015 ===
=== 2016 ===


XOXO 2016 was also held at the Revolution Hall and was attended by over 1,200 attendees.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://xoxofest.com/2016|title=XOXO|website=xoxofest.com|access-date=August 27, 2017}}</ref> Speakers included musician [[Neil Cicierega]], journalist [[Sarah Jeong]], satirist Jenn Schiffer, and [[Itch.io]] founder Leaf Corcoran.<ref name=":2" /><ref name="our favorite discoveries" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Patricia |date=November 29, 2018 |title=The game store that outshines Steam by staying small and weird |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/29/18118217/itchio-steam-leaf-corcoran-pc-games-indie |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=[[The Verge]] |language=en |archive-date=July 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709191618/https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/29/18118217/itchio-steam-leaf-corcoran-pc-games-indie |url-status=live }}</ref> ''The Verge'' called it "the internet's best festival," and highlighted its attention to detail, focus on diversity, and curation.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |last1=Newton |first1=Casey |author-link=Casey Newton |date=September 12, 2016 |title=In praise of the internet's best festival, which is going away |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/12/12884834/xoxo-fest-2016-recap |website=[[The Verge]] |access-date=February 23, 2018 |archive-date=February 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223171314/https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/12/12884834/xoxo-fest-2016-recap |url-status=live }}</ref> A follow-up article featured highlights and discoveries from the festival lineup.<ref name="our favorite discoveries">{{cite web |last1=Newton |first1=Casey |author-link=Casey Newton |date=September 11, 2016 |title=Our favorite discoveries from the internet's best festival |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/11/12881398/xoxo-fest-2016-best-of |website=[[The Verge]] |access-date=February 23, 2018 |archive-date=November 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116152451/http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/11/12881398/xoxo-fest-2016-best-of |url-status=live }}</ref> Organizers announced that they would not be hosting an event the following year, instead choosing to focus on the Outpost workspace they had founded in mid-2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baer |first=April |date=August 26, 2016 |title=XOXO 2016 Fest Will Be Its Last — For Now |url=https://www.opb.org/radio/programs/state-of-wonder/article/xoxo-2016-fest-last/ |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=[[Oregon Public Broadcasting]] |language=en}}</ref>
The fourth XOXO was held on September 10–13, 2015 at [[Revolution Hall]], the auditorium of the former [[Washington High School (Portland, Oregon)|Washington High School]] in the Buckman neighborhood of SE Portland.


⚫
=== 2018 ===
Conference speakers included [[Heather Armstrong]], [[Gimlet Media]]'s [[Alex Blumberg]], [[Veronica Belmont]], [[Kathy Sierra]], [[Spike Trotman]], [[Daniel M. Lavery]], [[Anil Dash]], [[Zoë Quinn]], [[Eric A. Meyer]], [[BoJack Horseman]]'s Lisa Hanawalt, [[Vlambeer]]'s Rami Ismail, and the creators of [[Suck.com]], reuniting on stage for the webzine's 20th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://2015.xoxofest.com/conference|title=XOXO|website=2015.xoxofest.com|access-date=27 August 2017}}</ref>


⚫
After a one-year hiatus in 2017, the sixth XOXO was held on September 6–9, 2018 at a new venue, [[Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Portland, Oregon)|Veterans Memorial Coliseum]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Bringing XOXO Back |url=https://blog.xoxofest.com/post/175348591105/bringing-xoxo-back |website=XOXO Blog |access-date=January 6, 2019}}</ref> Nearly twice the size of past years, over 2,300 attendees attended XOXO 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Patronage at XOXO |url=https://blog.xoxofest.com/post/176748002150/patronage-at-xoxo |website=XOXO Blog |access-date=January 7, 2019}}</ref>
XOXO Music was held on an outdoor stage for the first time, with evening musical performances by [[Dan Deacon]], [[Kaki King]], [[Vulfpeck]], [[Open Mike Eagle]], [[NIKO IS]], Kawehi, and the first live CVS Bangers by [[Hennessy Youngman]]. During the day, music performances were curated by [[Patreon]]'s [[Jack Conte]] and [[Ground Kontrol]]'s Art Santana.


The festival opened with a keynote from comedian [[Cameron Esposito]] about the production of her "Rape Jokes" standup special.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Suzette |title=XOXO Fest, Day 1: FREE Carly Rae Jepsen Soda, the Albina Vision Project, Cameron Esposito's Rape Jokes |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/09/07/22727660/xoxo-fest-day-1-free-carly-rae-jepsen-soda-the-albina-vision-project-cameron-espositos-rape-jokesem |access-date=January 8, 2019 |website=[[Portland Mercury]] |archive-date=January 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108210826/https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/09/07/22727660/xoxo-fest-day-1-free-carly-rae-jepsen-soda-the-albina-vision-project-cameron-espositos-rape-jokesem |url-status=live }}</ref> Speakers included author [[John Hodgman]], author [[Ijeoma Oluo]], rapper and producer [[Open Mike Eagle]], and Anita Sarkeesian.<ref name=":5" /> The festival closed with an unannounced concert by [[Lizzo]] on the festival's main stage, who surprised attendees after the show by performing karaoke in the Blue Ox Bar, a dedicated pop-up dive bar created for the event. Other on-site installations included a secret speakeasy, accessible only by solving a series of puzzles accessible via telephone booths around the venue, and Dear Future Me, an interactive installation by illustrator Alice Lee inviting attendees to mail a postcard to their future selves.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Damewood |first1=Andrea |title=Snapshots of the Coolest Things at XOXO Fest 2018 |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/09/11/22796335/snapshots-of-the-coolest-things-at-xoxo-fest-2018 |access-date=January 8, 2019 |website=[[Portland Mercury]] |archive-date=September 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901172056/https://www.portlandmercury.com/tech/2018/09/11/22796335/snapshots-of-the-coolest-things-at-xoxo-fest-2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The festival also introduced an event called "Art+Code", which showcased quirky web-based art, and a [[comics]] night.<ref name=":5" />
Seven films and shorts were shown at XOXO Film & Animation. XOXO Arcade featured 14 unreleased independent games with their designers and developers on-site.
⚫
=== 2019 ===


⚫
After experimenting with a larger event in 2018, XOXO returned to its previous size and venue for its seventh year, with 1,200 attendees at [[Revolution Hall]]. Organizers cited the desire to return to a more comfortable, accessible, and intimate size.<ref>{{cite web|title=Return to Form|url=https://xoxofest.com/blog/2019-05-07-announcing-xoxo-2019|website=XOXO Blog|publisher=XOXO|access-date=September 16, 2019|archive-date=2021-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308212037/https://xoxofest.com/blog/2019-05-07-announcing-xoxo-2019/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":4" />
Engadget wrote many talks were "emotionally driven... centered around the difficult issues of being independent."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Nicole|title=How an independent art and technology festival captured my heart|url=https://www.engadget.com/2015/09/19/xoxofest-2015/|website=Engadget|access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref> The Guardian attributed the festival's popularity to "its gentleness, its emotive undertone and thoughtful curation, but also its commitment to supporting individual artists over businesses and corporates."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kiss|first1=Jemima|title=Makerbase and the mission to dispel tech's 'founders' myths|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/28/makerbase-and-the-mission-to-dispel-techs-founders-myths|website=The Guardian|access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref>


=== XOXO 2016 ===
=== 2020–2023 ===


The 2020–2023 XOXO festivals were canceled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. In an interview with ''[[Willamette Week]]'' in 2020, festival co-founder Andy Baio said that, due to uncertainty about the duration of the pandemic, "The last XOXO may have been the last one."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Singer|first=Matthew|date=May 23, 2020|title=This Year's XOXO Festival Got Canceled Early in the Pandemic. Co-Founder Andy Baio Isn't Sure It'll Ever Return.|work=[[Willamette Week]]|url=https://www.wweek.com/technology/2020/05/23/this-years-xoxo-festival-got-canceled-early-in-the-pandemic-co-founder-andy-baio-isnt-sure-if-itll-ever-return/|access-date=March 5, 2021|archive-date=January 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122163021/https://www.wweek.com/technology/2020/05/23/this-years-xoxo-festival-got-canceled-early-in-the-pandemic-co-founder-andy-baio-isnt-sure-if-itll-ever-return/|url-status=live}}</ref>
For the fifth XOXO, held September 8–11, 2016, the festival returned to [[Revolution Hall]] in SE Portland, with over 1,200 attendees. Expanding the amenities from the previous year, 10% of passes were offered to low-income attendees for free, reduced from $50 the previous year. Free on-site childcare included a new children's arcade with a rotating lineup of independent videogames, and children under 12 were allowed to attend the festival for free.


=== 2024 ===
Conference speakers included [[Gaby Dunn]], [[Talia Jane]], [[Sammus]], [[Neil Cicierega]], [[Star Simpson]], [[Mystery Show]] creator [[Starlee Kine]], [[John Roderick (musician)|John Roderick]], Lucy Bellwood, [[Simone Giertz]], Jenn Schiffer, [[David Rees (cartoonist)|David Rees]], [[Itch.io]]'s Leaf Corcoran, [[Sarah Jeong]], [[Another Round (podcast)|Another Round]]'s [[Heben Nigatu]], [[Majal (organization)|Majal]]'s [[Esra'a Al-Shafei]], and writer/designer Frank Chimero.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://xoxofest.com/2016|title=XOXO|website=xoxofest.com|access-date=27 August 2017}}</ref>
[[File:XOXO 2024 entrance.jpg|alt=Rectangular scaffolding creating an entrance to the XOXO venue. Blue, yellow, and purple cutouts form flowers and circular shapes, forming the letters "XOXO"|thumb|Entrance to the 2024 XOXO festival]]
[[Jim Guthrie (singer-songwriter)|Jim Guthrie]] and [[Minecraft]] soundtrack composer [[C418]] performed daytime DJ sets, and the closing party featured a surprise performance by [[Dan Deacon]] in the XOXO Outpost building.
In March 2024, the festival's organizers published a blog post announcing that the August 2024 XOXO festival would be the last. They explained that decreased sponsor budgets, independent artists' financial struggles, as well as the dangers of COVID-19 make XOXO unsustainable.<ref>{{cite web |title=One Last Time, With Feeling · Blog · XOXO |url=https://xoxofest.com/blog/2024-one-last-time/ |website=xoxofest.com |access-date=August 18, 2024 |language=en |archive-date=August 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240827080853/https://xoxofest.com/blog/2024-one-last-time/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":8" />

Press coverage focused on the hiatus and the festival's impact. The Verge called it "the internet's best festival," and highlighted its attention to detail, focus on diversity, and curation.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Newton|first1=Casey|title=In praise of the internet's best festival, which is going away|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/12/12884834/xoxo-fest-2016-recap|website=The Verge}}</ref> A follow-up article featured highlights and discoveries from the festival lineup.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Newton|first1=Casey|title=Our favorite discoveries from the internet's best festival|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/11/12881398/xoxo-fest-2016-best-of|website=The Verge}}</ref>

⚫
=== XOXO 2018 ===

⚫
After a one-year hiatus in 2017, the sixth XOXO was held on September 6–9, 2018 at a new venue, [[Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Portland, Oregon)|Veterans Memorial Coliseum]]. In an announcement explaining the return, the organizers cited the increasing importance of supporting independent artists in difficult times, as well as a shifting focus on artists balancing their work with political and social activism.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bringing XOXO Back |url=https://blog.xoxofest.com/post/175348591105/bringing-xoxo-back |website=XOXO Blog |access-date=6 January 2019}}</ref>

Nearly twice the size of past years, over 2,300 attendees attended XOXO 2018. Over 400 passes, about 20% of ticketed attendees, were made available for free to economically disadvantaged artists and creators, twice the percentage of its 2016 event.<ref>{{cite web |title=Patronage at XOXO |url=https://blog.xoxofest.com/post/176748002150/patronage-at-xoxo |website=XOXO Blog |access-date=7 January 2019}}</ref>

The festival opened with a keynote from comedian [[Cameron Esposito]] about the production of her "Rape Jokes" standup special.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Suzette |title=XOXO Fest, Day 1: FREE Carly Rae Jepsen Soda, the Albina Vision Project, Cameron Esposito's Rape Jokes |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/09/07/22727660/xoxo-fest-day-1-free-carly-rae-jepsen-soda-the-albina-vision-project-cameron-espositos-rape-jokesem |website=Portland Mercury |access-date=8 January 2019}}</ref> Conference speakers included [[Jonny Sun]], [[Jean Grae]], [[Jennifer 8. Lee]], [[Open Mike Eagle]], [[Demi Adejuyigbe]], [[Claire L. Evans]], [[Pepe the Frog]] creator Matt Furie, [[Ijeoma Oluo]], [[ContraPoints]]' Natalie Wynn, ''[[Adam Ruins Everything]]''{{'}}s [[Adam Conover]], ''[[The New Yorker]]''{{'}}s [[Helen Rosner]], and the creators of the feminist satire magazine [[Reductress]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Conference |url=https://2018.xoxofest.com/conference |website=XOXO 2018 |access-date=8 January 2019}}</ref> Comedian [[Hari Kondabolu]] was the final speaker of the conference, talking about representation in media and why he made ''[[The Problem with Apu]]'', his 2017 documentary about [[The Simpsons]] character.

The festival closed with an unannounced concert by [[Lizzo]] on the festival's main stage, who surprised attendees after the show by performing karaoke in the Blue Ox Bar, a dedicated pop-up dive bar created for the event. Other on-site installations included a secret speakeasy, accessible only by solving a series of puzzles accessible via telephone booths around the venue, and Dear Future Me, an interactive installation by illustrator Alice Lee inviting attendees to mail a postcard to their future selves.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Damewood |first1=Andrea |title=Snapshots of the Coolest Things at XOXO Fest 2018 |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/09/11/22796335/snapshots-of-the-coolest-things-at-xoxo-fest-2018 |website=Portland Mercury |access-date=8 January 2019}}</ref>

⚫
=== XOXO 2019 ===

⚫
After experimenting with a larger event, XOXO returned to its previous size and venue for its seventh year, with 1,200 attendees at [[Revolution Hall]]. Organizers cited several reasons for the return to their former venue, namely the desire to return to a more comfortable, accessible, and intimate size.<ref>{{cite web|title=Return to Form|url=https://xoxofest.com/blog/2019-05-07-announcing-xoxo-2019|website=XOXO Blog|publisher=XOXO|access-date=16 September 2019}}</ref>

For the first time, all of XOXO's main programming was held on the same block in Portland's Central Eastside, using a newly opened venue inside [[Washington High School (Portland, Oregon)|Washington High]] for XOXO Tabletop, a 10,000 square foot tent structure in the park for two nights of Arcade, and [[Revolution Hall]] for the Conference, Video, and Story events.

The event kicked off with XOXO Social, a day of social events led by attendees, which included a preview of [[Panic Inc.]]'s upcoming [[Playdate (console)|Playdate]] handheld console, a creative coding showcase curated by [[Glitch (company)|Glitch]], and over 30 events and meetups covering a variety of interests including podcasts, knitting, zines, game development, and mental health.

At the Conference, XOXO featured guest MCs for the first time: podcasters [[Helen Zaltzman]] (''The Allusionist''/''[[Answer Me This!]]'') and [[Hrishikesh Hirway]] (''[[Song Exploder]]''/''[[The West Wing Weekly]]''), who introduced speakers throughout the weekend. XOXO 2019 speakers included ''[[Another Round (podcast)|Another Round]]'s'' [[Tracy Clayton]], [[Game Workers Unite]] co-founder [[Emma Kinema]], Harry "[[Hbomberguy]]" Brewis, Hundred Rabbits' Rekka Bellum and Devine Lu Linvega, [[San Francisco Chronicle]] food writer [[Soleil Ho]], [[Caitlin Doughty]], [[Jahkara Smith]], authors Emily & Amelia Nagoski, [[Lindsay Ellis]], [[Mikki Kendall]], and [[Jenny Odell]]. Two speakers incorporated musical performances: Black Belt Eagle Scout's [[Katherine Paul]] and [[Left at London]]'s Nat Puff, who performed with surprise guest [[Open Mike Eagle]]. The closing speaker was stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster, [[Rhea Butcher]].

XOXO Video, the evening event previously known as "Film & Animation," featured six online video creators screening their work followed by audience Q&As, including [[Evan Puschak]] (''The Nerdwriter''), Hallease (''Say It Loud''), Brian David Gilbert (''Unraveled''), and Estelle Caswell (''Earworm''). Animators [[Alex and Lindsay Small-Butera]] returned to preview their upcoming animated feature film, and writer/director [[Matthew A. Cherry]] screened his Oscar-winning animated short, ''[[Hair Love]]''.

XOXO Story featured five live podcasts, including ''[[Everything is Alive (podcast)|Everything Is Alive]]'', ''[[Yo, Is This Racist?]]'', ''[[The Allusionist]]'', and the first live episode of ''[[You're Wrong About]]…''. The event closed with a special extended episode of ''[[Punch Up The Jam]]'', the final appearance with co-host [[Demi Adejuyigbe]] and featuring special guests [[Open Mike Eagle]] and [[Neil Cicierega]].

XOXO Arcade featured 10 unreleased games presented by their designers and developers, including ''UFO 50'', ''[[Spelunky 2]]'', ''Get in the Car, Loser!'', ''[[Samurai Gunn 2]]'', ''Calico'', ''The Wild at Heart'', ''Mutazione'', ''[[Killer Queen Black]]'', ''Later Alligator'', and ''[[Ikenfell]]''. XOXO Tabletop brought the creators of eight independently produced tabletop games to show their work, including ''Rosenstrasse'', ''Root: The Underworld'', ''Mechanica'', ''Wavelength'', ''1001 Odysseys'', ''Reigns: The Council'', and a preview playtest of Twogether Studio's upcoming ''[[The Adventure Zone]]'' tabletop game. [[Jeri Ellsworth]] also demonstrated Tilt Five, prototype glasses for playing holographic games using augmented reality.

The XOXO closing party had two parallel events: a preview listening party of an early version of [[Neil Cicierega]]'s then-unannounced mashup album [[Mouth Dreams]] (which released just over a year later), as well as karaoke in the outside tent, with appearances from several speakers and performers, including [[Lindsay Ellis]], [[Demi Adejuyigbe]], [[Open Mike Eagle]], and [[Left at London]].

⚫
=== XOXO 2020 ===

In March 2020, XOXO organizers [[Andy Baio]] and [[Andy McMillan (designer)|Andy McMillan]] announced that XOXO 2020 was canceled as a result of the escalating [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite web |title=XOXO 2020 Is Canceled |url=https://xoxofest.com/blog/2020-xoxo-2020-is-canceled |website=XOXO |access-date=7 July 2020}}</ref>


== Outpost ==
== Outpost ==


In June 2015, the organizers of XOXO announced<ref>{{cite web|title=A New Experiment|url=http://blog.xoxofest.com/post/120703410510/a-new-experiment|website=XOXO Blog|publisher=XOXO|access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref> they were opening a shared workspace to "bring some of our favorite people and projects in indie art and tech under one roof" in a 13,000 square foot building in Portland's Central Eastside Industrial District.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bell|first1=Jon|title=Portland's XOXO Festival lands 13,000-square-foot year-round home in Central Eastside|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/real-estate-daily/2015/06/arts-festival-lands-home-in-central-eastside-as.html|website=Portland Business Journal|publisher=Portland Business Journal|access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref> The Outpost opened in February 2016, and served over 85 members including video game designers, filmmakers, musicians, writers, and artists, until a sharp increase in rent forced it to close on December 30, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=XOXO Outpost|url=http://outpostpdx.com/|website=XOXO Outpost|publisher=XOXO|access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref>
In June 2015, the organizers of XOXO announced they were opening a shared, pay-what-you-can workspace to "bring some of our favorite people and projects in indie art and tech under one roof" in a 13,000 square foot building in Portland's Central Eastside Industrial District.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bell |first1=Jon |title=Portland's XOXO Festival lands 13,000-square-foot year-round home in Central Eastside |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/real-estate-daily/2015/06/arts-festival-lands-home-in-central-eastside-as.html |access-date=January 22, 2016 |website=[[Portland Business Journal]] |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225025433/https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/real-estate-daily/2015/06/arts-festival-lands-home-in-central-eastside-as.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Cruz |first=Andrew |date=June 13, 2016 |title=This Shared Portland Office Could Save Our Souls (and Our Wallets) |url=https://www.pdxmonthly.com/news-and-city-life/2016/06/this-shared-portland-office-could-save-our-souls-and-our-wallets |access-date=September 1, 2024 |website=[[Portland Monthly]] |language=en-US |archive-date=March 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321100600/https://www.pdxmonthly.com/news-and-city-life/2016/06/this-shared-portland-office-could-save-our-souls-and-our-wallets |url-status=live }}</ref> The Outpost was open from February 2016 until December 2016, when it closed citing rising rental costs.<ref>{{cite web|title=XOXO Outpost|url=http://outpostpdx.com/|website=XOXO Outpost|publisher=XOXO|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-date=December 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206061835/http://outpostpdx.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
Line 137: Line 106:
== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{official website|http://xoxofest.com}}
* {{official website|http://xoxofest.com}}
* [https://2024.xoxofest.com 2024 website]


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[[Category:2012 establishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:2024 disestablishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:Annual events in Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:Arts festivals in the United States]]
[[Category:Computer conferences]]
[[Category:Conferences in the United States]]
[[Category:DIY culture]]
[[Category:Festivals disestablished in 2024]]
[[Category:Festivals established in 2012]]
[[Category:Festivals in Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:Festivals in Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:Arts festivals in the United States]]
[[Category:Kickstarter projects]]
[[Category:New media art festivals]]
[[Category:New media art festivals]]
[[Category:Kickstarter projects]]
[[Category:Technology conferences]]
[[Category:Festivals established in 2012]]
[[Category:Web-related conferences]]
⚫
[[Category:2012 establishments in Oregon]]

Latest revision as of 18:32, 18 October 2024

XOXO
One of the speakers at XOXO 2012, Chad Dickerson of Etsy
StatusDefunct
GenreArt, technology
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Portland, Oregon
CountryUnited States
Years active2012–2024
Inaugurated2012
FounderAndy Baio
Andy McMillan
Most recentAugust 24, 2024 (2024-08-24)
Websitexoxofest.com

XOXO was an annual festival and conference held in Portland, Oregon, that described itself as "an experimental festival for independent artists who live and work online".[1] XOXO was founded in 2012 by Andy Baio and Andy McMillan with funding from prepaid tickets and other contributions via Kickstarter. In 2016, technology website The Verge called it "the internet's best festival".[2]

XOXO was held every year from 2012 to 2019 except for 2017. It was not held between 2020 and 2023, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The final festival was held in 2024.[3]

History

[edit]

XOXO was an annual festival and conference that focused on indie creators and artists working on the web. Except for a larger conference in 2018, the conference was limited to around 1,000 attendees, and organizers introduced an application and lottery system to promote diversity and discourage attendees who were focused on marketing to other attendees.[4][5] Speakers at the festivals were most often independent creators, and the festival eschewed the corporate nature of other conferences and festivals centered around technology.[6][7] Talks at the first two events generally reflected enthusiasm around being an indie creator,[8] while later events featured more reflection on the challenges of being an independent artist, criticism of the web and the broader technology industry, and focus on social justice and activism.[9][10]

2012

[edit]

The inaugural event was held in Portland's Yale Union Laundry Building in September 2012 with approximately 400 participants.[11] That year's event was funded on Kickstarter, raising $175,000.[12]

Associated events included live music, film screenings, an arcade of independently produced video games, a market, and food trucks.[13] News media and bloggers noted an "impressive list of speakers" and an "intimate tone" missing from other technology-focused conferences.[11] Ruth Brown wrote "the audience was overwhelmingly white, male, middle class and educated."[14]

2013

[edit]

The festival returned to the Yale Union Laundry Building with speakers, workshops, films, music shows, game events, and a market.[15] Baio described it as being "about artists and hackers and makers that are using the internet to make a living doing what they love independently without sacrificing creative or financial control".[5] To handle increased interest while remaining small (500 conference tickets and 200 "fringe event" tickets), it had an application process with questions intended to filter out people who wanted to market to attendees.[5]

Portland Monthly compared the event to the larger South by Southwest festival, quoting Matthew Haughey saying SXSW speakers are "in the business of selling technologies" and XOXO speakers are "creating things".[16] Rachel Edidin described the event in Wired as a "creative incubator" that is "painfully earnest, unflaggingly positive", and criticized the event for high ticket costs that introduced barriers to access that mirrored some of the issues it sought to resist.[8]

2014

[edit]
XOXO 2014 inside The Redd

XOXO 2014 was held at The Redd, a former ironworks facility in an industrial area of Portland.[7] Conference speakers included feminist media critic Anita Sarkeesian, data visualization designer Rachel Binx, software engineer Edna Piranha, Welcome to Night Vale creator Joseph Fink, Lifehacker founder Gina Trapani, lexicographer Erin McKean, and technologist Paul Ford.[7][4] Sarkeesian's appearance was met with controversy from Gamergate supporters, with one protester trespassing the festival grounds and Portland Police being called to the festival. Casey Newton wrote in The Verge about the festival's focus on freelance and indie artists: "this is likely to be the only conference where you see tech CEOs listening to a freelance jewelry designer talk about her struggles paying the rent."[7] Attendance was capped at 1,000 people, and attendees were selected through an application and lottery process that aimed to increase diversity.[4]

2015

[edit]

XOXO 2015 was held at the Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon.[17] Baio and McMillan aimed to increase the number of talks focusing on the challenges of being an independent creator, and to offer more criticism than previous years. They also capped attendance at 750 people.[12] Speakers included video game developer Zoe Quinn, Anita Sarkeesian, and web technologist Eric A. Meyer.[18] Engadget wrote many talks were "emotionally driven... centered around the difficult issues of being independent."[9] The Guardian attributed the festival's popularity to "its gentleness, its emotive undertone and thoughtful curation, but also its commitment to supporting individual artists over businesses and corporates."[19]

In 2015, the festival adopted the chat software Slack, and by the time of the conference the XOXO Slack instance had more than 150 channels.[20] The Verge later credited XOXO for bringing Slack into the mainstream.[20][10]

2016

[edit]

XOXO 2016 was also held at the Revolution Hall and was attended by over 1,200 attendees.[21] Speakers included musician Neil Cicierega, journalist Sarah Jeong, satirist Jenn Schiffer, and Itch.io founder Leaf Corcoran.[22][2][23] The Verge called it "the internet's best festival," and highlighted its attention to detail, focus on diversity, and curation.[22] A follow-up article featured highlights and discoveries from the festival lineup.[2] Organizers announced that they would not be hosting an event the following year, instead choosing to focus on the Outpost workspace they had founded in mid-2015.[24]

2018

[edit]

After a one-year hiatus in 2017, the sixth XOXO was held on September 6–9, 2018 at a new venue, Veterans Memorial Coliseum.[25] Nearly twice the size of past years, over 2,300 attendees attended XOXO 2018.[26]

The festival opened with a keynote from comedian Cameron Esposito about the production of her "Rape Jokes" standup special.[27] Speakers included author John Hodgman, author Ijeoma Oluo, rapper and producer Open Mike Eagle, and Anita Sarkeesian.[6] The festival closed with an unannounced concert by Lizzo on the festival's main stage, who surprised attendees after the show by performing karaoke in the Blue Ox Bar, a dedicated pop-up dive bar created for the event. Other on-site installations included a secret speakeasy, accessible only by solving a series of puzzles accessible via telephone booths around the venue, and Dear Future Me, an interactive installation by illustrator Alice Lee inviting attendees to mail a postcard to their future selves.[28] The festival also introduced an event called "Art+Code", which showcased quirky web-based art, and a comics night.[6]

2019

[edit]

After experimenting with a larger event in 2018, XOXO returned to its previous size and venue for its seventh year, with 1,200 attendees at Revolution Hall. Organizers cited the desire to return to a more comfortable, accessible, and intimate size.[29][10]

2020–2023

[edit]

The 2020–2023 XOXO festivals were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with Willamette Week in 2020, festival co-founder Andy Baio said that, due to uncertainty about the duration of the pandemic, "The last XOXO may have been the last one."[30]

2024

[edit]
Rectangular scaffolding creating an entrance to the XOXO venue. Blue, yellow, and purple cutouts form flowers and circular shapes, forming the letters "XOXO"
Entrance to the 2024 XOXO festival

In March 2024, the festival's organizers published a blog post announcing that the August 2024 XOXO festival would be the last. They explained that decreased sponsor budgets, independent artists' financial struggles, as well as the dangers of COVID-19 make XOXO unsustainable.[31][3]

Outpost

[edit]

In June 2015, the organizers of XOXO announced they were opening a shared, pay-what-you-can workspace to "bring some of our favorite people and projects in indie art and tech under one roof" in a 13,000 square foot building in Portland's Central Eastside Industrial District.[32][33] The Outpost was open from February 2016 until December 2016, when it closed citing rising rental costs.[34]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "XOXO Festival". XOXO Festival. XOXO. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Newton, Casey (September 11, 2016). "Our favorite discoveries from the internet's best festival". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Hazel, Jess (August 20, 2024). "XOXO in Portland looks back on years of connection for online community with final festival this weekend". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Hatmaker, Taylor (September 18, 2014). "Thinkers, makers, and dreamers anonymous". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Edidin, Rachel (September 20, 2013). "The Record-Breaking XOXO Festival Returns to Cross-Pollinate Art and Tech". Wired. Archived from the original on November 21, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c "Independent internet festival XOXO is back, featuring the best of the online world". The Oregonian. September 4, 2018. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d Newton, Casey (September 16, 2014). "A tiny gathering of artists has become the most interesting weekend in tech". The Verge. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  8. ^ a b Edidin, Rachel (September 30, 2013). "XOXO and the High Costs of Not Selling Out". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Lee, Nicole (September 19, 2015). "How an independent art and technology festival captured my heart". Engadget. Archived from the original on January 23, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c Pavlus, John (June 3, 2019). "Your conference is too damn big". Fast Company. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Gantz, Ryan (September 19, 2012). "The Dream of the Internet is Alive in Portland: Inside the XOXO Festival". The Verge. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  12. ^ a b Hudson, Laura (August 24, 2015). "The Radical XOXO Conference Thinks It Knows the Secret to Great Ideas: Get More Women". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  13. ^ Wortham, Jenna; Gallagher, David F. (September 18, 2012). "XOXO: A Festival of Indie Internet Creativity". New York Times Bits Blog. Archived from the original on December 27, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  14. ^ Ruth Brown (September 18, 2012). "Reflections on the XOXO Festival". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on March 6, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  15. ^ Larsen, Luke (September 20, 2013). "Technology, creativity cross at XOXO". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  16. ^ Patall, Marty (September 3, 2013). "How the XOXO Festival Charms Cutting-Edge Thinkers". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  17. ^ "XOXO". 2015.xoxofest.com. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  18. ^ Newton, Casey (September 14, 2015). "How Gamergate's earliest target came to empathize with her abusers". The Verge. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  19. ^ Kiss, Jemima (October 28, 2015). "Makerbase and the mission to dispel tech's 'founders' myths". The Guardian. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  20. ^ a b Newton, Casey (2015-09-18). "Why Slack could be the future of conferences". The Verge. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  21. ^ "XOXO". xoxofest.com. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  22. ^ a b Newton, Casey (September 12, 2016). "In praise of the internet's best festival, which is going away". The Verge. Archived from the original on February 23, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  23. ^ Hernandez, Patricia (November 29, 2018). "The game store that outshines Steam by staying small and weird". The Verge. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  24. ^ Baer, April (August 26, 2016). "XOXO 2016 Fest Will Be Its Last — For Now". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  25. ^ "Bringing XOXO Back". XOXO Blog. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  26. ^ "Patronage at XOXO". XOXO Blog. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  27. ^ Smith, Suzette. "XOXO Fest, Day 1: FREE Carly Rae Jepsen Soda, the Albina Vision Project, Cameron Esposito's Rape Jokes". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  28. ^ Damewood, Andrea. "Snapshots of the Coolest Things at XOXO Fest 2018". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  29. ^ "Return to Form". XOXO Blog. XOXO. Archived from the original on 2021-03-08. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  30. ^ Singer, Matthew (May 23, 2020). "This Year's XOXO Festival Got Canceled Early in the Pandemic. Co-Founder Andy Baio Isn't Sure It'll Ever Return". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  31. ^ "One Last Time, With Feeling · Blog · XOXO". xoxofest.com. Archived from the original on August 27, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  32. ^ Bell, Jon. "Portland's XOXO Festival lands 13,000-square-foot year-round home in Central Eastside". Portland Business Journal. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  33. ^ D'Cruz, Andrew (June 13, 2016). "This Shared Portland Office Could Save Our Souls (and Our Wallets)". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  34. ^ "XOXO Outpost". XOXO Outpost. XOXO. Archived from the original on December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
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