Wagtail Spaces are gatherings of enthusiasts of the Wagtail content management system for the Django web framework. There is no official format for a Wagtail space: to date, most have been a combination of speakers, sprints, and social events. Wagtail Spaces have been held across the world, in locations such as Bristol, England; Philadelphia, PA, USA; and Cape Town, South Africa.
The organizers of these events are providing this document as a set of best practices, lessons we have learned, and materials which will hopefully help make running future Wagtail Spaces a bit easier.
We highly recommend that Wagtail Space events have a clear, enforceable, and publicised code of conduct that seeks to ensure the event is as safe and inclusive for all participants as possible.
Here's an example code of conduct, which you're welcome to adapt for your event.
We suggest:
- Posting it on the website prior to opening registration
- Emailing out a summary with a link to the full thing a few days prior to the event
- Mention the high points during the conference opening, say where to find the written version, and remind people how they can get help
The source for the website of the original Wagtail Space (held in Arnhem, the Netherlands) was generously donated by Four Digits, and is available at https://github.com/fourdigits/wagtailspace. There are several items on the to-do list:
- Email confirmation after attendee registration
- Upgrade to latest version of Wagtail
Promotion is essential for the success of any Wagtail Space. Several avenues can be used to promote the event:
- Emailing past attendees
- Social media channels: Torchbox, Wagtail, and organizer channels
- Python Weekly
- Django Weekly
- The wagtail.org website and github.com/wagtail
- Local user groups in the destination city, such as PhillyPUG in Philadelphia
Finding the right venue can make all the difference in having an event that runs smoothly. Wagtail Spaces have been held in company offices and Universities. Having an organizer who is a member of the hosting organization is a good idea: they will likely be familiar with the layout of the venue, the technology available, and other resources available to keep things running smoothly.