No matter how you say it, PechaKucha Night returns to Winnipeg, promising an entertaining evening of creative inspiration. On Thursday August 26, eleven speakers from a variety of creative backgrounds will hit the stage at the Park Theatre to talk about their unique craft.

Following in the footsteps of the highly successful inaugural event in February and a hit followup in May, PechaKucha Night, Vol. 3 will feature experts of disciplines ranging from fine art and design to commercial photography, poetry and printmaking.

Brought to town by the Manitoba chapter of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC), PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in 2003 as an event for young and emerging designers to meet, network and show their work in public.

“We noticed there were few opportunities to find a cross-section of Winnipeg’s world-renowned creative talent in one room, at the same time,” says Oliver Oike, GDC Manitoba chapter president. “The presentation format is a wonderfully democratic tool, and we knew it would be a hit with our presenters once they got a taste for the challenge of working within it. So far, the audiences seem to agree.”

Since its inception, the PechaKucha movement has since grown exponentially, with events in cities around the world inspiring audiences from Amman to Zurich. Similar evenings have taken place in Canada, from Halifax to Toronto to Victoria – even Dawson City, Yukon.

Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of conversation (“chit chat”), it rests on a presentation format structured on a simple equation: speakers present 20 images, each on display for 20 seconds. As they talk, the images flow automatically. It’s a format that makes presentations concise and keeps things moving. What attendees witness is a spectacle not unlike speed-dating – yet far from the tedium of your great-uncle Norbert’s vacation slideshow.

Winnipeg’s inaugural PechaKucha Night, hosted by the GDC on February 17, was a resounding success, as a packed house watched an eclectic collection of presenters including playwright Danny Schur, artist Diana Thorneycroft and chocolatier Constance Menzies. Vol. 2, held May 20, featured talents as diverse as game designer Alec Holowka, artist Robert Pasternak and guitar-maker Allan Beardsell.

“Our presenters are selected for their expertise and craftsmanship in their chosen medium, but also for their storytelling abilities,” says Oike. “As the evening progresses, the audience is never sure what new stories and ideas await them, but they are rarely disappointed. The result is a head full of inspiration and maybe even a few new – very talented – friends.”

PechaKucha Night, Vol. 3 takes place at the Park Theatre (698 Osborne Street) on Thursday August 26. Doors open at 7:30 pm, and the first presenter takes to the stage at 8:20. The event is free, but seats at the first two events filled fast; those wishing to attend are advised to come early.

A fourth edition of PechaKucha Night for 2010 is planned for the Park Theatre in November.

PechaKucha Night, Vol. 3 Presenters

Arielle and Sarah, entrepreneurs/owners – Ruby & Pearl Jewels, Gems and Fun Finds
Phil Letourneau, app developer – Centrix
Blair Martin, artist
Ian McCausland, commercial photographer
Ellen Peterson, actress/writer
Sasa Radulovic, architect – 5468796 Architecture
Kerry Ryan, poet
Michael Smyth, “Plungerhead”/Bomber fan
Darren Stebeleski, designer/printmaker – Manitoba Printmakers Association
Leslie Supnet, filmmaker/illustrator
James Van Niekerk, designer/illustrator