- Date
- Time
- Location
- Schedule
Friday, 10/2/26:
- Speaker presentations at Skate Time in Accord, NY. Check-in opens at 8am, and the program starts at 9am.
- Lunch will be provided to all attendees, thanks to our sponsor Upstate Curious.
- Off-site Gel tours, workshops, and other in-person experiences in and around the Accord/New Paltz area. Each attendee will be assigned one experience to participate in.
- Dinner is not provided, so attendees are free to choose their own dinner from many available options in the Accord/New Paltz area.
- After dinner, attendees are invited back for the GEL party at Skate Time! Everyone is invited (but not required) to put on skates and try out the rink. There will be lots going on even if you don’t skate, so plan to be there!
Saturday, 10/3/26:
- Small-group discussion and reflection about the themes and learnings from the event and attendees’ next steps, starting at 9am.
- Conference closing (before lunchtime, so that attendees can find their lunch in the area after the conference ends). We're aiming to finish between 11:30am and 12pm.
- Afterward: There is plenty to see and do in the Catskills, so we hope attendees will go from GEL to other activities in the region! (One option is the Verbatim festival, starting Saturday afternoon.)
At a moment when oppressive tech monopolies are hollowing out the economy and threatening democratic society, GEL serves as an oasis. During the conference, we will explore the risks of a Big Tech-dominated society while spotlighting positive, inspiring people and projects who are bringing about rebirth: new ways of creating, resisting, and living that are charting a path forward.
Founded by Mark Hurst in 2003 in NYC, GEL is a creative, multidisciplinary conference exploring good experience in all its forms. GEL 2026 is bringing together leading thinkers, innovators, and organizers from our community and beyond. Taking place Friday October 2 and Saturday October 3 at Skate Time, this gathering will feature speaker presentations, guided community building, roller parties, a catered lunch, as well as exclusive experiences with Ravenwood, Good Work Institute and Lite Brite Neon.
This event is generously sponsored by Upstate Curious, Skate Time, BjornQorn, and Good Work Institute.
We are thrilled to have Micah speaking at GEL 2026 as a GWI representative. To see the full list of speakers, visit GEL 2026 Speakers.
Regular Pricing:
Regular ticket pricing ends on Sep 2: price jumps to $350
Tickets include:
- Friday: Morning presentations, lunch on-site, afternoon in-person experiences
- Skate party on Friday night
- Facilitated workshop on Saturday morning
Student/Artist Pricing:
If you are a current full-time student, or full-time artist on a limited income, and can’t afford the early-bird rate, see below.
- Student/Artist ticket: $75
- Students: Email [email protected] from your current student address indicating that you’d like to sign up.
- Artists on limited income: Email [email protected] with a link to your portfolio and your request to sign up.
Refund policy:
Tickets are 90% refundable (to account for credit card fees) until two weeks before the event. Starting September 18, 2026, tickets are 50% refundable.
Scholarships:
Financial need should be no barrier to being a part of the Gel community. We have a small number of scholarships available to attend Gel free of charge. Contact us to inquire.