Check in, grab your badge, and start exploring. The Tech Playground features live product demos, interactive installations.

Welcome to the official start of CTRL+Create. It’s the spark for everything we’re building today. We’re setting the stage and syncing our goals.

Vibe Coding isn’t just about prompting, it’s a new creative discipline. It’s where ideas, storytelling, and systems thinking come together, and where creatives collaborate with AI as a true creative partner. In this session, you’ll learn how to turn your ideas into real, functional digital experiences, without needing a traditional technical background. I’ll introduce the foundations of Vibe Coding and show you how to use tools like Lovable as your creative co-founder to move from concept to creation with speed and clarity. We’ll explore how thinking in systems, clearly articulating your vision, and using structured frameworks can elevate your work beyond trial-and-error, helping you build with intention, not just experimentation. Whether you’re a designer, photographer, videographer, or artist, this session will show you how to expand your creative toolkit and bring your ideas to life in entirely new ways.

When your creativity is both your job and your passion, boundaries blur quickly. This conversation unpacks the emotional labor of being “always on,” offering tools for managing burnout, client pressure, and creative fatigue while staying inspired and innovative.

This session explores how to design and deploy real-time video effects pipelines for projection mapping and live environments. Ben will break down how tools like Resolume Arena, TouchDesigner, Synesthesia, and Fusion 360, Adobe After Effects integrate with custom Python software, OSC/DMX control, and LED systems to create responsive, tightly synchronized experiences. Attendees will gain practical insight into mapping complex surfaces, optimizing performance for live playback, and architecting flexible show control systems that unify video, lighting, and lasers.

Stop the back-and-forth and start the work. This session breaks down the essential bridge between the first client call and the internal team kickoff. We’ll explore creative industry best practices for vetting leads, scoping with precision, and conducting kickoffs that actually inspire your team. Walk away with a repeatable blueprint to eliminate "project creep" before it even starts.

This hands-on session invites creatives of all backgrounds with no required music or tech experience into an “audio playground” built around the basics of modular synthesis and DIY music devices. Participants will discover how sound is built from the ground up: patching cables, shaping waveforms, and experimenting with both professional-grade synthesizers and DIY noise machines. The session will also introduce the newly expanded SPC Synth Lab, a community-driven resource that blends interactive art, technology, and education into one collaborative space. Attendees will leave not only with new skills but also with fresh inspiration for how technology can expand their creative thinking. Key Takeaways: Learn the building blocks of electronic sound (oscillators, filters, sequencers) through hands-on interaction. See how low-cost devices and world-class modular systems can both empower musical/sonic creativity and innovation. Experience how modular synthesis and DIY electronics can foster connection, improvisation, and critical thinking, mirroring CTRL+Create’s ethos of collaborative creation.

Forget the standard ballroom buffet. It’s time to step outside, grab some fresh air, and dive into the local culinary scene! Join us for a curated selection of the city’s best food trucks. Whether you’re craving gourmet tacos, artisanal sliders, or plant-based bowls, we’ve got a options for every palate. Food Trucks will be onsite until 2:30 pm.

What does it take to build a sustainable photography business in today’s rapidly evolving landscape? In *Beyond the Shot*, this panel brings together working photographers and creative entrepreneurs to unpack the realities of turning craft into a thriving business. From shifting client expectations and pricing pressures to the rise of social media, AI tools, and new revenue streams, the rules of the industry are changing and fast. This conversation will explore how photographers are adapting, differentiating their work, and building brands that go beyond one-off gigs. Attendees will gain practical insights on pricing and packaging services, attracting the right clients, diversifying income, and positioning themselves for long-term growth in a competitive market. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, this session will offer a clear, honest look at what it takes to succeed beyond the shot.

What does it really take to grow and scale an agency in today’s landscape? In this candid, experience-driven session, agency owners pull back the curtain on the strategies, decisions, and pivots that fueled their growth. Featuring Robyn Spoto, this session offers a firsthand look at scaling SpotOn over the past decade—from early-stage growth to a major milestone: acquiring another agency to unlock the next level of expansion. Robyn will share practical insights into implementing a value-based pricing model that drives profitability, as well as building and managing a hybrid team designed for flexibility and performance. Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies, real-world lessons, and a clearer roadmap for sustainably growing and evolving their own agency.

This panel explores how personal identity influences design decisions—from visual choices to user empathy. We’ll feature diverse designers who use their lived experiences as a source of creative power, and discuss how to approach culture with authenticity, not appropriation.

What happens when traditional artistry meets immersive technology? This session explores how artists are redefining their creative process by stepping into fully digital environments using tools like VR. By leveraging platforms like a Meta Quest headset, artists can sketch, sculpt, and experiment in real time eliminating the need for costly materials while accelerating their workflow. Ideas that once took days to prototype can now be visualized, refined, and reimagined in minutes within a dynamic 3D space. Beyond efficiency, this shift unlocks entirely new creative possibilities. Artists can present work in immersive formats, collaborate in virtual environments, and push the boundaries of what their medium can become. Whether you’re a painter, sculptor, or mixed-media creator, this session will show how technology isn’t replacing tradition, it’s expanding it.

Ready to stop "playing" on social media and start profiting? Whether you are a solo entrepreneur or a local influencer, your personal brand is your most valuable asset. Melissa Gaglione and Jasmine share their proven blueprints for scaling visibility and securing the bag. From mastering the art of the video pitch to dominating local markets, you’ll learn the exact steps to turn your personality into your profit center.

This panel brings together three powerhouse voices from different corners of the industry: a recording artist and entrepreneur who has built her brand from the ground up, a music attorney who has spent over a decade protecting creators' rights and untangling bad deals, and the founder of one of the most respected independent distribution companies in the world. Together, they'll cut through the noise and give you the tools, knowledge, and hard-won perspective you need to protect what you create and get paid for it.

What does it take to partner with a brand-new pro franchise like the Tampa Bay Suns or a global governing body like the USTA? Join leaders from the top sports organizations for a deep dive into their pipelines. We’ll discuss the "pro-sports pace," the lifecycle of a partnership, and how these organizations balance national brand standards with local community impact. Whether you’re curious about the RFP process for a major commission or the day-to-day creative needs of a professional team, this panel offers an exclusive look at the mechanics of sports-centric collaboration.

Professor Echeverry has been teaching a Generative AI undergraduate class called AI: Imaging the Future, an elective in the Film Animation and New Media Department at the University of Tampa, and one of the two university wide courses studying this topic. Focusing on advanced prompt development, his students explore poetry, script writing, game development, animation, audio and video. The results range from funny games to deep self- expression found in AI companions and tools. This lecture will show some outstanding examples created throughout these past 18 months.

In the last decade, the toolkit of the cinematographer has expanded from traditional glass and sensors to include autonomous flight and machine learning. This session dives into the heart of this evolution, exploring how cutting-edge technology is doing more than just simplifying workflows, it’s fundamentally changing the grammar of visual storytelling. We will peel back the curtain on how modern masters are blending the "organic feel" of traditional film with the limitless precision of digital innovation.

Whether you're looking to unwind after a day of learning or keep the creative momentum surging, the CTRL+CREATE After Party is where the digital and physical worlds collide. Step out of the terminal and into an immersive neon landscape for a night of sensory exploration. This isn't just a party; it’s a living gallery of the tech we’ve been building all day.