January 31, 2006

Three Minute Success Stories

The California Preservation Foundation will hold its 31st Annual Conference in Sacramento this year from April 20-22. One of the conference's most popular events is the evening soiree entitled, The Three Minute Success Stories. Represent Los Angeles and take this opportunity to present your very own preservation success story!

This year's annual Three Minute Success Stories will be held on Friday, April 21, 2006 in the historic Crest theater in Sacramento, 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and includes an opening reception.

The Three Minute Success Stories has been a CPF tradition since the 3rd annual conference in 1978, a tradition you can participate in at this year's conference. While humor often comes to the fore, the program also gives preservationists a chance to present local successes to a statewide audience, sharing a wide variety of preservation experiences, and of course, always told in lively, creative, energetic and entertaining ways.

Criteria and Guidelines ("The Rules of the Game")

The selection process for Three Minute Success Stories can be competitive and it is possible that not every applicant will be accepted. Feel free to submit more than one application. Presenters of selected Stories will receive complimentary tickets to the Three Minute Success Stories Event.

  1. Presentations are limited to THREE MINUTES; your story must be suitable to this time frame. Prepare a script and practice it in advance. Props, costumes and PowerPoint presentations are highly encouraged!

  2. Projects by non-profit organizations and local governments will receive first consideration. Professionals (architects, developers, etc.) may make presentations for governments or local groups or for income-producing projects, but no self-advertising is allowed (or you will be hissed off the stage!).

  3. If the story involves an income producing project, the project should be either "certified" or grant supported by the State Office of Historic Preservation, or should clearly be quality historic rehab projects in keeping with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards.

  4. Successes are preferred; but educational or humorous "almost successful" efforts with a lesson will also be considered; try to be entertaining AND educational.

  5. Remember, THREE MINUTES is all you are allowed! PowerPoint presentations must be limited to 3-minutes. We will provide the PowerPoint projector and laptop. PowerPoint presentations must be submitted with the application and must be on a CD - PC FORMAT ONLY.

Completed Applications will be due to CPF by Friday, March 4, 2006. Application packages are currently unavailable, but will be released soon.

Potential applicants can expect the application to ask for the following information:

  • Title of Story
  • A brief description (no more than three paragraphs) of your success story and an explanation why it would interest conference attendees or teach them something that they would like to know.
  • A list of all participants

Check the California Preservation Foundation website for a posting of the application.

"Interested Stories" may contact Tim Brandt at tbrandt@parks.ca.gov for additional information or to put your story on the preliminary list.



If you have a comment, or would like to post a link or article, please use the online form at:  http://www.preservela.com/contact.html