A year ago I would have told you that GEL was probably gone forever. The conference series that I started in 2003, and ran through 2016, seemed destined to remain a memory of a past era, when people were more optimistic about the future.

But early this year I was at a gathering in upstate New York when two friends floated the idea of bringing GEL back – and hosting it at their roller rink. Stephanie Bauman and Bjorn Quenemoen, who also (with Jamie O’Shea) run the popcorn company BjornQorn, said I could host GEL there – with stage, screen, and chairs directly on the rink.

The timing turned out to be perfect. Over the next several months, as I described GEL to potential attendees and speakers, I heard the same refrain again and again: We need this event right now. The very fact that it’s hard to be optimistic today made it even more important for GEL to reappear.

And so the GEL plan took shape. Over a day and a half, we’d host three main activities: a morning of multidisciplinary speaker presentations (familiar to attendees of past GEL events), an afternoon of off-site tours and excursions in the mid-Hudson Valley, and a community-building session the following morning. Plus we’d throw in a skate party the first night.

My hope was that one or two of these sessions would succeed, but I couldn’t be sure. After all, this was a full 10 years since the last GEL, and the world had changed. People had lived through the pandemic, the rise of Big Tech hegemony, threats from AI, and other stresses. We need this event, people had told me. I hoped GEL would deliver.

Finally show day arrived: Friday, October 2. The setup looked as sharp as any GEL event I’ve ever run:

The speakers were fabulous. Patterns emerged, unplanned, across the talks: the impulse to try “unreasonable” projects, the interplay between dreamers and pragmatists, and the possibility – with real-world examples – of charting paths forward without relying on Big Tech. And other themes, too: those are just what come immediately to mind as I write this.

Of course there’s no substitute for being there in person, but to give a taste of the talks, I plan to post speaker videos soon. (Thanks to the excellent team at Radio Kingston for filming and live-editing the entire morning.)

So the first phase of the conference went well. I was delighted to see that the subsequent parts of GEL – the afternoon excursions, the skate party, and the community building the following morning – also succeeded. Everything worked. GEL 2026 went better than I expected – in fact one longtime attendee said it was the best GEL event they had ever been to.

My main feeling, as I finish my post-GEL followups, is one of gratitude. So many people and organizations chipped in to make the event a success – speakers, excursion hosts, sponsors, partners, volunteers, and the attendees themselves – everyone played a role in creating a good experience.

My other takeaway is that we STILL need this event right now. The energy and inspiration I felt in the room, and that attendees told me they felt, is exactly what we need to build momentum toward better alternatives, away from the Big Tech/surveillance state hegemon. I’m happy to tell you that I’ve begun planning how to bring GEL back next year, with some additional opportunities for people to get involved. (Stay tuned for news.)

But those are just my impressions. With a nod to Customers Included, let’s hear from some of the attendees themselves.

Attendee reactions

I asked GEL attendees after the event to answer the question, “What is Gel?” Here are some of their answers.

“Gel = community, connections, collaboration, creativity and possibilities.”

“Gel is like a potluck: everyone brings something to the table and gets to enjoy the bounty.”

“I think it’s a place for cool nerds who make it happen to congregate.”

“Gel is a great opportunity to learn about the many different ways other people approach life without the use of (and without being abused by) surveillance technology; ways that promote long-term happiness (serotonin) by way of fostering community and connection with others, rather than hitting the quick pleasure button (dopamine) on repeat.”

“Gel is collective repair.”

“Gel is a Gathering to Enhance Life!”

“I’ll borrow from the actual definition of a gel substance and say the conference is a multi-disciplinary, cross-connected gathering that celebrates creating products/services/experiences for the good of a healthy and just society.”

Summary: speakers and experiences

As for the speakers and afternoon excursions, I thought it would be helpful to share what they covered. (Thanks to longtime GEL attendee Mary Mitchell for letting me draw on what she posted on LinkedIn.) Here’s a summary of the sessions:

• Stephanie Bauman, Jamie O’Shea, and Bjorn Quenemoen: the BjornQorn origin story and how the company evolved

• Paul Sturtz (Upstate Films) and Morgan Coy (Tubby’s): creating community gathering spaces, or “third spaces,” and why these can be a major source of happiness in people’s lives

• Meredith Kooi (Wave Farm): a community radio station and arts center as a space for experimentation and collaboration

• Rocío Salceda (Repair Café El Barrio): growing up in Spain, becoming an artist, and starting the first Repair Café in New York City

• Janet Vertesi (Opt Out Project, Tech Reclaimers): breaking up with Big Tech, and what to try instead

• Eric Gullickson (Mohonk Mountain House): Mohonk’s history and guiding principles

• K Greene (Hudson Valley Seed Co): the importance of seeds – honoring diversity, incorporating art, and bringing life to the region

• Jessica Elefante (author, Raising Hell, Living Well): setting boundaries and achieving digital wellness

After speaker presentations, attendees went off-site in small groups to these experiences:

• Hudson Valley Seed Co, touring the farm and learning how seeds are grown and harvested

• Lite Brite Neon, a neon art studio working for social justice (a sign made there now hangs in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at SFO)

• Mohonk Mountain House, for a mindfulness walk led by Nina Smiley

• Ravenwood, where farming, food and design intersect; attendees made a collective collage by adding onto each other’s work

• The Good Work Institute, for a collaboration and creativity workshop

A new start

All in all, GEL 2026 left me certain that there’s more to come. If anything, GEL is more relevant today than ever – and I’m excited to help it evolve and grow.

This moment feels like a new beginning – for GEL, for me, for everyone who aligns themselves with this community – and I’ll be in touch as next steps take shape. I’m glad you’re with me.

(If you’d like to take action now to be a part of our community: Join Creative Good and you’ll get access to our members-only Forum where we discuss Gel, tech news, books, games, and more.)

Until next time,

-mark

Mark Hurst, founder, Creative Good
Founder and host, Gel conference

Email: [email protected]
Podcast/radio show: techtonic.fm
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