Creativity Confab is Finding a Local Home

An international conference that fosters creativity and innovation will be making its U.S. debut in Sarasota this year.

PINC, which stands for "People, Ideas, Nature and Creativity," will bring 16 international storytellers from a wide variety of backgrounds to the Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota on Nov. 6.

As with the format of a TED Talk, a nonprofit that hosts creative and unique discussions around the world but began in California, PINC speakers will come from all backgrounds and have vastly different stories to share.

The 15-year-old creative confab began in Holland and has more than doubled in size since making its debut. The Sarasota conference will run as a sister event to the original, which is held annually overseas.

"My parents started it from scratch in Europe. No one knew what it was," said Olivier van Lindonk, one of the partners behind bringing the event to Sarasota. "It was the first of its kind in Europe, for sure."

The public is invited to attend and hear 20-minute stories told onstage by 16 different speakers. The list of speakers attending the event have yet to be announced. Both lunch and dinner will be provided by PINC. The dinner event will take place at The Francis next to Louie's Modern.

Topics discussed will range from oceanography, orthopaedic surgery, business innovation to vertical farming, among several others.

Van Lindonk and his wife, Karen Fay, worked with Anand Pallegar, founder of Sarasota-based At Large Inc., a services innovation company, to organize the event in Sarasota.

"I attended my first PINC six years ago and I still remember how it felt when it was over. I walked out wanting to change my life," Fay said. "There's so much creativity and culture in Sarasota. This is a natural fit for PINC."

Tickets are on sale online for $425 per person.

Ringling College of Art and Design is a presenting partner of the conference.

"Ringling College is extremely proud to be partnering with PINC. It's truly exciting to be associated with bringing this visionary event to Sarasota," Larry Thompson, president of Ringling College.