Sunshine Fest 2025

What

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of national Sunshine Week, we’re organizing an in-person conference to find solutions to pressing problems in freedom of information across all disciplinary and geographic boundaries.

We’ll bring together journalists, record custodians, policy makers, historians, librarians, academics, commercial data providers, and all other constituencies who care about transparency at the local, state, federal and global levels of government.

Attendees will produce an action plan to be implemented post-conference and beyond.

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Why

We want to bring requesters and the government to the same table and identify solutions for improving the public’s ability to acquire information they need to self-govern. The goal: Strengthen democracy, communities, and individuals’ lives.

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When

March 19-20, 2025.
Conference fee: $50 ($25 for students)
Registration will open in early January.

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Where

Johns Hopkins University
555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C.

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Who

Limited to 175 registrants. Coordinated by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, the National Freedom of Information Coalition, and the Johns Hopkins University Communication Graduate Program.

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How

Sessions will meet the following criteria:

• Of interest and importance to both requesters and government agencies.
• Foster understanding, empathy and constructive common-sense solutions.
• Cross geographic boundaries – local, state, federal and global.
• Cross disciplines – journalism, nonprofit, history, archives, public administration, academia, commercial sector, etc.
• Break conventional boundaries – bring new ideas and new perspectives to inspire positive change through legislation, processes, research, and innovative initiatives.

Topic ideas might include the latest technologies to improve searches/redactions, how to handle voluminous requests, educating the public, effective dispute resolution outside of litigation, funding freedom of information, research needs, and improving the overall system.