Social in the City was launched in 2009 as a small gathering of YouTubers. It was organized by YouTube musician Dave Bullas and vlogger Tom Burns with the help of some friends. The first event was a series of meetings held in the Royal Parks of London. The largest attendance at any point was around 200 people, although the total number of attendees is unknown.
Over the years, a small gathering of YouTube creators and viewers has transformed into a large-scale convention with an attendance of about 10,000. Since 2015, it has been held at ExCeL London, an exhibition and convention center known for hosting several events for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The next year, Social in the City was acquired by MCM Expo Group that organizes several popular fan conventions across the United Kingdom and abroad.
Social in the City is designed to bring together online content creators, viewers, and industry professionals who want to gain an insight into the YouTube community. It allows attendees to meet their favorite content creators and make lasting connections with one another.
What does Social in the City has to offer? The convention’s programming includes Meet & Greet sessions with top content creators, live performances, discussion panels on YouTube specific topics and social issues that intersect with the online community, and other events and activities. Social in the City also has the Expo Hall that hosts dozens of exhibitors. It includes several areas such as Gaming Stage, Fashion & Beauty Stage, Lifestyle Zone, Creator Village, Funfair, Craft Fair, Open Mic Dome, and Adult Crèche.
Since 2016, Social in the City has been hosting the SitC Awards. This is an event dedicated to presenting community-nominated awards to the best content of the year. The awards are presented in several categories. The ceremony takes place on the main stage. Another highlight of the convention is the Creator & Industry Day, a networking and educational event for content creators and industry professionals.
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