Champaign-Urbana is one of the first cities of its size to receive a PKN handshake and we have been chugging along ever since! Now with over 30 volumes under our belt, chances are you have heard of our events, but just in case here is a little history!

PechaKucha Night, devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture), was conceived in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. The main factor in the development of this platform was that some architects could talk on an on…. and on about things that let’s just say weren’t the most enticing to everyone. The key to PechaKucha Night is its patented system for avoiding boredom. Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each—giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to present.