Beverly Hills, CA | November 13-14, 2025
The premier gathering for media, arts, and entertainment for impact
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Overview
The Impact Guild Forum is the flagship annual convening of the Impact Guild (est. 2019): a curated network of professionals leveraging media, arts, and entertainment for social good, elevating and accelerating the field of narrative change. This two-day event brings together creators, strategists, funders, and cultural influencers for panels, keynotes, workshops, masterclasses, mixers, and an artist showcase.
In 2025, the Forum will take place in Beverly Hills from November 13–14, with an anticipated 150+ attendees, including senior executives from major media companies, leading independent creators, philanthropic funders, and mission-aligned brands.
Theme
Building Resilience examines how we can collectively build stability amidst a backdrop of converging volatilities: the unpredictable political environment, the reimagining of the entertainment industry, and the impending AI revolution that’s already underway will collectively reshape every facet of our work. We’ll look at ways we can not only survive but thrive in a highly dynamic sector. Specific sub-themes include integrating AI to augment—not automate—human capabilities, ensuring continuity amidst corporate consolidation and reorganization, and fomenting collective action to support advocacy by mission-aligned members of the Guild community.
Agenda
Thursday, November 13
12:30–12:45 PM
Welcome and Framing
12:45–1:15 PM
Plated Lunch Service & Casual Conversation
1:15–1:45 PM
Structured Collaboration Round #1
1:45–2:15 PM
Collaboration Round #2
2:15–2:20 PM
Lightning Highlights & Reflections
2:20–2:30 PM
transition
2:30–2:40 PM
Framing & Orientation (Plenary)
2:40–3:40 PM
Breakout Session 1: Democracy
Breakout Session 2: LGBTQ Equality
Breakout Session 3: Climate Storytelling
Breakout Session 4: Responsible AI
Breakout Session 5: Immigration
3:40-3:50 PM
Report Outs
3:50-4:00 PM
transition
4:00–4:05 PM
Framing & Group Assigments (Plenary)
4:05–4:50 PM
Collaborative Design Sprint: Gender Equity
Collaborative Design Sprint: Racial Justice
Collaborative Design Sprint: Media Literacy
Collaborative Design Sprint: Mental Health
Collaborative Design Sprint: Reproductive Rights
4:50–5:00 PM
Wrap-Up & Harvest
5:00–6:30 PM
Mix and Mingle with Fellow attendees
6:30–6:35 PM
Opening & Welcome
6:35–6:45 PM
State of the Guild: Governance & Leadership Updates
6:45–7:15 PM
The Year in Review and the Road Ahead
7:15–7:25 PM
Member Reflections & Open Floor
7:25–7:30 PM
Closing & Transition
7:37–8:10 PM
Showcase Performances 3-4 Performances Across Forms
8:10–8:15 PM
Preview of Day 2 & Wrap-up
Friday, November 14
8:30–9:30 AM
Check-in, Continental Breakfast & Networking
9:30–9:45 AM
Welcome Remarks
10:05-10:25 AM
What The Kids Are Watching
9:45-10:05 AM
Pop-Up Pitches: “Accelerating Impact”
10:25-10:30 AM
Breakout Sessions
10:30-11:00 AM
Chat with other attendees while getting caffeinated
11:00–11:50 AM
Track A: Fostering a New Creative Economy - A Braintrust Discussion
Track B: Standardizing the Netflix AI Rules
11:50 AM–12:00 PM
transition
12:00–12:50 PM
Track A: World-Building Evocative, Aspirational, and Achievable Futures
Track B: Bridging in the Age of Real (and Perceived) Division: Tools for Storytellers and Changemakers
12:50–1:50 PM
FUll catered lunch provided – open networking
2:00-2:50 PM
Track A: Mapping Gender Norms in Global Media — Using AI to Turn Evidence into Advocacy
Track B: Activating a New American Story: Storytelling Opportunities for Democracy in America's 250th
2:50-3:00 PM
Transition
3:00–3:50 PM
Track A: Did Podcasts Elect the President? A Discussion with Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson
Track B: Protecting Our Progress: What’s Next for DEI?
2:50-3:00 PM
Transition
4:00-4:05 PM
Welcome & Framing
4:05-4:30 PM
AI, Copyright & Who Owns the Future
4:30-4:50 PM
Civic Engagement is Boring with Ben Sheehan
4:50–5:20 PM
The Future of Philanthropy with John Palfrey
5:20–5:30 PM
Closing Reflection & Farewell
6:00-8:30 PM
Food, Drinks, New & Old Friends
Travel & Logistics
When booking travel arrangements, please plan to arrive in Los Angeles before 10am PT on Thursday, November 13th. That will give you ample time to make it to our Matchmaking Lunch at 12:30pm in Beverly Hills. And if you’re planning to fly out after the Farewell Reception, you’ll be looking at red-eyes that depart after 10pm PT on Friday, November 14th.
We don’t have an official room block anywhere, but attendees have had luck at these hotels in years past:
Sponsorship Opportunities
We invite aligned companies, foundations, and institutions to partner with us as sponsors of the 2025 Forum, with opportunities for brand visibility, curated programming integration, thought leadership, and targeted relationship-building. If you are interested in supporting us or know someone who is, please contact us.
© 2019-2025 Impact Guild, inc.