What is Semiofest?
Semiofest is first and foremost, A Celebration of Semiotic Thinking. Semiofest is also a collective, set up to champion and propagate the best in applied semiotic thinking. We help facilitate learning about semiotics through an annual event that moves location every year.
Call for contributions to Semiofest 2026 at Warsaw is out now.
Semiofest came into existence as a platform where practising semioticians, both academic and commercial could come together to exchange ideas, viewpoints, insights and methods in order to share and learn from one another.
It has since become an annual event that attracts not only Semioticians but also qualitative researchers, insights managers and business people.
Some highlights from Semiofest Porto 2024
With incredible organisation and a stunning backdrop we celebrated 4 days of semiotics, brands and culture in one of Europe’s most walkable (and eatable!) cities – Porto. We were housed in the iconic Rem Koolhaas Casa da Musica concert hall with state of the art audio visual facilities. We had a workshop on finding our personal operating philosophy to match the personal with professional, 2 keynotes (on Portugal’s Carnation Revolution) and (The Dangers of Liminality through the ritual of performance art), 22 great presentations and a client workshop with LIPOR in a chateau. Fado, salsa and the usual special conversations were had by a group inspired by the location and our programme.
Some highlights from Semiofest Porto 2024
With incredible organisation and a stunning backdrop we celebrated 4 days of semiotics, brands and culture in one of Europe’s most walkable (and eatable!) cities – Porto. We were housed in the iconic Rem Koolhaas Casa da Musica concert hall with state of the art audio visual facilities. We had a workshop on finding our personal operating philosophy to match the personal with professional, 2 keynotes (on Portugal’s Carnation Revolution) and (The Dangers of Liminality through the ritual of performance art), 22 great presentations and a client workshop with LIPOR in a chateau. Fado, salsa and the usual special conversations were had by a group inspired by the location and our programme.
Semiofest
Values
What we believe in
Semiofest is guided by a set of values that shape our event, guide our decision-making, and help us to define how we celebrate applied semiotics.
We value innovation, the curiosity to question, reframe and reimagine meaning.
We pursue excellence, not as perfection, but as clarity, depth and purpose in interpretation.
We believe in collaboration, recognising that meaning is better when co-created.
We embrace fun because play and curiosity open space for insight and connection.
And we consider the ethical dimension, understanding that every act of meaning-making carries responsibility.
Previous Conferences
We rely on the passion and creativity of local organizing committees to create a fresh Semiofest, stamped with their own personality and suffused with the character of the location and host city!
What is Applied
Semiotics?
Applied semiotics is a branch of semiotics. Applied semiotics uses a range of interpretive frameworks to deconstruct meaning and helps us to understand human signs, communication and culture more deeply.
We seek to create a forum where semiotic theorists, practitioners, consultants, researchers and students can come together for mutual learning.
We seek to create a forum where semiotic theorists, practitioners, consultants, researchers and students can come together for mutual learning.
Do you
love semiotics?
