FanWorks con announcement!

[trelkez]

FanWorks is a new con that will begin in 2019. It will be dedicated to various forms of fannish craft, including (but not limited to) fanfic, fanvids, fanart, and podfic, and is under development by Trelkez, sweetestdrain, and AbsoluteDestiny.

There will be individual programming tracks for fanfic & podfic, fanvids, and fanart. Panel programming will focus on craft, and will be a mix of technical panels/presentations (how to achieve a video effect, how write a certain kind of scene, how to make certain kinds of cosplay outfits, all the various things we love to make and do) and topical discussion panels related to different fan crafts. The fanvid programming track will have both panels and vidshows, including a show of premiering vids. All vidshows will be available to stream online (with viewer-optional subtitles) for attending and supporting members.

Planned features of the con include:

-- the FanWorks Night Market, an evening event with artist vendor tables, food and drinks
-- a vid dance party
-- a con zine
-- an on-site art gallery
-- a quiet room with a zine library and podfic available for checkout

We're excited to be starting a new project and we have many, many ideas for it based on our experiences as both con attendees and con staff, but we also want to take the time to plan carefully and thoughtfully. We want to build an accessible con that will be fun for everyone.

To that end, we'll be soliciting a lot of feedback over the coming year as we lay the groundwork. If you're a writer, artist, vidder, podficcer, cosplayer, filker, knitter; if you make gifs or do fannish infrastructure or beta read; if you just want to come to a con that celebrates fanworks in all forms – we want to know what kinds of things you want in a con.

You can subscribe to our mailing list for updates, follow us on social media, email us, or fill out our feedback form here: https://fanworkscon.com/

If you are interested in joining the staff of FanWorks, please email me at jen@fanworkscon.com and let me know! No prior con organizing experience is required (though it definitely helps); any kind of fan background is welcome if you have the time to commit and are interested in contributing. Diverse perspectives are particularly welcome.

Comments

[mlyn]

Ooo! Where's it going to be? Is your icon of a magpie?

[trelkez]

We don't know just yet - we're looking at a few different locations! Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta have been floated, and I'm willing to scout other cities too if anyone has particular suggestions.

The icon is indeed a magpie, which will be our con mascot - the art was designed by a local artist friend of ours (I'm checking on how to credit him!).

[laurashapiro]

How wonderful! I adore this idea (NIGHT MARKET OMG)! Excited to see how it develops.

[trelkez]

We're excited about the Night Market! :D

[kass]

Thank you for making this happen -- and for giving me something to look forward to as I mourn the impending end of VVC, which has been such a mainstay of my fannish experience over the last many years.

Yay for keeping the tradition of a vid dance party. :-)

[trelkez]

*hugs you*

The vid dance party will be done by AbsoluteDestiny, so you can expect it to be fabulous. :D

[diannelamerc]

Yes! :-) ...and I love the magpie icon!

[sol_se]

SUPER EXCITE

[trelkez]

Us too! :D

[ride_4ever]

What kass said. *points up*

Also: *hearts your Dief running icon*

Also: I hope that you will choose Chicago for this new con's location to ward off the Chicago con gap that will otherwise be created by the end of VVC.

[trelkez]

We don't know for sure where it will be and probably won't know for a while, but Chicago is definitely on the table!

[norah]

If there is anything I can do to support the con being held in Chicago I am so there. Let me know!

[ride_4ever]

Ditto what norah said!

[aurumcalendula]

I'm excited for this! (and as midwesterner I'm kinda hoping this ends up being in the Chicago or Pittsburgh area)

[trelkez]

I'm thinking it's pretty likely it'll be in one of those two places -- we might look at other cities, but those are the two we're most substantially considering right now.

[franzeska]

Man... I'm so torn... Would Chicago be more awesome because VVC? Or would Pittsburgh be more awesome because a bunch of people I used to see in the Philly area are more likely to make it there? Good luck on your location search in any case! As long as there's an airport with cheap-ish flights from many places...

[valoise]

This is such a wonderful idea! I've been spending time lately working with embroidered and beaded fannish items as well as vidding for fannish expression and a con that's open to a wide range of arts/activities is such a good idea.

Wherever you decide to hold the con, it would be great if it was a major airline hub to make travel easier, or at least a destination with a lot of direct flights. I'd love it to be Chicago, but I like traveling, so anywhere would be great.

[trelkez]

Ooh, yes, I would love to see your embroidery and beadwork! I'm pretty excited about incorporating as many different kinds of fannish art as we can.

[colls]

Oh! Exciting!

I'll toss a vote in for Pittsburgh. I haven't been able to make the last few VVC due to location :(

[thenewbuzwuzz]

What an awesome idea!