Submitted by anna on Thu, 17/09/2009 - 07:20
One of the projects I've been involved in for the past year-and-a-bit is Au Contraire, which is to be the 31st New Zealand National Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, held in Wellington 27th - 29th August 2010.
From our website:
Conventions
What is a science fiction convention? Basically, a weekend-long party for SF fans and geeks from around the country, or even further afield. It's a great opportunity to make new friends and catch up with old ones. There's an extensive program of SF-related events to watch and/or take part in, so it is possible to sit and be entertained for the whole weekend without saying a word if you're so inclined, but it's even more fun if you actively participate, and for many the social aspect is the prime attraction.
SF conventions are non-profit events planned and run by a committee of unpaid volunteers (the concom), with the assistance of many others. They are very different from big commercial events like Armageddon - rather than tens of thousands of casual shoppers spending a couple of hours wandering through, cons are more intimate events where most of the attendees stay for the whole weekend, and events run late into the night.
Au Contraire
Au Contraire is doing a few things differently from most NZ NatCons. We've chosen to keep membership fees to a minimum, including an unwaged option, to make the convention more accessible. We don't plan on raising fees as the convention approachs, either, though this doesn't mean we don't appreciate early registrations! Signing up well in advance gives us a better idea of numbers, and funds to work with. We also intend to spend a lot on prizes, to make the convention competitons well worth entering. In order to afford all this, we won't be having a Guest of Honour from outside the region, saving us thousands in airfares. Instead of being celebrity-focused, Au Contraire intends to be a celebration of active fandom, and the Kiwi tradition of "number eight wire" DIY creativity.
Sounds good? Check out our website for more. And for the writers amongst you, be sure to take a look at the competitionspage, which includes submission guidelines for an anthology of New Zealand Speculative Fiction.
