Starting A Convention

[Jasmine]

Hi all. First off I'd like to say that I was hoping to be more involved in the forum before I started badgering you for help, but real life has intervened and I don't have very much time so I'm just diving right in.

A friend and I are trying to start up a Pagan convention in South Wales. It'll be a two day event and will have a wide variety of different workshops and other fun stuff... Hopefully.

What I'd like to know is, anyone who has been to something like this before, what do you remember the most about it? Is there anything in particular you think we absolutely need - be it content or just attitude? Any pitfalls we should avoid at all costs?
Also, anyone who has appeared as a speaker/workshop runner; what is the average price/contract/etc needed? What is the most important thing you feel you need to have a successful weekend? Does there need to be a process of contacting through representation, or would a quick inquiry email suffice?

We're literally starting from 0 here and getting help from other organisers is a nightmare and a half. I'd really appreciate any little tidbits of advice, or even just some good juju sent our way

Thanks for reading x


P.S. Just to be on the safe side I checked with TPTB and this post was approved as non-advert-spammy-annoying.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Starting A Convention

Well, I'm in South Wales (UK) and it sounds very exciting. There are all sorts of pitfalls, and I'm assuming that you're doing this independently and not via the pagan fed or CoA or anything like that. Can I ask why you've chosen 2 days? Are you thinking of a camping festival? Because if you're not, and people have to come any distance you need to factor in their overnight stay (if it's not camping) and petrol for the double trip if they go home at night. Pm me if you want to chat about it.

[Maria de Luna]

Re: Starting A Convention

That kinda sounds like fun, wish someone would do that locally...
One of the big issues in general I've noticed with conventions is working out deals and making sure local businesses and services are prepared to deal with an influx of people, and some small businesses can be un used to dealing with conventions, if the community in general is ready sometimes you can work out instances where convention goers get say a pre designated meal for a certain price, and the business can function more efficiently with the convention goers around. Just issues I've seen with some poorly done small conventions of other types.

[JamesByrne]

Re: Starting A Convention

I recommend asking someone whos run a witchfest. Im doin a bit of promo work with the people who run the irish one and theyre sound. Im sure theyd be happy to chat.

See the contact info on

http://www.feiledraiochta.com/

Ive run a few events myself and I have a bit of fairly bossy advice reading back over it but its based on experience and lessons learned the hard way. There are 2 important things to do before you take the event seriously. 1 Network and 2 Event management.

1 Network. Before you start an event youve got to have lots of contacts in the area of interest because with events *reputation is everything*. You need to be known to get the bookings youre after. Youll need help running the event and Youll need word of mouth to promote the event. Its especially true in neopaganism were most of the networking is face to face and everyone is atleast aware of everyone else. If youre an unknown its like youre an intruder on peoples patch. So if youre not well known yourself get someone to help out who is well known, well liked and has a good reputation as a solid reliable person.

2. With networking done welcome to management its hard heart and business head time.
You need to do a break even before you start to see if its worth doing financially theres no point in advertising something off the cuff only to find youve to cancel itll destroy your rep. and any chance of running an event successfully in the future. Your 3 biggest overheads are the i venue, ii promo and iii speakers.

i Ring around for prices - all venues *want* your business and theyre happy to hear from you so shop around lots and if you like a place ask them to drop the price. They might not but youve nothing to lose and theyll expect it from people nowadays so its nearly worth doing so theyll take you seriously. Youll need atleast one large main area for people to hang out (fill it with stalls if you can and charge the stall holders) and two reasonable sized rooms for talks and workshops. A cheap but clean hotel is the best bet rather then a live music venue youll need a bar and people will probably need accommodation but wont be bothered looking for themselves.

ii realise that paper costs LOTS (price ink cartridges. Its cheaper to print off at home on demand then any print shop can manage) and that youre going to spend a reasonable amount of money on petrol and ph calls. Offset the overheads in any way you can. The stalls for example, if you want to attract crystal sellers book a crystals workshop. Tell them if they wanted to talk to the workshop person maybe they could work something out like loan them some crystals for the talk and theyll advertise the stall at the workshop in return.

iii Speakers. The first rule is NOBODY gets paid. Ever.
Offer travel expenses and buy them a pint as a thank you on the day but nothing else. People know that events do not make money especially now and especially since its your first event (expect to make a loss for atleast 2 years) will expect it to be that way. Anyone that demands a fee is chancing their arm explain you cant afford it but youd like *them* to be there and in general if you come across as genuinely interested they will do it. A little ego stroking goes a long way.

If you absolutely have to pay someone they need to be a draw to push ticket money up. Anyone that isnt FAMOUS who *demands* a fee or they wont turn up isnt worth booking. Even if you had infinate amounts of money you do not want to deal with that type on the day. Theyll make you hate what youre doing. They are high maintenance and you wont have the time or spare energy for them.

Thats my advice anyway but Id chat to the organisers of the feile D about it. Theyre genuinely nice and experienced.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Starting A Convention

I think one of the most important bits of advice I would offer is not to rush. You will need a long time to get this organised. And you don't want to be cancelling at the last minute.

A point about speakers (since that's something I have experience of) Some events do pay - not much, but it's a token payment. And you will often get a lot more in return. For example - if you pay just expenses you may get a speaker who does a single talk or workshop. Offer a nominal fee and you'll be able to ask for more which in the long term saves you on the travel expenses for another speaker.

But even expenses can work out as a lot of money, depending where people are coming from. Work out exactly what you're offering by way of expenses (travelling for example - how much per mile? ) This was why I queried the two day festival - you'll have to factor in accommodation then.

Why don't you contact Merlyn at the Children of Artemis? Or listen to his recent talk on my podcast site (because he talks about organising the Artemis Gathering (a four day festival) there?

[Jasmine]

Re: Starting A Convention

Thanks everyone for the advice and links

I was thinking a 2 day event because from my con going experience (at Witchfest Wales '08 actually. I'm not sure if we may have met, Mrs. Penry) one day can feel rushed, but three days seems a little long. I was considering having it at a hotel like a fan convention would be. I hadn't thought of a camping weekend. That sounds like a great alternative. I'd love to hold a masquerade ball/banquet on the night between the two days. For speakers I assumed that covering travelling and room costs was a given, but I wasn't sure if there would be fees on top of that.

I've done business plans before, for more traditional reasons (i.e. a shop) so I should have no trouble mocking up a rough forecast.

JamesByrne, thanks so much for the link and the advice - I'll be printing that out and putting in on my fridge lol.

Mrs Penry, I'll shoot a PM your way just as soon as I've finished working through all this new information.

*cwtches* and thanks again :awesome:

[Ananta Androscoggin]

Re: Starting A Convention

Make sure you do "marketing" and advertising in all the appropriate places. I haven't put anything like this together myself, but there have been a few weekend camping festivals done at my place by others in the local community. Outside of those few, I rarely hear about local events until they've been over for some weeks.

[Jasmine]

Re: Starting A Convention

Me again! After having some technical problems our website seems to finally be up and running. It's very bare bones at the moment but I thought I'd share

http://doublerainbowevents.co.uk/

I'm in the middle of scouting hotels, raising funds and generally plotting. Hope to have more to tell you soon :^^:

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Starting A Convention

pLEASE bear in mind that advertising is a two edged sword. You will almost certainly attract protestors - and if you do, the owners of the venue may cancel last minute on you in order to avoid problems.
You also need to consider proper security arrangements... have you contacted the Dagda?

[Jasmine]

Re: Starting A Convention

No, I don't know what that is

The hotel I'm looking at right now is pretty out of the way (it's in Oxwich bay) - I'm not sure if that makes it more or less likely to have a problem. I'll be sure to specify exactly what our event is when I enquire so there's no confusion. Hopefully we won't have any problems *fingers crossed*

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Starting A Convention

The Dagda provide pagan security for pagan events. Contact Merlyn at CoA if you want to get in touch with them.

Once you advertise, you will almost certainly attract protests. We even get them at Witchfest most years even though it is never advertised at the venue.

[Maria de Luna]

Re: Starting A Convention

The Dagda provide pagan security for pagan events. Contact Merlyn at CoA if you want to get in touch with them.

Once you advertise, you will almost certainly attract protests. We even get them at Witchfest most years even though it is never advertised at the venue.

Keep in mind, how and where you advertise can effect who ends up knowing what the event is and whether they can get protesters together. No one wants a pile of protesters, but one or two tend to look sad, and people generally don't worry about them much, a protest of very few people cannot be anonymous so they cannot get away with some crap.

[Jasmine]

Re: Starting A Convention

Hey all, me again

We're getting pretty far along! We've now got a crowdfunder set up (it's like kickstarter but different) here http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/investm...onvention-1475

Things are looking good! Thanks everyone for your advice, we really appreciate it. Please send lots of good energy our way, we'll probably need it