Firstly, we are very sad to announce that Lyn McConchie and Mary Victoria are no longer able to attend due to unforseen events. We were so pleased when they said yes to being invited guests of the convention and they will be missed.

However (look away, Lyn and Mary!), we have so much for you to do and see that you should really start sleeping all day and night to prepare. If you haven’t already, take a look at our mintox program, and see more details of the Academic Stream and the WriterStream.

Thursday night is free, and you’ll be able to bring your friends to sample the Swancon experience. The hilariously geeky BRENT! will launch the convention with some end-of-week LOLs, followed by a debate over the assertion that “We are Living in a Computer Simulation”. Then join Eric Ripper, SF fan and Leader of the Opposition, who will be launching the Future Imperfect Art Show. There will also be gaming and various panels, plus the Hyatt bar will be open for business if you just want to catch up with everyone.

Before the convention opens, you are invited to Meet Our Guests over lunch at Mai’s Vietnamese Restaurant East Perth. Places are limited, but there’s still some seats available if you get in quick!

If there’s one thing that fans love most of all, it’s Having Opinions. If that describes you, make sure you get your votes in for the Tin Duck and Ditmar Awards. There will be printed ballots available at the door so you can vote once you arrive. Check the links for eligibility criteria. Then join us for cocktails at the Orbit | Gollancz Natcon Fifty Awards Ceremony, for the presentation of these awards and more!

Saturday night is Masquerade night! Airbrush Tattoos WA are trading in the Dealer Room all weekend. They specialise in full colour and glow in the dark, waterproof airbrush tattoos small and large! They are also available for full costume tattooing – if you want something a little special for the Masquerade or any other program item, you are welcome to book ahead by email to make your appointment.

Lastly: Swancon only survives on the kindness of volunteers. If you have a strong attention to detail and a few hours to spare over the convention weekend we would love to hear from you.

The draft Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty program is now online. While we are making every effort to make sure all details are correct, we cannot guarantee that items won’t change. We also have plenty of space for last minute program ideas, so if the mood strikes and you want to organise something, we’ll help provide you with space to do it.

Contact us any time in the lead-up to the convention, or speak to a committee member once you arrive.

View the full program, or see each day individually: Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Monday

Image from here

The 50th Australian National Science Fiction Convention, Academic Program
21-25 April 2011, Hyatt Hotel, Adelaide Tce, Perth

What, if anything, can sf teach us about the future? It has become commonplace to argue that we are living in science-fictional times. If sf is our present, what comes next?

For many, sf has ceased to be a genre; it is a mode of awareness. It helps us to understand our rapidly changing world. It anticipates the fluidity of the future and the nature of evolution. Sometimes it inspires us to take action and challenge our reality. As the world of tomorrow becomes the world of today, does sf occupy a role of prediction, or does its strength lie in its extrapolative ability? Or the critical, often dystopian lens it offers to our present?

Future Imperfect explores the complex relation of sf futures to our contemporary critical, political and scientific understandings. Are there lessons for our scientists, politicians, policy makers, and activists in these science-fictional visions? What do we, as readers, take away from our readings of these potential futures, perfect or imperfect?

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

• Sustainability
• Climate change science
• Gender, Race, and Class politic
• Evolution
• Science literacy
• Forecasting / futures scenarios

Sessions will be 30 minutes in length, with 20 minute papers and 10 minutes for questions.

The Academic Program is part of the 50th Australian National Science Fiction Convention, and the 36th annual Western Australian science fiction and fantasy convention. For more information, visit the conference website at: http://2011.swancon.com.au/

Abstracts of no more than 200 words should be submitted to the conveners by Friday, 31st December 2010 to : academic_2011@swancon.com.au

Please include the following in the body of your email (no attachments please) :

• title of paper
• name / affiliation
• email address
• 200 word abstract
• short biographical statement (50 words)
• A/V requirements

Andrew Cameron & Helen Merrick
Natcon Fifty | Swancon Thirty Six Academic Program Conveners
Email | Web

Don’t forget that Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty membership gives you 10% off all the books you buy at Planet Books and Fantastic Planet until 25 April 2011. You really can’t afford not to sign up!

You may purchase memberships online, at Planet Books, Fantastic Planet, or in person from committee members – keep an eye out for us in the dealers room at Aussiecon 4.

Download a pdf of PR1 here for all the details, including:

Writers Workshops
Hosted by Ellen Datlow, Sean Williams and Justina Robson

• 3 hour critique workshops will be offered as part of a writing stream.
• Positions will be limited and require reservation.
• Critiques will be on work submitted prior to the convention.
• Optional audience positions will be offered.

Email us to reserve your position or for more info.

Using Science Fiction to teach English and Science

Thursday 21 April, 2011
9:00am – 1:30pm Scitech, West Perth

Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty will be holding a WACOT accredited professional development day for teachers and teacher/librarians of upper primary and lower secondary school outlining ways in which science fiction literature and media can be used to teach concepts and inspire students.

The day includes:

• Keynote speech from multi award-winning Australian author Sean Williams, author of science fiction and fantasy for both adult and young-adult readers, including several novels set in the ‘Star Wars’ universe
• Spectacular Planetarium show
• English curriculum stream
• Science curriculum stream
• Scitech tour. Scitech is in a central location in West Perth. Similar to Scienceworks in Melbourne, Scitech contains a wide variety of interactive exhibits illustrating dozens of aspects of science and technology as well as a number of lecture theatres and workshops suited to professional learning

Costs:

• Free for full Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty members
• Non-Swancon member price is $70, and includes a day pass to attend Swancon on Friday 22 April

Registration includes morning tea, resource pack and certificate of attendance. To register, fill in the registration form, or send your details by email to ThirtySix@swancon.com.au.

Hurry, places are limited.

ʻFuture Imperfect: Exploring the future from the pastʼ
A semi-professional art show to be held over the Easter weekend in 2011 in Perth, Western Australia. It will explore the way people have historically imagined our present, bringing the past and the future together in new and interesting ways. Here are our participating artists:

Sandy Gaskett
Jenna Downing
Kathleen Jennings
Christopher Phillips
Lisa Rye
Pia Van Ravestein
Gaston Locanto
Kathryn Linge
Christina Lorenz
Nancy Lorenz