WisCon 45 Report
WisCon 45 was held May 27-30, 2022, in person at the Concourse Hotel in Madison WI, as well as online. Sheree Renée Thomas and Rebecca Roanhorse were guests of honor; Roanhorse participated virtually. Zen Cho and Yoon Ha Lee, also originally scheduled as guests of honor, were unable to participate but were honored nonetheless. There were 763 memberships, with 216 virtual memberships and an estimated 407 in-person attendees. Programming offered 130 items including in-person and online options, such as panels, solo presentations, and readings, focused on SF/F literature, diversity, feminism, disability, criticism, and more. Many of the in-person items were livestreamed, including opening ceremonies and guest of honor readings and speeches.
Some of the usual highlights, such as the popular Dessert Salon (which sells out every year) were modified. This year’s Salon desserts were take-away only, parties were not allowed to serve food, and the con suite offered only grab-and-go options – plus vouchers for a local restaurant and the hotel eateries. Parties included a celebration of the Speculative Literature Foundation with the book release for Mary Anne Mohanraj’s cookbook, A Feast of Serendib; a Vid Party; and a Sunday brunch at a park. The art show featured 11 artists and the dealer’s room had 27 in-person vendors, with 3 more selling virtually. There were a handful of workshops, three of which were writing critique sessions with different pros.
Fundraising efforts included the Otherwise Auction, which raised more than $800. Sumana Harihareswara was online auctioneer and Liz Henry was in-person auctioneer. Funds are utilized for “fellowships that support and recognize new voices who are making visible the forces that are changing our view of gender today,” as well as the Otherwise Award prize, the Fairy Godmother Awards, and more.
WisCon 46 is planned for Memorial Day weekend in 2023, with Rivers Solomon and Martha Wells as guests of honor, and more details to come. More info at <www.wiscon.net>.
Photos by WisCon 2022.
This report and more like it in the July 2022 issue of Locus.
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