It's an Eastercon. Everyone knows what that means... But, at Evolution we're thinking slightly differently. Evolution is going to be a convention that you leave saying "I can do that!" There'll be workshops, discussions and kaffee-klatsch. It's not going to be all big program items and talking heads this time!
Of course our choice of guests is going to affect our programme. With Vernor Vinge and Jack Cohen on hand, you'll be sure to find an item or two on the Singularity: the future of human evolution. And with Colin Greenland and Bryan Talbot around, there's bound to be a diversion into an alternate history or two. Perhaps Bryan will inspire us to look at comics, Vernor at Hard Sf, Colin at the New Wave, and Jack at chaos.
Perhaps you'll find computers sat in the corners, ready to show you the Internet or to give you a chance at putting together an instant fanzine. You could find yourself in the bar talking astrophysics, or drinking a cup of coffee and listening to someone explaining just how they wrote that story for Interzone.
For Evolution is really about you, the members. We want you to get involved, to start a fannish revival. We want you to run local groups, fanzines, to have a presence on the Net, to start new APAs, to boldly go where no fan has gone before… And this is where we'll be encouraging you, giving you the tools you need to go out into the world as born-again fen! You'll have a chance to talk to folk who run some of the bigger local groups, listen to the thoughts behind a fanzine or three. You might get to listen to an APA at work, to sit in on a writer's workshop or even learn how to belly dance.
And as you get into your car, train or plane to leave Evolution we hope you'll take some of it away with you, as ideas and inspiration, as desires and dreams. Evolution isn't just an Eastercon, it's a philosophy.
Don't forget, if you've got something you want to offer Evolution, get in touch - write to us or e-mail simon@fehen.demon.co.uk.
- Simon Bisson
Programming