International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts

Registration for ICFA 40 closes today, February 22nd. After today, you will need to register on site.

Karen Hellekson, ICFA Registrar (iafareg AT gmail.com)

HEED THE CALL: 2019 ICFA Flash Plays
It’s that time of year again, when the anticipation of spring…and ICFA…get our creative juices flowing.

As always, we encourage you to submit plays with the following parameters:
No more than TEN pages
No more than THREE characters
Include one of the following props:
A SKULL
A CROWN
A SPACE HELMET
…and include the following line of dialogue
“that’s the path to world domination”

Flash plays should be submitted via email to carriejcole@gmail.com by March 10th.
The Flash Play performances are Friday, March 15th at 9:45pm.

And if you’re interested in joining the Flash Players on stage, please let us know!

IAFA Listserv: http://lists.iafa.org/listinfo.cgi/iafa-l-iafa.org
IAFA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FantasticArts/?fref=ts
IAFA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/iafa_tw?lang=en
Student Caucus (SCIAFA) on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/833849033305627/

ICFA 40 “Politics and Conflict”

When: March 13–17, 2019

Where: Marriott Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, Florida, USA

Guest Scholar: Mark Bould (University of the West of England)

Guest Author: G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel, Alif the Unseen)

Conference hotel: Both the hotel and the overflow hotel are sold out at the conference rate. That said, because attendance is always in a bit of flux, do contact me if you need a room, and I’ll forward your request. The conference hotel room cost is the same regardless of how many people are in it. Room sharing is common, and we encourage it. If you have already booked, you are fine!

Program: The draft program is online: https://www.fantastic-arts.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ICFA-40-program_Feb7.docx

Volunteering: The Registration and AV areas always welcome volunteer help. In addition, volunteers help out the Book Room by setting books out before meals. You get 10 IAFA Bucks per hour for help. These may be used for merch and meal tickets (sold at the lower preregistration rate) at this year’s convention, or they may be held and put toward next year’s registration. IAFA Bucks may not be used in the Book Room. Sign up here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1q19mG_IL7ezdXmrzd-RCIF2ELla-9w3o-FpiLnskJow

Additional purchases: If you would like to preorder a meal ticket, including an extra ticket for the included Friday Guest Scholar luncheon (perhaps for a companion), or if you have decided to preorder highly collectible merchandise, please visit IAFA’s storefront: https://store4277080.ecwid.com/

Student Caucus: SCIAFA is offering a job materials review workshop; is recruiting mentors and mentees for its mentorship program; and is offering its paper publishing workshop (no need to sign up; show up with a paper in progress), conducted this year by Rachel Haywood Ferreira. More info here: https://www.fantastic-arts.org/2019/icfa-40-student-caucus-updates/

Social media:

IAFA Listserv: http://lists.iafa.org/listinfo.cgi/iafa-l-iafa.org
IAFA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FantasticArts/?fref=ts
IAFA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/iafa_tw?lang=en
Student Caucus (SCIAFA) on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/833849033305627/

Duplicated email: I’ve had members reporting they are getting email blasts implying that they are not registered, when in fact they are. Inevitably it is the case that the member has more than one profile in the system, and the mass emails are going to the identity/email that is not registered for the conference. If puzzled, contact me. I would love to merge your contact info into a single identity.

See you in March!

Karen Hellekson, IAFA Registrar (iafareg AT gmail.com)

Student Caucus Updates:

Job Materials Workshop

The Job materials workshop has extended their deadline until March 8. If you would still like Kathryn Hume and Mark Decker to look over and critique your job application materials, email Wendy Wood, at iafa.studentcaucus@fantastic-arts.org. In your email, please include:

1) Subject Line: SCIAFA Job Materials Workshop

2) Your name & email address

3) Whether you are applying to a research or a teaching school (predominantly)

4) Attach: your CV, cover letter, and teaching philosophy

Mentorship Program

There is still time to sign up for the mentorship program. We are especially in need of mentors, those who have attended the conference before and would like to help a new attendee. If you are interested in being mentored or in being a mentor, please email Kylie Korsnack at iafa.studentcaucus2@fantastic-arts.org. Please title your email SCIAFA Mentorship Program, and in your email, please answer the following questions:

1. What is your name?

2. What is your e-mail address?

3. What is your institutional affiliation?

4. What would you consider to be your main interests in the field of the fantastic?

5. When will you be arriving at the conference?

6. When will you be departing from the conference?

7. Are you currently planning to attend the conference reception on Wednesday evening?

(*Please inform us if your plans change and make every effort to follow through with whatever you commit.)

8. Which role are you signing up for, mentor or mentee

Paper Publishing Workshop

Each year, one of the main events sponsored by SCIAFA is a Graduate Student Writing Workshop. It is a chance for graduate students to share their written work with a professional in the field and receive invaluable feedback and advice as they work to improve their writing and shift from conference papers to publications. This year, we have the honor of having Rachel Haywood Ferreira host our workshop. You do not need to register ahead, simply bring a paper in progress to the conference in order to participate in the workshop.

“Like” the IAFA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FantasticArts/
Follow the IAFA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/iafa_tw

CALL FOR APPLICANTS FOR CONFERENCE DIRECTOR
Appointed Position, Effective March 17, 2019

IAFA seeks applicants for the position of Conference Director of the ICFA. The Conference Director is an appointed, voting member of the IAFA Board of Directors. Qualified candidates ideally should have experience with all phases of conference planning, including site inspections for potential sites, negotiation with hotels, and managing the conference on site. In addition, the Conference Director must attend the June Board meeting as well as conduct a site visit ten days prior to the conference.

The specific duties of the Conference Director are as follows:

General Overview
Make all necessary arrangements for the holding of the IAFA annual conference, including, but not limited to hotel site inspection and selection with Board approval, negotiation of all contracts with hotels with Board approval; providing for the physical needs of the annual conference and the annual Board of Directors meeting.

Time Line and Outline of Duties
The Conference Chair position requires year-round work on IAFA matters, and a planning cycle that looks 3-5 years into the future to ensure that appropriate contracts are in place for upcoming conferences. The contract negotiation duties encompass providing for meeting rooms, guest rooms, meal functions, and the maintenance of concessions in support of our event from the hotel (currently these include a reception, suites, upgrades, and complementary room nights). The negotiated contract must be approved by the Board and be consistent with current IAFA operations.

The Conference Director is responsible for inspecting and securing all physical spaces needed for the conference and for the summer Board meeting; investigating alternative properties, as directed by the Board; planning the annual conference budget; planning the menus and prices for conference food functions; making hotel reservations for major guests; managing all ongoing relations with the hotel, including guest rooms; negotiating an overflow hotel as needed; and monitoring food and beverage commitments leading up to and at the conference, adjusting as needed. The Conference Director must attend the conference each year and be available to make adjustments in any of these matters and otherwise troubleshoot, as required. The Conference Director is responsible for reviewing the account with the hotel and making any required payments at the end of each conference.

How to Apply
Application should include a cover letter, a one-page statement of previous event planning experience with an emphasis on budgeting and managing relationships with hotels, and a letter of reference from someone familiar with the candidate’s work in these capacities.

Please send all materials to Sherryl Vint, IAFA President, at sherryl.vint@gmail.com.

Applications are due February 20, 2019. The Board will review applications and make a selection prior to the start of the 2019 conference. The new Conference Director will be announced at the conclusion of that conference, with duties to commence immediately for the 2020 conference cycle.

ICFA 40 “Politics and Conflict”
When: March 13–17, 2019

Where: Marriott Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, Florida, USA

Guest Scholar: Mark Bould (University of the West of England)

Guest Author: G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel, Alif the Unseen)

Cost: Regular registration ($135 for nonstudent registrants, $55 for students) closes on January 30. Note that the Friday Guest Scholar lunch is included with your registration fee. The other meals cost extra.

Late registration closes on February 22. After that you must sign up on site.

Hotel update: The conference hotel is SOLD OUT. Thank you to all who support the conference by choosing to stay at the Marriott! However, we have negotiated a block of rooms at the conference rate of $140/night at the nearby Sheraton. The rate is good March 13 to 17. The last day to book is February 13.

The overflow hotel’s direct conference link is here: https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1548254683340&key=GRP&app=resvlink

Looking forward to seeing you in Orlando!

Karen Hellekson, ICFA Registrar (iafareg AT gmail.com)

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/FantasticArts
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/iafa_tw

ICFA 40 “Politics and Conflict”
When: March 13–17, 2019

Where: Marriott Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, Florida, USA

Guest Scholar: Mark Bould (University of the West of England)

Guest Author: G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel, Alif the Unseen)

Event details

Cost: Early registration closes on January 14. Regular registration goes up to $135 for nonstudent registrants and remains $55 for students. Prices go up again for late registration! Note that the Friday Guest Scholar lunch is included with your registration fee. The other meals cost extra.

Late registration closes on February 22. After that you must sign up on site.

Hotel update: January and the first week of February are usually our highest hotel registration periods. We currently have plenty of rooms except for the Monday before the conference, when the hotel block is sold out. Every other night except March 11, 2019, is currently available, but please do remember that the hotel does sell out, and once our block is filled, we will be unable to increase the block. If you are notified that our block is filled, please get in touch immediately. We will then negotiate for an overflow hotel, if possible.

Graduate students: Not sure yet if you got funding? Go ahead and book your room anyway. You can always cancel it, and the conference hotel nearly always sells out. Also, the room rates at the conference hotel are by room, regardless of the number of people in it. Feel free to share!

Problems logging in? What if the system fails to recognize your name/e-mail combination? Don’t create a new profile. STOP and e-mail me. I can update your info.

Do you have a credit? (The system will tell you.) Sign up as usual, which will generate an invoice. Then STOP. Do not pay. Instead, e-mail me with the invoice number or numbers and tell me to apply your credit. I will then contact you with your outstanding balance, if any.

Looking forward to seeing you in Orlando!

Karen Hellekson, ICFA Registrar (iafareg AT gmail.com)

Availability of Hotel Rooms

January and the first week of February are usually our highest hotel registration periods. Our situation right now is that we have plenty of rooms except for the Monday before the conference when our block is sold out. Every other night except 11 March is currently available, but please do remember that the hotel does sell out during our conference, and once our block is filled, we will be unable to increase the block. If you are notified that our block is filled, please get in touch immediately. We will then negotiate for an overflow hotel, if possible.
With every good wish for 2019!

Donald Morse, IAFA Conference Chair