A word from our Lead Programer
It is with great pleasure that we are able to present the first draft of the Swancon 50 program. Having a draft program available to our community this far out from the convention is no small undertaking. I am immensely grateful to all who have been involved with putting this together, and welcome all who continue to offer their assistance to make this a program worthy of Swancon’s golden anniversary. It takes a village to raise a con and without your efforts we would not have achieved all that we have so far. Every conversation, every meeting attendance and every suggestion put forward has helped make this happen and I would like to thank you all for your contributions.
I am very excited about the program, it has come together very organically and as such we have a diverse range of items across the program, reflecting the diversity within the community.
While we will be highlighting different aspects of the program as we roll closer to the convention I would like to take this opportunity to throw the spotlight on four general program items I feel are fantastic.
History of Studio Ghibli
Saturday 30th May
3pm
Take a walk through the collected works of Studio Ghibli focusing on the awesome work of legendary animator & filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. This is an official ShastaPanel™
Mass Poisonings
Sunday 31st May
11am
More scientific horror stories from Drhoz. At a very conservative estimate Drhoz has spread poison around 100,000 houses since moving to Perth, he seems to be the right person to talk about a variety of mass poisonings of the past – both accidental, deliberate, and government policy.
Worl Wangkiny (Sky Stories)
Sunday 31st May
4pm
Indigenous Australians are renowned as the world’s first astronomers, having studied and interpreted the cosmos for navigation, calendars, ceremony, cultural lore, song lines, and art for thousands of years.
In 2018 Perth Observatory embarked on an ambitious collaborative project focusing on indigenous astronomy. Worl Wangkiny commemorates 60,000 years of Noongar celestial storytelling through artwork.
Publishing: What happens after the end?
Monday 1st June
10am
Finishing a manuscript is a major milestone — but it’s only the beginning of the publishing journey. This panel looks at what really happens after “The End,” exploring the commitment, collaboration, and patience required to turn a final draft into a finished book. With perspectives from micro and traditional publishers, this conversation offers an honest look at timelines, revisions, and the long-term relationship between authors and publishers.
We hope you are as excited about these items and all of our program as we are. You can see the full draft program here.
Thank you all for your continued support and patients as we continue to craft this draft into an amazing program that will help celebrate Swancon’s golden anniversary.
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