join the conversation
build the convention
Feb. 3–5, 2017
Seattle, Washington

Foolscap

Join the conversation. Build the convention February 5–7, 2017 at the Hilton Seatac Airport Hotel in Seattle, Washington

What is Foolscap?

We are a new kind of convention.

Foolscap is an annual gathering of all sorts of people for a weekend of smart conversation and sharing. We bring together writers, artists, fans, thinkers, and makers from all walks of life to create a weekend-long conversation about the things that excite us. Everyone is interesting at Foolscap. By bringing together a community of diverse interests and experiences, we make a space where we all learn from each other. We believe strongly in, and build our con on, what we call “The Four B’s”:

We are diverse.

We don’t see diversity as a buzzword or a goal-post, but as an essential element of all that we do. By bringing together a community of wide-ranging interests and experiences, we make a space where we all learn from each other. Foolscap will never be an “echo chamber” or a guarded, isolated group of like minds – we’d much rather have the interesting and relevant discussions that come of true diversity!

We are a conversation.

A mainstay at most conventions is the panel – an expert speaker or three sitting at a table at the front of the room discussing things with everyone else sitting in as an audience. That doesn’t work for us because we firmly believe that everyone is interesting. We go beyond simply putting the chairs in a circle – we encourage everyone to add to the talk by asking good questions and providing unique perspectives. You don’t always have to speak up, but you should never feel like you can’t.

We are open-space.

Most conventions have a rigid schedule of events planned out before the attendees ever get the chance to take part. Sometimes known as an “unconvention” or “open programming”, open-space is a way of turning that completely around. It’s not nearly so chaotic as it may sound! Here are the steps:

If it sounds crazy and experimental, don’t worry – it’s been time-tested and successful at innumerable conventions including several years of Foolscap itself. Open-space works, and once you’ve experienced it, you’ll see why we’ve made it a core feature!

How do I register?

To be part of the convention, you’ll need a membership. The money you spend on your membership supports the convention and its activities throughout the year. It includes admission to all programming and convention areas for the day or days you are registered. The Bite of Foolscap requires an additional ticket, which you can buy at the same time. All members agree to abide by our rules; we reserve the right to revoke your membership and ask you to leave if you don’t.

When and where?

Foolscap 2017 starts on the morning of Friday, February 5, and runs until the evening of the following Sunday, February 7.

We’re proud to host our event at the Hilton Seatac Airport Hotel, right across the street from SeaTac Airport. It’s easy to reach by highway with plenty of on-site parking, and is across the street from the airport light rail station. Trains run to downtown Seattle until just after midnight, so you can stay late and still get home - or stay on-site so you can talk and game into the wee hours. Rooms start at $114 a night, and some larger rooms are available for special events. Book your room online to get our group rate and stay with us to enjoy the whole convention! (If you’re interested in hosting an event in your room, please email our hotel coordinator so we can make sure we get you set up in an appropriate room.)

Getting to Foolscap.

Seattle’s weather.

The weather in the greater Seattle area in February tends to be cool and wet. Dress in layers and bring a water-repellant coat. A sweater or fleece jacket for cooler areas of the hotel is a good idea, too.

What is there to do?

The heart of Foolscap is the Commons.

The Commons is an open space where ideas and connections are created. It’s the place you go between panels, it’s where you’ll come to get your badge at the start of the convention, and it’s where you’ll find comfortable chairs and tables to play games or hang out with new friends. Announcements, gaming, and crafting all happen there – even tea-tasting and molecular gastronomy demonstrations.

Foolscap’s panels and discussions take place in the meeting rooms nearby, and during daytime hours, the Commons expands to include the adjoining Dealers Room, Art Show, and silent auction.

Share media at the Magic Book Box.

The Commons is our living room, and our bookshelves are your bookshelves. We started with a box of books, and started a simple tradition called the Magic Book Box. If you’ve got a book that you’re ready to pass on, leave it in the box for someone else. If you find a book you want to read, it’s yours. Over the years, the box has grown – it fills several shelves, and not everything in it is a book. We share albums, art supplies, games, videos, and tea. But the spirit is simple and expansive. We want you to come away from Foolscap with new ideas, and what better container for ideas than a book?

Hospitality is our open kitchen.

We don’t just create space and time for food; we feed every member of the convention. Hospitality is open each day of the convention, whenever panels are running and into the night. We serve home-cooked food in Hospitality: hot tea and bread, and meats, spreads, snacks and sweets. Our members bring food to share, and the whole community supports Hospitality. No one should go hungry at Foolscap.

Check out the Bazaar.

The Foolscap Bazaar adjoins the central Commons, making dealers and artists an integral part of the convention.

Good art starts a conversation. The Foolscap Art Show reflects our playful interests in science fiction, fantasy, comics and invention. We encourage new and innovative work that may challenge the boundaries of fantastic art. We want to showcase good work, introduce new artists, and feature new material. Our art show features established talents in fantastic art alongside new creators, and we welcome a diversity of genres and media. Most of the artwork is available for sale, and many of the artists will be at the convention. (Interested in being part of the Foolscap Art Show? Check out our information for artists and contact us at artshow@foolscap.org with any questions.)

Interesting things are inspiring. Books, comics, games, jewelry, artwork, clothing, costumes, and collectibles – our Dealers Room is a mix of familiar shops and new vendors. Express your playful creativity on your body and in your home, and support local creators and businesses at the same time. If you hear about a must-read book at one of the panels or play a new game in the Commons on Friday night, chances are you’ll be able to buy that book or game from one of our dealers. (Interested in selling at Foolscap? Check out our information for dealers and contact us at dealers@foolscap.org with any questions.)

Volunteers make Foolscap happen.

We can create this space and community because people give selflessly. The members of Foolscap donate books, food, time and energy to make the conversation possible. If you have something you want to lend, we’d love to hear from you. We give to create a community, and we always appreciate help. If you’d like to volunteer, contact us at volunteer@foolscap.org.

What’s on the schedule?

Our busy weekend of participatory programming means that just about anything can happen – and usually does. But we do anchor the weekend with some pre-set events that everyone can count on.

Participatory programming.

At Foolscap, we create the program at the convention. Before the convention, our programming team creates an empty schedule, and fills in a small number of key events – things like large presentations, a game show, or a radio play. The only events we set in advance are those that require complex setup or planning ahead of time. The majority of the schedule is left open to be filled in once everyone is there. We can’t tell in advance what will happen, but previous conventions have included programming like “Powerpoint Karaoke”, “How to Fan Without Killing Each Other”, and “Creative Artificial Intelligence”. Take a look at some more past schedules to get a sense of the topics that can show up at Foolscap.

Everyone gets a voice. We invite every member of the convention to propose program items. We give a brief description to everyone there, and put out a written description for people to look at. Then we all vote on which items we’d like to see. We take as many of the most popular items as we can fit, and organize them in the blanks on the schedule.

To participate, all you need to do is show up. We organize the programming twice during the convention, to give more people a chance to get involved. The first Open Space planning session is held on Friday afternoon, to determine Friday evening and Saturday morning programming. A second meeting Saturday morning sets topics for the rest of the weekend. Come with ideas for discussions you’d like to see, something to share in a strut, or just show up at the planning to vote on other people’s suggestions. You might find you have a new idea on the spot!

Our programming reflects our belief that everyone is interesting. Instead of looking for experts and planning the event around them, we welcome everyone to share what they know. We never know what we’ll get, but it’s always a pleasure to find out together.

Strut your stuff.

We welcome creators to share. We’ve extended the convention tradition of readings into something we call struts. They’re a chance to “strut your stuff” — to share whatever it is you’ve made, written, or are passionate about. We’ve set aside a comfortable corner of the convention space as the Strange Attractor, and we hold struts there. We’ll give a fifteen-minute slot to any member with something to share. Just sign up at the convention.

Writing workshops.

Friday at Foolscap opens with a series of writing workshops before the convention itself kicks off. They’re a chance for members to learn from some of the many skilled authors in our community, and a great way to start the weekend by creating something. Foolscap’s 2017 writing workshops are on Friday, February 5, from 9:30 am to 3 pm. We’re delighted to have Jennifer Brozek, Cory Skerry, and Randy Henderson leading sessions on fiction writing and John Lovett offering a class on screenwriting plus opportunities for individual screenplay critiques. Visit the workshop page to register for the workshops and see detailed session descriptions and instructor bios.

The Bite of Foolscap banquet.

Sunday around noon we gather for the Bite of Foolscap. It’s a friendly brunch buffet with a surprise or two. Bring your appetite and your wits, and buy your banquet ticket in advance to guarantee your seat!

The Auction.

Proceeds from the Foolscap auction enable us to underwrite community outreach activities and offer low-cost student memberships. Come bid on jewelry, artwork, rare books, and plenty of science fiction, fantasy, and geek-themed items – or just come to watch the show! We’ve put rubber chickens, a tiny pool table, and even the con chair’s dignity on sale in the past, but you’ll have to be here to find out what surprises we have in store this year.

May I bring stuff to show or sell?

Bring stuff for a strut.

Bring stuff for the auction.

Every year we host an auction with proceeds going to fund future Foolscap adventures. If you would like to donate an item, please contact donations@foolscap.org.

Bring stuff for the art show.

Bring stuff to sell at the Bazaar.

What else should I know?

Foolscap appreciates your help in making the convention safe, fun and trouble-free.

Foolscap strives to be a safe and welcoming place where everyone is respected, comfortable, and can be themselves. All members of the convention are expected to treat other members, hotel staff, and the general public with respect. For that reason we expect everyone to comply with our policy on unacceptable behavior.

In summary: If a person tells you “no”, your business with them is done. You need to obtain advance consent before discussing potentially offensive content. You are always free to ask someone to change the subject in your presence, no questions asked. If you experience or observe unacceptable behavior, please report it to a Listener, who will help you.

What’s new this year?

Here’s our Guest of Honor.

Here’s the news!