Programming will begin at 10:00 am on Thursday, August 15 and end at 4:00 pm on Monday, August 19.
The Dublin 2019 5-day programme will include hundreds of lively, interesting, and entertaining items to delight and engage participants of all ages and interests! The world of speculative fiction and art will be brought to Dublin through a wide variety of topics that will include everything from literature, science, gaming, comics, film and TV, costuming, writing and more!
In addition our featured areas are listed below, and will be added to over the next few months as we design items that are specifically tailored to our members’ taste. If there is something you would like to see that isn’t listed here, let us know by filling in our programme idea form. Also, please remember to submit the Programme Participant Query Form, if you would like to be considered for programming.
Academic Programme
Academic tracks at Worldcon provide an opportunity for scholars to present critical reflections and research to an interested, knowledgeable and active audience. The Academic Track at Dublin 2019 welcomes contributions from both institutional and independent scholars on a wide range of topics in a variety of formats.
In keeping with the Irish tradition of the Hedge School, the Academic Track at Worldcon seeks to open the range of scholarly work on SF to the wider community. The track will blend critical reflection on the genre, and also explore how it addresses contemporary challenges and helps us to write a new story for the human future. Please see our Academic Area web page for more information.
Art Programme
We will be exploring the only language that is understood in every culture in the world, illustration, as well as looking at how imagery and other forms of art are used, not just to convey information, but to engage our intellect and emotions. Whether it’s provoking empathy for those who are different from ourselves, imagining that which does not exist, selling an idea or just making stuff look cool, art is woven through every aspect of our lives. Let’s talk about it.
Children’s Literature Programme
Dublin 2019’s children’s literature programme will feature all manner of stories and novels from the timeless classics that take place over rainbows and in far away wonderlands to modern tales of wizarding worlds and street smart kids who know just how to get into and out of trouble…while saving the world, of course. Our panels and discussions feature authors, educators, and publishers of speculative fiction and science specifically designed for children of all ages!
Children’s Programme
Our children’s programme is for children aged 6 to 12. Some items are suitable for children aged 3+ while other items are for older kids and teenagers, who are also welcome to attend Children’s Programme. Our programming will include a fun selection of arts and crafts, science experiments, lego building, storytelling, and games. We’ll even feature a few movie screenings, panels, and talks and as well as our own mini masquerade! There will also be a chill-out zone with books and comics for kids and their parents to escape the hustle and bustle of the con.
There will be a system in place where parents / guardians can sign their children in for specific items and return to collect them when finished but adult participation is welcomed and highly encouraged in all the activities. There are also several special family events such as the family disco and scavenger hunt where children cannot take part without an accompanying adult (and vice versa). Children’s Programme is not a babysitting service; it is specially designed Worldcon programming for kids. There is a babysitting service available at Worldcon for a fee, but it is separate from Children’s Programme.
We will also have a special ribbon system to identify children and their parents/guardians who are attending Worldcon and Children’s Programme together. If you have any questions about Children’s Programme, please contact us at kids@dublin2019.com.
Comics & Graphic Novel Programme
Our ancestors drew stories on walls and monks spent their lives illustrating religious texts so combining words and pictures has a long, long history. In our modern age, ‘comics’ cover an enormous range from inspiring blockbuster movies to introspective diary webcomics. Come join our panelists as we talk about our old favourites, new recommendations and the infinite diversity in infinite combinations that is unique to this medium!
Fandom/Transformative Fandom Programme
We’re excited to bring together a fandom programme for Dublin 2019 covering as much as we can of this hobby/obsession/lifestyle. We’ll have a range of items, covering the history and future of convention fandom, con-running, fan zines, and more, from silly to serious. Transformative fandom will definitely be represented, covering subjects such as fan fiction, fan vids, fan art, and anything else involving taking existing working and going from there. Please join us to make the fandom programme the best it can be!
Gaming Programme
Board Games! Role Playing Games! LARPS! Video Games! If you are feeling like trying something different at Worldcon 2019 come join us in the Gaming area to play games and have fun! Everyone is welcome, from experienced gamers to someone interested in trying something new. This year also marks the very first year when Worldcon will have a gaming Guest of Honor (Steve Jackson of Steve Jackson Games) and there will be a range of special events to celebrates this. Join us and game with us in 2019!
Horror/Gothic Literature Programme
From Bram Stoker to Mary Shelley the gothic tradition is alive and well in Ireland. Keep an eye over your shoulder as we delve into literary discussions that are packed with hidden fears and veiled horrors that lay between the lines and within the words upon the page of history’s most impressive tales of horror, spanning from today’s fiction to tales of the past when the clever turn of a word, feel ever so much like the turning of a screw.
Kaffeeklatsches & Literary Beers
Join your favourite new or returning programme participants for a small group / informal round-table discussion. Kaffeeklatsches and Literary Beers are small group discussions with authors, artists, and other interesting personalities (referred to as hosts). Each kaffeeklatsch is strictly limited to a small group of members (plus the host). Many hosts will be quite popular, so please sign up in advance. The schedule and sign up process will be posted closer to the convention.
Literature Programme
What is the literature programme? It’s such a huge topic that it might be easier to ask what it isn’t, but let’s try to nail it down. Put simply, the literature programme will be a celebration of the written word (and spoken in the case of audiobooks). The scale of WorldCon allows us to explore both the macrocosm, eg an introduction to space opera, and the microcosm, eg the depiction of older characters in science fiction. We will do our best to include as many genres of SFF as possible, from steampunk to high fantasy, horror to near future dystopias. The exciting thing about the literature programme is that we get to play in an enormous sandbox, the daunting thing is that the sandbox is the size of the Sahara. I can’t wait to get stuck in, but I might need help to dig my way back out!
Stroll with the Stars Programme
Dublin is a city made for walking … or in our case strolling around the local area with your favourite scientist, publisher, or personality as you step outside to get some air and exercise while taking in the sites. We will have several strolls per day, and we do mean stroll. This is gentle walk without the huffing and puffing of a workout routine. Some people describe it as a walking, talking discussion group or kaffeeklatsch as you stroll, chatting about all of the sites and sounds that Dublin has to offer.
Theatre
Speculative theater is thriving! Not only will Dublin 2019 feature a special selection of plays throughout the weekend, but we also have a fantastic series of readings, workshops, and panels discussing everything from what it takes to pull together a play to crafting realistic dialog for the stage. Join our playwrights, actors, and critics for a series of lively discussions about all things on stage and off.
Workshops
Dublin 2019 features a wonderful variety of workshops across our various programme areas and are set up with various timing structures and commitment levels to fit the needs of our members. Workshops give members a space to attempt a new skill or technique in an informal contained environment. Most workshops are best in small groups, with a limited number of members that usually range between 10-15 people to ensure that each person can be heard and receives feedback/instruction.
Pre-registration may be necessary depending on the workshop popularity, facilitator, and format to keep the group size manageable for the facilitator. This can be facilitated ahead of the con for the more intensive workshops or on site via a sign-up sheet at the information desk.
Writing and the Business of Writing
There is no place like Worldcon for deep diving discussions about writing, publishing, and the writing life with some of the biggest literary names and rising stars in the speculative world. We dive into everything from the mechanics of craft to pitches, agenting, blogging, managing social media, and more!
Young Adult Literature Programme
The future of the genre lies not just in young adults, but young adult fiction. The YA literature track will have items aplenty for the first and for everyone who loves the second. Join us to talk about the big issues, your favourite writers and the best stories. We’ll welcome you all!