Work
I am, first and foremost, an events manager. I’ve also been designing web pages since 1996 when I got the internet and by 2001, I’d actually got quite good at it. Then I produced offspring and had nearly three years off and am only recently getting back into the swing of things.
I am not a print designer, and yet several of these projects feature print design work because somebody had to do it and I was the closest to qualified. I quite enjoy doing print design work and one of these days, I’ll buy some books about aesthetics or something.
Discworld Convention (2010)
At the 2004 Discworld Convention I was just a starry-eyed fan and a keen volunteer, by 2006 not much had changed but I’d found myself with a little more responsibility. In 2008 I was on the programme team and helped ensure things ran to time. I must have done something right since, for 2010, I’m now ‘Head of Programme’.
I’ll be coming up with ideas for new items (and wringing them from the programme team too), putting a new spin on old ones (or just doing them again but hopefully even better), developing them, scheduling them and just generally making them happen.
Eastercon LX (2009)
Being a speculative fiction fan who’s also an event manager, it was only right that I got involved with the British National Science Fiction Convention aka Eastercon. The convention is run entirely by fans and happens annually over the Easter weekend. Eastercon LX is the 60th event, hence the name.
In my role on the committee, I oversee communications with members through the website (which runs on Wordpress, my blog/CMS of choice), e-mail and other publications like our Progress Reports (PRs) as well as marketing and press contacts. Some of this I handle directly, other bits (the PRs, for example) are delegated to others. The website and other marketing materials (flyers and posters) were designed by me using the logo provided. I’ve also been responsible for creating the website copy, either from scratch or based on the notes of other committee members.
On the day, I will be handling contact with the press (local and otherwise), overseeing the production of the daily convention newsletter and taking shifts as Programme Operations (meaning I make sure the programmed events a) happen, b) happen on time and c) finish on time).
Aetherica (2009)
Aetherica was a fantasy convention that has unfortunately been cancelled for economic reasons. Prior to that, I worked in conjunction with artist Graham Pokkettz Higgins to produce a redesign for the website and the convention’s marketing materials using his artwork.
We hope one day to resurrect Aetherica in one form or another. I’m also hoping to get another chance to work with Graham!
More work samples coming soon…