Fandom Auction

From Fanlore
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Related terms: Charity Zine, Charity Drive Challenge, Charity
See also:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Fandom auctions are fan-organized fundraising drives, usually designed to raise funds to support a community, individual, or cause.

While many fandom auctions have been organized as a form of fandom activism in response to an emergency or crisis (such as a natural disaster), fandom auctions are also often held to raise funds for fannish events (such as conventions) or in support of fan communities or projects (such as Archive of Our Own, which was supported by a 2013 fan-organized fandom auction).

Fandom auctions have also been held to provide financial support to individual fans. Items offered for auction usually include fanworks (such as fanfic, fanart, or fanvids) and fannish services (such as beta reading or britpicking). Many recent fandom auctions have not officially included material fancrafts, opting to only support fanworks and services that can be fulfilled digitally.

Art auctions at conventions are very common event. The money raised at this auctions usually goes to the fan artist who created the fanart. Although, sometimes money from these, and other auctions at cons, went to charity.

History

Over the years, fandom charity auctions have taken many forms. As fandom communities have adopted new technologies and different modes of community-building, the structure and scope of fandom auctions have evolved as well.

1970s

Fandom auctions have been a fixture since the first fan-run conventions in the 1970s.

1980s

1990s

In the 1990s, several conventions, such as Zebracon,[1] Revelcon, Friscon, and the 15 Yahren Reunion devoted their charity drives to various AIDS organizations like the Pediatric Aids Foundation.

1997

2000s

2001

  • Fan 911 Auction - multifandom auction in response to the September 11 terrorists attacks

2005

  • Art to the Rescue - Harry Potter fandom auction in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
  • fandom-aid-auct - multifandom auction in response to Hurricane Katrina (the LiveJournal account was not archived, but it is mentioned here)

2008

  • Live Long and Marry - multifandom auction in support of initiatives of the legalization of gay marriage in California

2010s

The early 2010s saw the organizing of several online auctions, usually hosted on Livejournal, in reaction to several natural disasters, like the deadly earthquakes in Tōhoku, Japan and Christchurch, New Zealand in 2011. After the 2016 election in the United States multifandom fandom staple Fandom Trumps Hate was created to help support progressive causes, and spawned many other auctions that copied its format.

2010

  • Help Haiti - a multifandom auction in response to the deadly earthquake in Haiti
  • Help Chile - multifandom auction in response to the deadly earthquake in Chile
  • Help Pakistan - multifandom auction in response flooding in Pakistan

2011

2012

2013

2015

2016

2017

2020s

The early 2020s has seen several online fandom auctions organized in response to a rise in hate and abuse, supporting organizations like Black Lives Matter and Stop AAPI Hate. As well as in response to global conflicts like the wars in Ukraine and Palestine.

2020

2021

  • No Raids Auction - multifandom auction to raise funds for community organizations that were supporting migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and Scotland.
  • MDZS Fans Against Hate - MDZS fandom auction to raise money for Stop AAPI Hate and Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus

2022

2023

2024

List of Recurring Fandom Auctions

Multifandom Auctions

Single Fandom Auctions

References

  1. ^ As reported in the StrangeWorld article "Science Fiction Fans and Charity" published in 1994: "One enduring relationship between a fandom and a charity is between ZebraCon and the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. ZebraCon is a convention focusing on the 1970s cop show Starsky and Hutch. Series star Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky) now enjoys a successful directing career. Because his work is now behind the camera, many people remain unaware of the personal tragedy he and his family have suffered. Due to pregnancy complications, Glaser's wife, Elizabeth, received a blood transfusion tainted with the HIV virus. She and both children were exposed to the virus. Their daughter Ariel died from AIDS; Elizabeth and her son continue to battle against this disease. Elizabeth and others who had lost children to AIDS established the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. As the Starsky and Hutch fandom became smaller, ZebraCon became a biannual convention and expanded to include other "buddy" shows such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and the British spy serial The Professionals. But the original convention charity has never been forgotten. Fund-raising for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation remains a major focus not only of the convention, but of many fandom pursuits. Proceeds from a second printing of The Professionals fanzine House of Cards go to the Foundation. Items donated for auction at this past ZebraCon included Starsky and Hutch action figures, posters, books, magazines, games, and the record album recorded by David Soul (Hutch from the series). Media artist Suzanne Lovett donated a commission piece that sold for over $200."
Retrieved from "https://fanlore.org/w/index.php?title=Fandom_Auction&oldid=2663905"