Fandom Auction
Related terms: | Charity Zine, Charity Drive Challenge, Charity |
See also: | |
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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.
Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
1980s
Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
1990s
Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
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
- Bridging the Knight - a Forever Knight fandom auction to benefit an Aids hospice and the Diabetes Association
2000s
Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
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
- Fandom Supports Scarleteen - multifandom auction organized to support Scarleteen, a charity that provided sexuality information to young people
- Help Japan @ LJ - multifandom auction in response to the earthquake in Japan
- Help Japan @ DW - multifandom auction in response to the earthquake in Japan
- Help Brazil 2011 - multifandom auction in response to deadly flooding in Brazil
- Fandom Floods Appeal: Help Australia after the floods - multifandom auction in response to flooding in Australia
- X-Philes for Japan - The X-Files fandom auction in response to the deadly earthquake in Japan
- Help NZ - multifandom auction in response to the Christchuch, New Zealand earthquake
- Help the South - multifandom auction in response deadly tornadoes in the southern Untied States
- help_yca - multifandom auction to raise funds for the organization Young Chicago Authors
- The Purple Dove Project - multifandom auction to raise funds for LGBTQ+ charities
2012
- Rainbow Support - a multifandom auction to support LGBTQ+ charities
- Wolf Pack Charity Project Fanworks Auction - Teen Wolf fandom auction to raise funds for Wolf Haven International, a charity that helps wolves (it ran in both 2012 and 2013)
2013
- Help Syria - multifandom auction in response to the Syrian civil war
- The Big 24 - multifandom auction for the HIV/AIDS Foundation
- OTW Fundraiser Multimedia Auction - multifandom auction for AO3 and the OTW
2015
- Fandom 4 Syria - multifandom auction to support Syrian refugees
2016
- Zika Virus Awareness and Fundraiser Campaign - multifandom auction to raise funds for charities connected to the Zika virus
2017
- Fandom Loves Puerto Rico - multifandom auction organized in response to Hurricane Maria
- Stony Trumps Hate - Marvel fandom auction organized in response to the 2016 election
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
- Fandom For Australia - multifandom auction in response to the Australian bush-fires
- Harringrove for Australia - Stranger Things fandom auction in response to the Australian bush-fires
- Equality Auction - multifandom auction organized in support of Black Lives Matter
- Marvel Fans 4 BLM - Marvel fandom auction organized to support Black Lives Matter
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
- Sunflower Auction - multifandom auction in response to the war in Ukraine
2023
- Rally For Palestine Raffle - multifandom auction raffle in support of humanitarian aid for Palestine
- Our Flag For Palestine - Our Flag Means Death fandom auction in response to the Israel/Hamas war
- QSMP for Palestine - QSMP fandom auction raising money for the Palestine Children's Relief Fund
2024
- OFMD Gotcha for Gaza - Our Flag Means Death fandom auction in response to the Israel/Hamas war.
List of Recurring Fandom Auctions
Multifandom Auctions
- Fandom Trumps Hate (2016 ~)
- FandomAid (2011 - 2016)
- Help Animals (2013 - 2014)
- Sweet Charity (2006 - 2010)
- Vidders4ACause (2011 - 2016)
- A Woman's Place [...is in the Resistance] (2022 ~)
Single Fandom Auctions
- Bishop Myriel Fundraiser (Les Mis) (2017 ~)
- Charity Hawktion (Marvel) (2019 - 2020)
- Doctors Without Borders/David Hewlett Birthday Auction (Stargate SG1/Stargate Atlantis) (2007 - 2010)
- The Fandom Gives Back (Twilight) (2009 - 2011)
- Fandom Rocks (Supernatural) (2007 - 2010)
- FicFacers (Supernatural) (2018 - 2024)
- Inception Charity Auction (2017 - 2021)
- Just Like Budapest Auction (Marvel) (2021 - 2022)
- Marvel Trumps Hate (2018 ~)
- Mark Gatiss Birthday Project (Mark Gatniss, Sherlock) (2017 ~)
- Moonridge, Sentinel fans supported the Moonridge Wildlife Park (unknown dates)
References
- ^ 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."