British Science Fiction Association
The British Science Fiction Association (abbreviated BSFA) is a 1958 founded science fiction - fan organization , consisting of authors , editors and booksellers , whose aim is to promote science fiction in any form. Its first president was Brian Aldiss , and Arthur C. Clarke also chaired it. Stephen Baxter is currently the Vice President. The BSFA publishes three magazines that are sent to all members and awards the British Science Fiction Association Award .
activities
The three journals published by the BSFA are:
- Vector , a review and review magazine, appears six times a year.
- Matrix - the BSFA newsletter, also contains book reviews and appears six times a year.
- Focus - a magazine that publishes works by members of the BSFA, appears twice a year.
The British Science Fiction Association Award is presented annually. The winners will be determined in a vote of the members of the BSFA and the participants of the British National Science Fiction Convention (a British fan convention ). BSFA members also sit on the Arthur C. Clarke Awards panel .
founding
The British Science Fiction Association was the fourth attempt to build a nationwide organization of science fiction fans. The first forerunner of the BSFA was founded in 1937 under the name Science Fiction Association by fans who attended the first British science fiction convention in Leeds. It was dedicated to "stimulating interest in science fiction and scientific progress", but was dissolved again almost two years later because of the outbreak of World War II .
The second attempt was called the British Fantasy Society (which has no connection to the current organization of the same name). This was founded in June 1942. The aim was to give the approximately one hundred members better access to science fiction works, which was mainly done through a large library . It was dissolved again in November 1946.
In 1948, Captain Ken Slater proposed the creation of a new nationwide fan organization. At that time he was running an association called Operation Fantast, whose members exchanged books and magazines. The organization was named Science Fantasy Society . However, since Slater was later seconded to Germany and the other committee members did not share his enthusiasm, the organization was dissolved again in 1951.
In the late 1950s, British science fiction fan culture was on the decline. The annual Eastercon (a fan convention) was mainly a gathering of friends with declining participation (150 in 1954, 115 in 1955, 80 in 1956, less than 50 in 1958). For this reason, at the Eastercon in 1958 in Kettering (Northamptonshire) there was a discussion about how things should go on in general with the British science fiction fan culture. It was concluded that both the British fanzines and the conventions had become more and more an end in themselves and had moved more and more away from science fiction, offered hardly any incentives for new visitors and practically no longer any connections with the British fan base passed. The founding of a nationwide organization was seen as the only way out. This should be devoted to the serious study of science fiction, but at the same time contain information about the British fan base in its publications so that newcomers could more easily get a more personal contact with other science fiction fans. After some discussion of the name (it was feared that science fiction would gain negative media coverage) the British Science Fiction Association was formed. After a year it already had over 100 members.
swell
- Weston, Peter: Behind the Scenes: Origins , Vector # 250, November / December 2006.