EGA 2010 Dates Poll – Please take the time to offer your feedback

[RonnySimulacrum]

Greetings everyone!

I was hoping you could take some time to go over this important EGA poll as we would appreciate some feedback.

Every year it is a struggle to set the date for our conference. Many factors influence when and how this is done including availability of venue, headliners, core volunteers work commitments etc, and there is no perfect date as there is always a clash with some other festival and or people’s university commitments for example. As EGA was born out of this community, it is yet again the community I return to for counsel on such matters when and where possible so please offer your feedback.

This year EGA is looking at extending the duration of the conference over two full days. Why? The indoor event offers very unique opportunities to address the more academic side of our discourse that cannot so easily be addressed outdoors. We also hope that by having two full days that interstate people will see it as worth to attend, as we realize that a one day event is hard to rationalize from interstate. Also, we are looking at bringing over A grade international headliners and will need two days to get the most out of their presence. As you can see we are taking the indoor conference as serious as the outdoor event, and we are hoping you will too.

There are two possible dates for our event in 2010, and I wish to gauge which date would be better from the attendees’ perspective, this poll will guide only as there are many factors to consider but will provide much need feedback on the matter.

Both dates clash with other stuff, so EGA needs your help. Please take some time out to answer this poll surrounding the 2010 EGA date and other factors relevant to it.

You will see two other idea we are toying with is having an EGA dinner (Saturday night) and a downbeat chill out after party (Sunday night).

Feel Free to post any other EGA feedback on this thread - do not hold back

Thanks in advance everyone.

Love and Light

RonnySimulacrum

& EGA Team

Edited June 2, 2010 by RonnySimulacrum

[Bread Filter]

First dates clash with the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam.

*Prays for Dec Symposium dates*

[RonnySimulacrum]

First dates clash with the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam.

*Prays for Dec Symposium dates*

 

Good call Bread

[occidentalis]

Ronny, I picked

"I do not support any ticket rise and would rather EGA revaluated what it offers to attendees (eg. not have international headliners or use a second class venue or cut out the journal)."

However that doesn't quite describe my position.

I would prefer not to see any ticket price rise, but obviously the conference must cover its costs and if that means a price rise, then so be it.

But before a price rise is considered, I would prefer to see reduction in costs - and in particular the international headline speakers. I think we have enough excellent speakers here in Australia to hold a first class conference, and although that's no reason to exclude internationals, if costs are a serious issue, I think we should look within the community here first.

I don't know what the fee structure has been (ie, have international attendees been paid to attend? or just had their flights covered?), so it's difficult for me to comment, but it may be possible to reassess the balance and have subsidised but not entirely paid attendence by international speakers (if they are up for that).

Personally I prefer the alternate-year arrangement because I think Australia needs a semi-academic ethnobotany conference as well as a festival type event. My only feedback on the 2008 EGA at Melbourne Uni (I think I have said this to you before) is I would like to see a slightly higher standard in presentation quality - save the fluffy stuff for the outdoor event where there is a little more time to explore the fringes and keep the content of the one-day event more rigorous and on target. That doesn't mean it has to be all hard science, we are trippers and we should keep it creative and unconventional - but I think we can maintain some intellectual standards while we are doing it.

I think a post-conference party (of some description) would be great for the indoor event - last year everyone kinda just dispersed and it felt like a bit of an abrupt ending. It doesn't need to be a doof or a big event, just a meetup at a pub or someone's house.

Edited June 2, 2010 by occidentalis

[RonnySimulacrum]

Very fine and to the point post - thanks occidentalis

I can not generally discuss specific speakers and there are exceptions to every rule, however, EGA does not pay speakers fees as a general rule, but we do make donations towards travel costs and lodgings for international and interstate speakers and to some extent with the two main speakers, some food donation. At the outdoor we pay the event hire fee and then offer beds to most speakers. At the indoor we offer some lodging for international and interstate speakers.

It is also not so black and white as local speakers being cheaper than international, with the $ so good again the US (well some times), last year Bob Jesse our overseas guest cost half the price of the Bear that came from QLD. also the circumstances of the individual can be dramatically different and affect them as a potential speaker for EGA. If they are paid a retainer by there Uni regardless of where they are in the world on a given day (EG, Dennis), they are generally more understanding when it comes to $, than say someone that gets most of their income from book sales for instance and cannot realistically attend without a retainer. We have had this come up with many offshore speakers and have not been able to reach an agreement as we simply could not pay (what they asked) as well as cover our costs. So there are many issues that come in to negotiating the headliners. There is no exact formula and in the future some payment might be made in some circumstances as a flat out rule of ‘no payment for anyone ever’ simply might not be the best line going in to the future.

Also we encourage everyone to offer any new potential speakers up for us to look into, be it publicly or by PMing me, as this is the time we will be assessing such matters.

“Personally I prefer the alternate-year arrangement because I think Australia needs a semi-academic ethnobotany conference as well as a festival type event”

This is the EGA HQ sentiment exactly and yes, we know we have work to do in grow the more academic side, and I can tell you right now that is what we have at the centre of our organization behind this years two day conference at Melb Uni.

And yes the after event drinks (if we do it) will be a nice way for the community to catch up, and I feel it is just as important for the whole community to catch up and talk about where we are at as a group, just as much as look at some guy talking for hours. However the Saturday night dinner and after event drinks are additional logistical strain on a already strung out volunteer team, and needs to be assessed as we get closer to the date, well that is, unless someone puts their hand up to take ownership of such ideas (hint-hint).

Frankly how we cut cost on a completely volunteer run event and not stretch an already struggling team of individuals is very hard to fathom and not one I want to. The team is driven to improve the event rather thank keep it the same; understandable as otherwise they would not remain very inspired and motivated on the project as a whole. We have a lot of ideas about where we wish to take the outdoor event, a vision and goal that we would love to see come of age if we are all willing to keep supporting the event.

There is also this whole other and equally important idea for developing EGA the organisation, journal and discussion groups and so on, that we aim to invest time and energy into fostering it over time. For instance it would be fantastic to see some EGA related research evolve and many other things. My head is exploding now .

[psilonaut]

[Disclaimer] I wasn't involved at all in the organisation of any EGAs so apologies if i've totally got the wrong impression of any aspect of the event and hope this doesn't come off as too negative[/Disclaimer]

I have a few random thoughts i'll throw out there as far as the $$$$ go.

- It would be sad if members of the community, especially interstate members who have the added cost of transportation couldn't make it due to the cost of tickets.

- Like one of the voting options said, reduce the amount of big name speakers and find a cheaper venue, possibly a community hall rather than university lecture theatre, and for the outdoor ega a place with less infrastructure (Although that may end up being more costly due to having to pay for generators, etc)

- Maybe scaling down the trance party content of the party would make it easier to balance the books, not saying don't have an experimental trance space but maybe it doesn't need to have numerous stacks of funktion one speakers and instead the organisers could utilise equipment that people in the melbourne doof scene already have.

- Less cocaine, french champagne and hookers for the back stage area. I know it would be tough but some sacrifices just have to be made for the greater good.

[faustus]

if the lecture theatre is booked by a club or society at the university of melbourne, would cost be reduced or perhaps even free?

in which case, maybe set up a club at the uni...

[RonnySimulacrum]

if the lecture theatre is booked by a club or society at the university of melbourne, would cost be reduced or perhaps even free?

in which case, maybe set up a club at the uni...

 

a point we have looked into, we did not try the club option, which might work (any Melb uni students wont to start an EGA club..?), but we did apply for exemption as a not nonprofit, however the subjct matter was well, not in there 'interest and worthy' of there sponsorship. I will however be pursuing it again this year.

[RonnySimulacrum]

Hey Day Tripper - thanks so much for the response.

on third point

yes totally, many of us core volunteers think EGA has outgrown the dance floor (we all still love that space personal) and we only plain on having the Mykopod in to the future, well at this point.

the dance space in my mind was unsuccessful in 2009 during the day and to much of a risk to the rest of the event with the problems with a neighbouring during the night, just my opinion. i think we would like to develop EGA more on the side of the visual and sacred art than music big music system, we have now been there and done that 3 times over.

"cocaine, french champagne and hookers for the back stage area" - hahahaha, that is so un EGA it is not funny

The outdoor venue is extremely expensive and moving could save $, however the council, ambulance, CFA and even the local police are on our side politically, this has taken immense hard work over many years and not something we can give up easily, can you believe it, the event is in a council that is proud of the event we put on, even i once thought this was not going to be possible add to that all the logistical and planning that has gone in to the site layout and set up, we can not give that up ether.

As for running the event at the city Uni that is the whole point behind the event, from the academic sphere out. the complete opposition to the outdoor that is from the trees up.

As above so below - is how one wise man put it

Edited June 2, 2010 by RonnySimulacrum

[alkatrope]

Monash exam period is Oct 28 to Nov 19.. So no clash either way for me

I'd still prefer Dec so I can spend the 20th drinking in celebration of finishing my final year..

Edited June 2, 2010 by alkatrope

[RonnySimulacrum]

Yep personally i think the 4-5 of December is the way to go too

and thanks for doing the poll everyone, the more the merrier

Edited June 3, 2010 by RonnySimulacrum

[Fenris]

Also we encourage everyone to offer any new potential speakers up for us to look into, be it publicly or by PMing me, as this is the time we will be assessing such matters.

 

I think Paul Devereux would be a great choice of speaker http://www.pauldevereux.co.uk/

"My main areas of interest are archaeoacoustics (study of sound at ancient places), ancient and traditional lifeways, the anthropology and archaeology of consciousness, sacred sites and landscapes, general consciousness studies including psi phenomena, unusual geophysical events, and what are loosely termed “earth mysteries”. This is work I have been involved with at a “front line” level for almost four decades."

His book The Long Trip (a prehistory of psychedelia) is a good read. He is also a lecturer among other things.

[RonnySimulacrum]

Thanks Fenris - good suggestion

but i think Paul Devereux would be better on an outdoor EGA year

Will keep in mind for next year

thanks again for the feedback.

[RonnySimulacrum]

Thanks so much for your feedback everyone, it looks like the December date is the winner.

Lock it in people and look out for the big headliner news coming over the wire on the EGA mailing ASAP

Join here -

EGA Mail Out

Edited June 14, 2010 by RonnySimulacrum