The Program is the heart and soul of a Worldcon… hundreds of program participants, and over a thousand items for you to attend. Here is where you will be entertained, taught, and joined by other attendees on this adventure we call LAcon V!
What does the Program Division do?
The Program division manages items including:
- Panels (3-5 participants at the front of the room participate in a moderated discussion on a topic)
- Presentations (1 person gives a solo presentation on a topic)
- Discussion Circles (moderated group discussions where all attendees are welcome to participate)
- Meetups & Socials (find your people!)
- Workshops (make-and-take creative workshops, writing workshops, etc.)
- Filk music circles and musical jam sessions
- Gaming room (board games and RPGs)
- Academic talks and papers
- Book Launches and Autograph Sessions
- Social creator-fan conversations like Table Talks (10 attendees and a creator in an informal conversation)
- Children’s Programming
- Teen Programming
The largest Worldcon items, like Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the Hugo Award Ceremony, the Masquerade, Theatrical Performances, and Concerts, are managed by our Events Division.
Topics covered by Program items such as panels, discussion circles, and presentations include:
- Literature (General SF&F, Young Adult, Horror, Romance, Children’s Literature, Poetry, Non-Fiction)
- Science & Technology
- Media (Film & Television)
- A dedicated Academic track
- Anime & Manga
- Art & the Business of Art
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Costuming & Cosplay
- Fandom & Fan History
- Transformative Fandom
- Music & Filk
- Languages and Speculative Fiction
- Gaming (Board gaming, RPGs, and Video Games) & the Business of Games
- Makerspace, talks, & workshops
- Genre Theatre
- Writing & the Business of Writing
Our Goals
The Program division is committed to creating an interesting, educational, and inclusive program. The program will highlight our Guests of Honor, exploring their careers and contributions to speculative fiction, fandom, and the wider community. We are excited about featuring Los Angeles and Southern California participants, the tapestry of communities that overlap with and are adjacent to Worldcon, and recent and current Hugo finalists and winners.
We will prioritize the participation of underrepresented voices from within the wider speculative fiction community, including participants who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, LGBTQIA+, and participants with disabilities. We are hoping to have several panels in Spanish, presuming that there is enough interest shown. We are also very interested in having teen and young adult program participants.
Who We Are
For LAcon V, the Program Division will be co-managed by Helen Montgomery and Dr. Meg MacDonald. Helen has been active in the Worldcon community since 2004, and most recently was the Convention Chair of Chicon 8: The 80th World Science Fiction Convention in 2022. Meg has been active in fandom since 2014 and most recently was co-Division Head for Promotions for Glasgow 2024 – A Worldcon for Our Futures, the 82nd World Science Fiction Convention. The Deputy Division Head for the Program Division is Maciej Matuszewski, who was most recently the Co-Division Head of Programme at Glasgow 2024 – A Worldcon for Our Futures.
Do you want to be involved with the LAcon V Program?
Volunteer with the Program Division
Main Program Participant Survey
Program Item Suggestion Form
