From conference coordinator Kathy

Planning for SiWC 2022 is underway! 
 
Covid-willing, we are planning a hybrid conference for our 30th annual SiWC, to be held October 21-23 with in-person pre-conference master classes on the 20th and an additional day of virtual master classes on the 19th. Here's what it will look like:
  • We will be offering a full in-person conference with reduced numbers of attendees compared to past years to allow for less crowded banquet and workshop rooms. As with past SiWCs, the in-person conference will include pitch appointments (as long as we can offer them safely) as well as workshops, panels, keynotes, and banquet meals.
  • We will also be offering a concurrent virtual version of the conference. This will include some of the in-person events - some keynotes, workshops and panels -  filmed for inclusion in the virtual conference and some fully virtual workshops taught on Zoom by presenters from home. As with the fully virtual conferences we held in 2020 and 2021, we will have a virtual bar for socializing and will offer access to recordings of most of the virtual workshops for 30 days after the conference. In-person attendees will have access to the virtual conference (including virtual workshop recordings) as well as the in-person one. 
Our Covid safety plan will evolve with the virus and public health guidance. If more safety measures are required, we will take them. Currently, this is our plan:
  • We have arranged to take over the entire conference hotel from our Thursday to check out on our Sunday, including all guest rooms and banquet space so that only our group will be staying in the hotel and using the banquet rooms.
  • We will be requiring proof of vaccination from all attendees, presenters, volunteers, and staff. The hotel already has a vaccine mandate for its staff, so we can be assured that all people participating in or working at the conference are fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated people are welcome to attend the virtual conference.
  • We will be running with a reduced number of attendees in person to allow for more individual space in banquets and workshops.
  • We will be requiring people to wear masks in all public areas of the hotel except while eating or drinking at our banquet meals or in the hotel bar and restaurant. 
  • While we certainly hope we will not have to do so, we will be prepared to pivot to a fully virtual conference if public health guidance, travel restrictions, an increase in Covid numbers, or any other factors affecting people's safety make holding an in person conference untenable.
If you are planning to attend the in-person conference, please consider staying in the conference hotel, the Sheraton Guildford, if you can. You can book your room at our group rate here. Book early! The hotel usually fills up well ahead of registration opening in June. 
 
We will be offering four options at registration:
  • Full Conference - in-person and virtual conference access including all banquet meals and live, in-person keynotes, plus access to virtual conference recordings for 30 days post-conference.
  • Basic In-Person - in person and virtual conference access without banquet meals or in-person keynotes plus access to virtual conference recordings for 30 days post-conference.
  • Virtual - access to the virtual conference including virtual conference recordings for 30 days post-conference.
  • Master Classes - to be added individually like every year.
In about a month, we will be posting registration rates, and in the spring will be posting our presenter roster and programming. Stay tuned for all that information! As ever, registration will open the first Wednesday in June at noon Pacific. Mark your calendars!
 
Due to the reduction in attendee numbers, we will not be offering single day registration this year. The virtual conference will be the registration alternative for those who cannot attend the full conference in person.
 
We would appreciate hearing from as many of you as possible about what your plans are for SiWC 2022 (assuming Covid cooperates) to help us budget and plan appropriately. If you can spare a minute or two, please fill out this short survey. Thank you!
 
More soon!

Kathy Chung, SiWC Conference Coordinator
www.siwc.ca
@siwctweets

 

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Surrey International Writers' Conference Society
Suite #544 | 151-10090 152nd St | Surrey BC V3R 8X8 | Canada