Anyone going to be going to Sophia, Bulgaria Nov 20-23 for FISM Europe?

I thought there was only One FISM? and since it is in Eurpoe -for the most part- why would there be a european FISM?

I also thought the next FISM was in 2009, China???

IT'S THE NEW IMPROVED FISM JUSTIN. LEAVES YOUR MAGIC TWICE AS CLEAN AS BEFORE.
HERE'S THE LATEST PRESS RELEASE FOLLOWED BY THE PREVIOUS ONE. THE 4TH AND LAST PARAGRAPHS KIND OF SUM UP THE MEATY BITS THOUGH. Neal

"The FISM™ European Championship of Magic™ 2008 goes to Sofia
London, 05 July, 2007 - Next year, for the first time ever, the FISM™ European Championships of Magic™ will be held. Top magicians from all over Europe will gather to perform their spectacular and astonishing acts in hopes of being able to be known as the very best magicians in Europe.

Out of the countries thought to host the first edition of the FISM™ European Championships of Magic™, the FISM™ Europe Executive Board had narrowed down the choices to three cities; Sofia (Bulgaria), Prague (Czech Republic) and Aix-les-Bains (France). On 13 June, 2007 Sofia, Bulgaria was announced to be the winner. Sofia will be the home of the first ever European Championships of Magic™ where the Bulgarian Magic Union will be responsible for organising, developing, and hosting this event.

The 3 candidate cities were evaluated on criteria such as venues, accommodation facilities, affordability and political support but also on their abilities and proposals to enhance the art of magic as well as their vision for the future of FISM™ Europe.

The choice of Sofia was finally influenced by the full support and implication of the Balkan Magic Societies and the first ever FISM™ European Championship of Magic™ will be held in the frame of the 6th Balkan Magic Convention from 20 to 23 November 2008.

Astor, President of the Bulgarian Magic Union stated “We are extremely excited for this first FISM™ European Championship of Magic™ to be held in Sofia. This is a great opportunity for Bulgaria, for magic in the Balkans and we are committed to make this competition a successful and entertaining event.”

André Ciocca, Interim President of FISM™ Europe, said “Congratulations to the Bulgarian Magic Union and the other candidate-cities, Prague and Aix-les-Bains who did a fantastic job in bidding to host this already trusted magic event. The FISM™ European Championships of Magic™ will bring the magic community together in what is to be the last big event before the World Championships of Magic™ 2009 in Beijing”.

The FISM™ European Championship of Magic™ was developed to further newly organised FISM™ Europe’s goals. FISM™ Europe was established to provide services to European magicians that would be difficult for FISM™ International to offer. Through this continental competition FISM™ hopes to increase the talent of magic and the level of the FISM™ World Championships of Magic™. With the FISM™ European Championships of Magic™ that is another opportunity for all European magicians to make a name for themselves!"

AND IF YOU CAN BE BOTHERED TO READ ANY MORE HERE'S THE PREVIOUS PRESS RELEASE WITH A BIT OF BACKGROUND TO THE NEW FISM.

"FISM™ Europe to strengthen FISM™ organisation
London, 09 May 2007 – The International Federation of Magic Societies™ (FISM™) has made a leap into the future with the launch of FISM™ Europe.

FISM™ Europe brings together all European magic club and federation members of FISM™, which marks a major step forward for the international governing body of magic. The new entity will have closer ties to its European societies and will be better able to answer their preoccupations and needs, improving FISM™ organisation and services. A committee of European clubs’ representatives worked months on the implementation of FISM™ Europe which was sanctioned by a vote with the go-ahead given by the large majority of all European magic societies member of FISM™. Prior to this vote the FISM General Assembly, last held in Stockholm at the World Championships of Magic™ 2006, had approved and validated a change of FISM™ statutes allowing the creation of continental divisions. Under the new organisation, all continental division presidents are automatically members of the FISM™ Executive Board. In 2003, FISM™ launched an ambitious 6-year-working-plan to pave the way to a more professional organisation. The plan was created in order to better answer the expectancies of new generations of magicians while enhancing its core values and missions: to lever the magic art worldwide, to strengthen services to its members and magicians and continuously improve the level of international magic competitions, such as the World Championships of Magic™. On the 27th of April 2007 the first European Executive Board of FISM™ EUROPE was installed at FISM’s head office in The Netherlands by the Presidium of the FISM™. After the official installation, in the absense of its President, Mr. Lamelot, the Vice-President of FISM™ EUROPE, Mr. André Ciocca from Switzerland chaired the first meeting of the EEB. International FISM President ERIC ESWIN (right), congratulates EEB Vice-President ANDRE CIOCCA (left), on the installation of the European Executive Board.

Further to the missions and goals shared with FISM™, one of the main missions of the newly formed European Executive Board (EEB) will be to organise the first FISM™ European Championships of Magic™. According to the Rules of Conduct for FISM™ EUROPE such a championship should take place during a national convention or during a significant convention of one of the member-societies. Three cities are already candidates and are set to bid for hosting the first ever FISM™ European Championship of Magic™ in 2008: Sofia in Bulgaria, Aix-les-Bains in France and Prague in the Czech Republic.

André Ciocca, acting President of FISM™ EUROPE commented: “FISM™ Europe is now reality and we look forward to be working with all the European magic societies. The organisation of the European Championships of Magic™ will undoubtedly help to give leverage to the magic level and recognition and the three cities candidate to host this new European event prove the dynamism of magic on the “old continent”.

Eric Eswin, FISM™ International President said: “The creation of the continental divisions is a major step forward to enhancing magic worldwide. I wish to congratulate the EEB-team for their great work which paves the way to implementing the other continental organisations: North and Latin-America as well as Asia, Africa and Oceania”.

After FISM™ Europe, other continental divisions could potentially follow suit. In 2008 the North American championships will be organized with the combined convention IBM/SAM, both members of FISM™, as well as in Asia with the Asian Magic Association, also a member of FISM™.

Wow?!

Why the idea to actually isolate asia, america and other world communities from FISM? Or is this a political move in the world society of magic...

should there be a FISM asia or FISM africa then? I thought blackpool and FFFF is serving good enough for europe? Not trying to dis; a humble request of enlightenment here. Not getting the point.

Mickey - this has nothing to do with FISM !!
Some people want a fancy name for their magic competition and have tried to highjack a famous name. Would we be writing about a maigic convention in Bulgaria were it not for the name ?

And thank you Neal for bringing this up !

According to the article. FISM has agreed to have regional activities under their banner. Interesting . . .

I myself am a bit confused at part of this new arrangement. For eg, the press release says,

"In 2008 the North American [FISM] championships will be organized with the combined convention IBM/SAM, both members of FISM™"

I don't know if that means there's a separate event being held within the IBM/SAM convention; or that the IBM/SAM convention becomes a FISM event; or that bits of the convention will be considered as IBM/SAM and other bits FISM.

I wonder if there will there be 2 stage comps, or 1 comp with possibly separate and different FISM winners and IBM/SAM winners, or 1 comp with one FISM/IBM/SAM winner?

I have the same questions regarding the Bulgarian FISM convention. Is it going to feel like a FISM convention or will it be the Sophia/Bulgarian club convention with a FISM label tagged onto it?

I'm sure these questions will all be answered in due course but at the moment I'm left wondering. It also wonder how a European FISM in 2008 is going to affect the Chinese/Bejing FISM in 2009.

I kind of automatically assumed that the numbers for 2009 would be down as many Europeans (me included) will consider China too far to travel to......how many more of those that would have gone will now opt for Bulgaria in 2008 instead?

But then maybe that's part of the stratergy and thinking behind this move. 1 Fism every 3 years draws in so many people that maybe organising an event of that size with so many convention goers, looking for many different things, (close up shows, stage shows, comps in both, lectures, workshops, baquets, masterclasses, informal after hours events, socializing) has just become too much of a monster to do well? Maybe smaller bite sized FISM's is in response to this? I just wonder how much of the kudos and feeling of it being a special event will be lost? The optimist in me hopes that the answer to that will be, very little.

Neal

Anyway

Hi guys.. a question regarding FISM! it goes something like 'Top magicians from all over the world will gather to perform their spectacular and astonishing acts in hopes of being able to be known as the very best magicians ... etc etc'.

Is FISM only for pros and top magicians, or magicians of all levels, ametures , hobbyist... etc etc... those who can afford , can attend?

From the FISM2009 website, it doesn't say any requirement... and I am hoping to making there as my first FISM event to meet and network with magicians... ??

Cheers:)

In brief, and I can see how the press release is causing a lot of confusion, FISM is undergoing an expansion.

2008 - FISM CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (in 2008 FISM Europe - Sofia, and FISM North America - IBM/SAM. Possibly also FISM Oceania. Coming in 2011 or 2014, FISM Asia, FISM Africa and FISM Latin America).

2009 - FISM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - Beijing, China.

2010 - FISM REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (competitions held within each continent, with the winners qualifying for the Continental Championships)

2011 - FISM CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (with winners qualifying for the World Championships)

2012 - FISM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

and repeat...

Feifei - The aim of the FISM World Championships is to see the very best magicians from around the world compete.

To enter, you must be sponsored by your local club or organisation that's affiliated with FISM. However, it's a good idea to go to a FISM first to see the standard of acts before you consider entering.

The idea of the new structure of FISM is that anyone can enter the REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, the winners move on to the CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS the following year, and those winners go to the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS the next year.