MELKSHAM Comic Con organisers have launched an online campaign to raise vital funding for this year’s two-day event.
The campaign offers anyone who donates something in return for their investment including merchandise, a letter of thanks, advertising and much more depending on the amount invested.
Melksham Comic Con need £5,000 investment by Saturday 5th April otherwise they don’t receive any funding in a Dragon’s Den-type deal where the full investment amount has to be reached. The campaign is on popular fundraising website Kickstarter where companies post videos to help promote their product and entice investors.
The video called ‘Save a Brian’ focuses on the need for funding to enable Melksham Comic Con to go-ahead and allow the collective team of volunteers know as ‘Brian” to keep busy, rather then roam the streets of Melksham causing mischief.
Hayley Spencer organiser of Melksham Comic Con said, “We turned to Kickstarter last year to help fund our second convention, and help us become self-sufficient for future years. We were successful, and we now have enough of a budget to maintain the size of the show – but the convention was so popular that we now have to expand to accommodate future growth.
“This, understandably, comes at an increased cost and we’ve made the decision to expand this year’s show by becoming a two-day event and by having bigger panel rooms with more of them.
“Our Kickstarter campaign this year is to fund venue hire for the second day, Melksham Town Hall hire, as well as convention promotional printing as last year we were very generously sponsored by a local print and design company, saving us thousands of pounds on promotional material to make the day a success. This year, we need to find the funds to pay for it ourselves. This includes all promotional posters and flyers, weekend programme of events for all attendees, event banners and signposting, and so on.”
“Melksham Comic Con is totally not-for-profit. All the planning staff work for free outside of their day jobs and busy lives, year round to make sure the convention is a success. Any profits left after each event are ploughed back into the following year, but this only goes so far.
“Our staff love what they do. They are a strong close-knit group of friends and family, who believe in their community and believe that Melksham Comic Con is worth doing – for the smiles, the laughter and the looks of awe and inspiration they see at the end of it all.
“We have some fantastic rewards on offer in exchange for pledges on our kickstater campaign this year – be sure to check them all out before making a decision – we’ve got merchandise galore, special artwork and comic book cameo opportunities, as well as advertising options and sponsorship options for the businesses and entrepreneurs out there wanting to show their support!”
To find out more about the Kickstarter campaign and to view the ‘Save a Brian’ video visit www.kickstarter.com/projects/komix/melksham-comic-con-2014-the-expansion
