The power of the spoken word plus the extraordinary purity of the flute practically guarantees a profound experience. Two of my favourite things in one divine package! – Sean Williams

On October 4, 2015, the Conflux Speculative Fiction Convention in Canberra will host a remarkable night of new music and new stories from some of the top names in Australia and beyond.  Writers including World Fantasy Award winner Robert Shearman,  New York Times bestselling author Sean Williams, and Nebula winner Jack Dann are teaming up with composers including Joe Dolce, Eve Klein, Andrew Batterham, and Houston Dunleavy to produce stories set to the music of flutes – from piccolo to contrabass – played by some of Australia's finest performers.  The night will include never-before-seen artwork by award-winning artist Kathleen Jennings.

I always think good writing is trying to replicate good music – to have tempo and rhythm. It's so exciting to work alongside a truly wonderful composer like Houston Dunleavy and put the two forms together! – Robert Shearman

The producers of this event believe with all our hearts that musicians, writers, and artists, deserve to be compensated for their work.   We're asking you to fund this concert to show that like us, you want a world in which creativity, joy, and generosity can happen, and that you value the people who share their talents.  It's about respect for the artist, for the work, for the hope that the world is more than just the ordinary, and for the conviction that art matters.

When we found out that Conflux and the Australian Flute Festival were both in Canberra on the same weekend, really, what else could we do but create a concert full of science fiction, fantasy, and flutes? – Laura E. Goodin

Twenty-one writers, composers, performers, and visual artists are contributing to this concert.  As the concert will be presented as part of the Conflux Speculative Fiction Convention (which will cover venue and AV costs), all money we raise through this campaign will be divided equally among these 21 people.  The more we raise, the more the artists get.  This is your chance to stand up and say that artists of all kinds deserve to receive compensation for their work!

Budget:  
Space:  in-kind donation from Conflux ($0)
AV:  in-kind donation from Conflux ($0)
Publicity:  in-kind donation from Conflux ($0) and social-media campaign ($0)
Artists' fees:  $3,000 (approximately $140 for each of 21 artists (writers, composers, performers, visual artists)

Total:  $3,000

The only obstacle is the possibility that a performer may be unable to attend the concert.  We will have understudies in place to ensure that the performance goes on as scheduled.