Fitchburg Fandom Festival: Creating Inclusive Spaces Through Creative Placemaking

As applications open for the 2025 Dream It, Create It grant program, we're spotlighting successful projects that exemplify creative placemaking in Fitchburg. Today, we explore how Merrick Henry used a $15,000 grant to create an inclusive pop culture convention that prioritized accessibility while celebrating creativity.

Reimagining Convention Culture

When most people think of comic conventions and fandom festivals, they envision crowded halls, sensory overload, and exclusive celebrity appearances. Merrick Henry envisioned something different for Fitchburg – a community-focused celebration where accessibility wasn't an afterthought but the foundation of the entire experience.

With a $15,000 Dream It, Create It grant, the Fitchburg Fandom Festival became a reality, offering a fresh approach to convention culture that emphasized inclusion, local talent, and sustainable growth.

Prioritizing Accessibility and Inclusion

At the heart of the festival was a commitment to creating spaces where everyone could participate comfortably. Working in partnership with Fitchburg State University and Calmer Con, the team designed a sensory-friendly room specifically for attendees on the autism spectrum.

"We had a few attendees use the space throughout the day and we're thrilled to have it be a mainstay for future years to come with this festival," reported Henry in the final grant report.

The team also carefully managed sound levels throughout the event, finding the perfect balance that allowed performers to hear their music while ensuring attendees could comfortably engage without being overwhelmed.

Showcasing Local Talent

Rather than directing funds toward a single celebrity appearance, the Fitchburg Fandom Festival chose to spotlight the wealth of creative talent in North Central Massachusetts. The diverse lineup of panels ranged from "The Evolution of Swords" to "The Business of Being An Actor," providing both entertainment and educational value.

Live performances brought energy and excitement, with "The Anomalies" dance troupe emerging as an unexpected highlight. Their skillful and comedic performance "gave the audience the freedom to smile and have fun while watching the show, something that doesn't happen all too often during a dance performance," according to the organizers.

Redefining the Vendor Experience

Perhaps most surprising was the festival's impact on participating vendors. While many conventions relegate vendors to distant halls or basements, the Fitchburg Fandom Festival integrated them into the heart of the experience.

"They admitted that they never get to see panels or overall entertainment at other Comic-Con events," Henry noted. Vendor Jesse Lundburg described the event as offering "high-quality entertainment," while he and Matt Crafton of Space Viking Productions agreed that the festival "treated vendor guests right by including them in the festivities from beginning to end."

This approach not only enhanced the vendor experience but also built a foundation of support for future events. As Henry observed, "With the support of the vendors and entertainers who were with us in our first year, we'll have strong support for future years to come."

Building for Sustainability

A key decision that distinguished the Fitchburg Fandom Festival was its investment in infrastructure rather than one-off marketing moments. While the original plan included bringing in a notable actor from a specific television franchise, the team pivoted to focus on building sustainability.

This strategic choice allowed them to save approximately $5,000 for year two of the festival. Combined with an additional $1,000 grant from the Fitchburg Cultural Council, the festival has established a strong foundation for growth.

"With the infrastructure we built up in year one for game consoles and stage tools, we feel we have a solid direction of how to continue to spend funding on artists, performers, and venue spaces and support the people of our community," Henry explained.

Apply Now for 2025 Dream It, Create It Grants

The Fitchburg Fandom Festival demonstrates how Dream It, Create It grants can help transform creative visions into community-building realities. By prioritizing inclusion, showcasing local talent, and building for the future, this festival has created a model that will benefit Fitchburg for years to come.

Could your creative placemaking idea be the next success story? Applications are now open for the 2025 grant cycle, with $50,000 available across multiple award categories.

Join us for an information session on March 14th at 6:00 PM to learn more about the application process and hear from selection committee members about what makes a compelling proposal.

Apply Now | Virtual Office Hours Schedule

Dream It, Create It grants are facilitated by CoFF33 Corp. and funded by MassDevelopment/TDI and the Barr Foundation. This program is one component of a broader "TDI Creative Cities" initiative to boost arts-based economic development.