There is a strong A&S community in Lochac, and they will often look for ways to engage in A&S at events and meet with other artisans. This page is a guide to help you think about how to incorporate A&S into your event.
The primary thing you should consider when incorporating A&S into your event is to make sure it can be found. Try to locate displays in a place that everyone can admire them, make classes easy to find and hospitable to your teachers and students, and think about how performances and pageantry can add you the atmosphere of your event.
Finally, if you are serving food, then consider that “period food” is just a particular cuisine and we are a nation of people interested in interesting tasty food, so take the chance to showcase something interesting and tasty!
Collegia
Collegia can be either classes or workshops. They are an important way to share knowledge and skills to newer members of the Society, as well as allow everyone to be inspired. Think about moving beyond the common hour-long lecture with notes, perhaps there is someone in your group who is willing to mentor a group of people through making a particular item, perhaps someone would like to host a round-table discussion on a particular skill…
If you want to include collegia you should consider whether you have the facilities to host classes and workshops – a warm, dry space is a must for most sedentary lecture-style classes, whilst some crafts may require a certain light quality, or warmth, or to be outdoors.
Finally, appoint a specific collegia co-ordinator who is responsible for the class timetable, setting up the teaching spaces, finding teachers and making sure everything is running smoothly.
A&S Displays
A&S displays are a fantastic way to showcase what is currently happening in your local group. They are a low pressure way for artisans to bring along something they have recently completed, or a work in progress, to display for others to see, thus contributing to their renown. It also means that people interested in similar areas can find each other.
You can set up an open display, or create a specific theme. Open displays are preferred, as the artisans of Lochac work on items for various reasons, and usually those reasons don’t align with specific themes. However, if you are creating a theme, then think about something that will have a broad appeal, such as a food item.
They are easy to include in any event, as all that is required is a table or two with a tablecloth upon it.
Advertise ahead of time that an “open display” will be set up, and invite anyone to bring along items. Provide cardboard and marker pens so that people can write down their name and what the item is.
Ensure the table(s) are in a well-lit part of the hall, and that the display extends throughout any feast that is served, so that people can browse entries between removes. Also, be sure to announce the display during court, so people know what it is and where to find it.
Competitions
In many ways competitions are a specialised version of the A&S display. Where topics are set by the A&S officer (or Kingdom Minister in the case of a Kingdom Event).
If your event has a competition associated with it, then you should make sure that space is provided on the timetable for entries to be submitted and judging to occur. Judging can take an hour or two, depending on the number and complexity of entries.
The competition administration should be organised by your local A&S officer, so check in with them that they know this, and what help they might need. Also, they will need a chance to announce the winner in court (if you have one), so check that your Herald has this included in the business of court.
General Activities
Does your group enjoy dancing? How about singing or music? Performance is a great way to bring the Arts into your event. Think about whether you have the space and at what points in your event such items would enhance everyone’s fun. Between first and second remove is good for dancing, whilst singing might accompany a procession, or occur whilst people are eating.
Maybe you want to include a subtletie (or series of subtleties) to be presented to high table, and you know someone willing to create it. Make sure that such effort is displayed to the entire room to celebrate the creator.
SCAdians often also enjoy games, and there are a variety of period games suitable for events. Consider period board games, or outdoor games that can be run during the day time.
Ultimately A&S emcompasses a variety of activities, and there are so many ways that it can add to your event and create the enjoyment and atmosphere that ensures your event will be a success.
