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| Abbreviation | BSFA |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Science Fiction Association (SFA) |
| Formation | 1958 |
| Legal status | Private company limited by guarantee |
| Purpose | An organisation of readers, authors, booksellers & publishers for the appreciation and promotion of science fiction in every form. |
| Location | |
Chair | Allen Stroud |
| Website | bsfa.co.uk |
The British Science Fiction Association Limited is an organisation founded in 1958 by a group of British academics, science fiction fans, authors, publishers and booksellers in order to promote the writing, criticism, and study of science fiction in every form. The first President of the BSFA was Brian Aldiss. Pat Cadigan became president in August 2020, and Tade Thompson became the Vice President in June 2021.
The BSFA Awards are presented annually by the British Science Fiction Association, based on a vote of BSFA members and members of the British national SF convention (Eastercon). The BSFA also nominates two out of five of each year's judging panel for the Arthur C. Clarke Award.
The BSFA was the fourth attempt to set up a national organisation of science fiction fans in Britain. The first attempt, the Science Fiction Association (SFA), was set up in 1937 by fans who attended the first British science fiction convention in Leeds in May of that year, and was "devoted to the stimulation of interest in science fiction and scientific progress". It was disbanded on the outbreak of World War II barely two years later.
The second attempt was called the British Fantasy Society (no connection with the later organisation of the same name), and was established in June 1942 by many of the people behind the SFA with the objective of giving members better access to science fiction through its extensive library. The British Fantasy Society did not last long and was wound-up in November 1946.
The third attempt was in 1948, when Captain Ken Slater proposed the founding of a new national fan organisation. From this, the Science Fantasy Society was born. Slater was later posted to the army in Germany and the remaining committee members did not share his "flaming enthusiasm" for the organisation; in September 1951 the SFS was declared to be "a glorious flop".
By the late 1950s, British science fiction fandom was in serious decline. The annual Eastercon had become a purely social event with a rapidly diminishing attendance (150 in 1954, 115 in 1955, 80 in 1956, fewer than 50 in 1958). Spurred by this, the 1958 Eastercon held in Kettering held a discussion on the whole future of British fandom. It was agreed that both British fanzines and science fiction conventions had become inward-looking and had moved so far away from science fiction that they were not attractive to newcomers. It was decided that the way forward was a new national organisation devoted to the serious study of science fiction that would also carry material in its publication about fandom. After considerable debate on the name ("science fiction" was considered a stigma in dealing with the Press), the BSFA was formed, and by its first anniversary it had over 100 members.
The BSFA is responsible for four publications:
Previous publications include:
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