NärCon finally posted a video about the feedback they got for Närcon Sommar 2024. Let’s go through it.
In it Daniela (full time NärCon employee) explains they had “the best year ever” according to the feedback. It’s been pointed out by multiple people that the survey used lacked even basic options to provide constructive criticism. Anything negative was restricted to the last box of “anything else you want to add?”. So we cannot help but laugh at this statement. Everything looks good when negativity is discouraged and every person is an involuntary yes-man! There were also many concerns about the survey not being anonymous enough, which made many people openly state in their own discord that they would not be filling the survey out due to discomfort.
The problem with this is that they will simply never improve or fix their problems when they don’t get to hear about the things they can and should improve. If they don’t fix the problems while they’re small, the problem is going to keep growing each year until it’s fully out of control. It’s easier and less expensive to fix a 15.000 visitor convention, than a 30.000 visitor one. But looking good on the surface is seemingly their no. 1 priority, while the core is rotting from the inside.
Daniela goes on to tell everyone that they can’t fulfill every single request, naturally. We’re not strictly against them stating it openly as if the viewer is a literal child, because they know the viewers are very often literal children. Underage people are their core demographic. It does however raise the question if maybe they should consider having adult information outlets too, if they wish to maintain an all-ages event. The entire video is overall very childish and what you’d expect to show middle school children, we have to say as adults it’s a bit annoying to watch it as you are being talked down to as if you are a child.
An example of that is that she then laughs about how she can’t go through everything because it would take hours and neither party would like that. We and many visitors with us would very much like open transparency, so they’re wrong about that. We actually do want communication and information about our valid concerns. It doesn’t have to be a video, a simple blogpost with one to three sentences per statement would be optimal, cheaper and less time consuming.
Daniela brings up how people were upset about the sleeping halls. Specifically about people being “sad or confused” over why they had the electrical outlets and taps turned off. She says “the taps were off for a reason” that she does not elaborate further on, but that they’ll be on next year - but with clear instructions. The outlets were off due to fire hazard concerns over multiple power strips being used at the same time. This is of course a very valid reason, but it should have been communicated clearly from the start. It should also be clear when people buy tickets to the sleeping halls that they likely can’t charge their phones easily and have to share a low amount of sockets. Again, they’re clearly aware their target demographic is kids. Kids who 1) do not think ahead due to natural developmental reasons, and 2) need to be able to reach parents using their phones in case anything bad happens. So this is important information.
Next point is signage. They state they will have clearer signage next year. Thank god for that. This point includes people not knowing where to get coffee. This is quite literally the most Swedish concern to ever exist.
A few bullet points
- They’ll get more decor for next year.
- LED sound on the trailer outside will be improved
- Splitting queues to Drakens Öga for shorter queues
Minor points, but should be positive changes.
On to Artist Alley. Will they mention the sexual content shown to kids they banned and bullied multiple concerned visitors over? (Spoiler, they do not.)
They will have fewer tables to reduce the overcrowded areas, and of course the change from first-come to having judges choose who gets to come to Artist Alley. Meaning the next time you see something inappropriate in Artist Alley you know for sure NärCon staff personally approved of it! AI art is for the first time stated to not be allowed, that is something artists have been waiting for them to do for years! We assume the statements that they’ll try to get stage performers to sell rather than artists was a simple case of so called “Swenglish”.
The absolutely garbage NärCon app is brought up. They are attempting to solve issues of it crashing and not loading. This has been known for years though, so we can’t give them too much credit for just admitting it openly. At least they’re planning to add water stations, microwave locations, and parking around the area to the maps, as well as informing people where the cosplay parade is. Very refreshing to hear the phrase “that was our fault” said by someone working for NärCon. We enjoyed this once in a lifetime moment.
Now there’s a jump back to sleeping halls, they’re going to have better information about how incredibly cold it gets in the sleeping halls at night. This again is good, but it’s still shocking it took them over a decade to figure out it’s worth mentioning it to the kids coming. Though it’s possibly just going to be in the app and not informing people of it while buying tickets/before arriving at the con and checking the app. It remains to be seen.
More audience choices will be added to for example cosplay performances. More cosplay intermediate added, and now you’ll have to submit beforehand what you plan to do, presumably to get selected by judges. More info is promised later. K-pop dance Swedish championship is to be held at NärCon. Cosplayers mention the lack of changing rooms so NärCon promises to have more next summer.
Lastly, they’ll get more buses to run to/from the convention (certain fairies want us to point out that she mispronounces the word östgöta which they found hilarious).
Overall, childishly delivered video. But again, it’s seemingly for literal kids. It avoids the controversies and doesn’t go into much detail. It’s still better that the video exists than not. She claims they appreciate all feedback, while their other staff members ban people for bringing up serious concerns so we have to say we doubt that statement.
We are still concerned about the various types of pornography shown to kids and the lack of safeguarding in many areas.
We are concerned the staff members are wholly unfit for their roles at the expense of vulnerable visitors.
We are concerned about kids being encouraged to come alone, without parents, while staff admit they know pedophiles come to NärCon too.
We are concerned about staff members and moderators bullying and silencing visitors.
We are concerned about bootleg merch being sold by scammers, sellers who sell stolen art, and sellers of child pornography being allowed back.
We are concerned with how the website is virtually pointless and lacks information which is instead thrown into the crashing app.
We are concerned with the terrible scheduling that lumps all events into the same time slots for no valid reason.
We are concerned that activism is being encouraged over relevant convention activities.
We are concerned over how if you talk to anyone working with NärCon in private they admit how much they fear being honest with their staff.
To name a few things.
