[Archive 2018-03-25] Culture of creativity features at Furnal Equinox 2018

Historical archive — originally published 2018-03-25. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Visual art, fabric art, photography, performance, dance, virtual reality, and music were all the subject of sessions at Furnal Equinox 2018, a conference held from March 16 to 18 at Toronto's Westin Harbour Castle. Canada's largest furry convention by attendance, the annual event offers dozens of subculture-specific programs.

At one panel Wikinews attended, members of its all-volunteer organising committee spoke of the year-long process of planning the event, and their reasons for committing such a significant amount of their time. Said one panelist, "if you're happy, we're happy."

The largest hub of activity at the convention was a dealer's room; nicknamed the "Dealer's Den", giving it an anthropomorphic twist. Vendors were selling original visual art, wearables like faux fur tails or ears, or things like jewellery or soap with motifs that would interest attendees.

Split into groups, some attendees played "Fursuit Games" in front of an audience, like trying to toss a ball into a garbage can. The activity made harder, of course, by the limited dexterity and vision the most of the costumes entail.

Only 10–15% of people within the fandom own a fursuit, according to a 2011 study, contrary to the impression that this photo montage may give.

Source and licence

Text adapted from Culture of creativity features at Furnal Equinox 2018 by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.