The Dublin 2019 Worldcon bid team has been asked whether they also intend to bid for Eurocon in 2019. The answer is no, as explained in a new release:
Statement from the Dublin 2019 Worldcon bid
EUROCON
We are happy to clarify our position on Eurocon. We do not intend to combine our Worldcon bid with a bid to be the Eurocon in 2019.
We fully support the idea of international SF cons which encourage fans from different cultures and countries to meet and participate together.
As an Irish based Worldcon bid, we are keen to see fans from across Europe attend the Worldcon where they can meet fans from around the world.
The previous UK Worldcon in 2014 worked closely in support and partnership with the Eurocon that year and we aspire to likewise work with the Eurocon in 2019.
We are conscious of the different bidding cycles of Eurocons and Worldcons, which makes it important that our intention be clear early enough for other bids to be able to plan well.
Having seen the close work between a Worldcon and Eurocon in 2014 striving to increase the European engagement and involvement with both conventions, the Dublin 2019 bid is confident that we can work to achieve similar positive outcomes in 2019 if we win our bid.
If we win the Worldcon bid we will be happy to work to promote participation in science fiction across Europe with whoever wins the Eurocon bids for 2018 and 2019.
We may also in due course apply for Euroconference status for a Dublin Worldcon.
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“We may also in due course apply for Euroconference status”
Would any Europeans reading this care to offer an opinion about what this means?
Is “Euroconference status” different from being a Eurocon?
While there is only the one Eurocon in a year, other cons already running can apply to be a Euroconference. The idea being that they make an effort to do some of the same things that a Eurocon would do, i.e. promoting European SF fandom, etc., but aren’t organised particularly for the purpose. The 2010 Eastercon Odyssey was a Euroconference. It’s a very vaguely defined thing. I think the only rule is that they can’t happen at the same time.