Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention 2011 slated for 20-21 August 2011

By popular demand, the Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention (STGCC), a popular culture convention, will be back four months earlier this year. Into its fourth year, the annual pop culture event will take place on 20 and 21 August 2011 at the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The event is a showcase of the latest and greatest in the toy, games, comics scenes, and the top-notch quality and variety it offers in these sectors have attracted legions of fans locally in Singapore and across the region.

Last December, the show drew more than 28,000 fans and a total visitorship of 72,000, and the online community is already abuzz with excitement and looking forward to the show being staged earlier this year.

Yeow Hui Leng, Project Director of Reed Exhibitions Singapore, which organises the yearly show, said: “Bringing the convention to August this year was a decision made after gathering feedback from fans, industry professionals, and exhibitors. The new dates do not overlap with fans’ holiday plans and the peak travel season, making it easier for all pop culture buffs to attend the event and cheaper for overseas fans to travel to Singapore.

“We have also consolidated the show into a two-day format to make the programme more compact, and fans will be able to catch all the action happening over the weekend.”

Ms. Yeow added that the earlier dates also provide benefits to exhibitors, retailers and fans. “August coincides with the period when companies launch new products, and we are looking forward to seeing more exhibitors join us at STGCC this year -- promoting and premiering the must-have items for all toy, games and comics fans. We are also in talks to unveil limited-edition collectibles and STGCC exclusives with exhibitors who have already signed up for the 2011 show.”

STGCC is co-produced by Reed Exhibitions Singapore and ReedPOP in the USA. ReedPOP is the team behind international events including the New York Comic Con (NYCC), New York Anime Festival and Star Wars Celebration.

Reed, which took over STGCC in 2010, upped the ante when Marvel Comics and its entourage of writers and illustrators such as C.B. Cebulski, Salvador Larroca and Matt Fraction made their inaugural appearances in Asia at STGCC last December.

This year, STGCC promises to delight, tantalize and inspire fans with up-close-and-personal opportunities with heavyweights and cult names in the toy, games and comics scenes. Ms. Yeow said: “We look forward to continue giving fans thrilling opportunities to meet and interact one-on-one with well-known comic creators, illustrators and toy designers.”

For this fourth edition of STGCC, Reed Exhibitions Singapore will again be working closely with ReedPOP to create a robust programme dedicated to Asian fans. NYCC veteran Mr. Peter Tatara, Director of Industry Development from ReedPOP, will be based in Singapore during the planning phase to construct a more focused programme with a healthy distribution of toy, games, comics content from both East and West.

Mr. Lance Fensterman, ReedPOP Group Vice President and NYCC Show Manager, said: “One of STGCC’s unique points is its merging of top quality content from the East and West into one nexus in Southeast Asia. We want to build on our successes to give fans a complete pop culture experience, with the bigger goal of developing STGCC into the leading catalyst for pop culture in Asia. With the support of our fans, industry professionals, and exhibitors, we aim to grow STGCC into Asia’s biggest pop culture show, equivalent in both size and scope to its sister events like NYCC.”

In addition to entertaining fans in Singapore and Asia, STGCC will also continue its role as a talent-spotting platform in Southeast Asia via Artist Alley. Artist Alley is a special segment at STGCC which gives aspiring artists an international platform to showcase their creative talent and artwork. Not just home to pop culture super stars, Artist Alley at last year’s STGCC saw the participation of over 40 talented rising artists from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.