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The Society for the Promotion of Cosplay Culture Incorporated (SPCC) is a Society dedicated to furthering the skills of its members and promoting the hobby of cosplay. We aim to provide a safe, supportive atmosphere where skills can be honed, new techniques taught and shared, and our costuming talents showcased. The SPCC is not a club, but rather an umbrella organisation to promote the hobby as a whole in the public eye.
The SPCC was created during the planning of the 2010 Wellington Cosplay Ball to facilitate the organisation and promotion of cosplay and costume-related events around the country. Cosplay is a creative hobby akin to quilting, painting, clothing design or sculpting; and often involves a mix of skills required from all the aforementioned pursuits, and many more. In the creation of a costume, you may use any number of techniques to create something that may only ever have been seen in two dimensions. The SPCC intends to create a national pool of resources to help people learn more about techniques used in costume and prop construction, and help connect people wanting to learn with people or institutions willing to teach; and simply enjoy the hobby of cosplay!
The term 'cosplay' was coined in the nineteen-eighties to describe fans dressing up as their favourite cartoon/sci-fi characters at a convention, and this description is still true today – but is so much more! As mentioned previously, a huge range of skills can be applied to cosplay, at all levels. On the international stage, cosplay is quickly gaining wider respect and acknowledgement. There is an international competition held annually in Japan, called the World Cosplay Summit – at present, New Zealand is not represented (although Australia is). We hope to see New Zealand competing at an international level some day!
Right now, the only thing we lack is structure – we most certainly have the talent. In New Zealand, we have a national competition run through the Armageddon Pulp Culture Expo and a recently founded trans-tasman contest, where our best and brightest are pitted against a representative from the Australian conventions. A little healthy competition across the ditch is a great way to inspire our members to constantly improve, and push ourselves to create costumes that are bigger, better, and cleverer.
Much of the organisation of cosplay events in New Zealand is done online, with the largest online community being the Cosplay New Zealand (CNZ) forums. CNZ is a meeting-place and message board, and has a remarkably close-knit bond between members – cosplayers look out for each other. Youngsters and newbies are looked after and pointed in the right direction when needed, and if inappropriate action occurs – cyber bullying, unwelcome advances, or over-sharing of personal information for example – action is taken. CNZ, and the SPCC want to provide a supportive atmosphere where techniques can be shared, costumes showcased, and help is always available; whether it be with beating a difficult pattern into submission or any problem that is getting on top of our members. We see cosplay as a skill that brings people together, in competition and in a shared love of creating wearable art, and will perform to the best of our ability to improve the cosplay experience for members and non-members alike.