furry convention
A furry convention (also furry con or fur con) is a formal gathering of members of the furry fandom — people who are interested in the concept of fictional non-human animal characters with human characteristics. These conventions provide a ...
held in
San Jose, California
San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...
each January, celebrating the
anthropomorphics
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.
Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
genre or
furry fandom
The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters. Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The term ...
, including charitable benefits, educational seminars, art shows, panels and general social activities. It was the first event sponsored by Anthropomorphic Arts and Education (Furcon is its registered service mark) and continues to be its largest.
Beginning in 1999 with the attendance of 691 individuals, Further Confusion has grown rapidly. In 2023, its record attendance was 5,388 individuals from around the world. Further Confusion donated over $100,000 to various charitable beneficiaries (including
animal shelter
An animal shelter or pound is a place where stray, lost, abandoned or surrendered animals – mostly dogs and cats – are housed. The word "pound" has its origins in the animal pounds of agricultural communities, where stray livestock would ...
s,
rescue group
An animal rescue group or animal rescue organization is a group dedicated to pet adoption. These groups take unwanted, abandoned, abused, or stray pets and attempt to find suitable homes for them. Many rescue groups are created by and run by vol ...
s, and the
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) is an American non-profit organization formed in 1986 to protect the First Amendment rights of comics creators, publishers, and retailers covering legal expenses. Charles Brownstein served as the organi ...
) in the period 1999–2008. Its art show sales routinely exceed $50,000.
Guests of honor
Until 2017, Further Confusion invited significant artists, writers, or other creative workers as guests of honor. The guests of honor were:
* Ed Kline,
Ken Mitchroney
Ken or KEN may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer.
* ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film.
* ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine.
* Ken Masters, a main character in t ...
Karen Prell
Karen Leigh Prell (born July 26, 1959) is an American puppeteer and animator. She is the performer of Red Fraggle in ''Fraggle Rock''.
Early life and career
Prell was born on July 26, 1959 in Florida but grew up in Seattle, Washington. She al ...
,
Mike Quinn
Michael Patrick Quinn (born April 15, 1974) is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos ...
Diane Duane
Diane Duane (born May 18, 1952) is an American science fiction and fantasy author, long based in Ireland. Her works include the '' Young Wizards'' young adult fantasy series and the '' Rihannsu'' Star Trek novels.
Biography
Born in New Yor ...
Peter Morwood
Peter Morwood (born 20 October 1956, Northern Ireland) is primarily a fantasy novelist and screenwriter, though he has also written works of science fiction; his best-known works include the ''Horse Lords'' series and the ''Tales of Old Russia'' ...
David Brin
Glen David Brin (born October 6, 1950) is an American scientist and author of science fiction. He has won the Hugo,Kevin Palivec (2002)
* Karen Anderson and
Toby Bluth
Frederick L. "Toby" Bluth (July 11, 1940 – October 31, 2013) was a Texas-born American illustrator who worked on many Disney films and others as animator, background artist, and production designer. He had a long career writing and illustrating ...
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven (; born April 30, 1938) is an American science fiction writer. His best-known works are '' Ringworld'' (1970), which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards, and, with Jerry Pournelle, '' The Mote in God's ...
(2004)
*
Alan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster (born November 18, 1946) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction. He has written several book series, more than 20 standalone novels, and many novelizations of film scripts.
Career ''Star Wars''
Foster was the ghost ...
Jane Lindskold
Jane M. Lindskold is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels.
Early life
Jane M. Lindskold was born on 15 September 1962, and grew up in Washington, D.C., and the Chesapeake Bay area. Jane is the first of fo ...
Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Eugene Pournelle (; August 7, 1933 – September 8, 2017) was an American scientist in the area of operations research and human factors research, a science fiction writer, essayist, journalist, and one of the first bloggers. In the 1960 ...
Jeff Pidgeon
Jeff Pidgeon is an American animator, screenwriter, storyboard artist, and voice actor at Pixar.
Early life
Influenced by Charles M. Schulz's comic strip ''Peanuts'', Jeff Pidgeon dreamed of becoming a newspaper cartoonist. He studied and g ...
Ursula Vernon
Ursula Vernon (born May 28, 1977) is an American freelance writer, artist and illustrator. She has won numerous awards for her work in various mediums, including the Hugo Award for her graphic novel '' Digger'', the Nebula Award for her short st ...
Ursula Vernon
Ursula Vernon (born May 28, 1977) is an American freelance writer, artist and illustrator. She has won numerous awards for her work in various mediums, including the Hugo Award for her graphic novel '' Digger'', the Nebula Award for her short st ...
and
Chris Savino
Christopher Mason Savino (born October 2, 1971) is an American writer, comic book artist, and former animator. He is well-known as the creator of the animated series ''The Loud House''. Savino has also worked on ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'', ''Dexte ...
Lex Rudd
Lex or LEX may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lex'', a daily featured column in the ''Financial Times''
Games
* Lex, the mascot of the word-forming puzzle video game ''Bookworm''
* Lex, the protagonist of the word-forming puzzle video ga ...
(2015)
*
Dana Simpson
Dana Claire Simpson is an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of the comic '' Phoebe and her Unicorn'', as well as the long-running webcomic Ozy and Millie. Other works created by Simpson include the political commentary cartoon ''I Dr ...
Anthropomorphic Arts and Education, Inc. (AAE) is a
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
corporation
A corporation is an organization—usually a group of people or a company—authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law "born out of statute"; a legal person in legal context) and ...
that supports educational and charitable activities of interest to furry fans. AAE is primarily involved with organizing Further Confusion, as an activity that raises funds and donations on behalf of charities, conducts seminars, and provides a gathering place for the furry fandom.Anthropomorphic Arts and Education at
WikiFur
The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters. Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The term ...