International Brotherhood of Magicians

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International Brotherhood of Magicians
FormationFebruary 10, 1922;101 years ago (1922-02-10)
Type Non-profit
Headquarters St. Charles, Missouri, US
President
Billy Hsueh
Website www.magician.org

International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) is an organization for both professional and amateur close-up and stage magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St. Charles, Missouri. There are over 300 local groups, called Rings, in more than 88 countries, largely concentrated in cities of the United States and Canada. The organization publishes a monthly periodical entitled The Linking Ring , which features tricks, coverage of shows and events in the magic community, and interviews with magicians.

Contents

History

The organization was founded February 10, 1922 [1] in Winnipeg, Manitoba by Len Vintus (stage name of Melvin Justus Given McMullen) of Transcona, Manitoba, which would later amalgamate with Winnipeg. [2] [3] Gene Gordon (a.k.a. Gordon Avery) of Buffalo, New York, and Don Rogers (a.k.a. Ernest Schieldge). Unlike earlier magic clubs, such as the Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.) in the United States and The Magic Circle in England, the I.B.M. was begun by magicians living outside the major cities, who were unable to attend magic club meetings, and who kept in contact by post. [4]

Gene Gordon established the first local group, Ring 1, in Rochester, New York. The original Ring 1 eventually disbanded, [5] and St. Louis, Missouri later assumed the vacated title of Ring 1, which it continues to hold today. Since then, a new club, Ring 4, formed in Rochester.

The I.B.M. holds an annual convention, usually in June or July. Although the S.A.M. and the Magic Circle held banquets as early as 1905, the I.B.M. was the first to hold a magic convention, in Kenton, Ohio, on June 9–10, 1926. [4] The 66th annual convention was held in Orlando, Florida. [6]

Organization

Each international territory has a Territorial Vice President who coordinates with the Rings in that country and other Territorial Vice Presidents.

The International Brotherhood of Magicians has a number of local clubs, located throughout the world, known as Rings. [7] Each Ring was originally numbered in sequence, based on when it received its charter from the I.B.M. Since then, some clubs have dissolved, and newer clubs have assumed some of the vacated ring numbers.

Membership

Membership is open to amateur and professional magicians, as well as those who collect magic apparatus and effects. Active members must be at least 18 years old, and youth members must be 7–17 years of age. Active members must have had an interest in magic for at least two years, or one year for youth members.

Leadership

Since 1937, a new International President is elected to the I.B.M. each year. [8]
Past presidents include:

Conventions

The International Brotherhood of Magicians holds annual conventions, usually in July. In 2008, 2014, and 2017, the I.B.M. and the Society of American Magicians hosted a combined convention. More than 1,900+ amateur and professional magicians from around the world attended the gatherings in Louisville, Kentucky, in July 2008, [12] in St. Louis, Missouri, in July 2014, and again in Louisville, Kentucky, in July 2017.

Contest Awards

The International Brotherhood of Magicians held the world's first magic convention in 1926. Contests are held, and awards are given in several categories. Below is a listing of the First Place winners as noted in the I.B.M. Official publication, The Linking Ring. The Gold Cups and Gold Medal Awards are highly coveted and not awarded every year. Additional data for years not listed are available online and were published in the 2019 I.B.M. 91st Annual Convention souvenir program.

+ The 2021 I.B.M. Convention was held virtually due to Covid concerns. Contests entries were selected from pre-recorded performance submissions.

Year1st Place
Stage
Adult
1st Place
Close-Up
Adult
1st Place
Stage
Youth
1st Place
Close-Up
Youth
People's Choice
Stage
People's Choice
Close-Up
Gold Cups
Award
Gold Medal
Award
2023Danny KingFarren PoageOlivier HenningNot AwardedOlivier HenningJeffrey WangNot AwardedNot Awarded
2022Artem ShchukinMicheal BloemekeAnja SteynAnja SteynArtem ShchukinNot AwardedNot AwardedArtem Shchukin
2021+Ding YangAndy DeemerLeonardo PanettiNot AwardedDing YangNot AwardedNot AwardedNot Awarded
2019 [13] Maysayo SatoJosep VidalColin EleazerGeno PloegerMaysayo SatoJosep VidalNot AwardedNot Awarded
2018 [14] Red Star SeongErik TaitNot AwardedNot AwardedRed Star SeongErik TaitNot AwardedZhou-Zhou & Yuanyuan
2017 [15] Stuart MacDonaldOmar FerretNot AwardedNot AwardedStuart MacDonaldJim VinesNot AwardedNot Awarded
2016 [16] Jordan K.Jim VinesNot AwardedNot AwardedJordan K.Jim VinesNot AwardedNot Awarded
2015 [17] Chris RandallShin LimDaniel HernandezJolie DreilingHannah KikuchiShin LimNot AwardedNot Awarded
2014 [18] Hun LeeMichael DardantNot AwardedNot AwardedHun LeeShin LimNot AwardedNot Awarded
2013 [19] Ming Ya LiuAlberto LorenzoEli PortalaDrake StantonMing Ya LiuAlberto LorenzoNot AwardedNot Awarded
2012 [20] Jean Paul OlhaberryMichael DardantSebastian Zara GuaranoNot AwardedJean Paul OlhaberryMichael DardantNot AwardedNot Awarded
2011 [21] Won Kuen HaShin LimReuben MorelandReuben MorelandWon Keun HaShin LimNot AwardedNot Awarded
2010 [22] Jason Andrews Ben JacksonYang YangJohn AccardoJason AndrewsJohan StahlNot AwardedNot Awarded
2009 [23] Richard ForgetDavid PietrasDavid MlakarMicah JohnsonJei Min and HannaInfo Not AvailableNot AwardedNot Awarded

See also

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  14. The Linking Ring. (August 2018).
  15. The Linking Ring. (August 2017). p. 34
  16. The Linking Ring. (August 2016). p. 41
  17. The Linking Ring. (August 2015). p. 26
  18. The Linking Ring. (August 2014). p. 32
  19. The Linking Ring. (August 2013). p. 34
  20. The Linking Ring. (August 2012). p. 2
  21. The Linking Ring. (August 2011). p. 43
  22. The Linking Ring. (August 2010). p. 35
  23. The Linking Ring. (August 2009). p. 35