‘Look what you made me do’: RMIT University will open up the floor to academics and fans alike in a public Taylor Swift ‘Fanposium’ event next month

A huge Taylor Swift event is coming to Australia...and Swifties are beyond excited.

Taylor Swift fever has permeated every corner of Aussie society including, it seems, our best universities.

A second Victorian university will be host to an academic Taylor Swift event ahead of the megastar’s tour down under.

RMIT has announced that they’ll be holding a “Fanposium” next month, where leading music and culture experts will discuss the impact and phenomenon of Taylor Swift.

The institution will also play host to Australia’s very first public screening of Swift’s 2020 documentary Miss Americana.

Taking place in collaboration with Melbourne University — following the announcement of their “Swiftposium” in February — RMIT’s “Fanposium will allow Swifties the chance to participate on a deeper level, featuring fan presentations from across the globe.

RMIT fan studies expert Kate Pattison — a panel host who is undertaking a PhD on Swift — said that fans will share the unique ways in which Swift has “shaped their lives”, including a 15-year-old who will talk about why the pop-star is such an inspiration to her.

Another fan will also share their perspective on the sense of community they’ve found around Swift fan events.

Discussions will centre around the “Bad Blood” singer’s impact on areas such as tourism and the economy, with fan study experts and music industry academics — including Dr Catherine Strong (RMIT) and Dr Liz Giuffre (UTS) and Australian music writer Cameron Adams — set to lead the conversation.

Taylor Swift at the Golden Globes. (Photo by Michael TRAN / AFP)

Ms Pattison also revealed that the day will see discussions about how pop music fandoms can be beneficial in other areas of life including the workplace, with one fan telling her that “deep diving” into Swift’s marketing strategies had helped them in their role as a publicist.

Swift, who will be playing sellout shows in Melbourne and Sydney just next month, is the perfect candidate for an event like this according to Ms Pattison said, given that “2023 really was the year of Taylor Swift”.

“She’s absolutely dominating the cultural conversation,” she said.

“She’s broken chart and streaming records, boosted local economies through her touring, and continued to drive conversations around music ownership and promotion through her rerecordings.

“At just 34, she’s already built an incredible legacy, and her career can be studied from multiple perspectives.”

Swifties will have the chance to attend a “Fanposium” at RMIT. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Discussions will centre around the “Bad Blood” singer’s impact on areas such as tourism and the economy. (Photo by Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Director of RMIT’s Social Change Enabling Impact Platform Professor Lisa Given said that inspiration for the event came after seeing the Eras Tour ticket craze in Australia as well as the overwhelmingly positive response to Melbourne University’s “Swiftposium”.

“We thought a community-facing event would offer people a chance to celebrate Taylor Swift’s impact around the world,” she said.

“This event is designed for the community at large, whether you are a Swiftie fan, love documentaries, or just interested in learning more about the music industry and pop culture.”

The “Fanposium” will kick off with friendship bracelet trading on February 11, with limited tickets available here from 1pm on Monday.

The event is set to take place six days before Swift will take to the stage in Australia, playing three shows at Melbourne’s MCG (February 16, 17 and 18) and four at Sydney’s Accor Stadium (February 23, 24, 25 and 26).

Originally published as ‘Look what you made me do’: RMIT University will open up the floor to academics and fans alike in a public Taylor Swift ‘Fanposium’ event next month