RANCHO CORDOVA, California, USA, May 1, 2026 — Women have found an increasingly visible place on magic’s stages. No longer cast as merely assistants, they are taking on the starring role. Yet while that glass ceiling has been cracked in performance, behind the scenes — in the world where commercial magic products are made and marketed — the picture looks very different. There, women remain notably absent. Vanishing Inc. and Mystify Magic Festival are joining forces to change that.
The idea grew out of a meeting earlier this year between Andi Gladwin, co-founder of Vanishing Inc., and Leah Orleans, the creator of Mystify Magic Festival. The two were discussing plans for the 2027 festival when Gladwin raised his frustration that women creators are rare in the commercial magic space. Orleans proposed a cooperative effort to address it. The result is an open call for original magic effects from women and gender-diverse creators, with selected projects eligible for professional production and distribution through Vanishing Inc.
“I am excited about this opportunity to amplify the mission of Mystify Magic Festival in a new way through this partnership with Vanishing Inc.,” Orleans told Conjurly. “Opportunities for commercial production and publishing in magic have historically gone mostly to men. It is time for that change.”
Gladwin explained the goal simply: “If you look at who actually releases their magic, a lot of voices are missing from that picture. Our aim is to open up who gets visibility to production and access in magic.”
Gladwin co-founded Vanishing Inc., widely regarded as the world’s largest magic retailer, and has built it into a major force in bringing creator work to the global magic marketplace.
Orleans is a professional circus acrobat, contortionist, and comedian whose high-danger, comedic one-woman show, Tiny Girl Big Show, has established her as a distinct voice in variety entertainment. Through Mystify, she has worked to build a dedicated platform for the growth and progress of women in the field of variety arts.
Announced via social media on April 10, the initiative closes May 29, 2026, and invites submissions from creators at any experience level — including those who have never released a commercial effect. Applicants are asked to submit a video demonstrating the effect, explaining the method, and showing all required props, along with a written or video breakdown of how the trick could be manufactured. An optional teaching video is also encouraged. Gladwin notes that in evaluating entries, “We care way more about clarity than polish.”
No prior releases, large social media following, or production experience is required to enter. Full details and the application are available at vanishingincmagic.com.
One grand prize winner will receive two registrations to Mystify Magic Festival 2027 and a hands-on development partnership with the Vanishing Inc. team, covering design, production, filming, marketing, and distribution. Additional selected creators will receive mentorship and a path toward publishing and distribution through Vanishing Inc., with compensation structured on the same creator-forward terms the company offers all of its partners.
The prize ties into Mystify Magic Festival 2027, scheduled for March 1–3, 2027. The three-day festival, with registration opening June 16, 2026, is designed around education, connection, and performance, with women and underrepresented artists at its center. The event is open to anyone — “all genders and identities” — while centering the advancement of women in magic and live variety entertainment.
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