Rules
All tables are 6 x 3 and will be covered with a tablecloth. Each table comes with two chairs. For half table spaces this is 1 chair, if you need more please request it in the application.
Electricity, and phone services are not included with the initial table cost and you will be charged onsite fees if found using these services without prior arrangements through the hotel.
Setup Time: Friday 12:00pm; Breakdown Time: Sunday 5:00pm; Public Hours: see above (times are subject to change)
You must purchase a convention pass. Artist Alley tables do not come with convention passes.
Artists or groups are limited to 1.5 tables.
Tables will be assigned on a Lottery basis.
Artist Alley tables are only available to artists displaying or selling original artwork, fan art, original comic, doujinshi, and fanzines. The sale of videos and software, i.e. mass produced resale items etc., is not allowed from an Artists Alley table. The Artist Alley Area Head reserves the right to prohibit the sale of any merchandise or service that they feel is inappropriate.
Artists must check in to the Artist Alley with government-issued photo IDs and their con badge. Any artist unable to produce a valid photo ID by 10am on Saturday will have his or her table sold. The name on the photo ID must match the name on the artist application and con badge.
The person who applied for the table must be the one to check in, groups members should also stop at the table when they arrive.
All artists and artist helpers MUST be registered and have a badge for NDK. Said badge must be worn at all times while on the con floor, if you are found without one you will be warned by AA staff, there will be no second warning, the issue will be taken to con security. This is necessary because of the attendance cap.
Stolen or plagiarized work is strictly forbidden. All work must be entirely your own. Copying and attempting to sell any existing official or fan art, regardless of what medium it is copied into, is recognized as theft by the state of Colorado. Copying existing art and drawing in a different background or different colors is plagiarism and will not be tolerated. Artists are expected to sell their own art. This includes any and all art on buttons, badges, keychains, jewelry, and all other crafts. Any artists found to be plagiarizing will be asked ONCE to remove their copied artworks. If you persist in displaying or advertising plagiarized work, you will be asked to pack up and will be banned from future conventions. Art theft in the Artist Alley is akin to bootlegs in the Dealers Room, and will not be tolerated.
Artists are also not allowed to sell any kind of art or product with any kind of official logo.
Products released officially either in the US or Japan cannot be sold in Artists Alley, the same goes for completed works done by someone else and bought by you. We want work from you, not someone else.
Food and/or drink cannot be sold in Artists Alley.
There is a strict 18+ rule in Artist Alley. We take this rule very seriously, and violating this rule will have serious consequences. Prohibited 18+ materials include: any kind of pornography or otherwise excessive sexuality (hentai, yaoi, yuri,) excessive gore, or excessive violence. If you are found to be carrying any sort of 18+ material, you will be warned to put it away. If you persist in displaying or advertising 18+ materials, you will be asked to pack up and leave, and will be banned. The acceptability of any product is the sole discretion of the Artist Alley Area Head.
There is a strict PG-13 rule in the Artist Alley. Artists are allowed to bring PG-13 material, but due to the increasing family-friendly nature of the convention, it may not be openly displayed. Suggestive images, mild fanservice, artistic nudity, and the like, must be placed in closed binders or otherwise be hidden from public view. Verbal or written warnings MUST be given to anyone appearing younger than 13. If you are found displaying any sort of PG-13 art, you will be warned to take it down. If you persist in openly displaying PG-13 art, or in allowing younger people to see it, you will be warned again. If your PG-13 art is still displayed after two warnings, you will be asked to leave the convention and you will be banned. If you have any questions about an image please ask with plenty of prior notice to the convention. The acceptability of any product is the sole discretion of the Artist Alley Area Head.
We have a number of people apply for the same type items every year and because of this we have to limit their numbers in Artist Alley. If you are told that you cannot sell an item then you cannot sell it. The same goes for adding new items; if you want to sell something new then you have to get it approved beforehand. Having items on your table that has not been approved before the convention will result in a warning, and you could be asked to put the product away.
Artist Alley has only so much space, and we need to know exactly who we have and what they’re selling. This is because everyone in your group has to be held accountable for following the rules. You can add helpers to your table without getting them approved, they cannot sell any of their own products, but they can watch your space and help you sell. If you want to have someone join your table as an artist after registration is over, email the Artist Alley Area Head with samples and information. Additions will be considered on a case by case basis. If you have someone leave your group, just send a quick email notifying the Artist Alley Area Head. Adding people to sell without permission will result in all members being banned for a year. If the materials are inappropriate, all members will be asked to pack up leave. If the material is approved, the group may remain for the convention but will still be banned the following year.
Under most circumstances artists would be unable to sell items made by someone else. However as a special exemption to this rule, active military members may sign up with a group, if at any between when the table winners are announced and the convention, the member finds that they will be unable to attend, contact the Artist Alley Area Head for a special permission form. At signup put (active military) next to the group members name or you will be unable to apply for the form.
Special permission can also be gained in cases like a collaborative art book, or groups where a member is suddenly unable to make it due to a death in the family, injury, or illness, but these permissions must be approved before the con itself. Guest Artists are allowed to have agents, anyone else found selling products for someone not approved and/or not attending the convention will be banned.
If you have half a table of space that you will not be using then contact the Artist Alley Area Head and a new lottery will be set up to place another artist in the space, do not try to find someone to fill the space on the forums, we have a long waitlist every year and one of the people that applied will get the space.
We understand if you decide not to sell a product or wish to add one, just email the Artist Alley Area Head of the change in case this changes what category you’re in, aka Art, craft, or mixed, or for product approval. The same goes for a business name change, for naming purposes in places like the program and the NDK website, we need your up to date business name or we will use the one we have on file.
Artists are expected to be open and available at their tables for as long as possible during daylight hours. We cannot accommodate as many artists as try for the Artist Alley. If you make it in, we expect you to contribute to the Artist Alley as much as possible, empty tables make people unhappy. We understand that many of you like to see the costume contest on Saturday and it is your choice if you wish to pack up early to see it, we make an exception for this. We also make an exception for setting up a little late in the mornings, with all the late nights, but we expect you to at least be there by 10am on Saturday and 11am on Sunday. If something does come up or you know you won’t be able to make it for one of the days, please contact the Artist Alley Area Head as soon as possible.
Artists who do not show by 10am on Saturday will have their space sold to other artists, and will not be welcome back. This is only for check in, not set up, if you checked in Friday you won’t lose your space because you set up at 10am, the Artists Alley Area head has internet on her phone so she can check for email messages if you need to contact her.
Noise and Behavior: While we understand that the Artist Alley is a busy and noisy place, we require appropriate noise levels. No yelling, obscene language, or general horseplay will be allowed.
Photography is not allowed in the Artist Alley. It is against our rules for you to take pictures of the prints and products for sale unless they are your own. It is also against the rules to photograph cosplayers in the Artist Alley, as it adds congestion to an already traffic-heavy area. If you feel the need to photograph someone, first move outside of the Artist Alley.
Artists are free to arrange their table space as they see fit and may supply their own tables, racks and chairs at no additional cost, remember though that space is limited, if it moves into another artists space you will not be able to use it. NDK reserves the right to approve the setup including TVs, speakers, tables, etc. Also, staff is allowed to restrict what can be heard and viewed outside of your area.
You will be ultimately responsible for your goods and staff as specified in the contract. There will be unrestricted access to the area by the general populace 24 hours a day. Artists will be responsible for clearing their tables at the close of each business day.
