Introduction
The Artist Alley, Ohayocon's very own spot for artists to gather and feature their original works of art to the convention public. Ohayocon is constantly welcoming new artists and we wish to encourage independent artists in the anime/manga community to share their unique styles and mediums with our attendees! The Alley is designed to allow it's artists to gain exposure, sell their artworks, share experiences, and improve their skills. Keep reading if you're interested in operating within the Artist Alley at Ohayocon, You will be expected to familiarize yourself with, and follow the guidelines detailed below.GeneraL InfO
Price:
Costs will include the space
As we get all the details straightened out for 2011's event we'll be posting the new costs and guidelines as they become available. The cost includes the space includes the table and 2 Alley badges for the entire operating convention weekend.
Dimensions:
Each Alley space measures 6 feet by 6 feet and includes 1 (3 feet by 6 feet) table and 2 chairs.
Hours of Operation:
The Alley at Ohayocon will be operating under specific hours this year. We want to ensure that everyone has a chance to enjoy the convention. The hours of operation for the Alley are as follows:
Thursday: 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. Badge pick up and display set up only. No conducting business during this time. (This all depend on tables being set out by the hotel.)
Friday: 1 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
If changes to the operation hours occur, the Artist Alley Coordinators will inform all registered artists of the changes at the earliest possible moment.
Artist Alley Badges:
All Artists will receive 2 badges with their table. The names for the Artist Alley badges must be provided, when the space is purchased. These are the only two people allowed within the registered artist alley space during the convention. This allows for a variety of circumstances. The 2 Artist Alley badges may be registered to an artist and their assistant, 2 separate artists who will be sharing the space, a minor artist and their guardian, and/or 2 artist representatives of an art studio.
The Artist Alley badge is equal to a three day registered Ohayocon badge. You will NOT need another badge to get into any of the other events at Ohayocon. The Artist Alley badge should be prominently displayed on your person at all times during the artist alley hours. The registered artists will receive their alley badges at their initial check-in. If your badge is lost or stolen, please see your Alley Coordinators right away. They will instruct you on what you can do to replace the badge.
Check-In:
The artist must check in at the artist registration table before setting up to receive their artist alley badges. Additionally, the artist MUST check in at the artist registration table before opening each day of the convention. This step is required so that the Artist Alley Coordinators may ensure that the artist is using their space. Further details will be found in the section titled, Check-In Process for Registered Spaces.
Refunds:
If a registered artist chooses not to accept their table, Ohayocon will NOT issue a refund. Any space refused before the convention will be offered to the next artist on the waiting list. Any space refused at the convention will be sold.
Power:
Please inform the Artist Alley Coordinators if power is required. Power will be given and awarded on a first come first serve basis. Each table that receives power will be given access to ONE outlet. A splitter, no larger than a 3-Way, may be used by the artist. This is to ensure that no circuit overload occurs and that power is available to all who are approved.
Guests & Panelists:
Artists who are also Guests and/or Panelists should contact the Artist Alley Coordinators for more information.
The Artist Alley Coordinators understand that special circumstances do arise. We will do our best to accommodate. Ohayocon has the right to refuse or deny any artist/studio a table for any reason they see fit. If the artist/studio is found to have lied about any information that was given during the submission process or at the convention itself, Ohayocon has the right to deny the artist/studio their table and the artist/studio will be banned from Ohayocon’s Artist Alley.
Submission Process:
What an artist IS permitted to feature in the Artist Alley:
The following art products are allowed to be featured in the Artist Alley. All Adult oriented pieces are subject to the ADULT CONTENT RULES as detailed below.
Fan Art – that is an interpretation using the artist’s own style. The fan art, in question must be 40% changed from the original design. Fan art of an existing character is allowed if the character is rendered in the artist’s own unique style and is clearly not intended to replicate the original style or be mistaken for an official likeness.
Artists will also be limited in respect to the quanitity of fan art which may be displayed and sold within the alley. No artist may include a number of fan art pieces which exceeds 50% of their total number of unique pieces. A unique piece is concidered a single design. There is no limit to the number of reproductions of each design. For example, a print artist might display 10 unique drawings. No more than 5 of these may be fan art. This artist may however bring as many copies of each drawing for sale as they wish.
For the purpose of portfolio review it is important to consider this limitation. No portfolio will be considered which contains more than 50% fan art designs.
Parody Work – Existing characters may be used in parody. Parody is allowed if The character is rendered in the artist’s own unique style and is clearly not intended to replicate the original style or be mistaken for an official likeness.
Original plush toys and dolls – Toys, dolls, and plushies depicting character’s of The artist’s original design are allowed.
Original Sculptures – Sculptures of the artist’s original design characters are allowed.
Hand made jewelry – Hand made jewelry is allowed. If the jewelry has a copyrighted character or design on it. The jewelry must be 40% changed from the original character or design.
Self published works – this includes manga, prints, art books, etc. to which The Artist owns the sole rights too and produces personally. This also includes bookmarks, badges, buttons, mouse pads, etc., that are the artist’s own works.
T-shirt and bags featuring the artists OWN work and or/designs.
Original clothing and accessories are allowed.
Commissioned sketches /artworks - Adult oriented pieces are subject to the Adult Content Rules.
Original Hentai, Yaoi, and Yuri - Adult oriented pieces are subject to the Adult Content Rules.
Original Shonen-Ai and Shojo-Ai – Adult oriented pieces are subject to the Adult Content Rules.
What an artist is NOT permitted to feature in the Artist Alley:
No selling, reselling, or distribution of commercial products.
No licensed work. – This is not permitted even if the work is your own. If you have rights to sell said licensed merchandise, please refer to the Dealer’s room.
No edible food items and drink items.
Examples - includes Pocky, Koala Yummys, Ramune, etc.
No weapons allowed either real or cosplay props. If the artist has a prop and is going to be a part of a cosplay troupe/panel/workshop, or participating in the cosplay contest, they MUST cheque the prop in with the Artist Alley Coordinators.
No commercial publications.
No reproduction of officially licensed cosplay items, or cosplay items of trademarked characters. This includes clothing, accessories, wigs, etc.
No bootlegging or piracy – includes unauthorized productions of video or manga as well as self-printed copies of artwork to which the artist does not have rights.
No garage or yard sale items.
No buttons, pins, hats, t-shirts, cups, mouse pads, jewelry, etc. which incorporates existing or pre-made licensed and/or copyrighted works. This means that the artist may not us a copyrighted or licensed image as a component of another product.
No unlicensed reproductions of existing merchandise.
No art that emulates a pre-existing product of licensed/copyrighted characters. Art depicting existing licensed characters or copyrighted characters may not done in a manner which emulates the original style, regardless of pose, backgrounds, or situation.
Adult Content Rules:
Art containing Adult Content is permitted in the Alley, but is
subject to additional restrictions. Adult Content is anything that
would not legally be permissible to display to minors. Identifying
Adult Content will be part of the Portfolio Review process and is at
the sole discretion of the Artist Alley Coordinators. Adult content
may only be viewed or purchased by persons 18 years or older.
Adult oriented artists will be set up near the Alley operation
table.
Sexually explicit works must be covered and labeled as Adult Content
+18 If you are wondering if your work will be considered as Adult
Content, please ask the Artist Alley Coordinators.
Work depicting any extreme violence or murder, etc. will also be
subject to review also.
The artist is responsible for verifying the age of their viewers, by
Photo I.D., before they are allowed to view or purchase works
containing Adult Content.
If the artist is sells or displays Adult Content to a minor, the
artist will be immediately removed from the artist alley without
refund.
If a commission is requested of the artist that would fall under the
Adult Content Rules, the artist must confirm that the person
requesting the commission is not a minor. Failure to do so will
result in the artist’s immediate removal from the Artist Alley
without refund.
We are subject to all rules and regulations held by The City Of Columbus and The Hyatt Regency. If you are approached by the hotel or city officers regarding your art please comply and contact your Artist Alley Coordinators.
Rules for the Artist Alley at Ohayocon
Any artist found to be in violation of the outlined rules will be given one warning. If another violation occurs, the artist will then be required to close their table and immediately leave the Artist Alley. If the artist returns and attempts to display, sell, harass and/or slander Ohayocon, Ohayocon’s attendees, or Ohayocon’s staff, they will be removed from the convention grounds altogether. Depending on the severity of the infraction, other appropriate actions may apply, including but not limited to banning from future alley participation, banning from future Ohayocon events, and legal action. No refund will be provided.
The following is a list of rules to which an artist must adhere while operating within the Alley. The Art Coordinators reserve the right to institute further restrictions on-site as needs arise.
While in the Alley, all convention rules as well as local, state, and federal laws will apply. If an artist breaks any convention rules, they will be dealt with accordingly. If an artist breaks any laws, they must expect to have to deal with police and possible prosecution.
All artists will be required to prominently display their badges when occupying their space.
The original artist must be present at the convention and participating IN the Alley, for their work to be displayed. This allows for registered assistants and guardians to operate a space for their artist. However, a registered artist may not display or sell works of an artist not present at Ohayocon and registered with the Alley. This means that an artist may not operate in the Alley as a “stand-in” for an artist not present at Ohayocon as a registered artist in the Alley. Additionally, members of an art studio may not sell or display the work of other members of their studio not present at Ohayocon as registered artists in the Alley. For example, a studio with 5 total members has two present as registered artists in the Alley. They may not sell the work of the other three members of the studio.
The artist is not permitted to resell their space, in whole or part, to a second party.
The venue is a smoke, alcohol, and drug free environment. All such substances are strictly forbidden.
No weapons, either real or prop, are allowed in the Alley. This includes the artist’s personal Cosplay props. If the artist has a prop weapon and is going to be part of a Cosplay troupe, running a Cosplay panel/workshop, or participating in the Cosplay contest, they MUST cheque the prop in with the Art Coordinators.
No running, screaming, yelling, rough housing, sparring, fighting, or use of excessive obscene language will be tolerated. This applies for attendees as well as the artist.
No music or video with audio will be permitted in the Alley.
No equipment or supplies that will produce noxious fumes or excessive noise are permitted. These include things like t-shirt presses, soldering irons, fixatives, epoxies, etc. Each artist must respect the rights, health, and comfort of the people around them.
No raffles or auctions will be permitted.
The artist is not permitted to use their Alley space as a coat check, or any other paid service not pertaining to their art.
No sleeping in the Alley.
Once Alley hours are over, the artist must vacate their space until the Alley opens again.
Any Artist accepting commissions requiring a live model during Alley hours must conduct these commissions in a manner which does not disrupt attendees, staff operations or fellow artists. Live models should be placed so as to not interfere with the flow of traffic or the space and operations of other artists.
No hawking. Anyone using any unclaimed space without the permission of the Art Coordinators will immediately be removed. This includes setting up shop, displaying advertisements (flyers, signs, pamphlets), and loitering anywhere within the Alley.
All displays must be secured and stable.
The artist may not display outside of their designated space.
No outside tables are permitted by the venue. Display hardware may be incorporated in an artist’s space, but additional tables of any size are not permitted.
No tape, staples, glue, any adhesives, gum, boogers, bodily fluids, or tacks on the walls, columns, floor, or ceiling. The use of any display which could cause harm to the venue space is prohibited.
The Alley is an “Open Alley” which means it will not be locked down. Therefore do NOT leave any merchandise behind when closing. Ohayocon and the venue are not responsible for anything lost or stolen from the artist’s space.
Artists are to be respectful of the other artists in the Alley. Attempts to vulture sales, disrupt business, or bad mouth fellow artists will not be tolerated.
Please be kind and clean up your table and space when closing.
While in the Alley, the artist is expected to act in a manner which is safe and respectful of the rights of the people around them, including other artists, attendees, venue employees, and staff.
No yelling at or to the customer.
All items sold at the table must be made/drawn BY the artist.
No sexual advances or requests for sexual activity or other unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in lieu of money for items being sold.
Check In Process for Registered Space:
Below is the process that an artist must follow at the convention to obtain their Alley space and begin featuring their artwork.
Alley space will be reserved under the artist’s full LEGAL name, NOT a pseudonym or studio name.
The artist must present a photo ID and a copy of their confirmation letter (which will be emailed to the artist IF they are accepted) to claim their space in the Alley. The rules must be signed indicating that the artist has read and fully understands this document and agrees to act in accordance to the rules set forth within.
Applicants must be 18 years or older to reserve an Alley space. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a legal guardian reserve their space for them. The guardian must also be present at check in, bearing a photo ID.
Once an artist has presented their photo ID and have signed the Alley rules they will be checked in by the Art Coordinators and assigned a space.
The artist must return to the Alley operation table each operating day before setting up to check in. This step ensures that only the registered artist retains and occupies their space.
Artist Alley Coordinators
Solikha "Sonnie" Write and Yad Ming-Mui act as your helpful Art Coordinators, stationed within the Ally during operating hours they help enforce it's rules and assist registered artists. If you have any questions or complaints let 'em know, they'll be happy to help with any of your (Alley related) problems!
