PortConMaine 2010 Artists' Alley

[ About ] [ Map ] [ FAQ ] [ Rules ] [ Application Form ] [ Helpful Hints ]

About PortConMaine's Artists' Alley:

The PortConMaine Artists' Alley is a place where people can buy table space for the weekend to sell their artwork from. It's also a great place to meet some awesome artists, and maybe even learn a thing or two. This year, the Artists' Alley chair is Archimer (art.portconmaine@gmail.com), who is joined by Ian (Kiltedmenace) and Tom (Kamaki). You can contact any of us via PM on the PortConForums.

Artists' Alley Table Rates for 2010:

Alley tables are sold for the entire weekend.

Artists' Alley Hours (June 24th - 27th, 2010):

Please Note! The price of a spot in the alley does not include a pass to the Convention for the weekend. These must be purchased separately.

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Artists' Alley Room Map

Above is the tentative map of the Artists' Alley room for 2010. Green tables are sold as half tables, orange tables are sold as full tables, and pink tables are reserved for guests. The red table is where the Art Staff can be found.

Artists' Alley Tables:

>

#

Name

Paid?

1

Dirk Tiede

PAID

2

Liz Jackson

PAID

3

Allyson

PAID

4

Ninja Needles

PAID

5

Sierra

PAID

6

PopCult Anime

PAID

7

Sin D'Angelo

PAID

8

Stacey Kardash

PAID

9

Jimmy

PAID

10

Heather Giroux

PAID

11

Cat

PAID

12

Sue Boisvert

PAID

13

Everett

PAID

14

Mere

PAID

15

Rebecca Powers

PAID

16

Zuri

PAID

17

Lindsay Kolb

PAID

18

Kerry Walker

PAID




Artists' Alley Guests:

TABLE NAME PAID?
001 Robert Quill [Website] N/A
002 Christian Matzke (Sat.) [Website]
Jared Sorenson (Fri. & Sun.) [Website] 		N/A
003 Mookie [Website] N/A
004 Tom Brown [Website] N/A
005 Erica Henderson [Website] N/A
006 The Penny Dreadfuls [Website] [Website] N/A
007 Ninja Studios [Website] N/A
008 CJ Henderson [Website] N/A


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Frequently Asked Questions

How do we know if we get into the Artists' Alley?

Arch should be sending an e-mail along to you whether or not you've made it in. There will be a waiting list after the Alley fills up, as sometimes, people drop out before the convention and space becomes available.

How do I pay for my table?

Payments are made to the Convention Chair. The preferred method is Paypal. Payments are due by April 1st, 2010. If you will have trouble making this deadline, please let Arch know as soon as possible to discuss the issue on an individual basis.

What kinds of things should I sell in the Artists' Alley?

You can post on PortCon Forums to get an idea of what people would like to see in the Artists' Alley this year. Many people make prints, but Artists' Alley isn't limted to only this. If you can think of a unique craft to offer, then you just might find yourself doing very well. Artists' Alley patrons tend to appreciate custom items and things that they can't find anywhere else.

I need an outlet. Do you guys have outlets? I like outlets.

If you require an outlet, please notify Art Staff prior to the convention and supply your own extension cord and/or power strip. We have few electrical outlets available to us in the room, and we do not have extension cords to accomodate everybody.

Can I share an Artists' Alley table with my friend(s)?

Sure. Just make sure that only one of you applies, and please mention that the table will be shared when you fill out your application. We can't allow more than two people per half-table to be present at a time-- Things can get crowded behind those tables!

Do we still need to buy a convention badge and hotel room if we get a table?

Buying an Artists' Alley table for the weekend provides only that-- A table in the Artists' Alley. Convention passes are requred for Artists' Alley people and must be purchased separately. Go to PortCon's Registration Page for more info!

Will you let me know when Artists' Alley registration opens?

On March 1st, 2010, the Registration form will be available. We can't e-mail or otherwise notifiy people personally of this for future years. For 2011's dates, you'll have to keep checking the PortCon website and forums. We'll keep you all posted that way.

I heard that we could only have one full table maximum. Why?

High demand! Everybody wants in on some Artists' Alley vending space action, and we always have relatively small spaces to work with. We also have to give table spaces to guests! If we end up with a larger room in the future, we will consider lifting this rule. We want to get as much unique talent into one room as we (comfortably) can!

Can we have banners for our tables?

Yes. Banners are awesome! They make your table look a lot more interesting, and make the alley look spiffier. Keep in mind the amount of table you have, if you have a half table, think of using a 3 foot wide banner. Even if you have a full table, a centered 3 footer looks nice. You don't have to get a crazy custom print job-- A large roll of paper and some Sharpies can result in spiffiness. We know that you guys are wicked creative!

We have an enormous display to put behind our table. Can we bring it with us?

You may bring such displays with you, but please be mindful of your weekend-neighbors. Space behind the tables is usually pretty tight. We'd suggest that any large displays be made to fit on top of your table rather than behind it. We've seen people make castles out of their Artists' Alley tables-- Which is fine, as long as it is structurally sound enough to not fall on people and ruin their weekend.

Can we take commissions at the convention to be completed at a later date?

Yes, but know that you are responsible for holding up your end of the deal. Even if commissions are made to be picked up at the convention, we beg you to supply your client with your e-mail address. It never fails-- At the end of each convention, we always have folks coming to us and asking for contact information for "So and so, who was sitting there. I don't know their name. Do you have their e-mail address?" As you can imagine, this is very frustrating for everybody involved.

Can I pick my table?

Each table in the artist's alley will have a name on it, once you check in, art staff will direct you to your table. Please do not move name tags or switch tables without consulting the art staff, this causes a lot of confusion and headaches down the road. If you would like to move your location when you arrive, talk to the staff, we'll try to work something out.

Should I have business cards?

It's a good idea, especially for the reasons above. They're certainly not required, but your fans will love you for it. :)

Art Staff are such JERKS.

We know. :(

Who drew the official art for PortConMaine this year?

Mel did. She's awesome.

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Rules

Table Spaces

Table spaces can either be purchased as one full table or one half table.

Please keep your artistic peers in mind! Please limit your Artists' Alley table to two people per half table.

Alcohol and Drugs

The Wyndham has a mini-bar and restaurant. Please enjoy your adult beverages there. Alcohol is not allowed within the convention anywhere. Anybody caught drinking will be reported to convention security. Anybody caught visibly intoxicated may also be subject to the same.

Illegal drugs aren't allowed anywhere, because illegal drugs are illegal. Prescription drugs being used illegally also isn't allowed anywhere. Artists' Alley is certainly no exception to these rules.

Adult Content

If you happen to be selling "18+" art, it must be kept in a binder where children cannot see it. Art Staff suggests that such work be kept under your table to be viewed by request only, and that Artists' Alley vendors card those who inquire about such material.

Eating Food

The Wyndham very kindly allows us to have food in the Alley. We ask that you please respect the space and our fabulous hotel staff by making use of the trash cans in the room and cleaning up after yourself. If you can't find a trashcan or if the trashcans are full, please notify the Art Staff. We generally don't wander far, and can be found at the table by the door.

Selling Food

While you can purchase food and eat it in the Artists' Alley, the Wyndham does not allow anybody to sell food at the convention. Please respect our hotel's wishes and do not sell food or drinks at your table. Unfortunately, this includ es but is not limited to: Character cookies, other sweets, custom anime/video-game inspired foods, etc.

It's cold in here!

The Wyndham staff knows what they're doing. The Artists' Alley might feel a little chilly before opening time, but trust us-- It warms up quick when we get rushed by the convention attendees. It's a good idea to bring a sweatshirt if you get chilled easy.

Talking to Staff

Please do it! We get so lonely. ;) If you have a request of any kind, go ahead and ask us. If you have an issue, tell us about it, it's what we're here for.

Lockup

PortCon is fairly unique because we lock our Artists' Alley after hours. We cannot, however, be responsible for articles left in the room overnight. Art Staff is present when the room closes and opens, but it's impossible for us to watch everybody's table. If you leave things in the rom, please make sure you're present when the room opens in the morning.

Music

Feel free to play music at your table, but in the spirit of keeping the noise of the room managable, please keep it at a reasonable level.

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Application Form

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

The Artists' Alley is full, and we will be working through the waiting list as things become available. The demand really took us by surprise this year, and I think it took our little application form by surprise as well. We will be handling things differently next year, hopefully to make things a little less crazy all around. Thanks for your interest, everybody!

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Helpful Hints

Build Up With Table Displays

Wire interlocking storage cubes are a great way to build up an impressive tabletop display for both 3D items as well as prints! If you're in a half-table spot, just make sure that your display does not take up your neighbor's space. You can use these to showcase your favorite or best-selling work.

Table Banners

There are many places online where one can have custom vinyl banners made. Hanging a banner over your table can help draw attention.

Table Cloths

The hotel typically provides us with a simple black table cloth for each table. A colorful table cloth is a simple (and cheap!) way to stand out. Tablecloth fabric doesn't need to be terribly fancy, and can be purchased for as cheap as $1.50 per yard.

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