Artist Alley is a great place for both amateur and professional artists to showcase their work and original merchandise. Artist Alley merchandise traditionally includes fan art prints, manga, models, paintings, and novelty crafts, but is limited only by your imagination. Many artists take custom commissions during the convention.

Registration and Badges

All Artists and Artist Helpers must be registered for Zenkaikon 2025. Only those with Artist or Artist Helper badges may work at an Artist Alley table.

Convention Rules

Artist Alley is part of the Exhibits Department at Zenkaikon 2025. All general Zenkaikon 2025 convention rules apply to Artist Alley.

Minor Artists

Anyone registering for a table must be 18 years of age or up to sign the artist contract. Those under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign the contract for them. The parent or legal guardian who signs the contract needs to be present for artist check-in.

Refunds

You will receive a full refund of the table fee for any tables canceled by TBD.  Due to the current situation with COVID-19 we have been able to issue refunds to artists, within reason.  A stated reason for refund is a request and is subject to the approval or rejection of the Exhibits Head Staff.  If you need to request a refund, please contact exhibits@zenkaikon.org to request a refund and we will take your request into consideration.

Check-in, Installation, and Removal

You must check in with the Head of Exhibits or designated representative before setting up your displays.  More details will be provided closer to the convention date.

You are responsible for moving your merchandise, supplies, and equipment into and out of the Lancaster County Convention Center.  It is recommended you bring any necessary carts or hand trucks as there is no guarantee the Center will be able to provide such equipment.

Any spaces not claimed by 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 21, 2025 will be forfeited. If you encounter an unavoidable delay (car trouble, family emergency, etc.), please contact the Exhibits staff as soon as possible so we can work out an arrangement if you still wish to participate in the Alley.

The Exhibit Hall will close at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 23, 2025. The Convention is scheduled to end at approximately 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.  You will have until approximately 7:00 p.m. to remove all your merchandise, supplies, and equipment.  

You are required to leave your space clean and free of trash and debris.  Every effort will be made to provide trash cans in the Artist Alley area throughout the convention to make it easier to maintain your space.

Table Configuration 

Each Artist Alley space includes:

• One (1) 6’ x 2’ table
• 2 chairs

You may configure your table as you see fit – shelving, racks, displays, etc. – provided installations do not extend beyond the space defined by your table, interfere with another artist, or violate any rules of the Convention Center.  We strongly encourage neat, attractive, and well-constructed displays and creativity in the branding of your artistic presentation.

Don’t forget to display the name of your studio to make it easier for attendees to find you! We expect to publish a map of the Exhibit Hall for our attendees.

Types of Merchandise

Artist Alley is intended as a venue for independent artists to display, promote, and sell their artwork.  All items sold in Artist Alley should, therefore, be the original work of the Artist.  While we take a broad view of what constitutes artwork, purely commercial merchandise (ex., items purchased for resale) is not permitted.

Use of registered trademarks in the artwork you offer for sale is not permitted unless you own or have licensing rights to the trademark(s). Trademarks can include – but are not limited to – brand names and logos. 

Examples of what may be sold in Artist Alley:

• Fan art that does not resemble anything seen in a commercially released product and is not mass produced.
• Plushies, hats, pins, key chains, etc. provided they are not bootlegs or knock offs of officially licensed products.
• Original sculptures and dolls.
• Original art/original character prints.

Examples of what may NOT be sold in Artist Alley:

• Food or drink.
• Tracings or reproductions of commercially released images or products.
• Anything with a trademarked or copyrighted logo unless you have the rights to that logo.
• Bootleg merchandise of characters or displaying trademarks that are protected by American, Japanese or other law.
• Commercial or bootleg posters or bootleg idol cards.
• Merchandise and art that depicts minor-aged characters in sexually explicit imagery.
• Drug paraphernalia and products that may have been derived from controlled substances.

Remember that if the license holder for a particular property would have a claim against you for selling an item, you may not sell that item.

Weapons and Replica Weaponry

Any sales merchandise that is weaponry or bearing the resemblance of being weaponry must be displayed away from where it can be reached by customers. Any merchandise considered weaponry or replica weaponry may only be purchased by customers 18 and over who furnish proper ID at the purchase time and after purchasing must be immediately taken from the convention floor.

Adult Materials Policy

Adult materials must not be part of an Artist’s visible display but may be placed in a marked binder or folder, available for viewing after the presentation of a photo ID.  It is your responsibility to check photo ID when adult materials are inquired about or sold.  Minors may not have adults buy adult items for them.

Artists have the right to refuse a sale if they are not comfortable with the circumstances.  Only artists who are, themselves, 18 years of age or older may sell adult materials.

Artists must comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws in displaying and selling adult merchandise.

The acceptability of displays of adult materials is at the discretion of the Exhibits staff.

Security

The Convention Center will provide as much security as possible.  Zenkaikon will also provide staff to monitor the Artist Alley areas on a regular basis during convention hours.  The Exhibit Hall will be secured during hours it is closed and will be opened only at the direction of Zenkaikon staff.

The Artist, however, is solely and fully responsible for his or her own merchandise and displays and should plan and act accordingly.  All the Artist’s goods remain in his or her care, custody, and control at all times.

Taxes and Licenses

Artists are responsible for obtaining any licenses or permits required by local, state, and federal law.

Artists are responsible for the collection and payment of any required local, state, or federal taxes.  A suggested source of relevant requirements for Pennsylvania is the Commonwealth’s website at http://www.pa100.state.pa.us/.5