AA reservations for 2023 are now closed. At con/day of registration may be available. See information below.

Tables in the artist alley may be reserved in advance, or you can claim one first come, first served at con, starting at 10:30 am Friday morning. If reserved tables are unclaimed at 11 am, they will be sold to at-con applicants on a First Come, First Served basis.

Each day of the convention (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) must be reserved individually. Applicants may reserve up to two days, in any combination (Fri/Sat, Fri/Sun, Sat/Sun). If you would like a table for a third day, you may apply at con. We expect there to be a high demand, so be sure to reserve early.

A note to Artists who HAVE NOT vended at Furry cons before (only Anime/comic cons): Artist Alley at a furry con operates very differently from how other cons do. It is NOT the exclusive place for artists to vend. If you are more professional artist with a lot of merch and experience, and want a full standard 3 day vending experience, please apply for the Dealer’s Den. The AA at a furry con is for more casual vending, if you want to only spend a few hours, are experimenting to see how your art/product will do at a furry con, or just want to vend 1-2 days, are a vendor with minimal stock, or are an artist that just wants to sit and sketch for people, the Artist Alley is for you. With the flexibility of the AA, you can stay for 1 hour, or all day, and if a table is vacated it is resold to whomever is next in line. You can reserve in advance, but you can also just come and sign up on the day of the con. There’s no pressure to stay long periods of time, or a minimum of skill or stock required. You can vend for all 3 days in the AA, but you can only reserve 2, and you’ll need to sign up at con for the third.

Artist alley table applications will open after Dealer’s Den applications are closed and selected dealers notified. Note that all reservations for AA is first come, first served.

How to Reserve a Table in the Artist Alley

We will need to be provided with the following information to complete your Artist Alley application:

• You MUST already be registered to attend the convention (you don’t have to pay, but you must be registered)
• Desired listing name (For the Alley)
• Detailed description of what you intend to sell.
• Links to your website or hosted galleries with pictures of your products, if possible. Show us what you sell!
• Contact Information
• If you are planning on having an Artist Alley Assistant (NOT A TABLE SHARE) and who. Assistants may also be added AT the convention and will be provided with a way to identify them as an assistant.
• You need to fill out the form in full

Subletting your table (receiving payment from another dealer for space at your table) at or before con if you’ve applied for your own solo table is not permitted. Please apply together, in one application if you intend to share a table. Let us know in your application who you plan to share with, and we’ll be happy to accommodate you. To facilitate faster setup and teardown each day, we request that Artist Alley table displays not exceed 2′ in height (two cube display height), and not extend beyond the edges of the table. Displays may not extend into the walkway for safety reasons.

Please note: Dealers from outside of Canada should also make sure that they are in compliance with the requirements to sell their wares in Canada.

Table Pricing and Dimensions

• Full table – 6’x2′ $50CAD/Day
• Half table – 3’x2′ $25CAD/Day

Please note the price of a table does not include your convention registration. Tablecloths are not included.

How do I apply for a table?

To apply for an Artist Alley table, you will need to fill out Vancoufur’s Online Artist Alley application which will be available starting Sept 26 at 12pm. You will be sent an email when your application has been received. A separate email will be sent when your application is approved, declined, or waitlisted, so be sure you’ve supplied an email you check frequently. Please whitelist vancoufur.org as a domain so correspondence doesn’t end up in spam.

Payment of fees is not due until the day of con. You will pay for your table when you check in at the AA assistant table to claim your space. Check in will begin at 9:30am for AA artists with reservations. Reservations will only be held until 11am, after which, tables will be sold first come, first served. Please note payment is CASH ONLY. You may not take your seat until you have paid. If you cannot make it to claim your table until after 11am, you MUST contact the vendor coordinator at [email protected] before 11am to let them know you will be late and how late you will be.

What can I sell in Artist Alley?

Vendors must sell only items which they are legally entitled to sell. Please be aware that if you have pirated, or materials that infringe copyright in an illegal manner we will require you to remove the items from your table. Failure to do so will result in being removed from the Alley.

It must be your Artwork, handmade items, and merchandise with your artwork/creations on them.

You cannot resell merchandise, or products you had no part in making. We require that vendors have items they created to sell, not just for advertising a product that does not exist yet or for demos (such as video games in development, or games in development, future kickstarters, etc). If you want to just advertise, or demo something, please contact us about alternatives.

We have some firm rules regarding Sexual and Violent imagery in our Artist Alley for 2023. (Adult material refers to anything of a violent or sexual nature)

• Any material (art, sculpture, and literature) containing extremely violent and/or sexually explicit depictions must not be accessible to minors.
• Adult material must be kept in closed binders/folders/bins that are clearly marked as adult. (Adult material in binders must have explicit portions censored.)
• Adult art in progress must be as concealed as much as possible from public view
• Vendors are required to ask for Government Issued ID from anyone who looks under the age of 25, before viewing or purchasing adult art.
• For Adult Sculpture, we recommend a binder of photographs to showcase and simultaneously censor explicit portions. Examples are available on request.

Please Note: Unfortunately, we are no longer allowing the sale of Food Items in Dealer’s Den OR Artist Alley to be in compliance with Hotel/Catering agreements and policy.

Vendors found in non-compliance with these rules will first be asked to rectify the problem. If on follow-up the problem persists, the vendor will be ejected from the Artist Alley.

Artist Alley FAQ

How are tables approved?

Artist Alley tables are approved on a “First come First served” basis. They will be approved in the order received, as long as the applicant is REGISTERED. If an applicant is not registered, you will be asked to register, before we accept your application. Please note that you do not need to pay for your registration until your table has been approved, but you do need to be in our system. To register, but not pay, just go through registration up until the payment step and simply close the window.

What happens if I don’t get a table?

Artist Alley applicants who do not receive a table will be put on a waitlist, sorted by their time of application. If a table becomes available, waitlisted Vendors will be contacted in the order their name appears on the list.

If no response is received within two days, the table will be forfeited and the next applicant on the waitlist will be contacted, SO BE SURE TO WATCH YOUR EMAIL AND SPAM FOLDER. The waitlist is for table reservations only, and does not carry over once the convention starts. There is also our Thursday Night Market and After Dark Market. .

How can I improve my chances of getting a table?

Artist Alley tables are assigned on a First Come First Served basis, to registered convention attendees. To have the best chance of getting a table you should:

1. Make sure you are registered BEFORE the applications go live.
2. Be sure to be following our social media, and be aware of the exact time and date the application will go live. Set yourself a reminder.
3. Make sure you have your information required ready, including things like gallery or social media links.

If you haven’t registered when you submit your Artist Alley application, you will be given a link to the Vancoufur Registration site and asked to register.  This will slow down your application approval! Your name will not be placed on the applicants list until you are registered to attend, however you do not have to pay until you are accepted. You just must be in the system.

Payment of Registration and table fees is not due at this time, but is required before you take your seat in the Artist Alley.

Can I request a specific location in the Alley?

Unfortunately, we are unable to take specific requests for locations in the Artist Alley.

Is electricity and/or Wi-Fi available?

We are unable to guarantee electricity or wifi will be available at Artist Alley Tables. If you are near an outlet, you may make use of it, but power bars are not permitted. If you are found to be using a power bar you will be asked to remove it.

What if I want to leave?

Leaving? Not a problem! Just make sure you inform the Artist Alley check-in table that you’re leaving.

Closing up? Let us know at the check-in table that you are not returning. This lets us fill in that spot with the next person on our wait list.

Taking a break? Let us know this too. So that we do not mistake your table as a spot to give away. We can also inform people that you are away, and will be returning later.

Please ensure you make arrangements for the supervision of your table during any breaks. You are responsible for the safety and security of your own merchandise, property, and personal belongings in the Artists Alley.

I reserved my table, now what?

You should receive an email within a few days of filling out your application letting you know that we’ve received it. You will receive another email once it has been approved, denied, or waitlisted. Once you are approved for a table, the balance due will be shown on your Vancoufur registration.

What days is Artist Alley open?

The Artist Alley will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this year

Artist Alley open times

Friday – TBA

Saturday – TBA

Sunday – TBA 

Is there a check-in/sign up time?

We ask that everyone check in with the Artist Alley Check-In desk by 11am on the day of their reservation.

What if I miss the 11 am deadline for my reserved spot?

If you do not arrive by 11 am on the day of your reservation, it will be forfeit and sold to another vendor. If you are running late, please contact the Vendor Coordinator prior to 11am that day to let them know.

Can I put signs on the walls/tables?

If you wish to add signs, please ask the Artist Alley Check-In desk for the proper tape, and assistance. We are guests, and do not wish to destroy hotel property.

Signs and displays on top of tables must not exceed 24” or 61cm in height, and must not extend beyond the edge of the table. Signs may be attached to the front of tables as long as they do not touch the ground. Please speak to the Check-In desk for the proper tape.

If you are unsure about any signs or displays you want to use, ask the Artist Alley team, and they can help you. 

Can I leave my stuff on the table if I am returning the next day?

No, even if you have reserved a table for multiple days, you must pack up your table at the end of each day. A new table will be assigned to you when you check in in the morning. Reminder: We are not responsible for stolen items or merchandise. Please make sure you take everything with you when you check out for the day.

I didn’t reserve my spot, will there still be tables available at the con?

We cannot guarantee that Artist Alley tables will be available for purchase at con, though we do try to keep a few available for FCFS on the day of, we can’t make any promises. Priority will be given to waitlisted applicants. If any tables are available after the waitlist is exhausted, they will be made available.

What if all the spots are filled?

If you do not get your reservation in before the Artist Alley fills up, your name will be placed on a waitlist. As soon a spot becomes available we will contact you. This waitlist is only for reservations, and not carry over to at con. If you are interested in purchasing an Artist Alley table at the convention, come to the Artist Alley Check-In desk after 11am each morning. Any unclaimed tables will be available for sale.

Is there anything else I should know?

There will be no refunds, or transfers for paid tables.

I have more questions, how do I contact the Artist Alley team?

If you need to contact the Vendor Coordinator, please email [email protected] and they will get back to you as soon as possible