Art Show Q&A

1. What is the Art Show?

Art Show is the place where you, the fans, get to show off your creativity. What most people think of as "Art Show" is actually three areas of the convention, not just one. The Alley is where the fan artists get to reserve table space and display their works to the members themselves, interacting with the fans directly. In the actual Art Show section, Otakon provides the display area and the administrative end, and the fan artists provide the cels, the models, the drawings, the paintings, the T-shirts and every other expression of their involvement with anime for the fans to purchase, should they be the highest bidder. Art Auction is for those highly contested pieces with large numbers of bids. It gives the fans one last chance to outbid everyone else in an open forum: a voice auction, moderated by our auctioneer.

2. Where is all this held?

We're right next door to the Dealers' Room in Hall E, found in the Otterbein Lobby. In the basement of the BCC, so to speak.

3. When is Art Show open for business?

General membership can enjoy the art from 2:00 PM until midnight Friday, and from 11:00 AM until 10:00 PM on Saturday. The Art Auction is on Sunday at 11 a.m. until all the art slated for live auction has been displayed.

4. No Art Show on Sunday?

Nope, only the Art Auction. After the last bid is accepted on Saturday at 10:00 PM, we"ll be organizing and tabulating and entering data into the system so that everyone will be able to pick up their art on Sunday in a timely manner, and so that the Art Auction will begin on time.

5. What do you do if you're an artist?

We've set aside 9:00 AM until 8:00 PM on Friday and 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM on Saturday just for artist registration. Of course, artists can always register at any other time the Art Show is open if they wish. Just remember to bring picture ID, as the age requirement is 18 to register as an artist.

6. What do you do if you're a bidder?

Anytime the Art Show is open to the general membership, anybody who has a picture ID, a Visa or MasterCard, and is at least 18 years old can register as a bidder and get their very own sheet of barcodes to use in the show.

7. Barcodes?

The artists and bidders each get a unique barcode sticker to put on their convention badges, identifying them as artists and/or bidders. The artwork has barcodes on the bid cards, identifying each piece in our system, and the bidders get a sheet of barcodes to place on the bid cards to identify them as the person placing the bid.

8. What's with the credit card and picture ID?

To enter into a contract in Maryland, you need to be at least 18 years old. So, since the artists and bidders are entering into a contract with Otakorp Inc. when they register, they need to be 18 -- hence the picture ID. The credit card will be used to charge a bidder if they win a piece and don't pick it up by the end of the convention.

9. Is there some sort of fee if the bidders don't pick up their art by the end of the convention?

Yes. Twenty five dollars ($25) PER PIECE will be charged to the credit card submitted at the time of bidder registration, in addition to the full winning bid plus sales tax. The pieces will, of course, be shipped to said bidder after the convention.

10. Any other security measures this year?

Yes. We've increased the request for the number of staff to keep a look out for cameras, cell phones, video cameras, thieves, young ones going into the adult section, etc. We've also commissioned some Plexiglas covers for the 3D art to keep the pieces more secure.

11. I see you have a Quick Sale and Minimum Bid spot on each bid card. What's the difference?

Use the Quick Sale if you're more interested in getting your art out there than in reaping huge profits. As soon as somebody is willing to put down a Quick Sale amount on a piece, it's theirs. End of story. If, on the other hand, you want to see how high the bids can go, put in a reasonable Minimum Bid, and the bidding will START there, then go as high as the free market system and fan interest will take it. Possibly to the Art Auction if it gets seven bids.

12. Any other differences?

Yes. If the art has a Quick Sale number on it, then a non-registered bidder could go see the Art Show staff and purchase the art right then and there for that amount plus tax, just like a registered bidder. Other than Art Auction, it's the only way a non-registered bidder can buy art at the Art Show.

13. So anyone can bid at the Art Auction?

Yes. All members are welcome to attend and bid at the Art Auction.

14. Any other changes for this year?

In addition to the security measures and rules changes regarding age requirements, we also no longer accept Not For Sale and Auction Only items. Everything submitted to the Art Show is FOR SALE.

15. How would I know if I won the bid on a piece of art?

Well, you should certainly stop by the Art Show several times during the weekend to check on your bid. But you won't know for sure until we post the winning bid lists by 11:00 AM on Sunday morning. The lists will detail all the winning bidders by number and what they've won.

16. Art Show will begin the purchase process on Sunday?

Yes. At 10:00 AM.

17. Do I have to use a credit card to pay for art?

Cash is still very welcome at Otakon. The credit card is for security for the artists, so we can ensure that they get paid. Bidders can use any combination of cash, Visa and MasterCard for their purchases.

18. Will the artists be paid at the convention?

No. Checks will be mailed to the address given by the artist at the time of artist registration within six weeks after the end of the convention.

19. Is all this information listed anywhere else?

We will have the forms and instructions available at the Art Show in Hall E at the convention.