Does the Show Display Adult Content Material?
The art show does not censor artwork. We do receive artwork from artists who create adult content artwork.
If you are concerned about your children viewing adult content, we encourage you to view the show before hand and determine what artwork they should see.
What is the difference between the art show and the art auction?
The Art Show is a silent auction that takes place over Thursday, Friday and Saturday, where people can browse all the artwork on display and make bids on them. The Art Auction is a voice auction in which the pieces that got a specific number of bids in the Art Show are auctioned off to the highest bidder. The Art Auction is normally held Saturday night of the convention, a few hours after the Art Show closes.
Why not hold the auction on Sunday?
Not everyone stays through Sunday. Plus, in order to have time to handle all the sales after the auction, we would have to hold the auction very early on Sunday morning. That would reduce the audience considerably as well. In order to ensure the best sale price for our artists, we must hold the auction Saturday night to pull in the largest audience possible.
What is a Quick Sale price?
If no bids have been made on a piece by Friday morning, when the show opens, a piece can be sold at the Quick Sale price. Get one of the art show staff to assist you in arranging to buy the item at that price. Once that is done, the item is sold, no one else can bid on it, it is yours. You can’t actually take the item at that time. It is only fair to the artist to continue to show the piece through the end of the show.
If a piece does not have a Quick Sale price, it can not be Quick Sold.
How many bids to send an item to the voice auction?
The standard number recently has been four, but this can change from year-to-year, so check the guidelines published at the convention or on this website for more current information.
Do I need to be a registered attendant of the convention to display art?
No.
Do I needed to pre-register for the art show or can just show up with my stuff?
No, you do not. However, pre-registering makes sure you have a space to hang your art when you get there. If you are not pre-registered and there is no more room in the show, we will be unable to accept your artwork. Also, by pre-registering, your information should already be entered into our database and we can print out bid-sheets for you as soon as you arrive.
What information do I need to provide with my art?
About three months prior to the convention, several forms will be posted on the Art Show page of this website. The Artist Form will need to be filled out. There are Display Art and Print Shop forms for providing us with information about the pieces you are bringing or sending.
Can I just send the artwork to you to display without my presence at the convention?
Yes, we accept mail-in artwork. You will need to provide funds for the return of the artwork, in the event that it does not sell.
Can I setup my art on Wednesday before the convention?
Yes. As soon as the panels are setup and we are ready for business you can setup your artwork. Note that artists who help us setup have a better chance of scoping out the good spots and getting them.
Where are the bid sheets to fill out? Can I fill them out ahead of time?
You do not need to fill out bid sheets any longer. They are printed out at the convention from the information on the forms you submit. The bid sheets contained redundant information and it seemed like a waste of time for you to fill the information in twice.
Do you have any space left?
If it is prior to the convention, yes. If it is during the convention you will have to come and see if you can find space. It depends on the size and number of pieces you have. Space gets limited by Friday or on Saturday.
What format do you recommend for mail-ins so they can be hung properly?
For the ART SHOW: It’s easiest if they are at least matted.
For the PRINT SHOP: We do ask that your pieces be shrink wrapped.
If the pieces do not sell, how do I pay for return shipping?
Return shipping fees (by UPS Ground with tracking) should be included with any mailed in art. If payment for hanging fees, postage and any shipping insurance the artist may request is not provided by the artist and is not covered by sales, then the Head of Art Show will retain the art and contact the artist to make arrangements.
Why do I need to give you my contact information?
The first reason is that if you sell something, we need to know where to send the check. The second reason being in case of emergencies. The Artist Form contains a check box to indicate whether you wish to have your information shared with other conventions. If you do not check that box, your information will not be shared with anyone.
How do I receive payment for my artwork sold?
After the convention is over, we review all the sales information, double and triple check it. Once we are confident that the amounts are accurate, a check will be cut and mailed to you, along with the final paperwork.
When are the checks mailed out?
The process of verifying the information and getting all the paperwork in order can take a few weeks to complete. We do not set an exact date for the mailing of checks in case we discover a problem.
Can artists be paid at the convention?
No.
Where do the fees and commissions go?
All the money collected by the show goes towards the profit made by the convention as a whole.
Why can’t I just register all this information online?
We’re working on it…..
What forms of payment do you accept?
The only forms of payment accepted at the convention are cash, credit cards and gold bars.
What do I do if a piece I’m bidding on goes to auction?
At that time bidding is frozen until the voice auction. You can attend the voice auction to try to win the piece. If no one bids on the item at the auction, the item will go to the highest bidder on the bid sheet. But the chances of it not being bid on are very slim.
What if I don’t pick up the art I win?
Then we send two nice gentlemen from the Orion Syndicate to have a ‘talk’ with you.
In reality, this is what we call Bad Karma Art. We will contact you to try to resolve the transaction as soon as possible (we are dependent on Registration to get us contact information). We have already payed the artist, so until we can collect the money for the piece and complete the transaction, the convention is out the price of that piece.
What is “Bad Karma Art”?
This is a term applied to artwork that was bid on and won, but the buyer never came and purchased the item. Bidding on an item in the show, or the auction, is a promise to buy. The name Bad Karma Art has been attached to this for a number of years, because the bidder has broken that promise and generated bad karma for themselves.
Do I need to be registered to bid?
Your badge number is your bidder number. So you must be registered with the convention to bid, but otherwise you do not need to go through any additional registration process.