Eurofurence 16 - The Serengeti - At the Maritim Hotel Magdeburg

ART SHOW GOAL AND BASIC RULES

Eurofurence's Art Show traditionally supports furry artists by giving them a place to display their original works to the public, and possibly sell art.

The Art Show is not a commercial event for the convention, or a means for Eurofurence to make money. It is an open platform for the benefit of furry art. It is, however, also a major event on Eurofurence for the convention's guests to view furry artwork in its original form with all the detail and all the color that the ubiquitous internet platforms do not show.

Since the Show is a physical place, it is naturally limited and requires signup and registration. Of course you need to bring physical artwork... your laptop and a monitor just won't do.

Eurofurence respects artistic freedom and expression. Since the show is a very visible and representative part of the convention (and also subjected to strict German laws), though, we need to put a few limits on the topics that can be displayed.

The complete guidelines for participation are laid out on this page. These should not be considered enforcable laws, though. The Art Show managers have the final word in all affairs of the Show. While the managers try to establish and maintain a good working relationship with all artists, time constraints at the convention will not allow lengthy discussions. Don't worry, they are not crazy dictators. (Or maybe they are, but you can still talk to them.) Play nice and in an adult manner, and they will do the same.

PARTICIPATION AND INVITATION

Traditionally, Eurofurence sends out invitations to artists who may be interested in participating and/or who had participated before. However, getting such an invitation is not a requirement — the managers can't know every artists around. If you think your art deserves a space in the Art Show, then by all means register for a panel in the Show.

There are no official minimum quality requirements for artwork (those would be hard to formulate and to maintain, anyway). If you're a newcomer to an art show, we do recommend that you have a good hard look at your art, though, and decide whether it is of suitable quality to be on display in the Show. The Art Show is no actual contest, but you will inevitably be measured up against other artists by the con's patrons.

The emphasis of the Art Show is on art that you created yourself. This is an artist's event. In certain cases, we allow you to display artwork from others, for example if you want to show original art you have commissioned. However, this should be limited to artwork which is rarely seen and would not be available for public viewing otherwise. We may limit the number of panels for this kind of display.

Of course you can act as an agent for artists who are not able to attend, or appoint such an agent who will display your art for you. This is perfectly fine, see below.

If you are in doubt regarding your participation or the suitability of your artwork, don't hesitate to ask the Art Show managers.

COSTS AND CHARGES

The good news: The EF Art Show is for free. Eurofurence offers the Art Show as a complimentary service to artists. We do not charge a fee for panels, and we do not charge a percentage of the sales. The Art Show is financed by Eurofurence. If you want to support it — become a sponsor!

Of course, that's only half of the story. Eurofurence never acts as the owner of the artwork. It just handles the art for you, and provides the necessary space, panels, and security personnel. That means:

There is no insurance involved. Of course there is security present to guard the Art Show, as with any other show, who will intervene in questionable situations. There is a computer system to keep track of exhibits. And of course the managers will help you identifying the perpetrator in any case of damaged artwork. However, the Art Show cannot be held accountable for matters of actual theft, vandalism, or simple accidents. It is up to you to file claims against identified or unidentified offenders.

You will have to arrange getting your art to the show by yourself. The Art Show does not allow mail-in art due to problems with customs and the risk of artwork getting lost or damaged. Any cost arising from your transportation or import needs is not covered and has to be paid by yourself.

Eurofurence just arranges sales between artists and buyers. Any financial obligations resulting from those sales (like taxes) have to be managed and fulfilled by you. You do not enter a sales contract with Eurofurence or the Eurofurence Art Show, but with the buyer.

The art has to be prepared for display before getting it to the Art Show at your own cost (which should be self-evident, actually). Eurofurence provides panels and hooks for hanging the art, but no further materials (like frames) will be available. If your art needs special arrangements for hanging, you need to clear the requirements with the managers beforehand.

Your full name and snailmail address (and that of your agent, if you have one)
Your registration/badge number (or that of your agent) if available
Contact information: Email address and/or phone number
If you represent other artists: Their real names and fan names
For yourself and every artist you represent: The maximum age rating of your work (nice, nude, naughty, XXX; see below), and the number of panels/tables you would like to have (see below).
If you have an online gallery, a link please.

You will receive:

A password and user name for your account, so you can later access and change your data.
The number of panels you have been assigned
The URL for the online Art Show application.

Through your password and user name you can later enter artwork for the show online, and print bidsheets for finished art. If you still have questions or special requests not covered by that application, you are welcome to write a mail to the Art Show managers under this address.

DESIRED CONTENT AND PROHIBITED TOPICS

There are some requirements regarding artwork for display, both technical and content related. Since some of these rules are enforced by law, it is necessary to know them.

The general topic is "furry". That makes some kind of animal connection mandatory. Art that features just humans is not furry (even if you count the fact that humans are animals too). Art that features brave little toasters is not furry (even if it is "anthropomorphic" in the sense of the word). Your scratchbuilt X-Wing may be very impressive and display-worthy, but it's not on-topic. Wildlife/animal art is permitted. And yes, centaurs are allowed too.

Any medium is acceptable (unless it's perishable...): watercolor, oils, pastels, pencils, clay sculptures, glass etchings, plush characters, whatever. If it's large or requires special support/hanging, check with the managers first whether it is physically possible to display. For three-dimensional art, you will need to request tables instead of panels!

If you are using photography as your medium, be it as art in itself or to display other works that would be impossible to show otherwise, like fursuits or large self-made plushies, the photo in itself must have artistic quality. We will not display low-resolution snapshots from a sunday at the zoo. Check with the managers whether your photography is displayable. Like all other art, photography must be framed.

If you use 2D/3D computer graphics (still rendering / animation), the rendering (including modeling) must have artistic quality. We will not display slightly modified Poser models or Second Life screenshots. Like all other art, computer graphics must be framed.

We distinguish between original art, hand-colored prints, limited prints, and unlimited prints (referring to the physical exhibit). Of course, we prefer original artwork for display, and discourage the display of unlimited prints (the Dealers' Den is the proper place for selling unlimited prints). Photography, 3D computer graphics, and pure computer media (drawn by graphics tablet in Photoshop et al.) count as (limited) prints, since there is no physical original.
For all prints a minimum printing quality is required. Washed-out low-resolution copies of artifact-riddled jpg images are not fit for display.

Due to German law, absolutely no Nazi symbols are allowed. That means no swastika, no SS runes, no Third Reich flags.

No excessive violence and cruelty (even in non-sexual context). Violence in general is allowed on a reasonable level, including blood, gore, killing, or hunting. If you are in doubt about that rule, show the picture to the Art Show managers first.

No depictions of rape or other non-consensual violence in combination with sexual content. Bondage or sub/dom depictions are allowed. Consensual sex of any kind, regardless of species and gender, is allowed (unless covered by the rules below).

No pedophilia / "cub porn". We are aware that this is a difficult rule since the actual age of drawn characters is hard to guess, especially with furry characters of different species or cartoony, "childlike" designs. Appearances count; characters with a very childlike appearance, underdeveloped genitals, and/or baby face may be considered "children" in the context of this rule.

No "youth porn". What the heck is that? German lawmakers in their infinite wisdom saw fit to severely limit the permissible erotica (and everything that may be seen as erotica, even if it isn't) if there is a vague chance that it may remind narrow-minded elderly judges of teenaged persons. Any erotica and any "enticing" depiction (including mere posing, even clothed) of characters that may perhaps not be of legal age is prohibited. And what is the age of cartoon characters? I'll be damned if I know.
For now, we need to exclude anything erotic that may trigger this law. That means: No size games, even if justified by species, because the smaller partner may be perceived as underaged. No direct hints at age, even if it is just seventeen candles on a birthday cake. No indirect hints at age, for example by juxtaposing younger and older characters. Or in short, nothing that may lead anybody to the conclusion that the character in question may not be of legal age if it were real.
You may want to consult the Art Show managers before showing anything that may fall under this rule.

No zoophilia / sodomy / bestiality involving humans or largely human-like characters (e.g. anime catgirls , elfs, or centaurs) with animals or largely non-morphic furries (four-legged, feral) is allowed. Other species-transcending sexual activity is generally allowed (including furries with ferals).

Toilet activities are strongly discouraged. That includes scat, watersports, adult diapers in use, or vomit. We do not exclude that content, but we do appeal to your sensitivity and common sense in showing excretional fetish work, which may not be suitable for a wide and varied public.

We like artists to display their own characters and creations. If you use other people's characters, you should ask for the approval of the creator; it's the polite thing to do. Please avoid the use of characters created by large companies. Again, we do not exclude that content, since it is allowed in the context of parodies or derivative artistic work, but you need to make sure that you don't violate any trademark or copyright laws.

Regardless of rules, the Art Show managers have the final say in what is allowed and what's not. Note that despite of all those rules, the Eurofurence Art Show allows a lot of explicit, adult, or even fetish artwork. To avoid conflicts about objectionable and offensive artwork, the managers reserve the right to refuse displaying single pieces of art.

AGE RATING IN THE ART SHOW SETUP

Since some guests of Eurofurence may not want to look at the more adult part of the show, and some "clean" artists may not feel comfortable to be displayed next to explicit artwork, the show will roughly be divided into "zones", with the most adult zone being farthest away from the entrance. That way, any visitor can decide by him/herself how far to proceed, and artists don't need to worry about what will be displayed on the panels next to his.

To prepare the setup, an artist needs to include with his/her application mail the rating of the most adult content of his or her displayed work. The artist's panels will then be placed in that area. A separation of panel space is possible (but not required) if the artist has some adult and some clean artwork and wants to place the art appropriately. (If the artist wants to keep his/her panels together, all of the artist's work will be placed in the more adult area.)

Since artists may cancel or apply for a panel up to the last moment, we cannot guarantee the mix of panels or the neighborhood an artist will end up in, but we will try our best.

For security reasons, there will be no physical separation between the areas. The panels will be marked as belonging to one of four zones:

Nice: no nudity or violence, clean art only, "G-rated", kid-safe
Nude: Tasteful nudity, moderate or cartoony violence
Naughty: Lewd nudity (male erection, sexual posing), direct sexual activity, violence, death/dying
XXX: Hardcore and fetish work, just-barely-permittable violence

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The Eurofurence Art Show provides panels and hooks for hanging art. The panels are sturdy wooden constructs with predrilled pegboard sides where hooks can be inserted. All panels are usable from both sides.

The managers lay out the panels in the room to meet a number of requirements. The artists will not be able to request a certain layout. Panels are assigned.

To hang artwork, it must have a tab at the backside which fits the hooks. Please note that commercially available frames may come with tabs or holders that do not fit these hooks because they are designed for screws or nails. Eurofurence tries to make different hooks and additional clamp holders available; these will be on hand in limited numbers only, though. It is forbidden to paste the artwork to the panel with sticky tape or any other adhesive; this will ruin both the panel and the artwork.

Flat art (images, drawings, paintings) for the Art Show must be framed, matted, or mounted by the artist. A piece of low-quality cardboard does not count as a mat. A clear plastic binder is not a frame. Please, show your artwork some respect by giving it the proper framing treatment. The minimum frame is a cheap and simple glass frame; however, we recommend matted art because it is lighter and easier to transport.

For identification purposes, the art must bear a sticker on the reverse side stating the artist's or agent's name and the name of the piece.

Panels may be reserved in quarter-panel steps.

a full panel will be 2m by 1m
a half panel will be 1m by 1m
a quarter panel will be 0.5m by 1m

Please remember that the space you reserve must include any clearance between pieces, including space for their (attached) bid sheets. Your artwork may not extend beyond the edge of any panel (even the lower edge, since patrons may accidentally jolt the art and cause accidents); it may not interfere with any works displayed by other artists (although naturally you can come to a mutual personal agreement with the owners of adjacent panels).

If you have never done this before, you can try the layout for your art at home: Arrange your framed and matted pieces on the floor, and try out what looks best. This will give you an idea of how much panel space you need to reserve. Look here for a sketch with example sizes: Panel Layout.

The panels are sturdy and large enough for most purposes. If you have extremely large pieces of art where a full panel would not suffice to hang it, or extremely heavy framing (wood frame and glass) you need two people to lift, please contact the managers immediately so something can be worked out for that kind of artwork.

If you have three-dimensional artwork to display, you need a table instead of (or in addition to) a panel. The online registration will allow you to request tables. Since the tables are provided by the location, the sizes may vary. We assume a minimum size of 80cm x 120cm, but please be prepared to change your setup according to final measurements. Note that the panels are unprotected and open; if your art breaks easily, bring a showcase or a cover to discourage patrons who "look with their fingers". You are responsible for the protection of the artwork yourself.

Additional decoration of panels is restricted.

Panels are meant for the display of artwork, bidsheets, and accompanying information. Draping the panels with cloth or paper as background or table-cloth is not allowed, even if this decoration is removable. Permanent changes to the panels, like paint, are of course strictly prohibited.

You may add artist information, like a box with business cards, to your panel. You may add small items as decoration, if space suffices, but any such items are displayed at the discretion of the Art Show managers, who may ask you to remove them if they do not fit in. (It is also not very polite to clutter panels with gadgets that take up space which may be used by other artists for their works.)

Due to fire hazard, it is not allowed to add any electrical appliance to the panel that runs on more than standard batteries. That concerns moving installations, lamps, and electronic displays.

The Eurofurence Art Show managers will try to fulfill all your needs in displaying your work. However, they cannot read minds, and not all requirements can be met on-site, so if you plan something special, get in contact with them as soon as possible.

PANEL RESERVATION AND DEADLINES

Requests for panels and tables are handled by mail, see here for signup.

Please keep in mind:

Most artists only need one panel, at most two. The panels are huge! Unless you are working in exceptionally large formats, or are very productive, you don't need to order more than two panels; often even half a panel is enough.
Quality before quantity. Yes, we know that you want to sell lots of art, but cramming art on as many panels as allowed defies the purpose of the Art Show. Be selective; show only your best. Don't be fixated on sales.
Keep a good working relationship with the Art Show staff. They will try to accomodate your wishes if you keep them up to date with your information.
Don't panic. If you can't fill your panels with art, give them back. If you have more art than you can display on your panels, either select the best — or bring it to the convention nevertheless; often, panels become available at the last minute.

So, what do you do to get panels?

First, make an estimation of how much art you want to bring. This does not need to be a hundred percent accurate, but you should know how many panels you need. If you have attended the Art Show before, you most likely know how to do that; if you're a newcomer, you may want to spend some time on your estimations.
Then register with that estimation in mind. You can reduce the number at any time later, but stay realistic: don't reserve four panels and later drop three and a half of them.
Keep in mind that other artists want to have panels too. We will try to be fair when assigning panels; your realistic estimation of needed panels will help us in that.
If you are a newcomer, we may assign you only limited panel space. You may want to talk to us personally when you actually need more than one full panel. We welcome new artists, but — due to past experiences — we would like to build a working relationship with you before you get multiple panels assigned.
If you have a bad track record — that is, if you have reserved panels at past Art Shows and then failed to fill them without returning them, or failed to claim your panels at all, or caused trouble with the Art Show team — you may want to talk to us before reserving panels. We might need to curb your reservations to mitigate the apparent risk.
If the Art Show is close to being booked out, we might not be able to reserve the full number of panels you desire, so please register early.
After your registration, try to keep track of your art progress and the needed panels, and return panels when you know that you don't need them.

What happens after that? Are changes possible? Can new panels be ordered?

The panels that are confirmed by the Art Show are yours. We will not take them away or redistribute them unless you return them voluntarily. You can plan your final layout for the show.
You may register (or try to book additional panels if you need them) at any time; there is no deadline. However, the Art Show may be sold out sometime. If that happens, we will still accept your registration, but your order will be placed on the waiting list. We cannot guarantee that you will get a panel, but some may become available as returns.
In fact, panels may become available at the con itself if an artist returns panels at the last minute, brings less art than anticipated, or fails to show up. So, panels may be reassigned even at the convention! This happens frequently. Don't hesitate to bring (additional) art and ask!

It is not possible to give your space to someone else in person, since that may lead to an unfair panel distribution. Panels must be officially redistributed. That includes panels you reserved for friends that you represent at the con as an agent — if those friends do not use all of their panel space, you cannot simply take that space for yourself; it must be returned to the Art Show pool.

Our space is limited; when the panels are gone, we can only put people on the waiting list. So don't wait too long with your registration.

Since only a few people need tables instead of panels, tables will be set up as needed. Note that you need to register your tables early, because once the Art Show room layout has been determined, we may not be able to add tables!

ONLINE ART DATABASE

During registration for the Art Show, you will receive your password and account data. Through the online system, you can enter your art data and create and print bidsheets. This data will also help us in the administration of the Art Show: it is the basic information on how many art we have, to whom it belongs, and how it is supposed to be handled.

You will also be able to change personal data through this database.

Through that system, your receipts will be printed and your revenue will be calculated. Any data that is not entered before the con has to be entered at the con, which takes a lot of time. If you can, please register your art online, and help reduce waiting times at the con. If we have your data on file already, artwork registration can be handled more efficiently.

SELLING ART AND FILLING OUT BIDSHEETS

The Art Show allows you to sell your art. Please note that the show doesn't buy art, or sell art to bidders. The Art Show acts exclusively as a mediator in a contract between artist/owner and buyer.

Each piece of art will have a bidsheet attached (or have it hanging next to the piece) which provides information on the artwork, the artist, and more. The bidsheet is used for identification of the art, and for purchasing art. A piece of art is marked as "not for sale" by a special no-sale bidsheet that does not provide the purchase-related part.

If you don't want to sell your art, you simply use the no-sale bidsheet. This sheet still gives the visitor all necessary information about the art and the artist, but does not set a price or allow to bid on this piece.

If you want to sell your art, you use the sales bidsheet. Here, you need to state a minimum price, which is essentially the smallest sum you want to sell the piece for.

Bidsheets are available through the online database. If you do not have a printer available, you may print them at the convention; however, it is recommended that you print bidsheets before the con to avoid waiting times.

Visitors of the art show may bid on "for sale" pieces by writing their bid onto the corresponding bidsheet. The bid must meet the minimum price. The piece is sold to the highest bid at the end of the show. If six bids are offered, the piece will be sold in the art show auction, which is a voice auction, and has no bidding limits.

After the auction (at a time to be announced at the convention), the art will be handed out to the customers, the money will be collected and finally given to the artists/owners. This is done for practical reasons: Eurofurence does not act as a buyer or reseller. The artists will receive the data of their buyers to finalize the contract. Eurofurence will try to mediate in cases of problematic purchase, but it is up to the artist to verify and claim their money.

If artwork is sold but not collected and paid for by the bidder, we will try to notify the buyer of this mishap, and correct it before passing the money to the artist/agent. Should this not be possible, for example if the buyer has already left the convention, the artist or agent will be informed and provided with contact data to enable him/her to finalize the sale. Eurofurence cannot hand out money that has not been collected beforehand, and since the sales agreement is between the bidder and the artist/agent, Eurofurence cannot legally exact payment. The artist is free to take any measure to enforce the contract that has been concluded with the bidder.

Unsold pieces (having no bid) or "Not for sale" pieces are returned to the owner at the end of the art show.

Please note that any and all additional obligation like sales tax or income tax declarations have to be fulfilled by the artist/owner. Eurofurence assumes that the transactions are handled as private sales. If you are a (commercial) full-time artist, you may be required to file these sales properly, and to hand out the appropriate receipts to the customers.

CHOOSING PRICES

The choice of a good minimum price is crucial for the sales. If your minimum is too low, you will be disappointed if the art sells for just that sum. If your minimum is too high, you may need to take it back because no one is willing to pay that price.

Some artists have tried to get their art into the auction by choosing very low minimum bids, since art in the auction may yield a higher price than in the regular bidding. However, in many cases that art still does not get the necessary number of bids to send it to the auction, and is sold for a low bid.

The Art Show managers cannot offer advice in choosing the minimum bid, since the buying behavior of the Eurofurence patrons often varies. Generally, you should ask yourself whether you really want to part with this piece for that minimum price, and still be comfortable with it. This depends largely on how you see your art: as a source to make prints from, as lovingly created unicates, as advertising for your commissions, as leisurely hobby, or as additional income.

GETTING ART TO EUROFURENCE

There are essentially two ways to get the art to Eurofurence.

The first and most simple is: you get to the con yourself, and bring the art along. You can handle and hang the artwork yourself, so you are in control of the whole process.

The second is: Give the art to an agent. The agent is someone who will handle the whole process for you, if you cannot attend. He or she will hang the art, and receive the money for it. (Alternatively, the agent can just hand over the art to the Art Show managers, who will hang the art and transfer the money after the con, so the agent doesn't need to be involved with the process.)

It is no longer possible to mail the artwork to the Art Show managers beforehand. Due to the difficulties experienced in the process (customs, fees, danger of damage, return of unsold art), the Art Show cannot perform this service for you. Please find an agent to carry the artwork.

If you bring along artwork for others, this does not impair your own standing at the con. You still get the full number of panels; the panels of the artists you act as an agent for are added to your own. (You cannot, however, distribute that summed-up panel space as you like; if any of those artists does not require his or her full space, this surplus needs to be reassigned by the Art Show managers.)

If you bring along artwork from a lot of people who each have only one or two pictures, you can lump them all together and ask for a single panel set for them, which is subsequently treated as one request.

You can also bring art that you own, display and/or sell it, even if you are not the artist (under the caveats stated above). Since you are the owner, you can handle the art as you see fit, unless you have bought that art under different conditions.