Rules - Artists Alley - Romexpo 2026

Artists’ Alley Registration Guidelines – East European Comic Con 2026

East European Comic Con 2026 – Artists’ Alley
Location: Romexpo Bucharest
Event Dates: April 24–26, 2026

1. Registration Timeline

• Portfolio Submission: February 17–23

• Portfolio Review & Validation: February 19–28

• Registration for Validated Artists (Skip Selection / Selection): March 1–5

• Confirmation & Contract Signing: March 12–19

All artists interested in joining Artists’ Alley must first submit a portfolio during the submission window, then complete registration only after receiving validation.

2. Portfolio Submission Guidelines

• You must submit as an individual. Group submissions are allowed only if you are working together on a common, printed comic book project (sharing one booth).

• The submission window is strict (February 17–23, 23:59). Late submissions will not be considered.

• No updates allowed after submission – editing the folder or its contents after you send it will lead to disqualification.

• Your portfolio must showcase only the artwork you plan to display and sell at Artists’ Alley. Unrelated works may hurt your chances of validation.

• You must also describe the products you intend to sell (e.g., posters, stickers, pins, printed T‑shirts, comic books, keychains, etc.).

• The portfolio should be submitted via a shared online folder (e.g., Google Drive), with access correctly granted to the organizers and all files clearly named and organized.

• Before sending, double‑check your submission: links, sharing permissions, file names, image order, and product descriptions.

3. About the Portfolio Review

The portfolio review is not a selection process. It is a mandatory quality and compliance check for all artists who wish to participate in Artists’ Alley. Its purpose is to:

• Ensure the submitted portfolio matches the artwork that will be displayed and sold at your booth.

• Confirm that applicants are active artists, not resellers or non‑art vendors.

• Filter out plagiarized, AI‑generated, traced, or low‑effort content.

• Maintain the overall quality and thematic focus of Artists’ Alley.

To confirm that everyone has read this information, use the year of the event as the registration keyword.

Only artists whose portfolios are validated in this review will receive access to register for a spot in Artists’ Alley.

4. Portfolio Review Criteria

Your portfolio will be evaluated based on the following:

4.1 Thematic Relevance

• Only traditional and digital artwork is accepted.

• Not accepted in Artists’ Alley: handmade jewelry, crochet, digital embroidery, purely craft‑based items, or any merchandise where you are not the original visual artist.

4.2 Number and Labeling of Artworks

• Your portfolio must include a minimum of 30 artworks.

• All artworks must be labeled in a clear, consistent format, such as:
  YYYY-MM-DD/DD-MM-YYYY_Artwork-01.jpg/png/jpeg

• The creation date must be included for each piece. For artworks that took over 60 days, you should specify start and finish dates.

• You may only sell artworks included in the portfolio or artworks created after your portfolio submission date.

• You may not sell older works that were not shown in the portfolio.

4.3 Recent Activity

• You must include at least 4 artworks created in the last 4 months prior to submission. Drawn after the 18th of September.

• Out of these 4, up to 2 may be WIP (Work in Progress), as long as they are substantial pieces (not simple sketches or loose thumbnails).

• If you participated in 2025, you are expected to show that you have continued to create new work and evolve your portfolio.

4.4 Quality Standards

• The artwork must demonstrate clean lines, proper coloring, and professional execution.

• Not allowed:

• AI‑generated artwork.

• Traced artwork or redraws of official art.

• Plagiarized or stolen designs, including copied “pun” stickers or memes from other artists.

• Photomanipulations that heavily rely on photos you did not create.

4.5 Product Description

• Each artist must list what type of products they intend to sell, for example:

1. Posters

2. Stickers

3. Pins

4. Printed T‑shirts

5. Comic books (volumes, chapters)

6. Keychains or other printed merchandise featuring their own artwork

• The products presented at your booth must correspond to the artworks and project(s) shown in your portfolio.

4.6 Visual Complexity and Variety

• Portfolios should show effort, originality, and variety.

• Characters with detailed backgrounds are encouraged.

• A portfolio that focuses mostly on characters without backgrounds will not be automatically disqualified, but extreme lack of variety or very low complexity may affect validation.

5. After the Portfolio Review

• If your portfolio is validated, you will receive a registration link in your EECC Account & by email before March 1.

• The email with the registration link will be sent shortly before registration opens to keep the process fair and avoid advantages based on exact timing.

• Only validated artists can continue to the Skip Selection or Selection registration options.

6. Registration Options

Once validated, you can choose between two registration paths:

(A) Skip Selection

• Works on a first‑come, first‑served basis among validated artists.

• If you choose Skip Selection and complete your registration and contract signing while spots are still available, your place in Artists’ Alley is guaranteed.

• If multiple artists pass validation and choose Skip Selection, spots are assigned in the order in which registration is completed, within capacity.

(B) Selection Process

• Intended for artists who want to enter a competitive, curated pool for a limited number of spots.

• Only a fixed number of spots (TBA) are available through the selection route.

• Applicants are ranked based on:

• Artistic skill

• Originality

• Thematic relevance to the event and to Artists’ Alley

• Comic book projects (original volumes or chapters) receive priority, but high overall quality remains essential.

• Competition is expected to be very strong (in some years, up to 5 applicants per spot).

7. Copyright, Fan Art, and Originality

• You may create fan art inspired by games, anime, movies, series, or comics as long as it is in your own style.

• You must not:

• Replicate official characters identically.

• Use or submit official images from the internet, even if edited.

• Trace or paint over screenshots, key art, or promotional material.

• Include or sell photographs of real people as your main product.

• Comic book projects have priority in the selection process.

• If you are selling a comic book volume or chapter, include sample pages or screenshots in your portfolio.

• This significantly improves your chances in the Selection route, though it does not guarantee acceptance.

8. Practical Tips for a Strong Submission!!!

• Show only what you plan to sell: Make your portfolio a mirror of your future booth.

• Remove unrelated or old work that you no longer intend to print or sell.

• Present a coherent style and theme so the jury can clearly understand your visual identity.

• Ensure your files are high‑resolution, clearly visible, and not cluttered with watermarks or text that hides the art.

• Give yourself time: do not leave submission to the last day, in case of technical or upload issues.
  
  Make sure you have a legally registered entity with modern means of payment available as required by the 2026 Fiscal Code of Romania. Foreign legal registered entities are accepted.