Rules - Artists Alley - Arena Nationala 2026

Artists’ Alley Registration Guidelines East European Comic Con SEPT 2026!
National Arena Comic Con 2026 Artists’ Alley
Location: National Arena, Bucharest
Event Dates: September 11–13, 2026

1. Registration Timeline

• Portfolio Submission: May 22 – June 16 (submissions are capped at 300 portfolios and will close early once the limit is reached).

• Portfolio Review & Validation: June 17–22.

• Registration for Validated Artists (Skip Selection / Selection): June 23–25.

• Confirmation & Contract Signing: June 25–28.

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, and once 300 portfolios are received, registration will close ahead of the timeline with no late submissions 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.

* shared is what you need to go to the next step ;)

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 bolded word* 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_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 2 artworks created in the last 50 days before submission, meaning drawn after April 4.

• Out of these 2, up to 1 may be a Work in Progress (WIP) as long as it is a substantial piece rather than a simple sketch.

• Artists must have at least 3 artworks finished in 2025, and 10 of the total 30 must be made within the last 4 years to ensure active participation.

• If you participated in April 2026, 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.