How to Start Selling Art at Conventions
Vending at the Washington Gaming Expo
My first year selling art was dedicated to small local events which taught me a lot about my demographic and helped me create new goals for myself and my business. The biggest goal I knew I needed to pursue was that I wanted to start doing conventions! I was inspired by going to Emerald City Comic Con and seeing Artist Alley, as well as watching countless YouTube videos of artists who vlogged their convention experiences. So how did I get there?
Applying
Honestly, the hardest part (besides the cost) is knowing when applications are open for conventions. I was checking websites once or twice a month, googling lists of upcoming conventions, and scouring the internet for any other help. The place where I found the most help was Facebook and Facebook groups dedicated to convention sellers. So if you’re looking for help signing up for conventions too, I highly recommend going onto Facebook and searching for groups with keywords like “Artist Alley”, “Conventions”, and “Con vendors”. There are lots of supportive communities out there!
Artist Alley vs Exhibitor Hall
The next most important thing I learned is that most conventions have two different applications: Artist Alley and Exhibitor.
First draft of artist alley table
Artist Alley is usually heavily juried or curated and is for people who exclusively sell prints, stickers, and maybe some pins and keychains as well. Many applications ask if you’ve been published or helped on major projects such as games, comic books, or illustrations. This does not mean that you cannot get into an artist alley as someone who is brand new (there are new artists every year!) but I do want to warn you that it can be very competitive. Make sure you have an online portfolio that showcases the most captivating works that you’ll be selling to grab jurors’ attention.
Once you get accepted into an Artist Alley it is a very beginner-friendly space to start selling at conventions as table fees are much cheaper than full booths, and a lot of people come to conventions specifically to support independent artists. You usually have one 6ft x 3ft table with a black curtain behind you. You can decorate this space however you want as long as everything is within your table space.
Example of exhibitor booth space
Exhibitors Hall is still often hand-picked based on the theme of the convention, but in my experience is far less competitive than artist alleys. You usually get a 10ft x 10ft space to set up as you please. You can usually pay extra for additional tables and electricity if you need those resources. The cost for an exhibitor space is usually double or sometimes triple what an artist alley table is, but you do have the freedom to sell any variety of products.
You can absolutely have a successful exhibitor space with just art prints. A lot of artists graduate from artist alley tables to exhibitor spaces because they can display many more pieces and know that their works sell well. I personally prefer exhibitor spots because I also sell pillows, journals, earrings, and blankets which would not be allowed at most artist alleys, and I can sell all those things along with my prints, stickers, and pins.
Costs
Why is everything so expensive >.<
You usually have to pay for your spot several months in advance of the event, so be prepared to budget early. Artist alley tables can cost anywhere from $100 - $500, but the ones I’ve applied for have usually been around $250. Exhibitor booths are usually $300 - $1,000 but most of the events I’ve done so far have been around $400.
You also need to pay for food and lodging. I try to only do conventions in cities where I have friends or family I can stay with as hotel rooms can be an additional $100 or $200 a night. I try to bring my own groceries or lots of prepackaged Trader Joe’s food to save myself from having to pay for takeout multiple times a day.
Conclusion
It can be daunting to get started as a seller at conventions and artist alleys, but YOU CAN DO IT!!! It’s so rewarding and so much fun to spend the weekend surrounded by people who love the same things as you. I love seeing everyone’s cosplays and having in-depth conversations when people recognize some of my more obscure fan art. I hope to see you at the next convention!
