Artist Alley Rules and Information

• Convention Date and Location
• Artist Alley Hours of Operation
• Booth Information
• Display Restrictions
• Payment
• Cancellation
• Security

• Rules and Regulations
• ID Policy
• Original Artwork
• Mature Content Merchandise
• Selling from Hotel Rooms
• Noise Management
• Exhibitor’s Special Events/Raffles
• Intellectual Property
• Photography
• Substance Use
• Legal Notices
• Liability
• Indemnification
• Severability

• Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center Policies
• Bell Cart Usage
• Loading Docks/Parking
• Electric/Internet Services

• Maryland State Sales Tax Information
• Maryland State Licensing Information

Artist Alley Information

Convention Date and Location

Katsucon Entertaiment, Inc. (hereafter, “KEI”) will present the Katsucon 18 convention at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center (hereafter, “GNRCC”) from February 17, 2012 to February 19, 2012. The Katsucon Artist Alley will be located in Prince Georges Exhibit Halls B.

HOTEL CONTACT INFORMATION
Address: 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745
Phone: 301-965-2000
Fax: 301-965-2001
Email: gninfo@gaylordhotels.com
Website: http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordnational/

Artist Alley Hours of Operation

Day	Date	Set Up	Open for VIPs	Open for Attendees	Close Down
Thursday	16 February	12pm to 11pm	n/a	n/a	11pm
Friday	17 February	9am to 12pm	11:30am	12pm to 10pm	10pm to 11pm
Saturday	18 February	9am to 10am	9:30am	10am to 10pm	10pm to 11pm
Sunday	19 February	9am to 10am	9:30am	10am to 3pm	3pm to 4pm

Note: These hours of operation are subject to change. Katsucon reserves the right to change these hours at any time, including during the convention.

Booth Information

Area	Width	Depth	Limit	Tables†	Chairs	Badges‡	Price
ARTS	6 feet	8 feet	Two	Two	Two per Table	Two per Table	$95 until 12-31-2011 $120 AT DOOR

† Tables are 6 feet long by 30 inches wide.
‡ Badges are not transferable.

Booth locations are assigned by the order in which Payment in Full is received. A specific location may be requested, but is not guaranteed. There will not be any pipe or drape separating the booths. Only those persons wearing an Artist Alley badge will be allowed to sit in the booths. If you have a helper, your helper must have an Artist Alley badge. Artists must include the name of their helper on the booth application.

Exhibitors may arrange their booth as they wish within their space, as long as it does not interfere with other Exhibitors and/or violate fire codes. Exhibitors are responsible for cleaning up their areas during and after the event. All trash (such as food containers, bags and cups, as well as empty boxes) must be carried to the dumpster on the Loading Dock. Any items left behind, including merchandise, will be thrown out or become the property of KEI.

Food & drink is permitted in a booth for personal consumption only (not for sale). However, if you make a mess, clean it up. Keep your area as neat as possible.

Booths are not transferable and may not be resold to a third party. If an artist fails to check in for their table by close of Artists Area hours on Friday night, they will be considered a No-Show. On Saturday morning, one hour before start of AA selling hours, their table(s) will be offered for sale at the at-con rate on a first come, first served basis. Lost tables cannot be reclaimed, and neither credit nor refund will be given for No-Show tables. Please contact the Artist Alley Coordinators in the event of delayed arrival. If you wish to have a representative claim your table for you, you must provide all information about this representative with your application.

KEI does not have a policy barring one or more Exhibitors from sharing a booth space, but anyone inclined to do so must first obtain approval from the Artist Alley Coordinators. Each individual Exhibitor MUST register separately and MUST submit a separate Exhibitor Affidavit upon check-in (see Tax and Licensing sections below). Failure to do so may result in removal of all involved Exhibitors from the convention and forfeiture of all registration fees.

Display Restrictions

All displays must be secured and stable. For safety reasons, Katsucon will ask that any displays deemed unsafe or unstable be taken down.

Displays may not extend into the aisles; walkways must be kept clear. Displays that go beyond the horizontal boundaries of a booth, or impede or encroach on another’s booth space will be removed. Further infractions will result in removal from the Artist Alley without refund.

The maximum allowed height for displays is 4 feet (48″), measured from the top of the table to the top of the highest object displayed. Free-standing displays should not exceed 8 feet, measured from the floor. If these heights are exceeded, you will be asked once to adjust your display. Failure to do so will result in removal from the Artist Alley without refund.

Payment

In order to avoid any confusion, payment information will be provided directly to Artists whose applications have been approved. For your protection, no payments will be accepted without prior approval.

Cancellation

Cancellation requests must be received in writing 30 days prior to the convention in order to receive a full refund. We cannot guarantee any refunds with less than 30 days notice.

Security

The doors will be locked and security will be provided for the Exhibit Hall during the hours that the Artist Alley is closed. However, the Exhibitor is solely and fully responsible for his or her own materials and should insure the exhibit against loss or damage from any cause whatsoever. All property of the Exhibitor is understood to remain in the Exhibitor’s care, custody, and control in transit to or from or within the confines of the Artist Alley.

Rules and Regulations

DISCLAIMER: Failure to abide by any and all rules herein may result in removal from the Katsucon Artist Alley, and possibly the convention, without refund.
The following rules are subject to revision and expansion at KEI/CON’s discretion without notice.

If any of the regulations contained within this document are violated, a Katsucon senior staffer will issue a verbal warning. If the offense continues and/or resistance is offered, the offending Exhibitor will be removed from the convention site. Once ejected, neither KEI/CON nor GNRCC will render a refund. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

In addition to these rules, all other convention and hotel rules remain in effect.
All Local, State and Federal laws are also in effect; violators will be ejected from the convention without refund and turned over to the proper authorities.

You must be a registered member of the convention in order to participate in the Artist Alley. Purchasing a booth includes a registration.
All Exhibitors are required to wear their convention badge visibly at all times and properly hung around the neck.

ID Policy

All artists/helpers/assistants must show a government-issued, photo ID to check in at the Artists Alley. If an artist is not able to produce a valid ID at check in, their table(s) will be held until one hour before opening on Saturday, at which point the table(s) will be considered unclaimed and open for sale on a first come, first served basis. Accepted forms of ID include: A state drivers’ license, state-issued identification card, a passport, or military ID. Other forms of Photo ID may be accepted at the discretion of the Department Head of the Artists Alley. The name on the ID must match the name given during table registration.

Original Artwork

Original Artwork – The Artist Alley is meant to display and showcase an artist’s original intellectual art work. Katsucon’s policy is to have zero tolerance towards copyright violations as part of any of our convention functions if this violation is brought to our attention by the party holding the original copyright. This includes the Artists Area, Anime Music Videos, and other convention programming.

However, Katsucon is not an enforcement arm of any media company or copyright holder. Katsucon will always give the attendee producing the art the benefit of the doubt. The only parties who can make valid, actionable copyright violation complaints are the copyright holders themselves, or their legally empowered agents.

If a valid copyright holder finds, in any venue of the convention, a perceived violation of their intellectual property and thus makes a complaint to our staff, we will act on that complaint and request that the offensive materials be removed from public display.

While it is agreed that Katsucon is not the enforcement arm of any agency, studio or otherwise in regards to another’s copyright, we will remain steadfast in our own requirement that the Artist must maintain at least 51% of their own original intellectual work for sale throughout the entirety of the convention.

If an Artist Alley staff member feels that an Artist has abused or ignored this requirement, the Artist Alley department head will be notified. If the Artist Alley department head agrees that this rule has been broken, they will require the Artist to correct the situation. If the Artist has to be confronted again during the convention for the same offense, they will be asked to leave. No refunds will be given for forfeiting their table due to their own dismissal of the rules.

Each artist must be selling their own work, not that of other people. Such artwork should draw upon influences from Japanese culture. Collaborative works, where multiple artists worked on a single project, are acceptable. All items being sold by a crafter must be that crafter’s own creations.

The following items are prohibited: Any work with copyrighted logos, regardless of whether or not the work is original; mass produced (see below) prints of art depicting licensed characters or buttons, pins, hats, or t-shirts bearing official character likenesses.

If the artist knowingly, against the advice of KEI, makes the decision to sell their own hand drawn (not traced, copied or photoshopped) fan art , they will be limited to selling no more than 20 copies of a single piece of art. Anything about 20 copies will be considered mass produced.

Items bearing the artist’s original material are permitted. These items include but are not limited to: T-shirts, calendars, drawings, paintings, prints, comics, sketches, cel art, posters, buttons, pins, hats, bags and other media.

As above, trademark and copyright laws as defined in the International Trade Laws and the Byrne International Copyright Treaty must be followed. It is your responsibility to make sure that your art does not violate copyright; you must be able to refute any potential copyright infringement, if challenged. Similarly, it is your responsibility to make sure that your art does not violate any trademarks; you must be also able to refute any trademark infringement, if challenged.

Selling of weapons, reproductions, replicas, or the like is not allowed in the Arts Area. The sale of such merchandise is allowed only in the Dealer’s Room. Selling garage-sale-like items is not allowed.

Mature Content Merchandise

Adult media and merchandise may be sold in accordance with the laws of both the State of Maryland and Prince Georges County. The display or sale of adult merchandise to anyone under the age of 18 will not be tolerated. Adult merchandise must be covered and photo identification must be checked at the time of perusal and/or purchase in all cases. It is solely the responsibility of the Exhibitor to make sure that the viewer has proof of being 18+ years of age; as such, the Exhibitor will be held fully accountable for any failure to do so, as well as for any complaints received about the material.

Any form of child pornography is absolutely prohibited and will be dealt with severely. The offending Exhibitor will immediately be reported to the proper authorities. Furthermore, KEI reserves the right to pursue legal action against said Exhibitor.

Selling from Hotel Rooms

The selling of merchandise from a hotel room is against KEI/CON policy, hotel policy and Maryland state law. Anyone found selling merchandise from a hotel room will be referred to hotel security and reported to the authorities. No attendee is allowed sell merchandise outside of the Exhibit Halls. NO SQUATTING! You may not sit down in the middle of any open space and attempt to sell your merchandise.

Noise Management

Music is permissible, but the volume is to be kept low. Please respect the wishes of those around you. Katsucon reserves the right to require any Exhibitor to turn down or off any audio devices deemed to be interfering with or bothering other Exhibitors or attendees at the convention. The same applies to vocal appeals intended to entice people to come to your booth or buy merchandise. Running, screaming or any activities that may be dangerous to yourself or others is strictly prohibited.

EXHIBITOR’S SPECIAL EVENTS/RAFFLES

Exhibitors who wish to do some special event (such as a raffle) must obtain approval for said event from Katsucon prior to the event. This can be done by emailing the Artist Alley department head at artalley@katsucon.org. However, anything that might be regarded as a game of chance, such as a raffle, is done solely by the Exhibitor and is not affiliated with KEI.

Intellectual Property

Katsucon’s title, logo, and mascots are trademarks of KEI. No likenesses thereof are permitted to be sold in the Artist Alley except by representatives of KEI.

Photography

Photography and video recording are permitted within the Artists Area, provided that the person being recorded has given permission. Similarly, pictures or videos of art are allowed ONLY with permission of the artist. This rule applies to two- and three-dimensional art. No photography or camera phone use will be permitted in the Art Show, which will be located within the Artists Area, so be aware of this rule when entering the Art Show.

Substance Use

Smoking or use of alcohol or drugs while in the Artist Alley will not be tolerated. Violations will result in removal from the Artists Area and convention.

Legal Notices

You must be 18+ years of age to apply for a booth in the Artist Alley. Based upon Maryland Age of Majority statutes (COML Art. 1 §103), it is KEI’s policy that minors are not allowed to sign the contract; a parent or guardian must sign on behalf of the minor.

If a parent or guardian intends to sign this agreement on behalf of a minor, that parent or guardian must be listed as the booth helper on the application, and must also have a Artist Alley badge.

Liability

KEI/CON shall not be liable for failure to perform its obligations under this contract as a result of strikes, riots or any other cause of any kind whatsoever not within the control of KEI/CON. Anyone visiting, viewing or otherwise participating in the Exhibitor’s booth is deemed to be the invitee or licensee of the Exhibitor, rather than the invitee or licensee of KEI/CON. KEI/CON shall not be liable for any injury whatsoever to the property of the Exhibitor or the persons conducting or otherwise participating in the conduct of the exhibit or the invitees or guests of the Exhibitor, and the Exhibitor hereby indemnifies KEI/CON for all such injuries and claims. KEI/CON shall not be liable for the nature of any merchandise being sold by the Exhibitor, and the Exhibitor hereby indemnifies KEI/CON for all merchandise claims.

The Exhibitor understands that neither KEI/CON nor GNRCC maintains insurance covering the Exhibitor’s property. Neither KEI/CON nor GNRCC, nor any of their representatives will be held responsible for any injury, loss or damage that may occur to the Exhibitor or to the Exhibitor’s associates or property from any cause whatsoever. It is the sole responsibility of the Exhibitor to obtain, at their own expense, adequate insurance against injury, loss, or damage. The Exhibitor should provide proof of said insurance to Katsucon prior to the event.

There is no other agreement or warranty between the Exhibitor and KEI/CON except as set forth in this document. The rights of KEI/CON under this contract shall not be deemed waived unless specifically stated in writing and signed by an authorized officer of KEI. Any action which KEI or the Exhibitor may bring against other, based upon or in any way relating to this Contract or its performance, shall be brought in Federal or State court located within the State of Maryland. KEI and the Exhibitor hereby waive all questions of personal jurisdiction or venue in order to give effect of this provision.

Indemnification

The Exhibitor and KEI/CON, to the extent permitted by law, agree to defend and indemnify the other, and its officers, directors, agents, and employees, of and from all claims, demands, or suits for intellectual property, personal injury or property damage, including costs and attorney fees, in any way arising out of or related to third party claims based on the indemnifying party’s negligent acts or omissions in connection with the Event, except to the extent of the negligence of the indemnified party.

Severability

Should any provision of this document be rendered or declared invalid by reason of any existing or subsequently enacted legislation or by any decree by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidation of such part or portion of this document shall not invalidate the remaining portions, and they shall remain in full force and effect.

Anyone found to have misrepresented their information during the application process may be denied a booth and/or removed from their booth without refund. Further, they may not be permitted to reapply to the Artist Alley in the future, at the discretion of the Artist Alley Coordinators and the Con Chair.

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GAYLORD NATIONAL RESORT & CONVENTION CENTER POLICIES

1. Decorations, signs, banners, etc. may not be taped, nailed, tacked, stapled, or otherwise fastened to ceilings, walls, painted surfaces, or columns in the GNRCC.
2. No holes may be drilled, cored, or punched in the facility.
3. No Stickers may be sold or distributed by Exhibitors. Do not bring or display them!
4. No food and/or beverage products may be distributed by Exhibitors either for samples or for sale.
5. Parking in the loading dock, service drives, and the GNRCC employees’ parking area is prohibited,
   except for loading and unloading. Violators will be towed at their own expense and risk.
6. All freight and exhibit material must enter the facility through designated loading docks. In no case should passenger elevators, escalators, or public lobbies be used for this purpose.
7. All fire, safety, and building regulations must be strictly followed. Particular attention should be paid to the prohibitions against propane, acetylene, and other flammable materials.
8. Exhibitors are responsible for the removal of all materials at the conclusion of the show. The booth must be broom cleaned.
9. The GNRCC prohibits the use of normal tape on their walls and floors. No tape may be used on painted or portable walls. Tape used on the floor of the exhibit hall must be low residue carpet tape or low residue safety tape. Accepted brands of tape are Polyken 105C, Renfrew #147, Asiachem SST-736 or approved equivalent. It is the responsibility of the Exhibitor to remove ALL tape from the floor at the end of the event.

Bell Cart Usage

Bell carts will not be available for attendees to use to move their own items through the hotel. Bell carts are not allowed in the main hotel area, nor in the convention area. They are used only by GNRCC staff and move through the back service areas.

However, if anyone needs assistance to move anything throughout the weekend from their sleeping room to the Exhibit Hall, GNRCC will provide this service for a fee of $25 per cart. This fee will be charged to the sleeping room, or the individual will need to pay in cash.

Loading Docks/Parking

Please note that you can ONLY off load your vehicles at the loading dock BEHIND the convention center. To get to the loading dock as you approach National Harbor, do NOT turn onto Waterfront St, Fleet St or St George Blvd. Keep going straight and the road will lead directly to the loading docks. You will pass an open-air parking lot next to the GNRCC parking garage along the way as you approach the dock; this lot is where you may park your vehicle after unloading. (Standard size vans may park in the garage.)

There is a staging area next to the dock where you can wait in your vehicle for an open bay from which to unload. After unloading, you cannot park in the staging area. You must move your vehicle to the lot next to the parking garage. There is a fee for parking.

(All parking areas in National Harbor, as well as GNRCC, charge a fee.)

There are sixteen (16) dock-level loading bays, but we will not have access to all of them. (Some will be used by other groups moving in and out.) Two of the bays have electric lifts, which can be used by those driving standard size vans. There is also a ramp at the end of the dock for loading in from the street level. To help get everyone’s vehicles in and out as quickly and efficiently as possible, please do not start setting up your booth while you are unloading. Unload your vehicle completely first, then move your vehicle, then start your set up. And for load-out, please pack up your booth completely before moving your vehicle to the loading dock.

You cannot off load on the front drive; if you try to do so, you will be redirected by a safety services agent. The GNRCC will have safety services agents stationed on the loading dock to direct traffic. You must follow their directions for load in and load out at the dock to ensure safety and smooth loading. The safety services agents will not allow anyone to unload outside the designated time frame. Please send us the time you expect to arrive at the convention center on Thursday so that we’ll be better prepared for your arrival.

ELECTRIC/INTERNET SERVICES

Electrical and telephone service are available from the GNRCC for a fee. Electrical and telephone connections and any special requests are the responsibility of the Exhibitor and cannot be billed to the convention. The form can be obtained by calling the convention center at 301-965-2000, or by downloading it from the GNRCC website: http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-national/meetings/conference-services/exhibitor-guide/index.html.

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Maryland State Tax and Licensing Information

MARYLAND STATE SALES TAX INFORMATION

Maryland State Law requires that all Exhibitors charge 6% state sales tax separate from the amount of the sale. Even if you are from another state, you must charge your customers Maryland tax for sales made in Maryland. Most merchandise sold at the convention is subject to Maryland sales tax. There are few things that are not taxable in Maryland. If you have a question about whether something is taxable, please consult your tax advisor.

Exhibitors are required to receive a state Tax ID from the Comptroller of the Treasury either before or after the convention, and to send in the collected sales tax within 30 days following the convention. It is the responsibility of the individual artist to arrange for a Maryland tax license (or exemption). Exhibitors with current Maryland Tax IDs may use their current numbers; just write your Maryland Trader’s License number on the temporary license and send it back to the Comptroller.

If you have any questions about Maryland State Sales Tax, contact the Maryland State Comptroller’s Office at (410) 767-1544, or by mail at the following address:

MARYLAND STATE LICENSING INFORMATION

Out-of-state Exhibitors who do business three times or less per calendar year in the State of Maryland are not required to obtain a Trader’s License.
Exhibitors who fall under this category will need to fill out a copy of the Exhibitor’s Affidavit, which may be found on the Katsucon website: http://www.katsucon.org/images/filesk17/CoMD-exhaffidavit.pdf.

Exhibitors that exhibit more than 3 times a year in the State of Maryland are required to apply for a Maryland Trader’s License in order to do business at the GNRCC. Trader’s Licenses are issued beginning in May of each year and are valid until the end of April of the following year.

Maryland Exhibitors may use a photocopy of their present Trader’s License and do not need to apply for another one just for Katsucon.
The Clerk of Courts office does not send out renewal notices; Exhibitors are responsible for re-applying each year for a new Trader’s License.

An Exhibitor’s Affidavit (or a copy of a Trader’s License) must be presented upon your arrival at the Convention Center prior to setting up your booth. If you forget to bring the Affidavit with you, you must fill one out on-site. This Affidavit must be displayed in your booth at all times during the convention.
KEI will collect all of the Affidavits at the close of the convention on Sunday. The Affidavits will then be forwarded to the Comptroller’s office.

Along with the Maryland Trader’s License application, there is a Maryland License Fee based on the projected dollar amount of inventory brought to the convention. The scale below is provided by their office:

Inventory Amount	License Fee
$0 – $1,000	$20
$1,001 – $5,000	$40
$5,001 – $10,000	$80
$10,000 – $50,000	$160
$50,000 – $100,000	$375
$100,001 – $300,000	$1,000
$300,001 – $750,000	$1,500
MORE THAN $750,000	$2,125

If you have any questions about Maryland Trader’s Licenses, contact the Prince George’s County Clerk of the Circuit Court at (301) 952-3330.