Hello and thank you once again for your interest in vending with us this fall for Youmacon 2024. This year’s event will take place October 31st - November 3rd, 2024 at the Huntington Place Convention Center in Detroit, MI.
This is NOT a FCFS (First Come First Serve) process. Please take your time submitting your application as you will not be able to change your answers later.
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‍Time Start: September 16th 12:00PM EST
‍Time End: September 23rd 12:00 AM EST or when we reach our limit in our applications.

All applicants will know their status by October 1st, 2024
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‍Do not rush. Your answers can't be change after submission.

※If you wish to partner with someone and share a table, you may apply as a Studio. All members must be accounted for, and additions may not be added once the application has been sent in. Youmacon defines studio artists as two or more artist sharing a table together. ※ Vendors who sell mass produce goods may not apply to artist alley.
※ All AI generated works not allowed in our Marketplace. Please do not apply.

Have any questions? Click below to reach out to us!

Our Jury System is NOT first-come-first-served and will be independently reviewed by an outside party that has no affiliation with the convention and serves as a bias-free jury panel. Provided below is a list of rules outlining what the panel is looking for in the application process. Once this goes live, there will be no changes made to their processes.

1. Please make sure you carefully read and fill out everything correctly once, as multiple entries will disqualify your application. We are unable to edit your application once it has been submitted, so please take your time filling it out.
*Please do not rush, this is not first-come-first-served!

2. You may not apply under multiple names, aliases, or businesses that you own. This will invalidate your applications and may affect your chances of vending at future events.  However, YOU MAY add a preferred name if you do not wish to be addressed by your legal name. This is added into the form as well as what pronouns you prefer.

3. You must be 18+ at the time of applying. All helpers and studio mates must also be 18+ at the time of applying.

4. You cannot apply for Vendors once you apply and receive a judgement on your status once it has been emailed. Please understand that you may not apply to both sides of the Marketplace in hopes of one returning a status allowing you to vend at the show. Both applications will be disqualified if this occurs.

5. If you wish to partner with someone and share a table, you may apply as a Studio. All members must be accounted for, and additions may not be added once the application has been sent in.

6. If you are making a special name for the Studio just for the show, you must list each person’s name down, as well as the name of business.

7. Your portfolio must contain at least 15 or more of your works (past, present, or current). Anything less than this will be disqualified. All images must be SFW ONLY.

8. Crafters, if you do not have 15 current project for review, please feel free to provide pictures of older works if you can. Please let us know if you are limited in this capacity.

9. When applying and you have more than one page/site with your arts or crafts, please use a landing page for your links (i.e Linktree, Carrd, etc).

10. Please use sites that we can access without using a login or paywall to view work. Any site that requires a login, the jury team will need to be given either public access to, or guest login information in order to review your work. If the team cannot review your works, your application will be disqualified. Please see the section on Websites for more details.

11. Please do not send pictures of your booth spaces from other conventions as set up may be different from each show you attend. The only thing we are judging you on is your artwork.

12. There will be no list to show who is waitlisted, nor will your position be listed, please do not ask.

All applicants will be notified once all decisions have been made. An email will be sent to all approved applicants, as well as waitlisted and rejected (due to rule 1 & 2) applicants. Those who have been approved will be sent the contract for signing and return. The Artist contract must be returned in the same format as it was sent, along with your real signature.

There are many apps and the uses of your smart phone (depending on brand/model) that allows you turn photos of documents in the PDF format it was sent. Altering any portions of the contract will disqualify you, and we will move on to the next person on the list.

You will have 72 hours to return the signed document back the department before an invoice is sent.

Once the invoice as been sent, you will have up to 14 days to complete your payment. Due to the influx of applications we get, we do not offer a payment plan to secure your space if you are unable to make payment in the time allotted. If you fail to secure payment in time, you will be removed from the current year’s queue, and we will move on to the next applicant.

What comes included with your table:

‍Artists will receive one (1) 8ft x 30” table, two (2) chairs & 1 badge, and paper trash bin. Artists can buy extra helper badge for $65 (Max is 2). Maximum height of displays is not to exceed 8' tall from floor and must fit within your allotted space. Artists are asked not to encroach upon their neighbor’s space unless they are given permission. Artists are limited to one (1) table only.

As stated above in the application process, the Jury Team has put forth that your portfolio or galleries must be accessible by public, non-limited means. Social media sites have changed how they work, and many limit or stop you from viewing pages unless you are logged in or provide personal information in the case of Cloud Storage.

The Jury Team has marked the following sites as not acceptable for your Portfolio Review:

If you have your own website, that is preferable if your Gallery or Portfolio are public, or you can provide access to the Jury Team. The following are examples of acceptable sites to use:

Anyone who joins us this year for the Marketplace understands that whether you are an Artist, or Artist that is selling on the vendor side, you must adhere to the rule. This rule was not created to alienate artists whose artwork and content is primarily focused on fan art of commercial works. This means that no less than 50% of what you bring, and present should be of your own original designs and works. A reminder that industry will be present and can require you to remove any pieces of work based of the properties that they hold license to. Please note that it is perfectly acceptable (and highly encouraged) to entirely carry and sell original works of your own making.

We do not condone or accept any form of AI generated content being used in our merchandise, in our media, in our onsite materials, promotional materials, nor sold in our Marketplace. Any work that is created with an AI-program that uses sources that the person does not own or hold rights to, is deemed to be in violation, that includes living or dead artists. The artist alley celebrates the creativity of artists, writers, content creators and crafters alike to come sell without the worry of people who prefer the use of AI programs. Youmacon will not tolerate any person who creates works of art, music, anime, manga, light novels, books, coloring books, etc. with the help of an AI program for profit. Anyone caught utilizing AI in their works at the convention will have their memberships revoked, their table will be forfeited without reimbursement, will be escorted out of the event.
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If you are a returning artist, you know the basics of applying for our show. While intended for new applicants, there are some updates and changes since our prior event. This is a general information form that will let you know what we are looking for with our applications, a brief rundown of our rules and policies, and to get you a feel for what to expect.

Ready to apply? Click below to access the application.