Schedule

  • Applications for artist alley begin: 1.6.2025

  • Applications for artist alley end: 20.6.2025

  • Results by: 4.7.2025

  • Link to the application: Will be published on 1.6.

  • Location: A-hall

  • Artist alley is open on Saturday and Sunday. Opening hours will be updated closer to the event.

How to apply

  • Artist alley is aimed at beginners and those who make art as a hobby.

  • You can apply with an electronic application form and portfolio, which which canbe accessed when the application period is open.

  • You can also apply with a friend or as a group of artists. In this case, fill out the application form and portfolio together!

  • The email address provided in the application will act as the responsible person for matters related to the artist alley spot. When applying as a group, the responsible person is responsible for informing the rest of the group.

  • With the electronic application form, we also ensure that applicants commit to common rules of artist alley.

  • Please note that this year, applications for art alley are only accepted for one day. This will allow us to offer a spots to more artists and create more variety for the alley. If you feel you would like to sell for two days, we recommend applying as an artisan.

Portfolio

For artist alley and artisans, you can apply with a portfolio via an electronic form. With the portfolio, we want to ensure that the items for sale are suitable for our event. The jury consists of corresponders of the event.

The subject matter of the products is free. The themes of Kotae Expo include Japanese and Korean popular culture, so we recommend that the products be suitable for these themes. However, this is not mandatory, as diversity in products is always a wealth. Originals and fan art are also recommended for the Art Alley.

If you do not have finished products to show, you can still apply for the artist alley. In this case, you can present finished digital works in your portfolio and use the caption to explain what kind of products you will sell from your works in question.

   
Contents of the portfolio:

  • Start your portfolio with a short introduction to you and your art and products.

  • Add a picture of your logo, brand, or any other picture you would like to include in your potential presentation on the website. A picture of your brand does not count towards the maximum number of pictures.

  • Present your art or products with at least 8 pictures. You can have a maximum of 15 pictures of your products, and any pictures exceeding this will not be considered in the application. So, please choose as recent and as completed works as possible for your portfolio. It is also a good idea to describe the pictures with a concise caption.

  • We hope that the portfolio includes a picture of your previous sales table and a description of your alley/exhibition experience.

    Form of your portfolio:

Please share your portfolio in an easily readable format, i.e. no social media links. Social media is not necessarily the most representative format for your products. Easily readable formats include, for example, PDF files and websites designed as portfolios. You can submit the PDF via a cloud service (e.g. in a Google Drive folder).

  • If you are unable to create a PDF file or website, you can also create your own folder in Google Drive/Dropbox/OneDrive to which you add only images.

In the portfolio of several applicants, you can make a joint presentation and image for the website presentation, but each applicant adds their own product images and clearly marks them so that the jury can easily distinguish which product belongs to whom. Each applicant has the same quota of 8-15 images. Please use one file/website, i.e. no additional hyperlinks.

The essential thing about the products is that they are designed and made by the applicant. We do not accept traced works. The artist can order their product from a manufacturer.

Please make sure that the link to the portfolio is working and can be viewed by anyone who has received the link!

  • Products can be:

    • prints, stickers, pins, jewelry, paintings, photographs, books, zines, games, figures, engravings, sculptures, crafts, other works of art.

When applying for an artisan table, you can make requests for the location of your table, if there is a need to take accessibility into account or if you would like to be situated next to a friend. We will try to fulfill your requests to the best of our abilities, but we cannot guarantee their implementation. Once the application is closed, we will no longer accept requests.

Our general terms and conditions of sale apply to artist alley members, except for the sections concerning E-hall. We require our members to have their own handprint visible on the items for sale.

AI generated art:

In Kotae Expo it is NOT allowed to sell art generated by AI. The event reserves the right, to remove vendors who violate the rules, from the venue.

Criteria

Only a limited number of tables have been reserved for the artist alley in the Kotae Expo sales area. If the number of artist applicants exceeds the reserved quota, we will have to make choices. The selections are not made in order of application, but Kotae Expo utilizes a jury method, which we strive to ensure that the selection in the sales area is diverse and appealing to our visitors. The jury consists of various corresponders from Kotae Expo, who bring a diverse view and experience to the selections. The selection criteria are similar to those of the artist alley.

  • Technical expertise: an assessment of your own style, the quality of the products and the experience visible in the products.

  • Versatility: the topicality, variety and diversity of the products offered.

  • Target audience: how well your product fits into the Kotae Expo’s emphases. Japanese and Korean pop culture, anime and manga.

  • Creativity: how original your work is, how much originality is evident in the work, your own stylization.

If a selected artisan has to cancel their participation before the event (see terms of sale), we will try to select a replacement using the methods mentioned above.

First-timers

When the number of applications exceeds the number of open places by 20%, we will introduce a first-time-seller quota. In this case, 20% of the places would be filled with first-timers.

By first-timer, we mean vendors who are selling for the first time at the Kotae Expo artist alley.

Prices

Table size 120 x 70 cm

  • Saturday 50€ (includes one table, one vendor pass and one Saturday Fox-ticket)

  • Sunday 40 € (includes one table, one vendor pass and one Sunday Fox -lipun)

    • Vendors have the option to upgrade their ticket to a Standard Fox-ticket for the entire weekend.

  • Additional vendor passes: 25€/pcs (includes one vendor pass and one Saturday or Sunday Fox -ticket)

    • Each vendor is entitled to 1-2 additional vendors. Additional vendor tickets are equivalent to a one-day ticket, which can be upgraded to weekend tickets if necessary.

    • If you share your table with another artist, they will need their own vendor pass and ticket. The table includes only one.

  • Upgrading a Saturday ticket to a full weekend ticket 15€

  • Upgrading a Sunday ticket to a full weekend ticket 20€

All items for sale must be displayed on the table. If the number of prints is larger than what can fit on the table, they can be displayed in a folder or collage so that they are easily visible.

Presentations of the vendors will be published after the selections have been confirmed.

All information and selections will be sent to the selected ones as early as possible by e-mail.

In case of problems or questions, please contact the artist alley’s corresponders: raven@kotae.fi and karhuemo@kotae.fi

The event reserves the right to remove vendors who violate the rules from the alley or the sales hall.

  • Vendors must be at least 15 years old by the time of the event.

  • Selling AI images, i.e. images produced by artificial intelligence, is PROHIBITED in the Kotae Expo artist alley or artisan tables.

  • Vendors can make requests for the tables location. For example, if there is a need for accessibility or you want to be next to a friend. We will try to fulfill requests, but we may not be able to fulfill everyone’s wishes. Regarding accessibility, requests for table locations can be made even after the application period. However, changes to vendor locations will no longer be made after the map for them is published.

  • Selling racist, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate content is PROHIBITED.

  • Kotae Expo is an event with no age limit and is intended for all ages, so material aimed at adults must be kept in its own separate folder. K-18 material includes products that are sexual, excessively violent or disturbing. These are only given to the customer to view after age verification. It is the responsibility of the vendor to ensure that minors do not browse K-18 material.

  • Only original or fanart is sold in the artist alley as various products. In other words, resale of any kind is PROHIBITED. The flea market is meant for reselling.

  • The products sold must be illustrated and designed by the artist themselves. Which means, a collage made from ready-made elements is not eligible for sale.

  • When selling fan art, please note that direct copies, drawn-through or traced images are PROHIBITED. The works should show the artist’s own handprint and should not resemble the original source work too much. For example, if you want to sell your own version of a classic painting, make sure that your own handprint is visible.

  • Each vendor is responsible for their own products, prices and funds. Do not leave your money and valuables unattended.

  • Vendors are responsible for the safety and stability of their own table structures.

  • No additional structures or stands may be set up next to the table. All structures must fit on top of or behind the table. 200 cm x 65 cm for artisans, 120 cm x 70 cm for artist alley. Structures may exceed the table by a maximum of ~2 cm.

  • Vendors are encouraged to bring banners, pennants, etc. to their tables to color their table or, alternatively, their background.

  • Please be considerate of other alley vendors and leave enough space behind and to the sides of the tables, and do not disturb others with excessive noise or inappropriate behavior.

  • Suitcases and other items related to transportation must be kept away from the walkways. They can be stored under the table or in the cloakroom.

  • It is prohibited to sell products from a person who has not applied or been accepted as a vendor at the table.

  • Unauthorized loitering behind the tables is PROHIBITED.