Cosplay guest Information
UPDATE: We are not accepting cosplay guest applications at this time. Any applications received will not be responded to.
We love our cosplay guests! Cosplay guests help our convention have a dynamic and robust lineup and programming offering. We are looking for costume creators who love their craft and have a positive and friendly personality to make our attendees feel welcome. If you’re interested in applying to become a cosplay guest at our convention, we ask that you read the following!
What We Look For In a Cosplay Guest:
- Individuals who can appeal to a family friendly crowd
- Offer informative workshops/panels on cosplay related topics/skills
- Have the craftsmanship knowledge to competently and fairly judge the cosplay contest
- We prefer guests who live within a reasonable driving distance of our convention. We love local/regional cosplayers.
- Works well with our staff, other cosplay guests and judges, and of course our attendees
- Reliable, punctual, good communication with our staff
What We Typically Ask For:
- 2 to 4 cosplay focused panels throughout the weekend
- Cosplay contest judge (this includes prejudging during the day and the masquerade show
in the evening) - Promote your appearance before the convention on your social media channels
- Be present all 3 days of the convention
What We Typically Provide (these can change or are negotiable depending on certain factors):
- A hotel room for the weekend of the convention
- A free pass for your handler/assistant
- An appearance fee, if applicable (you will need to submit to us your fee requirements in an SOA for us to consider)
- A table in our artist/vendor hall
- Food stipend or reimbursement
- Gas reimbursement (at this time we cannot accommodate guests who require flights)
- Access to Con Ops for snacks
If you would like to apply to be a future cosplay guest, please email jessi.gaston@mcaentertainment.org with the following:
- Portfolio (website link is fine)
- SOA
- Social media accounts you would like to share
- Contact information
- Anything you can tell us about your craftsmanship skills, previous guest appearances, panelist history
We accept applications throughout the year. However, we may only reach out to you around our decision making time.
Only applications sent to this email will be considered. Instagram or Facebook inquiries are not considered an official application.
Frequently Asked Questions
We book based on what our budget allows and how much programming we require. There is no set number.
No, you will need to bring your own assistant/handler and have your own transportation.
A SOA (Statement of Appearance) is your contract that you provide conventions. This tells us what you will provide for what we will provide in exchange. If you do not have an SOA yet, when you apply, you should include your contact information and any fees/requirements you have in your email instead.
Depending on why the panel is rated 18+, in consultation with the adult programming director, we can potentially consider an 18+ panel or event.
Depending on the need, what is available, or content you have available we certainly can entertain other types of panels or events.
You can operate your table as a guest signing/meet and greet table or you can operate your table as a vendor/artist and sell products. We do not take any percentage of your sales.
Yes. Anything you can do to make your application stand out is great!
No, if your email successfully went through then we have your information on file and will reach out to you if we are interested in speaking with you.
As this could potentially be a conflict of interest, we want our guests to use their knowledge to judge instead of being an entrant.
At this time, we do not accept photographer applications. If you are interested in being a photographer at the convention, please contact our media director.
At this time we only accept costume creators who have a demonstrated knowledge of sewing, crafting, or another cosplay-related specialty.
As our cosplay programming should be accessible for all ages, at this time, we do not accept boudoir/risqué-only cosplayers (this is not to say you can’t have ever done any of those things but we are not accepting applications at this time if the vast majority of the portfolio is not acceptable for all ages). You can contact our adult programming director if you are interested in doing programming for that particular track.
At this time, we want our guests to use their knowledge to judge. We typically already have a host selected.
6-8 months in advance. Unless there is an unexpected cancellation, we do not book guests 1-2 months out. At that point we will consider other applications we have already received first.
It is not a requirement but a successful competition history can help your application.
No, there is no specific length of time you have had to have been cosplaying. However, length of experience can be a positive factor.
No, you do not have to have been a guest previously for us to consider you.
18 is the minimum age for consideration. However, we prefer that our guests be 21 or older.
No! We look for craftsmanship quality, reliability, and an engaging personality.