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RainFurrest redux
9 years ago
Rainfurrest announced dealer's room sign-up again. Having been chased out of Seattle due to bad behavior of the attendees, they're apparently setting up shop in Spokane. That kills any ability to go to the con for me-- the only way I could afford to attend was it being in Seattle, where I had crash space and wouldn't need to pay for a hotel, and there were one or two people I could share a table with.
They now have an elaborate system for choosing dealers that's supposed to stop any charges of nepotism or favoritism. Unfortunately, due to the fact that many (most) furry artist's styles are instantly recognizable, there's no possible way they can be anonymous. Who is not going to recognize Rukis,or Sofawolf, or Marci McAdam, or Dark Natasha,Max Blackrabbit or Cooner? Unless you're a complete unknown, anyone who is familiar with current furry artists will know who is applying after taking one look at their art. I think sending a bunch of links to comics that have BY ROZ GIBSON in big letters on the cover might be kind of a give-away of who is applying! Ditto anyone else with published material. And saying people will recuse themselves from voting if they know a particular applicant is ridiculous-- pretty much everyone knows the popular artists and dealers to some extent. So, yeah, if you were rejected last year and have a recognizable art style or product, I don't see much point in applying again this year. Talk about a catch-22 for some people-- if you don't send art samples you won't get in, but if you do send the samples you'll be instantly recognized as one of the unworthy and still won't get in.
To forestall "How would you do it?" questions-- lottery is the only truly unbiased way. If they're so worried about 'diversity' in the dealer's room (which I think is a smokescreen to give cons carte blanc to cheery-pick applicants) then they can hold lotteries for different groups, depending on what they sell. Hell, that would contribute to the sought-after 'diversity' by giving complete unknowns a chance they wouldn't have otherwise.
In any event, here's the new dealer's guidlines for your perusal.
To our dealers and attendees,
As many of you may know last year we switched to a curated system for selecting out dealers. We are continuing to use a curated system in 2016, but we are making significant changes to our process based on feedback from our dealers and attendees. We are doing this to make it as fair, as equitable, and transparent as possible for our dealers and attendees.
About the Selection Process
Our Dealers’ Den Curation Committee will be made up of this year’s Chair, Vice-Chair, Business Executive, Business Co-Seconds, Dealers Lead, Dealers Second, and Marketing Lead.
Our goal will be to keep these principles in mind:
The Den should have a diverse mix of goods and services represented.
Dealer selection should be based on professionalism and quality, not speed of application.
Dealer selection should be done as transparently and fairly as possible.
Blind Selection Process
Before the curation committee receives the applications, a group of staff members not on the committee will anonymize the applications. Names will be removed from all applications, as well as other identifying demographic data, and stored in a separate spreadsheet so that the committee does not know who has submitted which application. Location information may be used as a small factor in the committee’s deliberations. While some on the committee may recognize art styles or specific reference pictures, the goal of this process is to allow as many of the committee as possible to make recommendations solely on relevant data, not on personal relationships. Committee members who have a personal relationship with any applicant will not be allowed to vote on that applicant.
Categories
The curation team will divide the dealer applications into several categories by type of merchandise as was stated by the dealer on their application: apparel, fursuits, fursuit parts & accessories, artists, publishers, jewelers, musicians, crafters, comics, et cetera. A dealer may be indicated in multiple merchandise groups.
We will go through the categories one at a time, starting with the category with the fewest number of applicants. We will make sure to include at least one dealer in each category of merchandise.
In a category with only one or two dealers offering wares, the chances are very high for them to be selected. As we continue to categories with more and more applicants, dealers will face more and more competition from their fellow dealers for the remaining tables. Of course, some dealers sell multiple types of merchandise (for example, an artist may also sell hoodies or hats). If a dealer is not selected in a previous category, they will be considered again in every other category where they had merchandise for sale.
Selection Criteria
Within each category, we will compare the applications based on the description of the products listed in the application, and the references that were listed. The more information is listed on an application, the more information we have to weigh in our decisions. Quality, originality, consistency, variety, etc. of work will be considered, as well as the balance of art styles among the dealers selected.
Improve Your Chances
Dealers who sell many types of product will be more likely to be selected, for a few reasons. First, they will be considered in more categories. Second, they displayed a breadth of work that would help contribute to the diversity of products in the Dealers’ Den. Third, since they are considered in more categories, they will be considered in a smaller pool first (since we went from smallest to largest categories).
Dealers who displayed a unique style or great quality of work are also more likely to be selected. Unique styles are very valuable for contributing to dealer diversity. Quality of work also becomes important when competing in a large pool of applicants.
It is very helpful for the Dealers’ Den curation committee if applications are completely filled out. The more information we have the better. Specifically a description, references, and images of your products.
Prediction-- nothing will change, and the dealers this year will be pretty much identical to the dealers last year (allowing for people who were there last year not applying for this year, which may be a few due to the change of venue or the reputation the con has gotten.)
They now have an elaborate system for choosing dealers that's supposed to stop any charges of nepotism or favoritism. Unfortunately, due to the fact that many (most) furry artist's styles are instantly recognizable, there's no possible way they can be anonymous. Who is not going to recognize Rukis,or Sofawolf, or Marci McAdam, or Dark Natasha,Max Blackrabbit or Cooner? Unless you're a complete unknown, anyone who is familiar with current furry artists will know who is applying after taking one look at their art. I think sending a bunch of links to comics that have BY ROZ GIBSON in big letters on the cover might be kind of a give-away of who is applying! Ditto anyone else with published material. And saying people will recuse themselves from voting if they know a particular applicant is ridiculous-- pretty much everyone knows the popular artists and dealers to some extent. So, yeah, if you were rejected last year and have a recognizable art style or product, I don't see much point in applying again this year. Talk about a catch-22 for some people-- if you don't send art samples you won't get in, but if you do send the samples you'll be instantly recognized as one of the unworthy and still won't get in.
To forestall "How would you do it?" questions-- lottery is the only truly unbiased way. If they're so worried about 'diversity' in the dealer's room (which I think is a smokescreen to give cons carte blanc to cheery-pick applicants) then they can hold lotteries for different groups, depending on what they sell. Hell, that would contribute to the sought-after 'diversity' by giving complete unknowns a chance they wouldn't have otherwise.
In any event, here's the new dealer's guidlines for your perusal.
To our dealers and attendees,
As many of you may know last year we switched to a curated system for selecting out dealers. We are continuing to use a curated system in 2016, but we are making significant changes to our process based on feedback from our dealers and attendees. We are doing this to make it as fair, as equitable, and transparent as possible for our dealers and attendees.
About the Selection Process
Our Dealers’ Den Curation Committee will be made up of this year’s Chair, Vice-Chair, Business Executive, Business Co-Seconds, Dealers Lead, Dealers Second, and Marketing Lead.
Our goal will be to keep these principles in mind:
The Den should have a diverse mix of goods and services represented.
Dealer selection should be based on professionalism and quality, not speed of application.
Dealer selection should be done as transparently and fairly as possible.
Blind Selection Process
Before the curation committee receives the applications, a group of staff members not on the committee will anonymize the applications. Names will be removed from all applications, as well as other identifying demographic data, and stored in a separate spreadsheet so that the committee does not know who has submitted which application. Location information may be used as a small factor in the committee’s deliberations. While some on the committee may recognize art styles or specific reference pictures, the goal of this process is to allow as many of the committee as possible to make recommendations solely on relevant data, not on personal relationships. Committee members who have a personal relationship with any applicant will not be allowed to vote on that applicant.
Categories
The curation team will divide the dealer applications into several categories by type of merchandise as was stated by the dealer on their application: apparel, fursuits, fursuit parts & accessories, artists, publishers, jewelers, musicians, crafters, comics, et cetera. A dealer may be indicated in multiple merchandise groups.
We will go through the categories one at a time, starting with the category with the fewest number of applicants. We will make sure to include at least one dealer in each category of merchandise.
In a category with only one or two dealers offering wares, the chances are very high for them to be selected. As we continue to categories with more and more applicants, dealers will face more and more competition from their fellow dealers for the remaining tables. Of course, some dealers sell multiple types of merchandise (for example, an artist may also sell hoodies or hats). If a dealer is not selected in a previous category, they will be considered again in every other category where they had merchandise for sale.
Selection Criteria
Within each category, we will compare the applications based on the description of the products listed in the application, and the references that were listed. The more information is listed on an application, the more information we have to weigh in our decisions. Quality, originality, consistency, variety, etc. of work will be considered, as well as the balance of art styles among the dealers selected.
Improve Your Chances
Dealers who sell many types of product will be more likely to be selected, for a few reasons. First, they will be considered in more categories. Second, they displayed a breadth of work that would help contribute to the diversity of products in the Dealers’ Den. Third, since they are considered in more categories, they will be considered in a smaller pool first (since we went from smallest to largest categories).
Dealers who displayed a unique style or great quality of work are also more likely to be selected. Unique styles are very valuable for contributing to dealer diversity. Quality of work also becomes important when competing in a large pool of applicants.
It is very helpful for the Dealers’ Den curation committee if applications are completely filled out. The more information we have the better. Specifically a description, references, and images of your products.
Prediction-- nothing will change, and the dealers this year will be pretty much identical to the dealers last year (allowing for people who were there last year not applying for this year, which may be a few due to the change of venue or the reputation the con has gotten.)
Thats not an angry, bitter reaction....Its a cold, hard assessment of the facts based on decades of experience with how politics within fandom operate.
They don't want to have to answer to their friends who might get shut out.
And they would have to, and maybe lose those friendships because their friends will expect favoritism.
A blind lottery is the only fair system... But would result in artists or dealers the con organizers don't want in the dealer's room because they don't or won't cater to the specific tastes of those same organizers... Or for "reasons".
To claim otherwise is pure horse shit, and no one believes the excuses.
-Badger-
Sorry dear
Hugs
Bunners
Unless this is exclusive to this particular one.
You are right that there is no way for artists to be anonymous. If you are experienced enough to want to do cons, your art is known. Their category system is a step in the right direction if they really do want a diverse group of merch in their den. A lottery might yeild up a slew of chain maile dealers and hoodie sellers, and leave out a bunch of sketch artists that folks want to see and commission.
It "ADDS TO YORU CHANSE TO GET IN!" ya know.
*dear everyone. We have x spaces. Y apply. We simply have NO way to put Y in X. Thus we simply are pulling names from a hat to give a spot chance to said name. If you do not wish to sell, or can not make it, the backup name we also pulled out will get the space*
It is a mess now for dealer spaces, no matter how we do it bigger names sneak in, or worse they crash the art alley and push the smaller names right out. because, well, they are a name, not a hungry up and comer who is going to be someone if only they get a chance.
Gaia bless to you all, and to the con. Politics suck no matter how well we word it.
Pakesh_De
Snoofy old burr
As I mentioned above, the venue change is a deal-killer for me, because I won't have crash space, and a couple of the artists I'd share table space with won't be there either because it's not local to them any more.
Considering the size of the room in the past, reducing it even smaller makes no sense but it might be what happens. They are at a convention center- mind you not the entire place, but a portion, so it could be a tiny room or massive. They haven't said yet what they will do and that greatly affects if I will apply or not.
It's really confusing to figure out what they are doing.
Hotel rates for the Davenport Grand for a single King size bed, 1-2 occupants:
Thursday: $179
Friday-Sunday: $189
With taxes, gratuities, booking fees, you're looking at around $210 a night at a minimum. Yes, $200+ a night. That's more than any other hotel room rate for any con that I know of. Just to stay three nights, you'll be looking at $600-700.
Parking is *NOT* included and costs $17 a day.
If you are not driving, there is a shuttle from the airport, but it's not free. Hotels usually provide a free shuttle, but the Davenport charges you $10 each way.
So let's figure you drive there. Stay for three nights. You're looking at expenses of $650-750 for hotel and parking, plus food on top of that. If you're flying in, then take away the parking and add $20 for shuttle service.
No matter what you do, it's going to be a very expensive event. And for dealers asked to attend where the con has already said your sales will likely be lower with a lower attendance, it just makes it a hard financial burden to overcome. Can you make enough to break even? That's for dealer's to decide. By the time you add all of it together, hotel, parking/shuttle, etc, you're going to be spending $300+ a day. That's just for anyone to attend. I don't know if attendees can afford that, even if they split hotel room costs some. I really don't know how this will work out.
They wanted to cater to the young demographic by getting rid of the older dealers, and they got exactly that-- a bunch of drunk, out-of-control kids who by definition won't care about anything other than themselves.
Even though pretty much every incidence of vandalism and other problems at the con can be traced back to alcohol. when I suggested they ban drinking at the con (or at the very least limit booze to that sold by the hotel bar) you wouldn't believe the squawks of outrage over the mere suggestion. You'd think no one could have fun without getting drunk. Everyone claimed to be a 'responsible' drinker. Funny that I've never seen anyone admit to being a violent, obnoxious or out-of-control drinker. Hmmm....
otherwise yes.. the few that actually did show up and got to sit in a mostly empty dealers room till the back burner people got chosen will probably be there again.
I'd warned them of these things like 4 years ago at the hiss and scratch and they laughed at me and said they were happy with the way things are going.
Well....
but the fact that there were any empty tables at all is alarming when they had completely booked at the time they opened.
I know this because I was one of the no shows. Not because I was ill prepared but because of a serious issue that came up last minute and i'd let them know in advance I wasn't going to make it and to give my table so some one else.
my table didn't end up getting filled till late friday/saturday or something
it was a mess. Honestly. I was glad I didn't go. I have no plans to return.