Frequently Asked Questions
- What do I need to table at KC Zine Con?
Zines! Zines to sell, trade, and/or share for free. KC Zine Con is an exhibition for zinesters, independent publishers, small press distributors, and creators of accessible comix, chapbooks, newspapers, anthologies, tracts, pamphlets, and DIY radical readables of many forms. If you make zines, then this is the fest for you!
- I make other types of artwork, like prints or stickers or shirts. Is it cool if I sell them at KCZC, too?
KC Zine Con is a zine fest, NOT a comic book convention, craft fair, or arts market. The majority of your table’s content must be zines – this means you need to be sharing more zine titles than all of your other DIY art combined. It’s okay to have a few sticker designs for sale or a couple of prints, as long as the focus of your table is on zines. At our past few fests, we’ve noticed that folks have been ignoring this rule, which bums us out… this is a zine fest made by and for zinesters! Please respect us and respect this rule so we can create a space where zine-enthusiasts can enjoy seeing the work of dozens of zinesters.
- What sorts of questions will be on the tabling application?
On the table application, we will ask for your name + pronouns, your zine/table name, why you want to table the fest, your contact info, a description of your zines, pictures of your zines, and the categories they fall into (perzine, political zine, etc.) You’ll also have a chance to share your website and any social media links you’d like included in the virtual table directory. Finally, we will confirm that you have read and agree to abide by our safer spaces policy.
- Does applying to table guarantee you a spot at the fest?
No. We have a limited number of table spots this year, and do anticipate having a waitlist. Taking the time to answer each question on the application is very important, since we’ll be screening all applications to make sure a good variety of zinesters are represented at the fest. If your application is not focused on zines and you have a history of using KC Zine Con to primarily sell non-zine goods, your application may be denied, even if your art is super cool! We’ve got limited space, and we plan on keeping the focus of the fest on the zines.
All applicants will get an email in late August letting them know if they’ve been accepted, waitlisted, or denied.
- I want to sit next to my friends; how can I request who I sit next to?
This year, the process is in your hands! Once table applications are closed and acceptance emails are sent out, we will send accepted tablers a link where they can choose where they would like to sit on the table map! If you would like to sit with your friends, please coordinate choosing your table spots together.
- How big are the tabling spaces?
Each accepted tabler gets one chair and one half of a 6′ folding table (this means 3′ of table width, and approximately 2′ of table depth). You will be sharing your table with another zinester.
There are no full table spaces, and there is only room for one chair at each tabling space.
- We’re a zine collective, group, or organization. Can we have more than one person sit at our table?
Unfortunately, no. Due to space limitations, we only have half-table spots this year, one chair per spot. If you are an organization, class, collective, or group and are accepted to table, consider running your spot in shifts! This gives everyone in the group a chance to both experience running their table and explore the other tables and workshops at the convention.
- What is the Virtual Table Directory?
Each year, we create a listing of all of the tabling zinesters, along with links to where you can check out their zines. Each zinester gets space for their name, one picture, a short description, and any website/social media/shop links they have. This is what we call their virtual table or virtual zinester directory.
This year’s virtual table directory will also include the event table map!
- How much does it cost to table KC Zine Con? And when are table payments due?
It costs $20 to table at KC Zine Con #11. This gets you one seat at a half-table spot and a placement in our virtual zinester directory.
Table payments are not collected until tabler applications are approved. Once your application has been approved, we will send you a link where you can choose your table spot and make your table payment. This email will also include information about payment deadlines.
Your table payment helps pay for table/chair/tent rentals, website and vendor form maintenance, and marketing the fest. KC Zine Con is a volunteer-run organization that relies on your support to fund programming and our annual convention!
- Is KC Zine Con an all-ages event? What about NSFW/Adult/explicit content?
KC Zine Con is an all-ages event.
Zinesters of all-ages may apply to table (and in the past we’ve had everyone from kindergartners with their teacher, to elders share their zines at the event!)
If you make zines that could be described as NSFW, Adult, explicit, or featuring sensitive content, we ask that you label these zines clearly on your table.
- If you email me, what email address will the message be coming from?
If we contact you about your application or table status, the email will be coming from either:
kczinecon@proton.me
or
contact@notifications.seenmarkets.com (Seen Markets is the software we are using this year to track vendors and make the table map.)
Add both of these email addresses to your email client’s “safe list” to ensure our emails don’t go to spam! We often reach out to tablers via email with important information: moving folks from the waitlist to a table, info about the day of logistics, etc. etc.
Have a question we didn’t cover here? Reach out to our volunteer organizers at kczinecon@proton.me and we’ll do our best to answer your question.