Welcome to the Toronto Game Expo Artist Alley

Artist Alley Guidelines

Artist Alley is dedicated to supporting original artists and independent creators. Whether you create illustration prints, crafts, textiles, woodworking, or 3D-printed art, these guidelines are designed to help you understand what is permitted within the Artist Alley.

If your merchandise does not meet the Artist Alley Art Category Guidelines, please apply through the Exhibitor Application instead.

Please review these guidelines carefully. Several updates have been made to ensure a safe, fair, and enjoyable experience for artists, attendees, and staff. Compliance with these guidelines is required for participation in Artist Alley.

Last updated: January 2026

NEW: Prohibited Merchandise & Content in the Artist Alley

• No AI-generated artwork is permitted, including artwork created in whole or in part using generative AI tools (e.g. Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, DALL·E, etc.).

• Artists must be able to demonstrate a human-led creative process, including sketches, drafts, or work-in-progress materials upon request.

• No makeup, perfumes, creams, lotions, soaps, lip balms or anything applied onto skin

• No re-selling existing licensed, unlicensed merchandise or second-hand merchandise

• No food or beverages

• 18+ material must be fully concealed from public view and may only be shown to customers after valid government-issued ID is verified (18+).

Failure to comply may result in removal of the material or removal from the event without refund.

Art Category Guidelines

• Proof of Original Art

• Artist Alley is exclusively for original creators. This means you must be selling your own creations. When prompted, artists must be able to present work-in-progress (WIP) proof for each product being sold, such as sketches, drafts, or in-process photos.

• Toronto Game Expo staff reserve the right to request WIP proof during application review and on-site.

• Artists unable to provide satisfactory proof may be required to remove the product from display immediately and may be ineligible for future events.

• Proxies and assistants are permitted only when the original artist is the approved applicant.

• The original artist is responsible for all work sold at the table.

• Written authorization (e.g. contract or signed permission) must be available upon request.

• Age Requirement: Artists under the age of 16 must have a parent or legal guardian present at the booth at all times.

  
  

Questions? Email info@torontogameexpo.ca

A. Illustration & Print

Products	Details
Traditional and digital illustrations Prints, Cards on paper, textiles, wood etc.	Artwork must be substantially original and not a direct copy, trace, or minimal alteration of existing images Reference images may be used, but the final artwork must clearly reflect the artist’s own style and interpretation Cannot use other artists’ work in whole or in part without prior permission Memes should include the artists’ own interpretation Use of any assets from publicly-owned domain is permitted Any painting that is hand-drawn is permitted
Small AccessoriesStickers, Pins, Buttons, Charms, Keychains, Magnets	Must contain original illustrations, collages Text, memes are permitted
Literature ArtsBooks, Comics, Typography	Permitted in the artist alley as long as there is at least 50% art or illustrations being sold alongside it Original artist or author must be present No proxies or publishers for this category

B. Crafts & Textiles

Products	Details
YarnKnitting, Crochet	You must own the pattern for handmade items Produced items must be made from the artist’s original pattern Selling the same original work through the artist’s own website or storefront (e.g. Etsy, Shopify) is permitted. Reselling mass-produced or third-party designs is not permitted Proxies are not allowed for this category - original artist must be present
Apparel & AccessoriesHats, Shirts, Scarves, Bows, Wallets, Jewelry	Can be produced anywhere in the world in small quantities as long as it is 100% designed by the artist Use of CNC or hand tools permitted Jewelry: Any media is permitted as long as it’s made by the original artist. Mass produced charms are allowed as long as other designed elements are included and the exact same design cannot be purchased/found online at other retailers
Sculpted ItemsPlastic, Resin, Clay, Press-on nails	Items including mass produced charms must be mixed media or heavily altered such as decorated phone cases Perler bead art: any design (incl. Exact copies of well-known characters) are permitted as long as it is handmade by the artist Nails: only press-on kits that are handmade by the artist are permitted. No re-sale nails or nails created by others
Sewn itemsscrunchies, pouches, cross-stitch, plushies	At least 50% of the design must be handmade or designed by you (using a base is ok) Materials can include yarn, fabric, or mixed media, but mass-produced kits or patterns are discouraged Plushies produced in a factory must be small-batch and designed entirely by the artist

C. Wood, Glass, Metal, Plastic Art

Products	Details
3D Printing	All 3D printed products must be designed and modeled by the original artist Purchased, downloaded, or commercially licensed files may not be sold in the Artist Alley, even if assembled, modified, or painted Such items may only be sold in the Exhibitor Area, subject to exhibitor approval
Goods Made By CNC, Laser or other Machines	All products on your table must be designs by original artist to be considered for Artist Alley Do not sell illustrations from other artists May include quotes, logos or images in a collage No stand-alone logos that you do not own Engravings by hand: any imagery, text, or logo is permitted as long as it is not offensive
Props, Replicas and Toys Swords, Knives, Crowns, Cosplay Accessories, Tabletop or RPG Accessories	Metal props, replica weapons, or items that could reasonably cause injury may not be sold in Artist Alley and must instead be approved for the Exhibitor Area. Toronto Game Expo reserves final discretion on placement
Signs, Home Goods, DecorCoasters, Wall Hangings,	Must be designed by the original artist  Replicas of existing designs or IP which you do not own must include steps that are done by hand

Final Determination

Toronto Game Expo reserves the right to make final determinations regarding eligibility, placement, and permitted merchandise.

Guidelines are subject to interpretation by event staff to ensure safety, fairness, and compliance. Decisions made on-site are final.