Artist Alley provides an outlet for artists and creative designers ranging from hobbyists to professionals to showcase and sell their fan-made work.
Please note that licensed or mass produced items are better suited in the vendor portion of our hall rather than Artist Alley!
Setup
12:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Final Setup
7:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Open to Public
10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Restock / Reset
7:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Open to Public
10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Restock / Reset
7:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Open to Public
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Teardown
5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
A link to the Artist Alley application can be found at the bottom of this page. Applications open November 2025.
Otafest will inform all applicants by the end of January 2026 via e-mail as to whether they’ve been selected for a table or are on standby. Artists who are not selected for a table are automatically added to the standby list.
Artist applications are not first-come-first-served, but rather will be selected in the following manner:
Half Table ($175.00 + GST)*
Full Table ($350.00 + GST)*
* Processing Fee is additional, and is calculated at 2.9% + $0.30.
** Regardless of table size, we can only accommodate a maximum of 2 badges per application.
We expect pricing information to be available by early November.
Your table must be fully set up and staffed during all public Exhibitor Hall hours. Early teardown before the hall’s official closing time is prohibited.
Failure to adhere to the hall’s operating hours is disruptive, and will impact your eligibility at future Otafest events.
Please contact us immediately in the event of a genuine emergency preventing you from adhering to the hall’s hours. Emergencies are handled case-by-case.
Power and internet services are managed directly by the Calgary Telus Convention Centre (CTCC).
You must order these services directly from the CTCC (you can request the order form from the Otafest’s Artist Alley team).
Because these are venue-provided services, Otafest cannot place orders on your behalf or provide technical support. The CTCC team is your direct contact for any questions, orders, or troubleshooting needs.
Attendees win Otafest Gift Certificates through various festival contests and events. As a condition of tabling, you are required to accept these as payment.
Here’s the process:
Please note you will not be compensated for lost certificates so you should treat them as cash. A sample certificate will be shown to you prior to the start of the festival so you know what to expect.
As per the Alberta Fire Code, all decorative materials used in your display must be fire-resistant.
This applies to all materials, including drapes, banners, signs, canopies, and plastic displays. They must be certified as non-flammable (conforming to CAN/ULC S2109) or be treated with a flame retardant (passing the NFPA 705 match flame test).
Any displays that fail to meet this standard must be removed immediately.
Proxy selling is prohibited at Otafest.
Proxy selling refers to the practice of selling works on behalf of a creator who is not in attendance.
Otafest is a celebration of the talented creators who fill our halls. We want attendees to connect directly with the artists and makers behind the work they love. For this reason, the creator of the merchandise being sold must be present at the table. This policy ensures that the spirit of Artist Alley remains focused on the artists who are there in person to share their passion with the community.
The sale of AI-generated artwork is prohibited at Otafest.
This policy covers any images, designs, or other works created wholly or in part through the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, or similar algorithmic tools. Our Exhibitor Hall and Artist Alley are dedicated spaces that celebrate the skill, creativity, and direct work of human artists.
You may purchase either 1 full table or 1 half table.
If you apply for a full table, there will be an option on the application to accept a half table if there are no full tables remaining at the time of selection.
You are entitled to up to 2 Artist Alley badges. Whether you use the second badge to share your table with another artist, or use it to bring a helper is completely up to you.
In either case, however, you will need to provide us with the identity of the other person. You can do this either on your application or in your payment portal. There is a deadline to do this! Make sure to read the application form and all email communications carefully.
Please note that as the primary table holder, you are responsible for the other person’s conduct. If they do something that could result in disciplinary action (e.g. a ban), it is you who that action will be taken against as the table is under your name.
While sharing your table is allowed, you may not sublet or sell your table to anyone else.
A panel of judges assess each applicant’s submitted pieces for the following criteria. Judges are rotated each year to reduce the potential for bias.
Successful applicants will receive payment deadlines and specific details on how to pay in their acceptance email. Otafest only accepts online payments via credit card.
Proxy selling is prohibited at Otafest.
Proxy selling refers to the practice of selling works on behalf of a creator who is not in attendance.
Otafest is a celebration of the talented creators who fill our halls. We want attendees to connect directly with the artists and makers behind the work they love. For this reason, the creator of the merchandise being sold must be present at the table. This policy ensures that the spirit of Artist Alley remains focused on the artists who are there in person to share their passion with the community.
The hall will be available to you on Thursday evening and Friday morning for setup. Please see the schedule for specific times.
Before setting up, you must check in with Otafest staff at the Exhibitor Relations booth to pick up your Artist Alley badge(s). Please wear your badge for the duration of your setup as well as during the days of the festival. Due to the risk of theft, Otafest does not permit anyone without a badge into the Exhibitor Hall, whether it be during setup or show hours.
Any helpers you have, including just for setup, will require a badge. No exceptions. Please understand that this is to prevent merchandise theft for all artists and vendors. If you see someone in the hall without a badge, please inform the staff at the Exhibitor Relations booth.
Artists will bring in their materials through the hall’s main doors. There is an elevator from the main floor for your convenience. Tables in the hall will be labeled by number. Please note that artists do not have access to the loading dock for setup unless specifically requested and approved.
If you require access to the loading dock, please notify us by March 31. Please note that this requires Otafest’s and the venue’s approval, and will involve a materials handling fee.
You can sell original art pieces in various media, created by yourself, so long as it does not violate any laws (including copyright laws) or Otafest Festival Policies.
Please let the Artist Alley team know if you need any clarification.
If you wish to include a charged raffle or draw (i.e. where people have to pay to enter), then you must obtain a raffle license from the Government of Alberta and notify Otafest with proof of that license. Otafest must also approve the raffle.
Please refer to the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis website for details on license requirements.
Otafest reserves the right to remove unlawful or unauthorized raffles or draws during the event.
A “stamp rally” is a type of scavenger hunt organized by a group of artists who give out a prize package for attendees who collect every stamp from each participating artist. The intent is to drive traffic to the participants’ tables. In order to collect these stamps, attendees are usually either required to buy something from the artists, or do a task such as singing a song if they don’t want to spend money.
While we love and encourage your involvement in our event, it’s necessary for us to address certain details to ensure compliance with both legal regulations and Otafest policies.
To foster the spirit of celebration, we are more than happy to permit the free-of-charge stamp rallies provided that you notify us. However, paid stamp rallies (e.g. attendee must make a purchase to earn a stamp) are considered a “paid lottery system” and thus require a license from the Government of Alberta. If you obtain such a license, you must to provide proof of such to Otafest. Please note that Otafest must also pre-approve the rally, irrespective of license status, so it would be a good idea to contact Otafest before applying for the license.
To promote a seamless experience, we have established the following policies:
Artists intending to conduct stamp rallies at Otafest must submit a sample of their rally‘s stamp card, relevant information, and list of prizes to Otafest via email.
Only stamp rallies approved by Otafest will be permitted to take place during the event.
Please ensure that all promotional material clearly states that participation is free of charge, emphasizes that your stamp rally is not officially affiliated with Otafest, and provides explicit details about the number and nature of prizes that participants can win.
Anyone in violation of these policies, particularly those found to be running paid stamp rallies without a license from AGLC, will be removed from the event, and Otafest will be forced to report the incident to law enforcement.
Your cooperation in adhering to these guidelines is crucial in maintaining the integrity of Otafest and ensuring a positive experience for all attendees. If you have any questions or require further clarification, feel free to send us an email.
Artists who do not make it through the application process are all automatically be added to the standby list, where they can be offered a table should there be a cancellation.
The Fire Sale list is an additional list that artists can opt into if they would like to be contacted at the last minute if there are no-show artists or last-minute cancellations. This list is best suited for local artists who are ready to pay, arrive to Otafest, and set up their table on short notice (often less than 24 hours).
Depending on the date, different policies will govern whether you get a refund, and for how much. Please see the policy on the application form (or in your application confirmation email) for specific details.
Sorry, no. Artist tables are limited to a maximum of the 2 already-included badges.
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Information on this page is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and is subject to change.
