I have been consulting a number of persons who were mistreated, misinformed and abused by this staff. This is a compilation of those complaints, posted in an effort to start a dialogue with the staff and to find a way to improve the Alley as a whole.
Here are some of the problems I and others witnessed. I complied these from DA, emails, LJ and the AA boards. I'm sure there are more. Suggestions generally came from those who informed me of problems. In some cases, I added the suggestions.
1. Registration for tables was ridiculous. Tables sold out in 30 seconds.
Suggestion: Do a lottery AND give those who have been with Anime North AA for years first chance.2. Walk-in registration was not handled well at all. People who were told to "come back later" were bumped to the back of the line.
Suggestion: Write down names as people arrive. Give all empty tables away in order.3. One girl claims she was harassed by the staff and head of AA through emails. She wanted to sell Chii ears and was told no on the forums. Then her emails to staff members were faked to look harassing. She had a friend who tried to sell her stuff in the Alley but the head of AA told her friend she wasn't allowed to do that. Her boyfriend tried to talk to the head of AA but he was turned away and tried making a complaint with the people who run AN but they turned him away.
Suggestion: FIRE the person in charge of AA! I haven't personally confirmed that all of this happened but I have seen the emails. If this is how the head AA person operates then she doesn't need to be charge of anything.4. Table stealing has to stop. One girl told me a boy claimed an empty table and when he was told to leave he gave the staff trouble. He didn't get kicked out! He was still there! Her suggestion is a good one!
Suggestion: Kick out the troublemakers!!! They make the rest of the artists look bad and make things uncomfortable for us when we have to sit next to them or have them walking around behind the tables! This guy kept coming back to see his friend even after he gave up trying to sit at the empty table! I wanted him to leave because he was so rude and mean! So, I guess you CAN get a free table at AN if you don't pay and just behave badly!5. Forbidden items? What? The staff told a group that they couldn't sell cut outs of Pirates of the Caribbean. They said, "They are replicas so its okay" The staff argued with them and then the head of AA told them to put them away. They kept selling them but would take them off the tables when they saw the staff.
Suggestion: Don't ban anything. Make artists sign a waiver so they are responsible for any copyright infringement.6. Two chairs per table, plz!
Suggestion: Sell full tables at a higher price and include a second chair and badge for the table.7. Bring back helper badges.
Suggestion: We need helper badges! One per space or something. I felt bad asking someone to watch my stuff while I went to the washroom8. Obnoxious kids screaming their "sales" (especially on Sunday)
Suggestion: Make them shut up. It's disruptive and rude to those of us who are trying to draw AND it is offensive if I am seated next to them9. I got tired of the staff coming by and checking my "adult art." It seemed like every half hour someone would make sure it was covered. I'm not a pervert and I don't sell to kids so this was pretty insulting.
Suggestion: Make the staff back off checking for "adult art." Those of us who sell it know how to conduct ourselves so we don't get in trouble.10. I didn't make as much money as I expected because the staff put kids who were selling fan art of Naruto next to me--four tables of them ahead of me. By the time customers found me at the end of the row they were not interested.
Suggestion: Ban fan art or spread it out. Make people register their fandoms and don't seat people near each other who are selling the same fandom.11. I really, really wish they would screen people for age and quality. I know that sounds elitist but I am sick of seeing 15 year old girls sit there, unprepared for a convention, using the AA as their social gathering ground and tying up a table I could have had.
Suggestion: Have artists submit 3-5 pieces for approval before registration. Do not rent to anyone under 1812. Is there a list of people they don't rent tables to? How do you know if you're on it and why?
Suggestion: If such a list exists, contact people who are on this list and explain why they are and if there is a way to get off of it. 13. I noticed a lot less con-ops guys in the alley than last year. I felt less safe. I know that sounds paranoid but since I've had some run-ins with con-goers who were drunk/high/rude before I always like to see those guys hanging around the Alley. I also think it helps deter theft since people know they are being watched.
Suggestion: Create a special ops group just for AA or maybe hire private security for the Alley. I wouldn't mind seeing table cost go up a bit to cover that14. This year was a disaster from the start of registration. The staff posted their list of demands as well as their list of what cannot be sold. People who were asking legitimate questions were insulted and told to shut up, posts deleted and a declaration to respect the staff who "work for free" was emblazoned as a sticky post.
Suggestion: Let's be honest--the staff doesn't work for free. They get free passes, food vouchers and a hotel room at the cost of the con. Those who were being rude on the boards deserved to be put in their places but others were questionable. Like all forums I don't think there's a solution to this other than people need to respect each other in generalAnything else? Leave a comment. Be sure to list a SUGGESTION to fix it.
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