Dotcon 2008 will take place November 15th-16th 2008 at the Holiday Inn on King, 7095 Woodbine Avenue Markham, Ontario.

     Convention hours are as follows:

Saturday:

• Registration open 10AM - 6PM
• Dotshop & Marketplace open 10AM - 8PM
• Main programming & panel rooms open 10AM - 4AM
• Dance from 11PM - 4AM

Sunday:

• Registration open 9AM - 3PM
• Dotshop & Marketplace open 9AM - 6PM
• Main programming & panel rooms open 9AM - 6PM
• Closing ceremonies 6PM - 7PM

     Dotcon 2008 is a cultural convention, focusing on promoting arts, media and popular culture from East Asia. Since anime is a big part of popular culture from Japan, it is one of the aspects that we are focusing on at Dotcon 2008, but it isn't the only one! We also want to promote literature, visual arts, movies, music, fashion, etc. - and not just from Japan, but also from China and Korea.

     Since the Dotcon team grew out of extensive experience organizing anime and other hobby conventions, that kind of culture is our main area of interest and expertise - which is why Dotcon 2008 has an East Asian focus. This doesn't mean however that the convention is only for East Asia or exclusively about East Asia; in fact, an important topic to us is how culture from East Asia has been re-interpreted and expanded in North America. The fandom on this side of the Pacific has become a distinct entity from the source material, which is an interesting cultural development that we'd like to explore.

     Dotcon is also a fan membership which is in effect all-year-round. The fan-run revolution can't just happen in a weekend, right? That's why Dotcon, as well as our affiliates and sponsors, work hard to provide tons of fun events and member privileges in order to bring fans closer together. And not only that, with our emphasis on promoting culture as well as our charity endeavours, we'd also like to get fans more involved in the larger community. Dotcon members form the core of the fan-run revolution, so the more fans get involved, the more fun it can be, and the more we can make a difference.

     One of our goals at Dotcon is to encourage fans - particularly youths - to get involved in the larger community and be more aware of and educated about the culture they participate in; for example, about cross- cultural topics as well as how fandom is represented in the larger community. There are sometimes certain stereotypes that emerge from fandom which skew the image of fandom to those outside the community, owing to the largely isolated and underground culture fandom grew out of. Now that fandom - particularly areas of music and anime, as well as the phenomenon of conventions itself - is growing more popular and more visible, we want people to explore the depth and breadth of fandom to see that fandom is itself, a distinct culture. And, as participants in that culture, we also have a distinct social position and should represent ourselves responsibly in larger society, for example, through charity contribution and volunteering. That is the fan-run revolution: breaking through the otaku stereotype and demonstrating social responsibility, while still enjoying and sharing the culture we all love with those who may not understand it very well.

     "Dotcon" came from a few different ideas: for one, it's taking place in Toronto - 'the TDot'! We're proud of being Torontonians and we want to demonstrate how diverse and rich the culture in Toronto really is. Visually, a dot is small and brief, but is also emphatic punctuation - just as we are a small convention organized by a small group of people, but we also have important goals and important things to say - namely, that fans can make a difference! Lastly, well...Dotcon is a pretty catchy name, don't you think?

     The look of the website reflects Dotcon's atmosphere and background - youthful, vibrant, and full of energy! Dotcon is truly fan-run and we want to emphasize that in the fun and dynamic layouts we have for the website. We want the site to feel warm, welcoming, and easy-to-navigate rather than having the often cold feel of more corporate websites; furthermore, all the art and graphics are done by in-house Dotcon artists, so we want to exhibit their talent to show that Dotcon staff are also part of the fandom!

     Also, the 3 different layouts cater to the 3 different mascots (read about them below!) and so all have a different feel that reflects each mascot's personality. The content of each layout is the same, however - so you can just choose which layout you'd prefer to view!

     The 3 mascots are a trio of siblings. They each represent a different aspect of culture that we're featuring at Dotcon:

     Maruko - The eldest sister, she is the ultimate spunky fashionista and the main face of Dotcon. She keeps up with all that's young and trendy but is also a very caring and charitable older sister, always looking out for her little brothers and the people around her.

     Uzumaki - The middle brother, always seen wearing his trademark headphones, he's all about the music, man. A boy of few words, he often seems as if he's lost in his own world; but really, he's just tuning into the music, which he recognizes as a universal language that transcends culture and social boundaries.

     Dot - The youngest brother, he's a shy elementary schoolboy by day, superhero by night... except that no one believes him. Poor kid! He's just bursting with all the hidden potential, imagination and enthusiasm to make a difference in the world around him, even if no one recognizes him for it.

     Our registration prices are actually fairly average across hobby conventions (especially if you pre-register and are a Dotcon member!). They may seem a bit steep given that it's a first-time con, but please also take into account the location, guests, and 2 days packed with programming! Toronto is not a cheap area to hold an event in, and the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Toronto- Markham is higher-end hotel. We have numerous guests coming from Canada, the US as well as Japan - many who've never been to Toronto before. And on top of that, we're planning tons of fun programming to make sure that the con is worth your registration fee!

     For a standard room (queen/double beds): $119 + tax

     The original rate for the same room is ~$150 + tax. Please call the hotel in order to book a room at the convention rate and give them the convention code: DOTCON.

     Any volunteer under 18 must submit a volunteer liability waiver signed by a parent or guardian in order to commence volunteer duties.

     If you are under 18 and want your volunteer hours to count towards your high school volunteer requirement, you must follow the approved Ministry of Education procedures (which include obtaining signed permission from your school principal as well as a parent or guardian - more information on this can be FOUND HERE.). Please have any necessary forms prepared (eg. completed and signed) when you arrive at the con to sign in for your volunteer hours. Forms should be available at your school.

     Dotcon is not currently looking for any additional staff members. However, we are always looking for more volunteers and panelists. This is the best way for you to get involved in the convention.

     You are responsible for all of your items, whether you are in the Dot Shop/Marketplace selling merchandise, or simply a congoer carrying around personal property. Dotcon is not liable for any missing items.

     We will however have a Lost and Found area located at the Con Office. You can report any lost items here at the Con Office, or inform security. If after the con your item is still missing, you may email us with a detailed description of the item and we will check if it was submitted to the Lost and Found. Arrangements can be made thereafter for the return of your item.

     We at Dotcon are a little quirky, and so we've renamed the conventional dealer's room to be called The Dot Shop and the artists'' area to be called The Marketplace. We feel these names are more in keeping with Dotcon's theme and describe the functions of those areas better: The Dot Shop is more about the shoppers than the dealers, right? And the artists' area is more of a crafters' marketplace, where artists can sell their hand-crafted products of any kind - not just print art, but also crafts, clothes, or any other artistic work they'd like to sell.

     All you need is to submit a written consent letter for your proxy giving permission for them to sell your items in your absence. The proxy must also have their own, separate convention pass (whether they are another artist or simply another congoer). You can submit the proxy letter when you sign-in for your table.

     Here is an example of a proxy letter:

I, [ YOUR NAME ], give permission for [ PROXY'S NAME ] to sell my items at my designated Marketplace table in my absence.

X [   YOUR SIGNATURE   ]      X [   PROXY'S SIGNATURE   ]

Date: __________________    Date: __________________

     We will also have some proxy letter slips available at Marketplace registration. You may have as many designated proxies as you like, but you must have a separate proxy letter for each one.

     Artists are allowed to share tables/spaces with other artists, but remember that there is only one chair per space (2 chairs per table). Keep in mind there are space restrictions in the Marketplace, so please do not obstruct another artist's space.

     Of course there is! Cosplay is a big part of fandom that Dotcon wants to promote. However, we'd like to try new types of programming for cosplayers that give more creative freedom than conventional masquerades. There are two different showcases at the convention for cosplayers:

     Nisemono Awards - This is for the more creative cosplayers who love to do skits, but may feel limited by stage presentations and the accompanying rules. It's also a kind of fusion between the conventional masquerade and the anime music video contest: fan-made, live-action cosplay videos! All submitted entries will be screened at an Oscar-style awards show on the Saturday evening of the con, with awards given to the most outstanding entries.

     Cosplay Parade - This is for the rest of the cosplayers who may not have the time/resources to film a Nisemono submission, but still want to showcase their cosplay in a fun way. Judges will still be awarding prizes for the best costumes, but the rules are less formal and more fun. Cosplayers of all levels are encouraged to take part!

     The concert on November 14th, 2008 is a separate event from Dotcon, organized by J-rock North Promotions Inc. JNP is a Dotcon affiliate, so the artists performing in the concert will appear at Dotcon; however, since the concert is separate from the con, there is a separate charge.

     Furthermore, the Holiday Inn on King cannot accommodate a full-on concert (space-wise, sound-wise, equipment-wise, etc.). It is not a suitable venue for a concert. The Great Hall (1087 Queen St W.), has hosted large concerts before (among other types of large events), and so is better equipped to host the concert.

     For more information on the concert, please CLICK HERE.

     You can use the panelist application form FOUND HERE.

     Proposals for any type of programming suggestions (eg. games, workshops, gatherings, etc.) can be submitted via the same panel form; simply include all the relevant details for your suggestion. The panelist and programming coordinators will look over your proposal and get back to you.

     The quickest answer is...well, Dotcon isn't a conventional convention (excuse the pun!). And also as mentioned above, we're not exclusively an anime convention either. We're trying to provide new and unique programming that promotes many different aspects of culture, while still covering the areas of fandom that people most enjoy seeing and participating in. Of course, if there is a kind of programming that you really want to see, by all means tell us about it! We'll do our best to accommodate your requests, but again - we're only a 2-day con, and a small one with a small team of organizers at that! The best way for you to ensure that a certain event or program gets added to the Dotcon roster is to volunteer and organize it yourself - submit a proposal to us and we'll see if we can work it into the programming (eg. discussion panels, games, workshops, etc.). We're always looking for more help and the fan-run revolution is, after all, run by fans like you.