AnimeCon House Rules
Here you'll find all of the house rules, cosplay/prop rules, bag rules, and photography rules.
The following house rules are applicable to visitors of all festivals, unless specified otherwise, organized by the JPOP-Foundation (Stichting Promotie Japanse Popcultuur), hereafter referred to as ‘the festival organization’. By accessing the festival grounds, you conform yourself to the rules stated below. In case these rules allow room for interpretation, the final decision will be made by a member of the festival organization. Aside from removal from the festival for breaking any of these rules (or Dutch laws) below, a visitor can also receive a ban for any period of time regarding future festivals organized by the festival organization. These rules are subject to change. Voor de huisregels in het Nederlands, klik hier.
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House Rules
All visitors must adhere to Dutch national law. Failure to do so may result in visitors being denied access to festival grounds. If there is cause to involve the local authorities, the festival organization will do so. Any (financial) damages incurred towards the festival organization will be charged towards the perpetrator(s).
Fire, evacuation and other calamities
In case of fire, evacuation or other calamities, all visitors must comply with the instructions of the location’s staff and/or emergency responders as well as the standard location procedures.
Access to the festival
A) All visitors must visibly wear their official AnimeCon badge/wristband.
B) Members of staff and security have the right to deny any visitor access to the festival if that visitor does not adhere to the festival’s house rules or when said visitor violates any Dutch law on festival grounds. Visitors removed for these infractions forfeit any right to compensation for their ticket or other expenses made to attend the festival.
C) Visitors must be able to present some form of identification as described by Dutch law at the request of a staff member or a member of security. Failure to comply may result in denial of access to the festival.
D) Visitors under 18 are not allowed to attend an 18+ event. A valid ID proving the visitor is at least 18 years of age is mandatory in these cases.
E) Members of staff, security, stewards and gophers have the right to limit access to specific festival areas in case current circumstances warrant such restrictions (in example: overcrowding, age requirements or other emergencies).
F) All children younger than 13 years of age need to be accompanied by an adult at all times. Children under the age of 7 are not required to buy a ticket, but do require a badge/wristband. These badges/wristbands can be acquired at the Registration Desk during the festival.
G) The festival organization holds the right to deny visitors access to the festival without stating a reason. Paid entry fees will be reimbursed immediately. The festival organization nor its members are liable for additional costs, such as (but not limited to) travel arrangements and hotel fees.
H) Sleeping or taking a nap on festival grounds is not allowed. It is only allowed to sleep in a hotel room on the festival grounds for which you legally posses a key. Sleeping in other locations is prohibited and can result in expulsion from the festival.
Code of Conduct
A) Cosplay costumes may not be too revealing. Breasts, genitals and buttocks need to be covered by clothing. What is determined to be too revealing is determined by the festival staff.
B) Obscene gestures and acts are not allowed
C) Cosplay props may not compromise the safety of others and have to adhere to Dutch law (Wapenwet BES). If you doubt your props are allowed, please check with the festival organization prior to or upon entering the festival grounds. Please check out the additional rules on props in the ‘Bags and Props’ section below.
D) Marketing activities are not allowed on festival grounds without explicit written authorization by the festival organization. This includes (but is not limited to) distributing folders and flyers, putting up signs or props, holding a survey or handing out questionnaires, with or without sound.
E) Placing stickers or using other adhesive materials on surfaces on festival grounds is not allowed.
F) Smoking is not allowed outside of the designated area’s within the festival grounds.
G) Pets are not allowed on festival grounds. If you have an official service animal, please contact the festival organization prior to attending the festival.
Food and Drinks
A) It is not allowed to bring your own food or drinks onto the festival, aside from a bottle that you can fill with water. Dealers and organizers are allowed to bring their own food and drinks as long as they consume these items at their stands and dispose of any waste in a proper manner.
B) Visitors may consume food and drinks bought on festival grounds only in areas that allow these activities. Please find them under the ‘Zones, Bags and Props’ section.
Bag and Prop Rules
Please note: Depending on the venue of the festival you are attending, it can happen that an area is designated as a different zone than the same or similar area of another venue you may have attended in the past.
Green Zone
This is the zone with the least restrictions.
- These zones allow bigger bags as long as they do not block pathways or cause hindrance to others.
- Consuming food and drinks is allowed in Green Zones.
- Cosplay props in general are allowed, for more detailed prop rules, please check the subsection on prop rules below.
- It is forbidden to leave your belongings unattended.
Orange Zone
The orange zones have slightly more restrictive rules. Visitors are allowed to carry:
- Larger bags as long as they do not block pathways or cause hindrance to others. As what can be considered to be too large, about 40 X 30 X 20 centimeters (regular sized Eastpak backpack). Staff can deviate from these measurements and have the final say in what is allowed.
- Photo, video gear and camera bags are allowed as long as they are carried and nothing is put on the ground (such as stands, tripods etc.).
- Carry small cosplay props that can be worn on your body without sticking out. Festival staff will have the final say in what is considered to be sticking out and worn on body.
However, on no account is it allowed to:
- Leave any bag or prop unattended.
- Block doorways, passages and paths.
- Carry Large props (only small props, that can be worn on your body without sticking out).
- Consuming food and drinks, unless indicated otherwise.
Red Zone
These zones are the most strict zones and come with the following restrictions:
- No bags allowed except one small bag per visitor that fits in our bag measuring boxes (25cm x 14cm x 7cm) is allowed in these areas.
- You are not allowed to consume food or drinks in these zones. Sealed food and water bottles carried inside the small bag mentioned above, may be taken in as long as they are not opened in this area.
- Large or loose props are not allowed (so only small props, that can be worn on your body without sticking out). Backpacks (even sewn shut) that are part of your cosplay still count as a bag.
Bags:
The small bags that are allowed throughout the festival grounds, as previously mentioned under the Red Zone segment above, are sometimes subject to a size check by our Stewards and/or Security. Unless stated otherwise we conduct these checks based on the size of the bag at it's maximum size/volume using a measuring box.
MEDICAL Exemptions:
If the medication that you need for 1 day at our festival do not fit into the small bag mentioned before, you can apply for a Bag Permit at our First Aid station. They will determine if a Bag Permit should be issued, allowing you to carry a bag that is able to contain the additional space required for your medication. Our medical staff member has the final say in whether or not a Bag Permit will be issued to you. Please inquire at the registration desk if you need assistance in finding the First Aid station.
PRESS Exemptions:
If you are assigned an official press badge for our festival and are in need of a bag permit for larger bags of equipment, we refer you to your contact within our organization to acquire your bag permit.
Props:
- As mentioned in the General Rules, all visitors must comply with Dutch law (Wapenwet BES). This also includes what props you may bring to our festival. Any (weapon) prop that is not allowed by Dutch law, is not allowed on the festival grounds.
- Larger sized props or Cosplay attachments should always be handled in a safe manner.
- All props, large and small, are not allowed to have any sharp edges or hard pointy parts sticking out that can easily cut/stab/pierce someone.
Photography and Media Rules
Below you will find our rules in regards to capturing or displaying any form of media (photo, video, audio) on our festival grounds.
A) It is prohibited to publicly show copyrighted content on festival grounds except with permission from the festival organization and publisher.
B) It is prohibited to record any of the following locations and/or people before, during and after AnimeCon in any way:
- Video rooms and event rooms (unless stated otherwise).
- Professional members of security.
- Any artists and/or members of (a) band(s) performing at the festival (unless stated otherwise).
- Everyone (this includes cosplayers) who did not give permission to having their picture taken or be recorded in any way by the party in question.
C) It is prohibited to use tripods, dollies or any other free standing aids for photography or any other type of recording. If you want to use reflectors, lamps or other aids for a shoot, these items need to be held by a person.
D) A broader setup for shoots is only possible with approval from the festival organization. Any requests should be submitted at least one month prior to the festival. Granting said requests is at the discretion of the festival organization.
E) Any recordings made on the festival grounds must comply with Dutch law, specifically privacy regulations.
The J-POP Foundation and its members are not liable in any way for infractions on Portrait Rights as mentioned in Dutch Copyright Law 1912, article 19-21. Staff and co-workers of Stichting Promotie Japanse Popcultuur, including official Photographer(s) are an exception to these rules. They are considered safe and will take utmost care in taking and processing photographs.The pictures they take will only be used in a private showing or for promotional purposes for J-POP Foundation and future editions of the AnimeCon festival.
