So, you want to start a furry convention! Great! We’ll never say no to a new event. And this is a topic I happen to know a little about, as I’ve been staffing/running conventions for 20 years now. (I’m old)
Let’s start with a few questions I’d like to throw out, the sort of questions every new convention organizer should ask themselves…
A Furry Convention Building Checklist:
- Have you staffed a con before?
- Are you incorporated? If so, as a 501(c)3 or 501(c)7?
- Do you have a separate bank account for the organization?
- Do you have a budget?
- Do you have a hotel or other venue?
- Do you have a signed contract with the venue?
- Did you read the contract in its entirety?
- Do you have liability insurance?
- Do you have legal counsel?
- Have you lined up people who can be senior staff/department heads for major portions of the convention, such as Programming, A/V, Dealers Room, etc.?
- Have you vetted your staff?
- Do you have a website?
- How about social media?
- Is there another con already serving the same general area?
- If so, will potential attendees feel that they are forced to choose between the two cons?