The Rapture Gaming Festival - Cosplay Guesting

The Rapture Gaming Festival Cosplay Guesting & Creator Scheme
Want the opportunity to share events with your audience and/or work with us as an invited guest at future events?
This is not a direct application process, in the first instance please always assume you require a ticket for entry if you haven't been explicitly told in writing that we will grant you a ticket.
What can you do at the show? What’s involved? What do you get in return? Can you enter the Masquerade?
Cosplay Guest / Judge Predominently in the cosplay zone. Participating and placing in any show content will be up to the event’s discretion Judging the cosplay masquerade/s at events Varied terms co-dependent on the event  No (You’ll likely be judging it!)
Cosplay Coach / Mentor You and any member under the same pass type may not be able to enter or place in event based content but this is up to the event’s discretion We will work together with you to promote the show and/or provide show content Early and/or free access to the event. Opportunities for event show space, content and/or tables, joint promotion opportunities. You will be able to enter discussions on future shows where you could be a judge Cannot place at all in the Masquerade, you can enter to showcase your talent and we may ask you to provide a filler act
Cosplay Creator / Media Pass You and any invited member can have free roam of the show, but may not be able to place in event content, this will be up to the events discretion We will ask you to promote the show to your networks beforehand, gather content and share before, at and post the show Free access to the event, joint promotion opportunities and the chance to be a Cosplay Coach at our next show Can enter, but cannot win a substantial cash/sponsor prize. We may ask you to showcase your costume
Guest / Crew Helper  Hybrid Predominently in the cosplay zone. May not be able to enter or place in event content,Placing in any event content will be up to the event’s discretion A duo role that allows flexibility in both guesting and crewing with us, this might include monitoring tables for instance or helping run content like repair desk Early and/or free access to the event. Opportunities for event show space, content and/or tables, joint promotion opportunities. You will be able to enter discussions on future shows where you could join crew or continue as crew/guest As part of crewing we may ask you to be filler/showcase but you cannot place in the masquerade at all
Masquerade Prior Arrangement  Entry

(special circumstances)

 Access only to the cosplay facilities. May also be used to give access to the event. Collect your cosplay ticket with proof of costume/entry and a standard show ticket Early access to facilities.  Has no restrictions on entry. 
What is your mentoring focus? What’s involved?
Cosplay Coach – Skills Selection Think you have what it takes to be our Foamsmith, Sewing, Performance or Makeup and Special Effects Coach? Whatever your cosplay skill this is the opportunity to showcase it and help others in the artform learn from you! Choose 1 specialism, table/area/content offers will ask for a predominant focus on this. 
Cosplay Coach – Community Selection If you specialise in Cosplay Meetups, Panels, workshops or simply getting involved in the cosplay community this is the opportunity to showcase it and help others in the artform learn from you! Choose multiple specialisms, content will be asked to be arranged on site within venue grounds for safety.
Cosplay Coach – Media Selection Think you have what it takes to be our Photography, Videography and/or Social Media Coach? Whatever your cosplay skill, from tiktoking, interviews and photography, this is the opportunity to showcase it and help others in the artform learn from you! Choose multiple specialisms, table/area offers will ask for equipment you are providing and portfolio submissions.
Cosplay Coach – Niche Selection If you specialise in Cosplay Portfolio Design, Cosplay Mental Health or even a niche subject or skill you can become a Cosplay Coach and whatever your cosplay skill this is the opportunity to showcase it and help others in the artform learn from you! Choose 1 specialism, table/area/content offers will ask for a predominant focus on this. 
Cosplay Coach – Your Selection Whatever your cosplay skill this is the opportunity to showcase it and help others in the artform learn from you! Up to you!

Cosplay Creator/Media Pass

Similar to: Cosplay Creator, Creator pass, Content Creator, Speaker Pass.

The creator may fill a multitute of roles from collecting content, sharing the event with your own cosplay following or joining us for content creation such as panels, workshops or even featuring in masquerades such as for filler and showcase acts.
If you have an idea and want to offer something, tell us what and be clear on what the offer is! We want to hear from everyone!

Guidance to talk to us

We get people writing to us for opportunities to work with us at events via guesting. Realistically the aim of this is to provide a starting point with guidance and awareness as to how guests, coaches and creators can better access this space. Therefore these are not hard and fast rules that automatically qualify you to a spot, but moreso an opportunity to develop the confidence to write in and talk to us! This list is also not exhuastive, so even if you feel you don’t match any of the sub-bullet points focus on the main things we are asking for here!

What do we look for?

  • Show your passion for teaching, creating, presenting or sharing cosplay knowledge.
  • Community involvement matters more than follower counts. We want to see that you actively share your cosplay journey, interact with others and help bring people into the community and event.
  • Are you actively engaged in the events you attend, do you enjoy them? Show evidence through your social media, portfolio or other channels.
  • Include links to your public profiles and platforms.

As a Judge:

  • Explain your skills, experience and how they would contribute to the judging panel.
  • Highlight any specialist knowledge or niche areas you have.
  • Share examples of your cosplay work, such as progress photos, finished costumes or portfolio links.
  • Tell us about any previous judging or cosplay competition experience.
  • If you’re local to the event and happy to share that information, feel free to mention it.

An understanding of how we can help you:

  • What are you ultimately trying to achieve in the cosplay community? How do you want to add and receive value here from this experience?
  • Tell us how working with us would help you grow.
  • Explain what you hope to contribute to the cosplay community and what you hope to gain from this opportunity.

Whether you’re an experienced creator or just getting started, we want to hear about your passion, your goals, the value you bring and the content or ideas you’d like to share with the community.

What to do if you can’t attend the show?

We understand life happens. Please notify us as soon as possible if you cannot attend. You do not need to specify a reason for your absence. We will only NOT consider future applications from you if you fail to notify us of your absence or you are absent on multiple occasions of acceptance. 

 

Can I bring friends/family?

Passes may be granted to multiple individuals but they will only be offered to the people you make us aware of. For this reason unless you have been granted permission by the event you must take the intended people you have specified. 

 

Can I still get involved with stage/zone area events?

If you would like to host a panel, meetup or anything else please let us know. Regardless of whichever pass type you have, we always welcome members of the community to speak out and share awesome cosplay knowledge together. We can also work with you to help make your vision a reality so even if you are at the early ‘ideas’ stage please let us know anyway!

 

Why do you ask how the pass will help me?

The entire point of the community is a gathering of like minded people sharing an awesome thing they care about. We are very passionate about creating a fair, transparent scheme but we also genuinely want to help, support and grow cosplayers from all walks of life. Tell us what your plans, goals, dreams, ideal accomplishments are, because we want to support people that want to grow and we want to help you grow as much as work with you to share awesome events! 

 

Can anyone apply?

This is not an application scheme and you cannot directly apply to it. Instead, you can email us at cosplay@costumeandplay.co.uk and explain why you feel being a part of events is something you want, please make the subject line of your email and your information clear to us.
If you have not heard from us please assume that you require a ticket for entry to the event.

Please remember this is not an active application process! If you have not heard from us, please always assume that you require a ticket for the event.

If you want to chat to us and make yourself known to us:
SEND TO: cosplay@costumeandplay.co.uk

If you email us, you agree that we can keep the information you send us so we can approach you in the future if we wish.

YOU MUST INCLUDE A CLEAR EMAIL SUBJECT HEADER (if you do not do this we will ignore your email): An example might be: ‘Rapture Cosplay & Creator Scheme – EVENT NAME AND LOCATION’

Consider this your ‘pitch’ to us, do you want to host a panel, share some awesome content, have a table or all of these? Please be as detailed and as specific as possible. Remember that part of this should be about how we can work and collaborate together with you and the event. Explain why what you are doing will benefit you, the community and the event. Share anything unique that only you can bring to the event!

Things you can include are your portfolio, your builds and progress, your presence such as social media handles, social media insights, work you have done for other events/this event, masquerades you have won/judged and anything else you feel is relevant.

If you have ideas for a panel you would like to run please include them, otherwise please state if you would be comfortable participating in content such as cosplay Q&A sessions, stage cosplay performances and masquerade filler. Please tell us what these would be.

If you have talked about the show (or past shows) please share this with us and the success of your posts, projects or media, it will be especially helpful for those that produced detailed reports/portfolios. Please explain the use case and rights of any media such as (but not limited to) Photo and video.