Cosplay Craftsmanship Contest
This contest is a celebration of technical skill, construction, and creative problem‑solving in cosplay. Unlike performance‑focused events, this competition centers on how your costume was made, the techniques you used, and the craftsmanship choices behind your work.
This is a craftsmanship‑focused contest with mandatory pre‑judging on Saturday morning. All contestants must participate in pre-judging, which is conducted privately with the judging panel. Failure to attend pre-judging will result in forfeiture of eligibility for all awards.
Submission of this application does not guarantee acceptance. Contest capacity is limited to only twenty (20) slots available and there is a juried selection process, and early submission is strongly encouraged.
Skill Divisions
Divisions exist to ensure fair and balanced competition. Contestants should enter the division that best reflects their experience level.
Creators After Dark staff and judges reserve the right to reassign divisions as needed.
Disclaimer: The # of total entries may change the prizing titles to: Best in Show, Second, and Third Place
Novice Division
- Has won no more than one (1) major award at a comparable‑sized convention or larger
- At least 25% of the costume must be handmade by the contestant
Journeyman Division
- Intended for contestants with moderate experience in costume creation and competition
- Has won no more than two (2) major awards at comparable‑sized conventions or larger
- At least 50% of the costume must be handmade by the contestant
Master Division
- Intended for highly experienced or professional costume makers
- Has won three (3) or more major awards at comparable‑sized conventions or larger, or has professional experience
- At least 75% of the costume must be handmade by the contestant
Contestants may choose to enter a higher division but may not enter below their qualification level.
Accepted costume sources include:
- Published source material.
- Original designs or fanart (with artist permission if applicable).
- Mash‑ups or alternate interpretations of existing characters
References are required at pre‑judging. Physical references (printed images, sketches, build plans) are strongly preferred. Failure to provide references may result in point deductions.
Eligibility & Participation Restrictions:
Participants may only compete in one of the following events:
- Cosplay Pageant
- Cosplay Craftsmanship Contest
Dual participation is not permitted. If you are accepted into both events, you must select which competition you will enter.
Please consider all following rules before applying:
- You must have a Creators After Dark badge in order to participate.
- This application is open to all genders and skill levels!
- Store‑bought costumes are not permitted.
- Costumes must be made or significantly modified by the entrant.
- Modified items must be 50% or more altered from their original state to count toward handmade totals.
- Wigs and shoes are not required to be handmade.
- Outside assistance must not exceed 30% of the overall build.
- Disability aids will not be counted against craftsmanship percentages.
- The maker of the costume must be present and entered into the contest.
- Costumes may be worn by the maker or modeled by another individual.
- Costumes may not be presented on a mannequin.
- Any costume that has previously won a major award is ineligible
- Failure to attend pre‑judging will result in forfeiture of eligibility for all awards.
- Costumes and props must comply with all established dress code and convention/venue rules.
All official communication will be conducted via email. Please monitor both your inbox and spam folder closely. If you have questions, contact us at cosplay@creatorsafterdark.com.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the show!
Key Dates
Application opens
February 1
Application closes
March 14 @ 11:59pm CST
Acceptance emails sent out
Week of March 22
Commitment to Fairness & Inclusion
In order to create a welcoming and inclusive contest, we at Creators After Dark pledge to not judge contestants on any components outside of their cosplay or performance. This includes: Race, Ethnicity, Nationality, Age, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Disability Status, Religion, Socioeconomic Status, or Personal Vendetta. Any judge found to be showing bias towards or against any of the above will be removed as a judge, and all points from said judge will not be accounted for in final scores.
Sportsmanship & Conduct
Creators After Dark is dedicated to fostering a respectful, professional, and inclusive competitive environment. Unsportsmanlike behavior—including harassment, discrimination, sandbagging, hate speech, or targeted harassment—will not be tolerated. This policy applies to in-person and online conduct, before, during, and after the event.
Violations may result in disqualification, revocation of awards, removal from the event, or banning from future Creators After Dark competitions.
cosplay pageant contest
This event mimics the way Miss America pageants are set up; contestants will act in-character and present themselves through four categories:
- Formal Wear
- Swimsuit
- Talent
- Q&A
There are only twelve (12) slots available and there is a juried selection process. If you are interested in participating, we recommend being as detailed in your application and as familiar with your character as possible!
Please consider all following rules before applying:
- You must have a Creators After Dark badge in order to participate.
- This application is open to all genders and skill levels!
- Participants are selected based solely on variety of characters; if you would like to participate as a particularly popular character, please apply quickly and be as thorough with your application as possible.
- All contestants will participate in all categories: Formal Wear, Swimsuit, Talent, and In-Character Q&A.
- Be prepared to have one formal outfit and one swimsuit outfit. You are not required to have a third talent costume. The more each of your outfits match your character, the better your score. (For example: How modestly would your character dress? Would they show more or less skin? What type of formal attire would they wear?) There will be a designated changing area backstage for the participants.
- Talents do not need to be related to your character so long as they are creative. Talents may include but are not limited to: singing, dancing, baton twirling, stand-up comedy, burping your ABC’s, etc. Talents must NOT include complete nudity or replicate sexual acts (i.e. no masturbation or penetrative toy use on stage). If you are not sure if your talent is acceptable, please contact us. If you are not clear with your talent, we will not accept your application. Keep your performance a secret for the audience–not the show runners!
- This contest is not a craftsmanship contest. You will not be expected to construct any of your cosplay or props. This pageant focuses on your performance, how well you understand your character, and how well you embody their personality on the stage.
- Costumes and talents must comply with all established dress code and convention/venue rules.
Communication will be conducted via e-mail; please keep an eye out in both inbox and possible spam for all communications regarding the pageant. If you have any difficulties with or questions about this form or the pageant itself, please feel free to reach out to us at cosplay@creatorsafterdark.com.
Key Dates
- January 22: Application opens
- February 28 at 11:59pm CST: Application closes
- Week of March 8: Acceptance emails sent out
Commitment to Fairness & Inclusion
In order to create a welcoming and inclusive contest, we at Creators After Dark pledge to not judge contestants on any components outside of their cosplay or performance. This includes: Race, Ethnicity, Nationality, Age, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Disability Status, Religion, Socioeconomic Status, or Personal Vendetta. Any judge found to be showing bias towards or against any of the above will be removed as a judge, and all points from said judge will not be accounted for in final scores.
cosplay meetups
Creators After Dark is a curated, 18+ convention experience. Submitting this application allows our programming team to thoughtfully integrate your meetup or photoshoot into the weekend schedule while minimizing conflicts with official events, panels, and the Cosplay Pageant.
While we cannot guarantee specific times or locations, our team will do our best to accommodate approved meetups and ensure a smooth, enjoyable experience for both hosts and attendees.
All communication regarding your meetup or photoshoot request will be conducted via email. Please be sure to check both your inbox and spam folder regularly. If you have any questions or concerns, contact us at cosplay@creatorsafterdark.com.
How Selection & Scheduling Works
- Meetup and photoshoot requests are reviewed and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
- This application must be submitted by the primary organizer (Host).
- To promote variety and balance, similar fandoms or themes may be limited per day at staff discretion.
- Approved meetups and photoshoots are scheduled in 1-hour time blocks at designated locations, with only one organized group assigned to a location at a time.
- Creators After Dark reserves the right to adjust times, locations, or details as needed to support overall event flow, safety, and attendee experience.
Host Responsibilities & Expectations
By applying, you agree to the following responsibilities:
- You must hold a valid Creators After Dark badge to host or participate in an official meetup or photoshoot.
- Hosts are expected to be present, clearly identifiable, and prepared to lead their group.
- A backup host is required to ensure the meetup proceeds in the event of an emergency or scheduling conflict.
- All activities must comply with Creators After Dark rules, venue policies, and local laws.
- Consent, respect, and inclusivity are expected at all times. Any behavior that compromises attendee safety or comfort may result in immediate shutdown of the meetup.
Promotion & Community Coordination
Once approved, hosts are strongly encouraged to create a Discord thread in the official Creators After Dark meetup channel. This helps attendees coordinate, arrive on time, and stay informed of any updates.
Meetups are most successful when hosts actively communicate—please plan accordingly.
Key Dates
- January 22: Application opens
- February 28 at 11:59pm CST: Application closes
- Week of March 8: Acceptance emails sent out