Panel submissions that get approved:

• Panelist and co-host must be at least 16 years old by 10/27/2022
• Directly involve anime, manga or other Japanese culture. For example, a well-planned proposal that features an anime will take priority over an equally well-planned proposal that features an outside fandom, such as American comics or movies. Having said that, we do have a certain amount of leniency, especially if the fandom is large (in other words, we’ve received a lot of proposals for it) or overlaps AWA’s main fandoms in some way, for example: tabletop games.
• Are well-planned and have supporting materials. The proposal is our first glimpse of how you communicate and what you want to do at AWA. Make sure it’s well-written and try to include evidence that the panel will be successful. If you can’t include something in the online form (such as a picture) or something changes after you submit, email it to panels@awa-con.com (make sure to include your name and the panel name for reference). For mature and 18+ panels, we will require that you submit the actual presentation such as a powerpoint for review. If you submit a mature or an 18+ panel without the material to be presented, we will place the panel as tentative and email asking for the presentation. If the presentation is not received, we will have to decline the panel.
• Are engaging and interactive. We like lectures, too, but a proposal that introduces a creative way to communicate with the audience really catches our eyes.
• Are more than dressing in character and showing up. You can certainly submit “in-character” panels, but we’d like to see more than, “come ask your favorite character a question” in the description. If you have support for your panel going well in the past, such as videos, we’d like to see that, too.
• Don’t involve aggressive physicality. We know that “battle chess” and other such games are super fun, but we don’t have the room or oversight to make sure they run safely, unfortunately. However, panels that are yoga based, or dance workshops are completely okay and we welcome them, and we might even join in! If you are unsure if your panel is physically aggressive, then please email us at panels@awa-con.com.
• Aren’t speed or blind dates. You can definitely submit a proposal, but please know that we’re pretty strict with planning these sorts of events. We have to make sure that all our guests are comfortable and safe, after all. That being said, AWA is a huge gathering of people with interests just like yours – any event could be the place you meet your new best friend!
• Panels for all audience age groups are welcome, just make sure to let us know your panel is 18+ if it is for more adult audiences!
• If you have any other questions about this information or the panelist proposal form, please send an email to panels@awa-con.com.
• Please include a presentation or detailed outline with all panel submissions. We will place your panel on Tentative if the description does not support the panel idea. This will delay your panel acceptance, as we will email asking for more information.
• If you are an Idol group wishing to perform in the Starlight Idol Festival, please email panels@awa-con.com before filling out the submission form. Starlight Idol Festival has their own review process and going through the panel submission form might slow your group’s entry into the Starlight Idol Festival.