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How To Apply

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What to Submit

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Who Can Exhibit

✎ How To Apply ✄ What to Submit ✑ Who Can Exhibit

Exhibitor FAQs

  • We welcome creators of all kinds who make narrative, story-driven, and creator-owned work. This can be indie comics, zines, art books, tabletop or RPG games, animation, and more. If you make stories in any form, we’d love for you to apply!

    Individual artists, collectives/groups/clubs, small press publishers, distros, all are welcome.

    We aim for a mix of Pittsburgh-area and out-of-town creators, balancing experienced exhibitors with those new to the indie scene.

  • Anything handmade or originally designed and created by you.

    Handmade examples:

    • Self-printed comics and zines
    • Original artwork
    • Hand-printed shirts, totes, and art prints
    • Stickers and buttons you pressed yourself

    Not handmade but allowed:

    • Commercially printed books or prints of your own original art
    • Merch (for example: totes, shirts, buttons etc) you designed but ordered from a manufacturer

  • To keep PIE centered on indie creativity, original work should make up most of your table. It’s totally fine to have fan art and fan merch but your table should feature mostly original creations.

    AI-generated content may be declined. We’re open to creative, transparent use of generative tools, but not when they replace human creators or rely on unlicensed use of others’ work.

  • Absolutely! Just mark any 18+ material so attendees know what to expect. If your work is mostly adult-only, we’ll seat you near other creators with similar content.

  • Table options are $50 half (4ft table + 1 chair) or $100 full (8ft table + 2 chairs.) Pittsburgh/Pennsylvania residents and first-time or new exhibitors may be offered a discounted table.

    The application will ask for:

    • Your preferred name and creator/display name

    • A photo, image or logo

    • A bio or description

    • Website and/or social media presence

    • Examples of what you do/make

    • Option to propose a workshop, panel or other programming

Participation Policies

Safe Space & Conduct Policy

At PIE, we want everyone to feel welcome, respected, and safe. We celebrate people of all identities and experiences, and we do not tolerate discrimination or harassment in any form. This includes behavior as well as any merch or imagery displayed.

Our Shared Responsibility

By taking part in PIE, you agree to uphold these values. We rely on everyone to help cultivate a community built on mutual respect and care.

If something happens that doesn’t align with these values, please reach out to an organizer. Your concerns will be taken seriously. Anyone who chooses not to follow our community expectations may be asked to leave.

Consider These Guidelines:

  • Ask for clear consent before touching someone or entering their personal space.

  • Ask before taking photos or recording anyone.

  • Respect the opinions, beliefs, identities, and lived experiences of others.

  • Remember that your actions can affect others even if you didn’t intend harm.

  • Be aware of unintentionally creating an environment that is intimidating, undesirably sexual, disruptive, hostile, or ableist.