We’ve talked a lot about conventions here, and inevitably the question comes up, ‘Which convention is right for me?‘ One convention is good for this, another for that. Some conventions are good for all types sales, some are not. Some showcase all types of art, some don’t.

IlluXcon has some unusual (and sometimes confusing) aspects to it, and thusly is one of those conventions that people seem to have a lot of questions about. Pat Wilshire, the creator of IlluXcon, has tried to answer those questions by writing an essay explaining why it is that they choose to do things the way they do. It’s a bit lengthy, but actually provides some really nice insight into the strategy behind creating a successful convention.

From Pat:

Hello, and greetings from IlluXCon! We’ve just finished handling this year’s jurying process and getting our Showcase tables sold, and during that process we’ve gotten a higher number of questions than usual from people who aren’t as familiar with how IlluXCon works. Unfortunately, since the jury submission period is limited and the Showcase tables sell out in just a few minutes, that means that sometimes those who are new to the show don’t get their questions in to us until it’s too late.

As a result, we thought it might be helpful to do a series of essays explaining how IlluXCon works and, more importantly, why it works the way it does. We’re posting them in the new IlluXConnections section of our website (we’re a bit too verbose for a blog platform), but Dan has been kind enough to let us share the link here on Muddy Colors. The follow-on essays will appear on the IlluXCon site as well – you can keep an eye out for them either on the site (www.illuxcon.com) or our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/illuxcon). Or, of course, you can remain in blissful ignorance of all things IlluXCon-ish. We’re all about choices. 🙂

Oh, and for the record, the answer to the #1 most frequently asked question – it’s pronounced ILL-ucks-con.

Why Does IlluXCon Do That? (LINK)