So you’re thinking about volunteering, huh?

Join us and learn more about the amazing teams that make A-Kon run.  Being a volunteer at A-Kon is also a great way to gain experience and exposure to a variety of different situations and environments.  Some of these may even be a great fit for your resume or give you new skills to work with in your everyday job .  We are always looking for hard working, dedicated individuals who want to broaden their horizons and make a difference for the communities that they belong to.   

Below is a list of the different divisions or teams that are available to general volunteers.  Many of these teams are great options for first timers or volunteers looking to get involved and want to do more.  

A☆IDOL

This team is ready to sparkle and help idols sparkle - best for those who are both cosplay and idol fans and like working with performers while being the stagehand side of performances. Being part of this team would entail helping run backstage preparations for the idol festival, checking in idols before the live, being assigned idol performance groups to tend to during the Meet and Greet, and having a first hand look at what being an idol is like before stepping on stage while still being able to enjoy the show. If you’re looking to still be able to enjoy most of the con while helping make some idol magic, this role is for you.

Asset Management & Support (AMS)

This division is made up of three complimentary teams who provide logistics support for A-Kon.  

Quartermaster manages our general inventory of supplies, radios and physical assets for all of the other teams that make A-Kon run. They keep inventory, manage equipment check-in and check-out, deliver and collect supplies from staff areas, handle any restocking needs, and run the logistics for moving goods and supplies to and from our warehouse.  If you have or are looking for experience with warehouse or supply and delivery logistics, this is a great team for you.

Audio Visual or A/V is exactly what you might expect it to be.  This is our crack team of technology experts, audiophiles, and gadget junkies who make sure all of our programming room equipment is working around the clock.  This team typically installs, tests, manages and supports our A/V equipment for the entire event.  They work closely with the Quartermaster team to swap out faulty equipment and ensure our panels have whatever they need.  They also serve as our elite tech squad for panelists who have issues connecting laptops and other equipment to the A/V setup we have in their room.  If you are a techie, love gizmos and gadgets, and enjoy being on the ground level where our programming content happens, this is where you want to be.

Dockmaster manages the in and out flow for our loading docks and makes sure that vendors, sponsors, artists and other third parties are able to safely navigate our dock setup so they can load and unload safely.  They also work heavily with our Quartermaster and A/V teams to ensure that the goods and equipment we need to operate are swiftly brought into the event and sent where they need to go.  They also provide line control, but instead of managing people, they do it with trucks, vans, cars., pallets and giant crates.  If you enjoy conducting traffic flow, managing high paced and rapidly changing environments, engaging with vendors and dealers, or just loved to play tetris with hotwheels and trains when you were a kid, this is your team right here.  This team works heavy days on Thursday and Sunday and has more flexibility for individuals who want to experience more content on Friday and Saturday of the event.

Cosplay

This team is responsible for running our cosplay contests, programming, and events.  This team is best for individuals who are cosplay enthusiasts and enjoy working with others on front-facing aspects of the event.  Pre-contest and event setup, attendee management, cosplay talent handling and support, event support, and multi-team coordination are common things team members will do on this staff.  This team is also highly organized and lends itself well to individuals who want to volunteer but also have time to enjoy other parts of A-Kon when major cosplay events are not happening.   If you enjoy cosplay, are a maker or aspiring maker, love to meet new people,. or simply enjoy watching something you had a hand in producing, this is the team for you.

Fashion

This is, by far, the best dressed team at A-Kon.  Responsible for managing all things fashion, this team handles our fashion brands (domestic and International) and runs core fashion programming such as the A-Kon Runway Fashion Show and the Lolita Tea.  This is a smaller team largely made up from representative members from various j-fashion communities across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Kansas.  Additionally, this team is unique in that it also actively participates in all of the events that it runs or manages making it one of the few teams where you can volunteer and attend events simultaneously.  So, if j-fashion is your passion, this is the team for you.  

Program Support

Do you love attending panels?  If so, stop right here because you have found your team.  Program Support is responsible for the setup, maintenance, and on-site execution for all of our panels and programming content except for concerts, contests and select special events.  This team oversees room setups, configuration, use, head counts, and schedule for the majority of our programming.  Additionally, this team also collects key data about each panel that we use to compile analysis on what we keep or change from year to year.   This team operates in shifts which allows its team members tremendous amounts of flexibility in how much they want to work and when they want to do it.  If you are looking to experience a ton of content at A-Kon while still having the option to explore the exhibit hall or participate in contests and main events, this is where you want to be.

Exhibit Hall Management

This team manages everything having to do with dealers and exhibitors at A-Kon.  It is responsible for ensuring our dealers, exhibitors, and vendors have everything they need from the time they move in to the time they move out.  Additionally, this team also monitors the floor for illegal goods and works with legal and industry partners to address situations where illegal bootlegs or inappropriate use of copyrighted content is present.   This team works a fixed schedule and the area they support is predominantly confined to the Exhibit Hall area which makes this staff an ideal choice for individuals who enjoy spending the day browsing the dealers area or who have a strong desire to engage in evening programming at A-Kon.  

Artist Alley Management

This team is very similar to the Exhibit Hall Management team except that its focus is primarily on managing artists who are in the A-Kon Artist Alley.   It is responsible for the check-in and check-out for all of our participating artists and providing any assistance they need while operating in our Exhibit Hall.  Additionally, this team monitors and manages artist compliance with all Artist Alley rules and regulations.  This team also works a fixed schedule and the area they support is predominantly confined to the Exhibit Hall area which makes this staff an ideal choice for individuals who enjoy spending the day browsing the artist alley or who have a strong desire to engage in evening programming at A-Kon.  

First Responders

This division is made up of four complimentary teams who provide event support in the areas of medical, safety, and crowd control.  Out of the four teams, only two allow general volunteer participation and, of these two, one may require specific certifications or job experience.  If you are interested in volunteering to be part of this division, you must be able to maintain friendly and helpful relations with everyone at the event.  The success of these teams requires a high level of trust and reliability.

Kon Patrol (KP) primarily focuses on safety and crowd control.  This team is responsible for managing crowd chaos which includes, but isn’t limited to, forming lines, directing traffic (usually attendees), and evacuating or clearing areas when instructed.  Individuals best suited to join this team must be able to follow instructions and maintain calm under pressure and in a crisis.  Having a service first attitude and a kind, helpful demeanor with attendees is also a critical requirement for anyone joining this team.  Additionally, this team works closely with security, facilities, law enforcement and medical personnel on-site.  If you have experience in crowd management or retail this is the team for you.

Medical provides basic first aid to attendees, volunteers, and staff at A-Kon.  The majority of team members on this staff are EMTs, surgeons, or health care workers in their daily lives.  Individuals wanting to join this team must have prior medical experience and may be required to have certain certifications.    As a first responder, A-Kon’s medical team is often first on scene when there is an injury or accident and their job is to notify the emergency services personnel and contain the situation until they arrive.  

Gaming

This division is made up of two teams who manage the planning, programming, and execution of gaming events and tournaments at A-Kon.  These teams operate for extended periods of time at the event and often use a shift schedule to manage resources.  Both teams are flexible, friendly, and are able to accommodate most schedule requests.

Electronic Gaming (EGT) focuses on electronic gaming which includes PC games, console games and our on-site arcade.   It also oversees a large freeplay gaming space and our handheld lounge areas where our attendees can engage in personal matchmaking, handheld gaming, and non-tournament play.  This team also handles the assignment, use and maintenance of gaming systems for all events and supports our tournament partners in conducting large competitive play events.  If you’re a gamer or an avid eSports fan, this is the team for you.

Tabletop Gaming (TGT) focuses on tabletop gaming which includes a wide variety of roleplaying, board, and card games.  This team oversees structured and freeplay tabletop play events ranging from D&D to Magic and other similar card games, both competitive and casual.  Like the EGT, this team also supports our tournament partners in conducting large competitive play events.  If you’re a fan of tabletop roleplay or competitive gaming, this team will keep you close to the action all weekend long.  

On-Site Social Media Support

This team is responsible for assisting our social media team with monitoring our social media and digital communications channels.  Additionally, this team will also assist the A-Kon team with posting content provided by our photography and film crews throughout the weekend.  Individuals interested in this team should be outgoing and comfortable in a customer service or communications role.  Volunteers who excel on this team may also be given the opportunity to continue working with us beyond the event in a greater capacity.  If  you’re looking for some marketing or social media job experience, this is definitely the team for you.

Photography

This team is responsible for collecting photographic footage of the event to be used for future marketing materials, advertising, and archiving. Team members will be provided a schedule of events to collect material from, as well as general event interactions. In addition, they are responsible for processing, organizing, and delivering the photographs to our marketing and social teams. All applicants must be able to bring and use their own equipment.

Registration and Sales Support

This team works with our on-site partners to help manage and facilitate sales efforts at A-Kon such as registration, merchandise sales, and sales exceptions.  This team works best for individuals who have strong communication skills, enjoy meeting new people, and thrive in dynamic retail environments.  Common tasks for this staff include registering new attendees, providing customer support for registration questions and problems, answering general questions for attendees, and overseeing the sale of goods A-kon offers.  This team supports flexible scheduling and works well for individuals who want to attend evening events.  If you enjoy working with people, have retail experience, and have strong communication and customer service skills, this is the team for you.