Do you want to host a panel or workshop at Animate! Columbus 2025? Share your love of fandom and help us make this the best show ever! Animate! features over 300 hours of programming, and we couldn't do it without the talented contributions of local fans. Fan panels are the heart of Animate!
Panels are discussions, lectures, show and tell, or rants about any and all parts of fandom. Comic Books, Anime, Cosplay, Animation, Video Games, etc… If you have a specialty and want to talk about it, an area of expertise in fandom, and you want to share it with the con, we’d love for you to submit a panel for consideration. We appreciate all ideas, no matter how big or small, but if your panel has logistical needs, please indicate them completely on your form. We will try our best to accommodate your panel.
1. Registration deadline is April 30th, 2025. The earlier you submit your panel, the better your chance of approval and a good time slot. No panels will be approved after that date. If you would like to host your own panel, it’s easy! Just fill out the form below and submit it to us for consideration.
2. Preparation goes a long way. Be sure you complete your request form completely and accurately. Check to ensure that your topic is relevant, your descriptions accurately match your panel’s title and content, and show us that you have put a great deal of thought into your presentation.
3. Panels should reflect an aspect of the fandoms we represent. Animate! does reserve the right to reject panels if we feel the material is inappropriate for our convention.
4. Make sure your panel is appropriate. We pride ourselves on being family-friendly, which means that your panel is not demeaning, rude, embarrassing, or derogatory to anyone. We do not allow “Truth or Dare” type panels or "Ask a Character" events due to the nature of the questions.
5. Animate! does not accept panels that require an admission fee. All panels are to be open to any and all registered attendees; attendees should only need their convention badge to attend a panel. A small materials-only fee may be charged on a case-by-case basis that involves creating crafts. Prior to submitting a panel that might require the material fee please email columbus@galaxycon.com prior to submission.
6. Guest panels have priority. Because scheduling for these panels can be erratic and take up much of ‘prime-time’ programming between Noon and five pm on Saturday and Sunday, being flexible on your scheduling increases the chances we will find an acceptable time slot for your panel.
7. Notify us at columbus@galaxycon.com immediately of any changes or problems as soon as they arise.
8. It is the responsibility of the panelist to meet with the AV team at the convention at least 20 minutes before their panel starts if they wish to use computers or other devices in their panel. Please note that Animate! Columbus does NOT provide laptops in the panel rooms. We do provide speakers, projectors, and microphones upon request.
9. Be respectful to Animate! staff, volunteers, and the other panelists.
10. Start on time and end on time. All panels should end in enough time for you to clean up and remove your materials so the next panel can start on time.
11. Be a registered attendee at Animate! Columbus. For hosting a panel, the main host listed on the form will only receive one admission ticket per panel for the day of that panel. Groups with multiple members are encouraged to lead several panels in order to cover admission for more members. Animate! Columbus is not responsible for any additional admission.
12. Animate! will notify all panelists if their panel has been accepted by May 10th, 2025. Because of over-scheduling, your panel may be canceled even after it has been approved. In that case, you will still receive an admission ticket for that day.
13. Every attempt will be made to ensure that the Panelist/s will be scheduled for their preferred day and time, and Animate! will also attempt to avoid scheduling the Panelist/s for any major events that the Panelist may have an interest in attending, though no guarantees can be made. Make sure to note any event that you do not want to miss on the Panel Request Form.
14. Animate! will provide AV support, within reason. Please note that laptops are NOT provided. We strongly encourage you to have a back-up plan because regardless of how well you or we plan.
