Creators After Dark 2026 - Cosplay Judge Application

Creators After Dark welcomes applications from those who would like to be involved in cosplay events at Creators After Dark 2026. We host the Cosplay Pageant and Cosplay Masquerade (craftsmanship contest) and require the following commitments from our judges:

Event Schedule Commitments:

• Pageant Times (Friday): 15 minutes check-in prior to event start, and duration of the event (up to 2 hours).
• Masquerade Times (Saturday): Pre-judging (time TBD), 15 minutes check-in prior to event start, and duration of the event (up to 2 hours).
• Post-Competition (Sunday): Post-competition feedback panel where judges will have one-on-one discussion with competitors for feedback regarding their entry (1 hour).

Judge Experience Requirements:
The following requirements for each set of judges should be considered before applying:

• Pageant Judges: Performance/stage experience (e.g., cosplay skit performer, social media personality, theater alum). Familiarity with a wide range of characters and media.
• Masquerade Judges: Cosplay crafting with competition experience; Best in Masters or Best in Show awards at medium to large competitions preferred. Familiarity with a variety of crafting skills including sewing, foamsmithing, wig styling, and makeup.

Typical Judge Compensation Package
As a cosplay judge, you would receive compensation to be discussed further. Our typical compensation package includes the following:

• Weekend pass to Creators After Dark
• Lodging/hotel space
• Travel compensation
• Green Room access/meals
• Guest Table space in Vendor's Hall

If you are not selected to judge at this year's event, fear not! We will keep your application on hand.

Please contact us at cosplay@creatorsafterdark.com if you have any questions about or difficulties with this form.

By applying for and accepting a position as a Judge for the Creators After Dark (CAD) Cosplay Competition, the recipient (the "Judge") agrees to be bound by the following Terms and Conditions, which supplement the comprehensive Creators After Dark Anti-Harassment and Code of Conduct Policy.

1. Eligibility, Status, and Commitment
   1. Age Requirement: All Judges must be 18 years of age or older at the time of the event (April 2-5, 2026).
   2. Non-Employee Status: The Judge is acting as a specialized volunteer or independent contractor (if paid) and is expressly not an employee of Creators After Dark, LLC. The Judge is not entitled to any employment benefits, insurance, or wages (unless specifically outlined in a separate written agreement).
   3. Time Commitment: The Judge commits to the full judging schedule, which includes mandatory attendance at the Judge Briefing/Training, all Applicant Pre-Judging sessions, and the Final Awards Ceremony on the scheduled day. Punctuality is mandatory.
2. Commitment to Fairness and Inclusion (CRITICAL)
   1. Principle of Impartiality: The Judge pledges to uphold the highest standard of fairness, professionalism, and impartiality throughout the judging process. The primary focus of scoring must be the technical skill, craftsmanship, presentation, and adherence to contest rules, and not personal preference or bias.
   2. Zero Tolerance for Bias: To ensure a welcoming and inclusive contest environment, the Judge pledges to remain unbiased in all deliberations and scoring regarding an applicant's: Race, Ethnicity, Nationality, Age, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Disability Status, Religion, Socioeconomic Status, or Personal Vendetta.
   3. Conflict of Interest: The Judge MUST declare any potential conflict of interest (e.g., family relationship, direct professional relationship, or substantial personal history) with an applicant to the Cosplay Events Manager immediately. The Judge may be required to recuse themselves from scoring that specific applicant.
3. Judging Protocols and Confidentiality
   1. Scoring Integrity: Judges must use the provided official score sheets and scoring rubrics only. All scores must be finalized and submitted to the Cosplay Events Manager immediately upon the conclusion of the judging block.
   2. Confidentiality of Deliberations: All Judge discussions, internal arguments, scoring totals, and deliberation processes are strictly confidential and must not be shared with applicants, the public, press, or non-essential staff before, during, or after the event.
   3. Applicant Data Privacy: Judges will be exposed to private information (e.g., applicant names, addresses, build photos, contact information). This data must be kept confidential, and all physical or digital documents containing this data must be destroyed or returned to the Cosplay Events Manager upon conclusion of the event.
   4. Media Policy: Judges are prohibited from photographing, video recording, or audio recording applicants' work, build sheets, or bodies of work, except as necessary for the official judging process and only with the explicit knowledge of the applicant.
4. Violation and Termination
   1. Immediate Revocation: Any Judge found to be violating the Commitment to Fairness and Inclusion (Section 2), engaging in discriminatory behavior, or breaching confidentiality will face immediate and permanent revocation of their Judge credential and removal from the event premises without warning.
   2. Reporting and Removal: The Cosplay Events Manager (Bree) and the Head of Programming (Sugar) have the final authority to remove a Judge from the panel if their conduct or scoring integrity is deemed compromised.
   3. Code of Conduct: Violation of any part of the general CAD Anti-Harassment and Code of Conduct Policy is grounds for immediate termination of the Judge position.