Attendee Code of Conduct

Foreword

Dear Furvana Attendee,

This community is very important to us. It's held together by our friendships, relationships, and massive creativity. We can't do this alone; we need you. By adhering to the following code of conduct, you will help us prove that we're a strong community who looks out for each other. Please respect your fellow attendees, respect our staff and volunteers, respect the venue, and you will receive every bit of that same respect in return. Please use common sense and respect others' right to enjoy the event.

The Furvana Attendee Code of Conduct should not be seen as a set of rules and enforcements to which you must obey, rather a document of mutual cooperation that you, as an attending member of Furvana, agree to abide by in the best interests of all parties involved. Many of the policies described below are “worst-case” scenarios put into place to ensure your safety and comfort, and we do not anticipate they will be an issue for the gross majority of our attendees.

If there is any portion of the following code of conduct that you find unclear or confusing, please don't hesitate to reach out to convention operations staff or chairpersons. They will be more than happy to work with you and help explain if you don't understand a policy.

General Conduct

Illegal Behavior

Remember that any activity which is illegal by municipal, county, state, or federal statute, law, or regulation outside the event is also illegal during the event. Event staff will ask you to stop any observed illegal activity. If the illegal activity continues or is particularly dangerous or offensive, event staff will report this activity to venue security or other proper authorities as necessary.

Substance Abuse

The consumption, sale, or distribution of any illegal or controlled substances is unwelcome at Furvana and may be reported to local authorities as appropriate. This includes but is not limited to marijuana, MDMA, recreational use of compressed nitrous oxide canisters, or anyone knowingly or unknowingly providing alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. The latter is a felony, please, please don't do this.

Right to Refuse Service and Reasonably Request Compliance

Furvana is a private event, and staff retains the right to deny entry to anyone and you can be asked to leave at any time without a warning. Attendees should not ignore any reasonable request issued by convention or venue staff. If you feel an unreasonable request has been made, please bring your concern to the convention operations team or chairpersons and every effort will be made to resolve your concern.

Inappropriate or Aggressive Behavior

Consider that how you present yourself reflects on the convention and community as a whole. While in public or in convention spaces, attendees are expected to maintain a "PG-13" standard of conduct. Attendees emitting an offensive odor or displaying poor hygiene may be asked to leave convention space until they can address the situation. Public displays of affection are perfectly acceptable as long as they are not overtly sexual in nature. If you are observed behaving in a manner which a reasonable person would consider publicly inappropriate or overly aggressive, you may be asked to stop, relocate to a safer place, escorted off venue property, and may be subject to having your membership revoked. Upon having membership revoked, you may be asked by staff to turn in your badge.

Blocking Passageways and Mobility

Please do not block any doors or passageways and maintain consideration of differently-abled attendees that may require additional space for mobility. Please be mindful of your own safety and the safety of others at all times.

Displaying Proof of Membership

Definition of Membership

Furvana ensures that each member receives a clearly defined badge as proof of membership. Your proof of membership is defined as your current year badge issued to you by the convention and must be clearly visibly displayed at all times during the event, in and out of costume. If made available, costume sized alternate badges provided by the convention may serve as alternative to standard badge. Your conbadge remains the property of Furvana LLP for the duration of the convention. Memberships are not transferrable and may only be used by the person to whom they are issued.

Presentation of Membership

The event badge must be visibly worn at all times while in convention space. The badge must not be obscured by custom badges and must remain outward facing so that the badge text is visible. Event staff may request to see proof of membership at any time in badge designated areas. You may be denied access to events or event space if you do not have proof of membership.

Media and Photo Use Policy

Photo Use by Media

The Furvana convention is a private event and does not allow any media coverage at the event without prior approval from Furvana LLP. Attendees purchasing a membership agree not to act as media agents in any way, shape, or form while attending the event. Making photographic, audio, or video recordings of any convention event for investigative or commercial purposes is not permitted without approval from Furvana LLP.

Photo Use by Furvana Staff

By attending Furvana, you are authorizing Furvana staff members to take your photo or likeness for use in promotional materials only. If you would like to opt out of this, please simply inform the staff you observe taking your picture and your privacy will be respected.

Photography Etiquette

Attendees in public space may take photographs or video for personal purposes, however if any attendee requests that their likeness not be recorded or published, the photographer/videographer is expected not to violate such requests.

Photography in the Headless Lounge

Photography or videography of any kind is not permitted at all in the convention headless lounge area.

Sales and Money Collection

Only those registered with Furvana are permitted to sell merchandise on the premises, including but not limited to members of Dealers' Den, Artists Alley, or Charity. Panhandling, busking for donations, or collecting money of any kind is not permitted outside of activities specifically authorized by Furvana and venue policies. Any authorized vendor is also required to have all applicable business licenses required by state and local law.

Hotel and Venue Conduct and Vandalism

The Mutual Effort of Venue Relationships

Furvana strives to maintain a positive relationship with our venue and hotels by working together and helping them stay in great condition, an effort which we expect all attendees to support. Vandalism, be it petty or otherwise, to the venue, hotel, convention assets, or surrounding spaces does not support this mutual effort. As a convention attendee you are a guest of the convention center and hotel and must abide by the hotel and venue's rules and policies whenever you are on the premises. This includes but is not limited to smoking in unpermitted rooms, damage or alteration of smoke detection and/or fire suppression systems, damage to facility pools, hot tubs, exercise equipment, bathrooms, and other shared facilities. The event space, public spaces, and parking lots of the hotel or venue may not be used as sleeping areas. If you are unsure if something is allowed the hotel or venue staff will be able to assist you.

Event Expulsion by Venue or Hotel

If you are expelled from the hotel for violation of their rules you immediately forfeit your event membership, must surrender your badge, and will receive no refund. Attendees who commit vandalism or conduct themselves in such a way that is grossly offensive to the venue or hotel staff may also be subject to long-term bans from future Furvana events.

Damage Liability

You are personally responsible for any damage you, your minor children, or animals under your care cause to venue property.

Parties and Room Gatherings

Definition

Parties are defined as any congregation of people in a hotel room that generates noise or disturbance that can be heard in neighboring rooms or hallways. If you have some friends in your room and you're not causing any noise or disturbance to others, then you have no cause for concern.

Party Host Orientations and Permits

All attendees that wish to host parties during the convention must inform the convention in advance. Daily orientations must be attended by anyone wishing to host a party that day or night, and permits will be issued and tracked by the convention operations team on a daily basis. Any party that is being hosted within any convention hotel without an issued permit may be subject to being shut down by either Furvana staff or hotel staff. All room gatherings are subject to the rules and policies of their respective hotel and must abide by hotel staff direction at all times. If you wish to host a party, we're happy to work with you to try and make that happen. Please contact the attendee support team if you have any questions about this policy.

Alcohol and Age Verification

Any parties serving alcohol must verify government issued IDs at the door and must not allow admittance to anyone under the age of 21.

Noise Disturbances

Party hosts must take into consideration their noise disturbance to other hotel guests and make every effort to minimize disturbances.

Party Host Incentives

Party hosts who successfully follow all rules will be incentivized with attempted preferential room location and optional convention advertisement the following year.

Dress Code

Venue, Hotel, and Convention Rules

Attendees must abide by all dress code rules in place by the hotel and venue. The Furvana convention does not have a specific list of banned clothing choices, but when dressing for public hotel and convention space, please be aware that certain clothing choices may be offensive to other convention attendees and you may be asked to change your attire.

Costumes and Masks

Costumes and masks are permitted in all areas, however be aware that staff may ask for costumers to remove costume head pieces when ordering food, requesting services, or communicating with venue staff. Respect and consideration will be given to a costumer's privacy whenever such a request occurs.

Freedom of Expression and Cooperation

Freedom of expression is very important to us, but so is respecting the comfort of all of our attendees. If you are unsure if your attire is appropriate, please ask convention operations staff and they'll be happy to discuss. Common sense is best applied. Your understanding and cooperation in this effort is very greatly appreciated, and a very important part of keeping Furvana fair and comfortable for all who attend.

Harassment and Assault

Definition

Harassment is defined as any behavior that alarms or intentionally annoys another person. This includes making any unwanted physical contact, heckling a stage performer, following someone around a public area without a legitimate reason, photographing or recording someone after receiving explicit direction not to do so, or threatening to physically attack someone.

Consent in Costume

A person wearing a costume, even one that restricts voice or communication, is not assumed to consent to physical contact by default. Even if someone is dressed in an alluring or provocative manner, it is not an implied invitation to touch, grab, or make inappropriate or unwelcome comments.

Attendee Expectations

Please remember that if you approach someone and they tell you “no” or to leave them alone, you are expected to respect their request. If you do not leave them alone as they have requested, your actions may be grounds for a complaint of harassment. If you feel that you are being harassed or have been assaulted, please report the matter immediately to event or venue staff.

Weapons

Bladed weapons, such as daggers or swords, and toy firearms are acceptable as costume elements provided they have been peace-bonded such that they clearly cannot be drawn. Toy firearms need to have an orange tip on the barrel if they are even remotely realistic-looking. Water based toys, “Silly String”-type products, and thrown or fired projectiles of any kind are not acceptable. Any drawing, displaying, brandishing, or making any threatening gesture with any weapon or firearm, both real or replica, shall be cause for immediate expulsion from the event.

Flyers and Non-Event Marketing Materials

Attendees are permitted to distribute signs, flyers, business cards, or other marketing materials that are relevant to the interests of Furvana and its attendees. Signs may not be attached to walls or other surfaces in any area. There must be no implied monetary exchange or solicitation present in these materials, advertisements only.

Minor Membership

Minors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or an adult designated as responsible for them by their parent or guardian at all times. For minors aged 16 or 17, there must be a responsible adult on site and able to be contacted at all times. All minors under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign a waiver in order to attend. Minors without the required waiver cannot be granted admittance to the event, even if they have purchased a membership.

Download the parental permission form for minors attending Furvana here.

Minor Curfew

All attendees under the age of 18 must be out of convention space by 10 PM.

Staff Conduct

If you observe any Furvana staff or panelist behaving in a way that you believe is unbecoming, unprofessional, or inappropriate please raise the issue to Convention Operations Staff, Attendee Support, Staff Support, or Chairpersons. It is very important to Furvana that its attendees and fellow staff members are respected and listened to, and we take all complaints very seriously.

Appeals

If your membership has been revoked, you are entitled to appeal with the convention chairpersons or owners of Furvana LLP. Every effort will be made to gain a complete understanding of the situation, and ensure respect is granted to all parties involved.

Liability Waiver

Responsibility of Furvana and Staff

The volunteers, staff, and governance of Furvana will make every effort to create a safe, fun, welcoming, and positive environment for our attendees.

Indemnification

By attending Furvana, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Furvana convention, its staff, volunteers, and Furvana LLP of and from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, losses, damages, lawsuits, including reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs, but only to the extent caused by, related to, or arising out of the work performed by the convention and its staff, even if such injury or damage is caused by negligence by or on the part of Furvana.

Limits of Liability

Liability is limited to the cost of membership.