Eligibility
- Residency: Any artist based in Canada is eligible. Whether local to BC or out-of-province, we welcome all original creators.
- Business Location: Operate a business that is based in Canada.
Product Guidelines
Artists must be the primary creative force behind every item stocked. All work must be original in design, concept, or execution.
Permitted Originality
- Handmade: Raw, modified, or hand-assembled materials.
- Tech-Made: Digital fabrication, 3D printing, or laser cutting.
- Designed & Manufactured: Original designs produced by third parties.
Prohibited Items
- AI-Generated or AI-Traced Art: We have a zero-tolerance policy for AI-assisted "creations." All work must be created by a human artist.
- Unoriginal Content: Stolen, traced, plagiarized, trademarked, or unlicensed designs.
- Resale/Buy-and-Sell: Mass-produced products not designed or handcrafted by the artist.
- Trading Cards: Reserved for our main retail distribution.
- NSFW Content: Explicit, graphic, or violent content.
Term & Termination
- Initial Commitment: A minimum time commitment is required based on the location:
- Lansdowne Centre: 3-month minimum commitment.
- Tsawwassen Mills: 12-weekend minimum commitment.
- Renewal: After the Initial Term, the agreement continues on a recurring billing cycle (monthly for Lansdowne; bi-weekly for Tsawwassen) unless terminated.
- Cancellation: For all details regarding ending your agreement, please refer to our Artist Alley Cancellation Policy.
- Location-Specific Approval: Lansdowne Centre and Tsawwassen Mills maintain separate application and approval processes. Acceptance into one location does not guarantee automatic approval for the other. Artists wishing to switch locations must reapply and are subject to a new approval process.
- Changes in Terms: Should an artist choose to change their shelf or location, a new agreement is required, which resets the minimum time commitment.
Subscription Fees & Billing
- Fees: Artists agree to pay the recurring fee associated with their chosen shelf space. Fees are non-refundable and subject to 5% GST.
- Shared Shelves: Artists may share a shelf; however, the sharing artist must apply and be approved by Magic Chest prior to participation.
- Space Assignment: Shelving units are assigned by Magic Chest. Artists may not sub-lease or trade their assigned space.
- Billing Cycles:
- Lansdowne Centre: Billed monthly.
- Tsawwassen Mills: Billed bi-weekly.
- Grace Period & Non-Payment: If a payment fails, artists have 7 days to update their payment method. Failure to maintain payments may result in inventory removal and termination of the agreement.
Sales & Payouts
- 100% Sales: Artists retain 100% of their gross sales. We cover all processing fees and overhead.
- Minimum Threshold: Payouts are issued via direct deposit once sales reach the $100 CAD threshold. Balances below $100 carry forward.
- Payout Schedule: Payouts are processed bi-weekly.
- Taxation: Magic Chest collects and remits sales tax. The Artist remains solely responsible for reporting income to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Inventory & Operations
- Management: Magic Chest manages all in-store sales, staffing, and security; artists do not need to be present.
- Display & Setup: Artists have total control over how their shelf is styled, but they are responsible for providing their own display props, such as stands, hooks, and other accessories. Magic Chest provides the shelf space only.
- Inventory Tracking & Reporting: Magic Chest enters the initial inventory count into the system for tracking purposes. Artists must notify Magic Chest whenever they update their inventory count or product selection to ensure the system remains accurate.
Artists will receive a bi-weekly inventory report to monitor what is selling and when it is time to restock.
- Product Adjustments:
- Mandatory Documentation: All inventory removals and price changes require the formal submission of an Artist Alley Inventory Adjustment Form.
- Inventory Removals: Artists must have a staff member verify and sign off on all items leaving the store. Items removed without a signed form may cause inventory discrepancies that negatively impact sales reporting.
- Price Updates: To change a retail price, artists must submit the request. Once the POS is updated, the artist is responsible for re-labeling all physical products to match the new system price.
- Inventory Integrity: Products found with incorrect SKUs or unauthorized price stickers will be placed on a "Sales Hold" and moved to the back office. Sales will only resume once a manual inventory reconciliation is completed with management.
- Liability: Magic Chest is not responsible for loss, theft, or damage to inventory. Artists are encouraged to carry their own business insurance.
Non-Local Artists & Shipping
- Responsibility: Non-local artists are responsible for all shipping costs to and from the facility.
- Risk: The risk of loss or damage remains with the Artist during transit; insurance is strongly recommended.
Policy Enforcement
We reserve the right to vet all submissions and monitor on-site inventory to ensure compliance with our standards. If an artist is found to be in violation of these terms—specifically regarding AI-generated content, copyright theft, or prohibited items—we reserve the right to take the following actions:
- Immediate Removal: We will immediately remove the non-compliant product from the shelf.
- Contract Termination: We will terminate the artist's contract immediately without a refund of any fees.
- Permanent Ban: Violations will result in the artist being permanently banned from participating in the Artist Alley program and any future vendor events hosted by Magic Chest.