Dear Doujinkas & Doujin Market fans,
In March, we made the difficult decision to postpone Doujin Market to August 2020. We arrived at this decision hoping that the worst of the global health crisis would be over in the third quarter of the year, and that the creative arts and events, both industries that have been badly hit by Covid-19, would return to some semblance of normalcy.
Though we have weathered the quarantine in Singapore, normalcy is still months away. No amount of cautious optimism can change the fact that the situation remains volatile, and that restrictions on international travel and events are here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Though it pains us greatly, we are announcing the cancellation of Doujin Market 2020. We know that many of you were looking forward to it as a bright spot in what has been a terrible year, and it is not a decision we have made lightly.
We believe that this cancellation is necessary for everyone’s continued health, safety, and peace of mind.
Instead, the event is now scheduled for 15-16 May next year, and we hope to make Doujin Market 2021 a success together with you.
While this means that Doujin Market will no longer take place in August, we remain committed to being Singapore’s only arts festival for creators and illustrators to fully showcase their talents.
All creators who were confirmed for Doujima 2020 are guaranteed a booth at Doujima 2021, with any payment you have already made automatically credited towards this booth. Expect to hear from us sometime next week via email with more details.
Still, we do not have the deep pockets of larger, corporate-backed conventions. Since we were founded in 2014, a significant part of Doujin Market has been funded at our own expense, through the generosity of numerous sponsors, and your support. This has allowed us to keep Doujin Market independent from external interests, and most importantly, FREE for visitors to enter.
We have already incurred significant costs this year, and the abrupt loss of several sponsorship streams due to Covid-19 means that the way Doujin Market operates must evolve if we intend to keep booth prices for creators low.
We are thus looking at options to help pay for the show next year, including ticketing (for day, weekend and VIP passes), and the sale of Doujin Market merchandise. We hope that these will help provide us with the finances we need to continue running Doujin Market, to the same quality we’ve had in the past 6 years.
Doujin Market is very much a labor of love for us, just as art is for you. Only by keeping our passion for the creative arts burning can we overcome these challenging times together.
We thank you for being a part of Doujin Market and for being a part of our journey. We hope that moving forward, you’ll continue to support your fellow creators, us, and the communities you care about.
Stay safe. We will meet again in 2021.
#ohmydoujinma #doujimasg #doujinmarket2020 #doujinmarket2021 #doujinsea #trustindoujinma #doujinmawillfindaway