Due to this constant shortage (which is nothing new, I've been there for three years now) many artists have started setting up their displays in the Artist Lounge, which in turn has discouraged those seeking a bit of peace from coming.
Two(?) Eurofurences ago I remember the Artist Lounge being set in the very far back of the Convention Center. I also remember we killed the fuses in that room. This year, the entire area seemed to be closed off at EF.
Since I've seen daylight be a huge factor to choosing where to place artists, would it be possible to just place the Artist Alley there? In return, I would place the Charity in the Rotunda. I saw artists drawing exclusively for charity this year, so they would most likely fill out the other half of the Rotunda too.
I think I know what you mean. As far as I know this place was only available for us because it was unsure until the very last minute which areas in the Hotel we could use, due to the renovation of the lobby. So now where the lobby is back and can be used, I suppose it would cost extra to rent this additional space again.
Aside from that though I personally hated that place. It was very open, so only a little bit quiet because everything else was so far away but still people were coming and going because the Con Ops were next door. Which ment I had to walk like forever for sitting there maybe 30-60 minutes and then feel like sitting rather in another corridor than an actual room.
But you are right, the light was a bit better. This year in the Artist's Lounge several people had trouble working because the light casted a shadow on the paper because of the hand they were drawing with. There were other advantages though like a lot of space, good AC and you are near everything but yet still not right in the middle of attention. (And as soon as it is night you have strange light at many places. The light in the Rotunda seemed to be better but this is definitely not a place for the Artist's Lounge.
)
People setting up their stuff in the Artist's lounge is a bit strange but this is something that is out of control of anyone. Except other artists maybe who might ask for them to put it down. But just as karpour said, there will always be issues with the size in the rooms for artwork, may it be the Art Show, the Dealer's Den or the Artist's Alley. We are just too creative. xD
What rather bothered me were gamers setting up their Magic or role playing games or so in the Artist's Lounge because the Room for the Games was so damn tiny. This helps neither them (because nobody looks in an artist area for other games, when there is an area for games) nor the other artists, who might seek either peace or another place to offer their art and don't find a place to sit during "rush hour". But this is a whole other story.
However, the Artist's Lounge was really big this year and during the day when some artists were in the Dealer's Den or the Artist Alley, there was plenty of space. Even in the evening it was crowded but in my opinion ok. I never had trouble of finding a table.
Concerning selling stuff, the Artist's Lounge is still not the right place but even when Artists stop blocking "their" space in the Alley during the day or for several days or sitting there has a time limit or several shifts, there won't be enough space for everyone. The chances would be higher that more artists get selling space at some point, which would definitely be a good thing compared to this year and something to work on. But whatever solution the stuff might come up with, it won't satisfy everyone and I wouldn't want to forbid people to offer commissions in the lounge if they couldn't get space anywhere else.
Placing the artists drawing for charity close to the charity is a good idea but the charity should imho stay somewhere in the lobby because this is a place where many normal people go through, not only the guests from "Stars in Concert". And I could imagine that one or two Euros might be gathered there from them as well. (That's just a personal guess though, I don't run the charity program and don't have any experience or numbers.)
Wild guess regarding the alley: The room between lobby and rotunda has been more or less empty in the last year, aside from the very awesome locker service and beautiful decoration. Would it be possible to put two or three tables there as well, additionally to the tables in the rotunda? Or are there some safety rules or something that don't allow further use of that room?
