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[Beverly]

Just a heads up, for you folks that didn't make it to the panel (or if you did, too!), that the DCCS website is now active, along with the forums. Everything is go, please come and participate, and let's get some things going in this community! Thank you all for attending at NDK, and we hope to see you soon!

denvercostuming.org

[~J-Chan~]

Finally!!!!!!

[IchiHaneTenshi]

^^; I'm probably going to put it out there for CCSUD to join it. I'm in charge of that group. I'll talk to everyone. I'm really sorry I didn't make it to the panel. I had costuming emergencies. :x

[Ifria]

; ; I hope its not Denver exclusive...

[darth_teca]

Originally Posted by Ninja Nana

; ; I hope its not Denver exclusive...

Nope, you can be from anywhere! Hell, you don't even have to be from Colorado to join. ^.^

[ako_pah]

Is there any kind of fee to join DCCS..........

[darth_teca]

Originally Posted by ako_pah

Is there any kind of fee to join DCCS..........

$15 for a year long subscription. ^.^ That also gets you discounts to a local professional make-up artist team and Inara's photography. We're hoping on adding some other discounts at Colorado stores as well. That subscription also signs you up to be part of the International Costumers Guilde, which is the biggest amateur costuming group in the nation. They are a WEALTH of knowledge on how to do almost anything.

[D001]

Yay!! I'm so excited for this. I already signed up for the forums and I'll be sending in my dues in a little over a week. I can't wait to see the DCCS really take off.

D

[IchiHaneTenshi]

:/ A sub fee? My group is free. I dunno about that...If I have to pay to be in it, I'll probably back out. My group is free to do what they want...but it's not worth it to me if I have to pay to cosplay with a group.

[darth_teca]

There's a couple reasons that we charge a small fee. The main one is that we are required to as the local chapter of the International Costumer's Guilde. The other reason is so that we can do a lot of stuff we normally wouldn't be able to do: get pictures at the Broadmore ballroom, go backstage to see the costumes of touring Broadway shows, get to go look at historical clothing at museums privately so we can get up close to them or sponsor a Masquerade Ball.

The group is more like a community than an actual cosplay group, and as such, we mostly offer services to out members as well as including other people. No one gets paid and the money is completely used for the benefit of the members.

[FilthyWarumono]

T_T Too bad I'm in so much debt it's not even funny. <weeps>

[Yunie-chan]

As awesome as it sounds, even I'll be the first to admit a fee kinda shoots things down. Though I'm curious how you guys got these special benefits at such big places.

[darth_teca]

We'll definitely have some things that will be open to everyone. Probably the things that require money are the things that will be members only, simply because we'll have to put a limit on how many people can come.

Two things are contributing to helping us talk to businesses and possibly work out some deals. One of them is being a non-profit organization, which gives us some standing and clout. That is mostly for businesses around Colorado, although we're still either talking with them or in the planning stages of talking with them.

As for getting backstage, that's were personal connections and being an ICG chapter benefits us. The ICG has been around since the 50's is a apparently fairly well known in the professional costuming world (although Michael knows much more about it than I do). It doesn't guarantee anything, but it helps get out foot in the door. The old ICG chapter in Colorado was able to get backstage for Cir Dis Solei Dragleon (I know I butchered that spelling), so we're hoping to do things much in the same way.

Along with that, you don't have to sign-up RIGHT NOW or even sign-up at all to come have fun with us. There are just some added bonuses if you do.

[Tenshinoitami1]

wish I could join D:
but i'm not in Denver ;-;
sounds so very cool

[Beverly]

You can join whether you're in Denver (or Colorado, or the US, or anywhere!) or not! =D Everyone is welcome!

And I must echo Mandi. ^^ The DCCS is a non-profit educational organization, not a club, and it's not exclusive. Mandi explained what the yearly fees do (although I think she forgot to mention that this isn't just a membership with US, but a membership with the ICG as well!).

If you visit the website, a lot more will be explained in the upcoming weeks about what you can do! The DCCS isn't about us (meaning the folks doing the organization bits), but about YOU guys, and what the community would like to do together. Tell us what you want and need, and we can work on those things for you!