1. Event Overview
Swiss Pixel Cosplay is a cosplay photography event accessible by selection only. It is a non-profit event, but participation is subject to a fee in order to cover organizational costs.
The event will take place from August 8 to 9, 2026, in Sierre and in the French-speaking region of Valais. For this first edition, which is still in an adjustment phase, participation will be deliberately limited to optimize organization and prepare for future editions.
2. 2026 Schedule
January 15: Opening of applications via an online form.
February 15: Closing of applications.
March 30: Announcement of the selection of 2026 participants. Each application will be reviewed by a selection committee based on criteria that remain at the discretion of the organization. An email will be sent to all selected participants to share the good news and explain the procedure for paying the registration fees according to the pricing grid in order to confirm their attendance.
April 30: Deadline for participant confirmation to validate attendance. Please note that after this date, anyone who has not paid their registration fees will be considered as not attending the event, and their spot will be offered to other candidates.
May 15: After participant validation, an assistant registration form will be sent to participants, and they will have until the specified date to register their assistants. Assistant participation fees will be requested at the same time, amounting to CHF 10 per assistant. Up to three assistants per participant will be allowed.
June 30: Closing of assistant registrations. After this deadline, any exceptional request must be addressed directly to the organization.
3. Event Schedule (non-final)
Friday, August 7:
- 4:00 PM: Opening of the information desk for check-in and badge pickup
- 8:00 PM: Opening night with a concert by Jayhan
- 10:00 PM: Closing of the information desk
Saturday, August 8:
- 9:00 AM: Opening of the information desk for check-in and badge pickup
- 9:00 AM: Opening of the locations under supervision (please refer to the venue pages to check individual opening hours)
- 7:00 PM: Group photo
- 7:30 PM: Barbecue evening
Sunday, August 9:
- 9:00 AM: Opening of the information desk
- 7:00 PM: Closing of the information desk
4. Shooting Map and Locations
Public locations: A list of interesting and accessible locations will be provided, available without supervision from the organization. The schedules provided are indicative only (except in special cases). Access to these locations is free, and you are expected to show respect, cleanliness, and proper conduct.
Private locations: The organization will facilitate access to certain locations, which will be accessible upon presentation of event badges. Only participants (cosplayers and photographers) and registered assistants will be allowed in private locations. These locations are accessible on specific days and at defined times, and strict respect of these conditions is required. It is forbidden to contact the owners of these locations to request changes or special favors regarding access.
Tools provided:
- An interactive map will be available to help you plan your days in advance.
- A Discord server will be available to present the locations through detailed information sheets (hours, fees, address, etc.).
Potential costs: Some locations may require additional entrance fees. All relevant information will be available on the detailed location sheets.
Reservations: Some locations will require advance reservations, either mandatory or optional. If the reservation is not mandatory, priority will always be given to those who have made a reservation. Volunteers supervising the locations will have access to the schedule to ensure it is respected.
For any private locations not listed, you are not authorized to shoot in those places. If you have a specific request, please contact the organization rather than the property owners, who have already been approached.
In all cases, please respect the property owners and the work of the organizers. Your behavior directly affects our responsibility and credibility. If you wish to continue having access to these locations for future editions, maintaining exemplary conduct is essential.
Liability: Under no circumstances can the organization be held responsible for damage caused by participants or third parties. Participants must comply with Swiss law, as well as the rules and regulations of the venues in which they may be hosted.
5. Cosplayers
As part of the event and in order to ensure proper conduct, cosplayers agree to:
Present themselves as a solo or duo entry during the selection process.
- As a solo participant, the cosplayer agrees to pay the CHF 50 registration fee and may have up to 3 assistants
- Cosplayer duos will only be allowed to do duo photoshoots, must stay together, and may not book photographers separately. Solo photos must represent only a minority of the productions made during the event. Please note that the duo as a whole will be evaluated during the selection process, not the individual elements. Each member of the duo must pay a €30 registration fee, and the duo may have a maximum of 3 assistants
- To arrive in cosplay and respect the costumes agreed upon with the photographers
- To wear decent clothing outside of photoshoot locations
- Not to take part in nude, erotic, or pornographic photoshoots. The sanction will be immediate and permanent expulsion. Such behavior puts at risk the good relationship we maintain with the venue managers
- In general, no inappropriate behavior will be tolerated
- Not to use makeup intended to reproduce the skin tone of an ethnic group other than that of the cosplayer
- Not to damage the locations and to leave them in the condition they were in before arrival
- To respect the schedules agreed upon with the photographers and to inform the photographer in case of delay
- Given the non-profit nature of the event, cosplayers agree to share the work produced free of charge on publicly accessible platforms
The sale of prints resulting from work carried out during the event is permitted and must be done in agreement with the photographers. These prints must not be exclusive to print format, but must also be available elsewhere on publicly accessible social media platforms.
To publish on social media the photos and videos produced during the event with the Swiss Pixel Cosplay logo on the content, as well as to tag the Swiss Pixel Cosplay page and use the following hashtags: #SwissPixelCosplay and #SwissPixelCosplay26. In order to guarantee resharing on the event’s account, collaborative posts are strongly recommended.
We remind you that cosplayers are not allowed to take photos themselves (except backstage, selfies, and vlogs) or to organize photoshoots with photographers who are not part of the official selection, under penalty of expulsion and/or ban.
As part of participation in the event, you agree to appear in videos and other posts created by the organization on social media.
Likewise, you agree that the content produced during the event may be reshared on social media and in any activity intended to promote Swiss Pixel Cosplay and Picosart. For any other use of your image, a specific request will be made.
A release form and a document must be signed by the cosplayers and submitted on the day of the event in order to obtain the badge granting access to the event.
6. Photographers
As part of the event and in order to ensure proper conduct, photographers agree to:
- To apply as a solo participant during the selection process
- As a solo participant, the photographer agrees to pay the CHF 50 registration fee and may have up to 3 assistants
Not to take candid photos without the model’s consent.
Not to carry out nude, erotic, or pornographic photoshoots. The sanction will be immediate and permanent expulsion. We are committed to maintaining good relationships with the various venues and partners.
Always request consent before any physical contact with participants.
Not to damage the locations and to keep them clean, as they were before arrival.
To respect the schedules agreed upon with cosplayers and to inform them in case of delay.
Given the non-profit nature of the event, photographers agree to share the work produced free of charge on distribution platforms.
Likewise, photoshoots must not be paid.
To present the finished work to the concerned cosplayer once post-processing is completed, before any publication.
To send the finished work in HD to the members of the organization.
The sale of prints resulting from work carried out during the event must be done in agreement with the cosplayers and the organizers.
To publish on social media the photos and videos produced during the event with the Swiss Pixel Cosplay logo on the content, as well as to tag the Focus Cosplay pages and use the following hashtags: #SwissPixelCosplay and #SwissPixelCosplay26. In order to guarantee resharing on the event’s account, collaborative posts are strongly recommended.
In order for the photos to retain a context linked to the event, photographers are asked to process the photos within a reasonable timeframe. However, we understand that it is necessary to take the required time to achieve the desired result. For this reason, photographers commit to delivering all photos within a maximum period of 6 months.
In case of delay, please inform Swiss Pixel Cosplay and the concerned cosplayers.
The use of smoke bombs is prohibited. In the event of use, Swiss Pixel Cosplay declines all responsibility and an immediate sanction will be taken against the photographer or cosplayer concerned.
The organization reserves the right to publish the works produced during the event for promotional purposes on social media and on the Swiss Pixel Cosplay website. In all cases, the photographer retains the copyright, in accordance with Swiss law.
For any other use of the works produced during the event, a specific request will be sent to you.
A release form and a document must be signed by the photographers and submitted on the day of the event in order to obtain the badge granting access to the event.
7. Assistants
Each participant may be accompanied by up to three assistants. If an additional assistant is required for personal reasons, a request may be submitted to the organization.
Assistant registration will open once you have received your selection decision email. You will receive a form to complete, which must include all the required information.
Each assistant must pay a participation fee of CHF 10, which must be settled by the participant before the date of the event.
A release form and a document must be signed by the assistants and submitted on the day of the event in order to obtain the badge granting access to the event.
The assistant’s role is to accompany and support the participant (photographer, videographer, or cosplayer). They must remain with the participant to assist during photoshoots.
An assistant may also be used as a scenic element, for example by portraying a zombie or any other character, but must under no circumstances become the main subject of the shoot.
Backstage (“behind-the-scenes”) photography by assistants is permitted and strongly encouraged.
8. All Participants
Participants include all photographers, cosplayers, and assistants taking part in the event.
Participants must be of legal age at the time of registration (18+).
Participants must respect the rules of the venues and must not damage them under any circumstances. No waste must be left on site.
Participants must comply with Swiss law (principle of territoriality) in force and must maintain appropriate behavior and attire in public.
The organization is attentive to any behavior deemed inappropriate or suffered from another participant or any other person. Volunteers on site are available to listen, and the contact details of a designated reference person will be available on Discord for any necessary intervention.
Given the associative and volunteer-based nature of the event, no remuneration may be requested between participants. Only a contribution to necessary costs related to the planned photoshoot may be requested. This includes entrance fees to certain paid locations and the purchase of additional materials such as consumables (fire, etc.). Travel or accommodation expenses related to attending the event are not included in this framework.
Any person who does not comply with these rules will be subject to sanctions, ranging from a warning to a ban. Volunteers are trained to identify any attempt at fraud or rule evasion, and sanctions will be decided immediately and collectively by several members of the organization. Any breach of these rules may jeopardize the event and its future editions; it is your duty to comply. If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to contact the organization.
In the event of expulsion, the participant (photographer, cosplayer, or assistant) will have their badge withdrawn and will not be allowed to continue participating in the event. In the event of a ban, the participant (photographer, cosplayer, or assistant) will not be eligible for selection or to assist a selected participant in future years.
If necessary, Swiss Pixel Cosplay reserves the right to call the local police to intervene.
For a better understanding of the rules, here are some concrete examples of prohibited behavior (non-exhaustive).
- Climbing trees.
- Entering locations that are not yet open (for example, opening barriers or gates).
- Climbing on fragile parts of the locations.
- Going into the water when it is not authorized.
- Moving furniture or objects without requesting permission.
- Contacting the venues or property owners directly.
- Failing to ask when in doubt about an outfit that might not comply with the rules.
- Using pyrotechnic effects outside of the professionals present for the event.
9. GDPR
As part of the selection process, a certain amount of personal data will be collected when completing the application form. This data will be used solely for the purposes of the event and any potential renewals in subsequent years. The participant’s email address will be used only for important official communications.
No data based on technologies used to monitor individuals’ activity will be collected or processed.
No personal data will be obtained from third-party companies or partners.
No data will be sold or exchanged with third-party companies or partners.
At any time, participants may send an email to swisspixelcosplay@gmail.com to request the complete deletion of their personal data.
Completing the registration form constitutes acceptance of these rules for the 2026 edition.
Version dated January 3, 2026