Application for the Cosplay Contest
at CAGGTUS 2026

Terms and conditions of participation

Key dates

Rules

Participants must be at least 18 years old.
To take part in the contest, both participation in a pre-assessment (Prejudging) and a performance on stage (Runway) are required. Anyone not attending either of these events will be disqualified.
 

1. Permitted Cosplays
Cosplays from all genres are allowed (games, anime, comics, movies, shows, OC).
Only parts of the costume crafted by the participant will be judged. 

The evaluation does not focus on ownership, but craftsmanship such as sewing, armor building, painting, 3D modeling, electronics, embroidery, or special material techniques.
A larger amount of cleanly executed, self-made elements increases scoring opportunities compared to a few individual parts. 
Therefore fully self-made cosplays offer more scoring opportunities.
Creating fabrics, buttons or basic materials is not expected. However, a special weaving technique or custom fabric will be evaluated positively.

Using purchased costume parts is allowed, but these must be mentioned to the judges during Prejudging and will not be scored as highly as self-made pieces.

Cosplays may be made by multiple people, this must also be disclosed during prejudging.

Teams (max. 2 people) are judged as a single unit.
 

2. Work-in-Progress (WIP)
Submitting WIP material is optional: participants may submit photos, sketches, 3D files, or short videos of their creation process.
Upon request, GZM will print the submitted materials free of charge for use during Prejudging.
To verify plausibility, GZM may conduct occasional online checks for verification purposes (e.g., image searches).
 

3. Accuracy & Arbitration
All information must be truthful. GZM and the jury are familiar with many works from the cosplay community – small amounts of help or collaboration are human and will be assessed realistically.
Intentional misinformation will lead to disqualification, even after Cosplay Contest.

If there is justified doubt, GZM may request proof.
In case of dispute, GZM will appoint a neutral, external arbitrator.
Complaints must be submitted in writing within 48 hours after the award ceremony. After this period, all decisions are final.

4. Liability and Rights (GDPR)

Only personal data necessary for fulfilling the purpose will be processed, based on consent in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR and will be deleted once the purpose has been fulfilled.

Only the artist name will be publicly communicated. Private information remains confidential and is used solely for internal processes.  Submitted photos are used for internal preselection only and will not be published.
Provided social media accounts may be shown during the contest and featured on official CAGGTUS social media channels and the website.
Social-media information (links, hashtags, credits) will be provided onsite.

Photos and video taken during Cosplay Contest will be published on official social media channels of CAGGTUS Leipzig and on the website. Image and video rights for stage performances are part of the terms and conditions of the ticket and registration.
GZM and Leipziger Messe will provide the edited video material of the performances after the event.
Cosplayers receive the right to use the material created by GZM or Leipziger Messe for their own purposes (e.g., social media, reposts, personal portfolios).

The organizer assumes no liability for loss or damage to costumes, props, or valuables.
All participants must follow the safety and weapons regulations of Leipziger Messe: https://www.caggtus.de/en/visit/info/
Respectful behavior is required – discriminatory or aggressive actions may lead to disqualification. 
Staff may intervene at any time in situations involving safety concerns or rule violations.
Legal recourse is excluded.