Meet the team behind the booth: from solo tables to a shared vision

Artist Booths v0.1

Hey artists!

You know the feeling of your setup not being as loud as your art, or not matching well because it's a mix-and-match pile coming from every corner of eBay and Kmart. You know the exhaustion of being a starving artist who's also short on time. We want to change that.

We're here to help, so you can chat guilt-free at markets while your setup does the selling. Whether you're starting out in person with a table or growing online, we want your hustle to become a real income stream.

We get it, because we've lived it: portfolio panic, zip-tied dreams, and the classic "I'll be back" customer shuffle. Artist alley isn't just a market, it's a marathon of backaches, wild ideas, and late-night drives chasing a spark that might connect with someone.

What started as a fix for a busted setup turned into something bigger, because when no one else was taking artist display gear seriously, we did.

If you've seen us at events this year, talking up Artist Booths or swapping tips in the aisles, you already know we're about more than just gear. Now that con season's winding down (cue the collective sigh of relief), we finally get to sit down, tell our story, and invite you into what we're building next for artist alleys across Australia and beyond.

Our paths crossed in the alley

Here's a fun fact: we didn't start together. Each of us set out on our own, in different states, rolling up to our first artist alley tables solo, packed with anxiety, wild dreams, and honestly, some pretty cobbled-together booth hacks. Artist alley life is a trip like that. You meet a wild mix of creatives at every event, and over the years, somewhere between all-nighters and trading survival snacks, we kept crossing paths at cons around Australia.

Fast forward a few setups, a few "wait, you changed your booth again?" moments, and a few "didn't I see you at that last con in Melbourne or Sydney or Brisbane?" moments, and it finally clicked. We had the same mission: make life easier, and a lot more fun, for other artists. So the team formed, powered by country-wide experience, trial and error, con crunch, and a good amount of creative chaos.

Built by artists, for artists

This is a project for and from all of us.

We're the ones who've held our booths together with zip ties, who've felt the portfolio panic, who've chased that late-night urge to make something that might connect with someone. In a world full of art generated by machines, we're building something by hand, from people who actually table.

Brandon, product multiverse creator

If you've ever spotted a funky gadget or a nifty prop in artist alley, chances are Brandon whipped it up on a 3D printer. One of our resident ADHD brains (alongside Aliss), he gets a new idea to solve some artist problem mid-shower or at midnight, more often than is probably healthy. Backstory: marketer turned app product designer turned artist side-hustler. Whatever he's working on, it's about making products that make your life easier.
Artist profile: @Donburee

Aliss, laser cutting whiz and community builder

Always up for a chat and making new connections across the alleys, Aliss loves creating small accessories that make people smile. She's the one designing practical display pieces down to the smallest millimetre. After years travelling interstate for conventions and helping run alley communities online, she's learned what both artists and attendees actually need, and she's passionate about turning that shared experience into real support for the community.
Aliss of @artofaliss

Tim, digital and ducks-in-a-row engineer

Tim's our behind-the-scenes organiser, the herder of chaos and designated wrangler of ducks (getting us all in a row is a full-time job on its own). From website work to making sure nothing falls through the cracks in inventory, Tim's the one keeping us moving forward and dreaming bigger.
Artist profile: @Pinbuds

Why: get artists set up, standing out, and sold out

Artist alley is magic and mayhem in about equal measure. Between lugging setups across state lines, budgeting for travel, and hoping for a good weekend, it can feel like a marathon and a mystery rolled into one. That's why we started making and sourcing our own gear: sturdy panels, display grids, and the small tools we wish we'd had back when we were starting out. We're hands-on, we don't drop-ship, and every piece is designed and tested by us, here in Australia, for you.

Vision: growing the artist community online and in person

What matters most isn't the gear, it's the community. Artist alley isn't just a market, it's a home for every kind of creative out there: cosplayers, illustrators, sculptors, zinemakers, and everyone in between. We want to see every corner of this bright, chaotic scene thrive.

We're committed to keeping it genuine, solving real artist problems, and building new ideas out of our own shared experience. Australia's alley scene is full of talent and drive, and we're about lifting each other up, not just competing for table space. Our long-term goal is to be the place artists come to, whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your booth and your brand online. That means setups that are faster, lighter, and more personal to you as the alley scene keeps changing. We tweak our own setups after every con, pick up new tricks, and learn from what works and what doesn't, both ours and the community's. Every event is a chance to tune things up alongside everyone else, growing right along with the scene.

These days that shows up in the kits themselves. Core is our smallest, most affordable setup for anyone starting with a low wall or a tight budget. Shapeshift Base scales up to a full 6ft table. And the Shapeshift Duo and Duo Max are where we've had the most fun lately, mixing two frosted colours in the one build so your booth doesn't have to look like everyone else's. We're still designing all of it around the same problems we had at our own first tables.

Let's chat, your turn

Okay, enough about us, let's talk about you. We're always up for a chat about your display dreams, your booth woes, or your con plans. Thinking about your next setup? Got a goal for your artist alley hustle? Or maybe you just want a sounding board for a new idea? Come say hi online or DM us on Instagram. Let's swap stories, work through tricky booth layouts, and figure out how to make your artist alley life a little easier.

What's the biggest challenge or dream you've got for artist alley right now? Hit us up. We'd love to help however we can, whether that's brainstorming with you or just cheering you on from the sidelines.

Stay bold, keep making, and don't hesitate to reach out. We're always in your corner.

The Artist Booths team,
Brandon, Aliss, and Tim

Curious what a Shapeshift kit actually looks like in person? Head to the Artist Booths homepage to see the full lineup and find the one that fits your table.