KhromaKon

KhromaKon is a 3 day festival focused on art, literacy, and the celebration of all things Baltimore. KhromaKon was a natural progression after seeing a lot of nerd
culture and entertainment events either leave Baltimore city. To no fault of their own, this created a major vacancy in the nerd scene. We want to give back to the community with a focus on the people, the progression of art, and reputation of the city as a whole. The sharing of art, bonding over obscure shows, anime, comics, and more. Our aim is to bring life back to artsy and nerdy community here in the city we call home. 

The meaning behind the name KhromaKon is rooted in the definition of Chroma which is color in Greek. KhromaKon comes from our con chair's love and passion for color as an artist. The mission of KhromaKon is “An Experience in Full Color,” a triple entendre encompassing inclusivity and diversity that’s embraced by everyone on the board, pays homage to the directors who are melanin-infused/BIPOC, and alludes to the desire we have to hit all the sub genres of pop culture through art - from anime, comics, music, videogames and more.  

The age range of our demographic is 25 years and up. That is the demographic we get the highest reach and engagement with on our socials. We want to aim for those who are of the working class, those who have the income and availability to participate in nerd events and culture, but we are keeping our reach open to everyone who enjoys nerd entertainment and culture. 

We will have an entire S.T.E.A.M. based entertainment track dedicated to children that is run and operated by Art Way Alliance whose mission
is:
1) to educate students in various subjects by merging education with popular media art techniques and tropes.
2) to provide everyone with the tools and techniques needed to produce their own creative work.
3) to support artists in the advertisement and marketing of their own work.
Art Way Alliance accomplishes this mission by teaching students how to conceptualize, create and market their own original content.
Whether in a classroom, library, or convention space, Art Way Alliance emphasizes the educational value of comic books, anime, video games and other creative content by using art integration and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) techniques to educate on common core elements through age appropriate curriculums.

Everyone on the KhromaKon board is either a staffer/volunteer at conventions, a vendor at conventions, or a regular attendee. We know what we enjoy and want to keep alive in nerd entertainment regarding conventions. We are thinking about the communities we participate in, such as the nerd community in and outside of Baltimore. All of us at KhromaKon have a story about what our first convention was like, making friends who also knew about the nerdy things we enjoyed like cosplay and fanart, and how that led to us making long-lasting memories and friendships that survived being states away and communicating though AIM/YIM. Those are the kind of connections and memories we would like to keep while inspiring new connections with those who travel to our convention. We want to give back to a community that has given us just as much support and positive memories. We know that sometimes, attendees can feel like a “little fish in a big pond” at some of the larger conventions, and we want to retain the intimacy that conventions used to have. We're committed to making sure that everyone who attends will be seen, felt, and validated. 

This includes the guests and presenters at KhromaKon whose presence enhance and highlights the energy we want for our convention. The guests we chose are personable, they interact with their audience on social media, they believe in creating positive memories and showing support to those who love the fandom or area of nerdiness just as much as them. We want to cultivate a safe space where our attendees can experience those memorable moments with friends, family, and celebrities alike. The team is passionate about what we can do to help the culture and economy. Over the years, Baltimore has acquired an eclectic reputation and we want to remind people that this is a thriving and vibrant city; filled with creatives who help shift the climate one day at a time.