FAQs
About the Con
What is VidUKon?
VidUKon is a hybrid, fan-run vidding convention based both in a con hotel and virtually. It's a weekend for vid watchers and vidders to gather together, in person and online, and watch vids, talk about vids, and have fun.
The physical portion of the 2026 con takes place in the Novotel Birmingham Centre, where we have a large room set aside for watching vids together and other activities.
The online portion of the con is based on the VidUKon website (this one!), and also uses a Discord server so that attendees can talk to each other, and video conferencing software (usually Zoom) for things like panels and workshops.
What is vidding, and what is a vid?
A vid is a fan-made music video that takes visuals from one source and audio from another and puts them together in a new way. You might also see them called fanvids, edits, tributes, fancams, MVs, etc. Vidding is the art of making these videos.
Do I need to have made vids to attend the convention?
Not at all! Most of the programming is accessible to anyone who enjoys watching vids. The most common programme items are vidshows - that is, curated playlists of vids. Depending on the year, there may also be panels or roundtables that explore vids from a viewer's perspective.
The occasional programme item might be more technical and geared to vidders in particular, but non-vidders are welcome to attend and listen in if they're curious, or spend those timeslots relaxing elsewhere.
There are also lots of opportunities to socialise with other fans between programme items.
Be warned though, plenty of people come to the con as non-vidders and come back next year having made their first vid! VidUKon is a great way to learn more about vidding in a low-pressure way, if it's something you think you might be interested to try.
What happens at VidUKon?
A ton of things! The con begins on Friday afternoon, sometimes with an optional, virtual-only "warm-up" on Thursday evening. On Friday evening we break the ice with a quiz, followed by a couple of vidshows. For the rest of the weekend, programming is a mix of vidshows, discussion, talks, workshops and social time.
There’s only one stream of programming, so attendees can attend every programme item if they choose to (and if they have the stamina!).
What are vidshows like?
Each vidshow is a playlist (usually about 45-60 minutes long) of vids on a particular theme. If you're attending in person, you can watch the vidshow together with the other physical attendees in the designated space at the hotel (usually a cinema-style set-up with a big projector). All registered attendees (Offline or Virtual) can also watch each vidshow through the website.
What vids are shown?
All fannish vids are fair game – in all genres and styles. Which means that some panels and shows may not be suitable for people under 18.
We prefer to have the vidders' permission to show vids, but the transitory nature of the internet means that can be difficult sometimes. If we are contacted by a vidder and asked not to show a vid, we will not show it.
Vid Shows and Uploading Vids
What is a premiere?
A premiere is a vid that hasn't been shown in any previous convention or event and has not been released online prior the con. It will be shown for the first time ever at the Premieres show on Saturday night at the con, and will also be included on the Premieres physical media that some attendees receive after the con. Anyone is welcome to submit a premiere as long as you are registered as either a virtual or a physical attendee. Vids can be any fandom, theme, or style, and there is no minimum level of experience required.
What is Vidder's Choice?
Vidder's Choice is a show where con attendees can choose an existing vid from their back catalogue to be shown. This can be absolutely any vid as long as it won't be showing for the first time at VidUKon. You might want to submit a crowd-pleasing favourite, or highlight a deep cut that you wish got more love!
What is the themed submission vidshow?
The themed submission vidshow is a show with a specific theme that changes each year, for which con attendees can submit a premiere or a vid from their back catalogue. The theme for 2026 will be announced as soon as it's been decided!
What is the deadline to submit a vid?
Deadlines will be announced when they have been set! They're usually around early April or May.
Should I inform you about the premiere I'm doing?
No, you don't have to. We might poll about it just to get a rough idea of how many vids we'll have and to check if we can fit them all in, but you don't have to inform us, just submit your vid on time for it to be included in the show.
If I'm submitting a vid, how do I get it to you and what format should it be in?
Video submissions are not open yet. Once they are, we will post more information here and on Dreamwidth and Tumblr.
Convention
What is your Refund Policy?
We offer full refunds until the close of registration of your attendee type (please note that some types close earlier than others). After that date, all refunds are discretionary. We do not want to be jerks about this, so please do contact us, and we may be able to assist, however, after the close of registration, our financial commitments are firm and we have bills to pay. As a non-profit voluntary association with very little surplus cash, we may not have the luxury of refunding tickets at that late stage.
What is your Accessibility Policy?
Vidukon is committed to making the con environment an accessible and enjoyable place for all attendees. If you have specific access needs that you'd like to discuss with us, please contact us at vidukon@gmail.com, and we'll do our best to help.
If you want to know more about the hotel's accessibility accommodations, their website is probably a good start. If you can't find the info you're looking for, feel free to get in touch with us or the hotel according to your preference.
The con programme has regular breaks scheduled into the main programming.
We are going to be asking VJs, panelists, and vidders submitting premieres to include content information about their vids. We ask to warn for the following:
Animal Harm; Auditory Triggers; Blackface/Brownface/Redface; Blood/Gore [significant amounts]; Depictions of Colonialism/Imperialism; Depictions of Police; Holocaust and/or Nazi Imagery; Fast cuts (more frequent than about 8 frames); Flashing/Flickering lights; Incest; Queerphobia; Racism; Physical Triggers [in addition to fast cuts or flashing lights], Self-harm; Sexual violence; Suicide; Transphobia.
We ask to warn for depictions of things even if the vid is critical of them, e.g. a vid that is critical of racism and includes depictions of racist violence will be expected to warn for racism.
If any attendee would like further detail about the content of vids being shown at the con (eg you have a specific trigger that is not included in that standardised list), please get in touch with the ConCom and we'll do our best to help. Anonymous queries welcome. The more notice we have the more thorough we can be in getting content information for you, so ideally email us at least a couple of weeks before the con, but if we get less notice than that we'll do our best to accommodate you.
The content information we collate will be available in the Conbook and on the website for ease of reference of attendees.
COVID-19 Guidelines
We are committed to preventing the spread of COVID-19 at VidUKon in-person events. In 2025, this included vaccination and masking requirements as well as CO2 monitors in the room to ensure appropriate air quality.
Our exact COVID-19 guidelines are reviewed yearly, with facts and figures guiding our decision-making as much as we have access to reliable data. This review has not been done yet, so exact 2026 regulations will be provided at a later point. For now, we confirm our commitment to preventing the spread of COVID-19 at VidUKon, and to our decision-making remaining based in science.
You are at any point welcome to contact us with questions or requests about this topic.
Local Regulations and Travel
If you are attending the con from abroad, please make sure to check all applicable regulations for your travel route. If you are looking for travel tips, you can contact us or try asking in vidding social media spaces on Discord, BlueSky, Tumblr, Dreamwidth or elsewhere.