Rare Pair Fest

Rare Pair Fest is an annual multifandom gift exchange focused on rare pairs. It is run through LiveJournal and AO3.
==Rules for Participants==
Rare pair fest is specifically for romantic or sexual pairings, a pairing in a platonic scenario is not considered shipping.
Gifts may be fan fic or fan art; fic must be at least 1,000 words and art must be complete (not a rough sketch) but can be computer or hand-drawn.Rules Post, accessed 25 August 2014.Rules Post, accessed 20 April 2018.
As a gift-receiver, one specifies three requests (subject to the Nominations). One cannot 'rank' these requests by preference.
Submissions from gift-givers for rarepairfest are not subject to rating constraints. Since the filling of prompts is anonymous, those requesting pairings and scenarios may post an open letter stating likes and dislikes for content in their gift. Gifts violating the 'dislikes' will not be accepted. Participants are encouraged to try to stick to likes. Betas are highly encouraged, but not required. The submissions are vetted for grammar and spelling.
Works are not revealed until all participants have a gift. Participants can also sign up as 'pinch-hitters' where they are under strict obligation to fill dropped prompts.
== Nomination ==
The event functions through a nomination period, where potential writers or artist submit pairings they would like to see content for, and they are checked for the specifications of being "rare". Ships of any kind are eligible: gifts may be het or slash (M/M or F/F); threesomes or moresomes are also allowed. It is specified that a submitter must be willing to both receive or fill their requests.
Ships are eligible as long as they have less than 250 completed works or 1,000 words or greater. In past years this has extended to all Archives, but due to the expansion of online archives, and the migration of most of greater fandom to Ao3, for the most recent (2017) exchange, these specifications were only checked on Ao3, and back-checked on FFNET.
Real person fiction (RPF) may be nominated with the following caveats:
a.) Nominated characters must be 18 or older.
b.) Living non-famous persons may not be nominated (for example, someone's wife or child).Rules Post, accessed 20 April 2018.
== Treat Collection ==
After nomination and signups, the rarepair list and associated prompts become public domain. Participants are encouraged to add 'treats' of any length if they see a prompt or ship which intrigues them that is not their signup. Treats are not subject to any constraints.
==Schedule==
* 1–15 June - Nomination Period
* 17–28 June - Sign Ups
* 1 July - Assignments Sent Out
* 15 August - Assignments Due
* 18 August - Works Revealed
* 25 August - Authors Revealed
==History==
===2012===
In 2012, 92 works in 70 fandoms were posted. The most common fandom was the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with 23 works posted; het was the most common type, with 44 works posted.
* 2012 Collection
* 2012 Treat Collection
===2013===
In 2013, 144 works in 135 fandoms were posted. Again, the most common fandom was the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with 17 works posted; het was again the most common type, with 63 works posted.
* 2013 Collection
* 2013 Treat Collection
===2014===
In 2014, 138 works in 140 fandoms were posted. Again, the most common fandom was the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with 19 works posted; het was again the most common type, with 59 works posted, but m/m slash was just behind with 57 works posted.
* 2014 Collection
* 2014 Treat Collection
===2015===
In 2015, 192 works in 134 fandoms were posted. The most common fandom remained the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with 14 works posted; m/m slash was the most common, with 83 works posted, with het closely behind with 83 works.
* 2015 Collection
* 2015 Treat Collection
===2016===
In 2016, 188 works in 149 fandoms were posted. The most common fandom was again, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with again 14 works posted; m/m slash was the most common, with 83 works posted, with het falling in the year's submissions to 57 works.
* 2016 Collection
* 2016 Treat Collection
===2017===
In 2017, 228 works in 191 fandoms were posted. The most common fandom "group" was original work, with 12 works posted, though for fannish purposes the Silmarillion was the top fandom with 8 works; m/m slash was the most common, with 85 works posted, with het at 78 and femslash at 58.
* 2017 Collection
* 2017 Treat Collection
==References==
Category:Multifandom Archives
Category:2012 Challenges
Category:2013 Challenges
Category:2014 Challenges
Category:2015 Challenges
Category:2016 Challenges
Category:2017 Challenges