Call for Artists, Making Money at Juried Art Fairs, Craft Shows and Festivals
Got my latest rejection, do you have one to share?
Although I knew it was a long shot at best; I just got my yearly Cherry Creek rejection letter. I had new pictures shot just for this application and actually felt that I had a chance. I know it is an imposible show to get into, but I still feel less than worthy this morning.
Just needed to vent and see if anyone else has more rejection letter stories to share
Just needed to vent and see if anyone else has more rejection letter stories to share
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Larry Berman on -
Have you read my review of the jury? Six seconds and no artist statement read for the first round which eliminated approximately 50%.
http://bermangraphics.com/artshows/cherry-creek-2010.htm
Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
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Permalink Reply by Paul Zerjay on -
I didn't get in either. Oh well, with a $750 for a booth fee, I can apply to a lot of shows that are a lot closer to home.
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Permalink Reply by Linnea Lahlum on -
Just out of curiosity: Did you know what your odds were, before you applied?
I refigure my odds every year, and have since I started this business over 20 years ago. I know, for example, that I have never once gotten into shows where the odds are 10 to 1 (like Cherry Creek). So now I get to save that hefty jury fee. I used to occasionally get into shows with 8 to 1 odds. Since ZAPP has increased the number of apps, I am usually only predictably successful now for shows with a 5 to 1 odds or less. About once every year or two I may crack a show with 7 to 1. But I may have to throw 5 jury fees into the 7 to 1 hole for that one hit.
What the success ratio is, will, of course, vary from person to person. If you are in a less competitive medium, or routinely get into the top tier of shows, you will know that your acceptance ratio may be much higher. But the only way you can find out is to keep records.
You can target even closer if you can find out the number of apps in your medium for each show. Some shows will provide this info if you ask. Obviously in some very competitive mediums, odds will run worse that the overall booths available over apps received. (Every now and then I think I should go back into printmaking for this reason. But it’s just so darn flat.)
If you are not already, start keeping track. Go back over all you past records too.
Like Larry is always saying, go to an open jury and see what your competition is. I used to belong to an organization that offered this for all its members, and I drove 150 miles one way every year to go look.
Jury fees can be a black hole. At least try to peer down it before throwing yours into the pit.
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Permalink Reply by Marjorie S Rawson on -
Thanks! Great info. I , too am in jewelry category...I am mindful of my odds and which black hole my jury fee goes into..
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Permalink Reply by BenJamin Stielow on -
Linnea, where do you get the numbers of apps from? Do you contact the orginizer directly?
I am feeling better now; I take it personal when my stuff isn't good enough, even though it most likely has nothing to do with me or my work. Example; last year I had to laugh, at the Golden Fine Arts Fest in Golden, CO I didn't get in but was wait-listed, they called me up the day before the show and I had nothing else happening so I went. I ended up winning and award for Best of Mixed Media! I got a good chuckle out of it; and hey I am automatically juried in this year.
Jurying (sp?) is the most difficult process that any orginzer could do.
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Permalink Reply by Connie Mettler on -
Wow, Linnea! This is an excellent post. It makes so much sense and puts many things into perspective. Thanks for this.
Linnea Lahlum said:Just out of curiosity: Did you know what your odds were, before you applied?
I refigure my odds every year, and have since I started this business over 20 years ago. I know, for example, that I have never once gotten into shows where the odds are 10 to 1 (like Cherry Creek). So now I get to save that hefty jury fee. I used to occasionally get into shows with 8 to 1 odds. Since ZAPP has increased the number of apps, I am usually only predictably successful now for shows with a 5 to 1 odds or less. About once every year or two I may crack a show with 7 to 1. But I may have to throw 5 jury fees into the 7 to 1 hole for that one hit.
What the success ratio is, will, of course, vary from person to person. If you are in a less competitive medium, or routinely get into the top tier of shows, you will know that your acceptance ratio may be much higher. But the only way you can find out is to keep records.
You can target even closer if you can find out the number of apps in your medium for each show. Some shows will provide this info if you ask. Obviously in some very competitive mediums, odds will run worse that the overall booths available over apps received. (Every now and then I think I should go back into printmaking for this reason. But it’s just so darn flat.)
If you are not already, start keeping track. Go back over all you past records too.
Like Larry is always saying, go to an open jury and see what your competition is. I used to belong to an organization that offered this for all its members, and I drove 150 miles one way every year to go look.
Jury fees can be a black hole. At least try to peer down it before throwing yours into the pit.
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Permalink Reply by Barbara Sistak Baur on -
Just checked Zapp and I am "not invited" to Cherry Creek. Kinda glad, really. That is a long drive and there would have been some "truck juggling" to do at our house. Now, I can relax and enjoy the 4th of July. I also didn't make Des Moines. But since then, I have revamped all my submission images so I am looking forward to better results as we move into the New Year.
Thank you all for all you knowledge and sharing.
Barb
www.sistakbaur.com
Art in Good Taste
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Permalink Reply by MICHAEL ALAN STIPEK on -
Since I live in Denver, I went to the first round of ZAPP jurying at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Larry Berman goes into much more detail about the process, but my take on it was that, yes, you had six seconds to make the first round cut. Also, I could see three of the five jurors as they were scoring the submissions. One juror marked almost every single submission with a 5, 6 or 7. Scoring is from 1-7, with the lower numbers being the best. In other words, he really didn't give a poop about the quality (I saw Metal, Fiber, Jewelry and Painting being juried), he was just a deal killer for many artists who might have done better with a more responsible juror. In other words, if you got 1s from three jurors, but this guy's 5, 6 or 7 and another 5 or higher from the fourth juror, you were out of the running.
I juried in Photography (missed seeing the 1st round) and throughout the 10 years since I've last done the show, I've only seen one photographer from Colorado get in more than once.
Good luck to all of those artists who got in - but don't apply if it makes for sour apples from a rejection. It is a long drive, the weather can be very hot and extremely dry and the storms, out in the open, can really whack you (the 2001 microburst destroyed the show in a few minutes). But, it also can be very good financially. And Denver is a wonderful place to live - I just can't make a living there!
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Permalink Reply by Marjorie S Rawson on
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That is exactly what happened to me for another show. Someone did exactly that...scored 7,8 ish. and I was out despite other higher marks.
All it takes is one juror to sour the punch...
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Permalink Reply by Pauline Haas-Vaughn on -
I actually have a question re: jurying for Cherry Creek. I also was rejected, but at one point the Zapplication status showed up as Jury Round 2. That disappeared a couple of days later and ultimately I also received a rejection but I did not know if this meant that I had made the first cut? Just curious....
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Permalink Reply by Larry Berman on
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Those status updates have always been meaningless and shouldn't be part of the system because the show director never has the time to change the status as things happen. Especially a show that's as many applications as Cherry Creek.
It should just say received until the jurying is finished.
Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
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Permalink Reply by Linnea Lahlum on
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I think whoever decided to put those on thought, perhaps, that we would be anxiously checking all the time, and would feel more like something was actually happening if we saw some changes between “Received” and then Accepted or not at the end. Most that I’ve seen don’t even show "jury round 2".
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