Paying booth and jury fee with entry

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Larry Berman on January 24, 2011 at 9:03pm

I'm tired of hearing shows tell me that it's always been that way when I ask why they want the booth fee with the application. I refuse to apply to shows that want the booth fee with application and I call them up and tell them why I'm not applying. I guess everyone has reasons why to apply or not apply to certain shows but at least there are over 600 shows using ZAPP and JAS that now don't ask for the booth fee in advance and give us the option of accepting their invitation just like they have the option of accepting our application.

Larry Berman
Art Show Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

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Permalink Reply by Arlene & Bob Carey on January 24, 2011 at 11:29pm

There is a pretty decent show here in Tallahassee...Market Days, held on the forst weekend of December.  They require full payment in May, Jury in June and notify beginning in July.   Because of this we didn't apply for the last few years... but the show is so good and literrally 3 miles from our home, we'll probably bite the bullet and apply this year.  

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Permalink Reply by CM Fox on January 25, 2011 at 12:00am

Frankly this is show double-speak. It is not easier....it's frankly a pita to refund money. Most top shows have stopped this practice. So no, this is not common practice...

 

Whether you apply or not, I'd send them a letter, telling them why you won't apply to their show. Encourage other artists to do so too. Shows are hurting for applicants...and they are looking for the reason why. Give them the reason. This will get their attention and it has helped other shows stop the practice.

Plus....I second what Larry said.

 

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Permalink Reply by Geoff Coe on January 25, 2011 at 8:24am

Holly, you have a new fan!

"The Gang's All Here" is a brilliant movie.  I saw it playing in NYC 25 years ago and we regularly rented and screened it at the "movie parties" we held in my home in DC.  Had no idea parts of it were on You Tube. 

Damn, now I'm going to have to search and watch YT for any other snippets from the movie. Thanks for the memory!

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Permalink Reply by Paul Flack on January 25, 2011 at 5:14pm

U B's Funneee.

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Permalink Reply by Linnea Lahlum on January 25, 2011 at 1:53pm

Of those asking for booth fee upfront, I wonder how many of those do not refund if you cancel (cancel within a reasonable time frame, I mean, like shortly after notification to one month after). They typically state,  “application is a commitment to show,” or some such language.  Though some actually state nothing about refunds, and you have to call to ferret out that information yourself.

 

With reservations, I will still apply to show asking for booth fees upfront, as long as they have a reasonable cancellation policy. They drop way down in my priority/desirability  list when they do that, though.

 

I tried sending letters to those draconian shows that do not refund AT ALL; but have never, ever received a response. I just don’t apply anymore, though I wonder who I’m hurting, if I end up with a prime weekend open. One I used to do regularly, so I followed up the letter with a phone call. Response was, “It’s policy. The city (it’s run by a Parks Dept.) sets the policy.”

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Permalink Reply by Sara Youngman on January 25, 2011 at 4:06pm

Unfortunately the shows that are asking for both fees up front are local ones that I would very much like to be in, one is considered the 2nd best MI show.  Damned if you do damned if you don't.  Guess I'll apply as late as I can, and if I get in, then send the letter about why are you asking for this... I wouldn't want to include it with my application!

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Permalink Reply by MICHAEL ALAN STIPEK on January 25, 2011 at 6:59pm

Back in the day when many, if not most shows, wanted the booth fees along with the jury fees and the application, I would be sending off as much as $4,000 (pre-ZAPP days) or more - in the winter time!  It was quite a sacrifice to have to have that much money tied up.  Now with ZAPP, JAS - and the new Entry Thingy apps - I can budget my money more carefully. 

 

I just won't apply to shows that want money up front - for example, there's a series of three shows in CO, my home state, where the promoter wants his booth fees with the jury fee and app.   The booth fee is $500, with another $100 for a corner (which he won't guarantee and when you check in, you then find out if, in fact, you got a corner).  All due and payable by early April - for shows in July and Sept.  And you can get a refund only if you cancel BEFORE the notification of acc/rej. date!  Definitely not pro-artist!

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Permalink Reply by Amy Perrier on January 25, 2011 at 7:44pm

I live in northern Michigan, and only show during the summer/fall months here. My furthest show is only 3 hours away, so I keep my travel expenses down quite a bit.  They are all juried, but after reading posts on this site, I think they may be a different level of show than the larger shows.  I'm applying for 10 summer shows and of the ten, 2 don't ask for money up front (except for jury fees) and the rest all want booth fee sent in with the application.  Two shows have the policy of no refunds once accepted, the rest will refund up to 4 months prior to the show.  Last year I ended up canceling a show due to lack of inventory, and double booking a "no refunds" show so lost the booth fees.  I figure it's the cost of doing business.  This year I've decided not to double book any shows.  If I don't get in to one that I applied for, I guess I'll just have that weekend off. I'll use those weekends to check out other shows.   Unless an emergency comes up, I don't plan on missing any of the shows, and am not applying for any that I don't really want to do.  Although, I've discovered that these little, local shows are all over the place all summer and it's worth a phone call to see if they'll take a last minute entry.   None of the shows I've applied for use Zapp or JAS and I'm not sure if that's good or bad.  I like the idea of writing in to shows to let them know how inconvenient it is to send in a booth fee up front, but I'm afraid of shooting myself in the foot for the next year.  Last year, I watched one show director cross an artist off the list for this year, because he gave her a hard time about the parking.   Granted, he was kind of being a jerk about it, but that's a long time to carry a grudge...  

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Permalink Reply by Barry Bernstein on January 25, 2011 at 7:19pm

First of all, only grade B or lower shows ask for the booth fees up front.  I only do a couple and I put on my application in bold letters Do not deposit this check without notifying me first. I will never apply to a show that deposits the check and then issues a refund AFTER the judging.  Even in the pre-Zap days I can't think of one show that deposited the check and then sent out refunds.  That is outrageously unacceptable.  I'd like to know which Michigan show claims to be the second best show in the state and requires the booth fees up front.  It isn't Ann Arbor, AB and E, both Birmingham shows or Krasl,

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Permalink Reply by Sara Youngman on January 25, 2011 at 8:55pm

Charlevoix Waterfront Art Fair.    Single booth fee $200.  Fees non-refundable after 6/15, fair on 8/13.  $25 admin fee deducted from all cancellations.  Lowell's Fallasburg Fall  Festival $185 booth fee, no mention of refund policy.  Muskegon Art in the Park $245 booth fee, non-refundable after 6/3, fair is 7/1-3. 

I've read good things about the Charlevoix fair and would like to do a fair in northern MI - had great success last year at the one day Traverse City fair on the college campus, grueling fair, but my most profitable.  Muskegon holds a special place in my heart so that one would mean a lot to me.  Lowell is close to home - no hotel.  But that tying up $600+.  So 17 fairs with only a jury fee(I'm close to $600 on just those!) and at least 3 asking for booth fee up front.  I guess I just have to decide how much I really want to do those fairs and make sure I don't apply for something else the same weekend so I lose any money.

Everything else I'm applied for is either on Zapp, Juried Art, or had it's own online submission.

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Permalink Reply by Amy Perrier on January 28, 2011 at 2:55pm

Sara,

I was in the NMC Traverse City show last summer too.  It was my most profitable show as well.  I applied for the Charlevoix show for this summer and will be thrilled to get in.  Have you ever done the ADA show by Grand Rapids?  I live 3 hrs. north of there and am trying to decide if it would be worth the drive.

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