Wells Street Chicago

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Permalink Reply by Larry Berman on March 7, 2010 at 8:24pm

It can be good, or bad. I had my best ever two day show there and the following year was a bomb. It has potential because Old Town is only a few blocks away and some people like to walk both shows.

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

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Permalink Reply by Mark MacKinnon on March 10, 2010 at 11:31am

I've heard the same, but it can depend on where you are located. closer to the end near Old
town can be good, the other end not so good. The middle is a bear to set up.. the whole show is a beer fest on top, is what I've heard also.. but you can do well, as the crowd is sophisticated, after the partying goes away.. Can you request an area, how do you depend on that?? especially as a new artist, I'm sure those that return have requested their locations.

My problem with this one, is --I can do a show in New Jersey (I'm in NY) that can also be good, only second year LBI Paragon show, but I have appropriate work from that area.. same weekend as Wells Street. I'm invited to Well's street, and am waitlisted for Old Town... and have the next weekend booked at Lakefront in Milwaukee... The NJ show is easy for me, and an easy setup/tear down, Wells Street will be tough.. I've never done a Chicago show, and will also be doing the Port Clinton show later in the summer, so It might be good to check out the taste.. if that matters? One thing is if I go to Wells Street, I suppose their is always a chance I'll be called for Old Town, and forfeit my booth fee, but get into the better show. These are the kinds of issues we all have, at least the choices are out there, and you never know... it's also planning for the future, as I plan to return to shows year after year and build a following...but it has to work in the flow of things, and jurying is hit or miss... from year to year I understand... with Old Town as example of only accepting 20% new artists every year. so if you get in, try to stick with it.

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Permalink Reply by Connie Mettler on March 10, 2010 at 6:42pm

You won't be surprised to hear me say "go to the show close to home." Wells Street is not a favorite of mine. The organizers have no idea of what an art fair is or the artist's life. They just count the dollars they take in and really make it hard to exhibit. Traffic from Old Town? I don't think so.

We did Old Town for almost 20 years and then the axe fell. So we took our excellent mailing list and went to Wells Street the next year. Nary a soul showed up from the list. We had to be there in the really wee hours (3? 4?) to set up, wedged in between commercial booths. There are better ways to earn a living.

Mark MacKinnon said:

I've heard the same, but it can depend on where you are located. closer to the end near Old
town can be good, the other end not so good. The middle is a bear to set up.. the whole show is a beer fest on top, is what I've heard also.. but you can do well, as the crowd is sophisticated, after the partying goes away.. Can you request an area, how do you depend on that?? especially as a new artist, I'm sure those that return have requested their locations.

My problem with this one, is --I can do a show in New Jersey (I'm in NY) that can also be good, only second year LBI Paragon show, but I have appropriate work from that area.. same weekend as Wells Street. I'm invited to Well's street, and am waitlisted for Old Town... and have the next weekend booked at Lakefront in Milwaukee... The NJ show is easy for me, and an easy setup/tear down, Wells Street will be tough.. I've never done a Chicago show, and will also be doing the Port Clinton show later in the summer, so It might be good to check out the taste.. if that matters? One thing is if I go to Wells Street, I suppose their is always a chance I'll be called for Old Town, and forfeit my booth fee, but get into the better show. These are the kinds of issues we all have, at least the choices are out there, and you never know... it's also planning for the future, as I plan to return to shows year after year and build a following...but it has to work in the flow of things, and jurying is hit or miss... from year to year I understand... with Old Town as example of only accepting 20% new artists every year. so if you get in, try to stick with it.

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