Cindy sounds like your feeling the pain we are in Wisconsin. Late in season last year we started to feel the crunch from the promoters with the fees getting out of control and the economy not so good but you make adjustments and you move forward. But this year just to add to the mix Mother Nature has not been nice its kind of like really can't I get a break. I know you there is nothing that can't be done about the weather but you would think the promoters would lend a hand because without us they have no show. I have been trying to find indoor shows but for some really stupid reason there just are not very many in Wisconsin and the ones that are here I would not waist my money entering. I am going to try Illinois next year but I do not think I will have much success but we forge forward. So I feel your pain but I have no solutions except you just do what you have to do.
I live in Chicagoland and it's nearly impossible to choose what show to do. Big crap shoot. Last year I tried a few big name / big booth fee shows in hopes of them being better events... Not really. I'm considering traveling now to surrounding states. But that opens up a whole other list of expenses and I still wouldn't be sure if I chose wisely or not. Any suggestions for decent mid-size shows within a few hours of Chicago would be appreciated.
To follow up on what Joanne Barsanti had to say. She is absolutely correct. Actually in the Chicago area and the Chicago suburbs this month, June 2016, there are 16 Art shows. There are 4 week ends in June. How many art shows can the art buyers support?
I will not do shows that ask for a percentage of my sales. I feel like I'm being penalized for having a good show. Just let me pay the booth fee like everyone else and I'll take on the risk of whether or not I chose a good event to attend.
This is ironic. I mentioned keeping my eyes open. Just now I got an email about an event July 2. Huge booth space 20x20, way bigger than we NEED. From what I can tell, no outright booth fee till you hit $150 in sales. After that they want 15%. Alas though, it is outdoors. :(
The most common type of event within an 60-90 minutes would be music festivals and street fair/carnival types. They often include an area with arts and crafts. However, that is not the main focus. Many times they are offered in the summer and all the activities are outdoors. I don't do outdoor shows in south Louisiana due to the heat and humidity. It is just too much. It is much like the polar opposite of trying to one up north out in the snow filled streets.
I had a personal invitation to a community showcase of local artists/crafters that is coming up on July 9. I was super excited about it. It is sponsored by the local travel/tourism office. Then as I read the details, I realized it was daytime and outdoors in the middle of the summer. I wrote back and told them thank you for the invitation but I could not attend, and the reason why. I also asked them to contact me if they ever did one in the fall or spring. I will probably go support it as a shopper but at least I can leave when the heat gets too bad. I really hated to turn it down because I am always looking for new opportunities, especially locally.
I am going to keep my eyes peeled for local stuff that will not be expensive (aka travel, etc.) but the dead of the summer has slim pickings because 99.5% of them are outdoors.
FYI, Chicago area is over-saturated with art fairs. Typically there will be three every weekend. Maybe more, if you count smaller fairs that are not so well publicized. For example, this past weekend, I was in the Deerfield Festival, and there was an Amy Amdur show in Buffalo Grove (a few miles west) and the 57th Street Art Fair in Hyde Park (south side in City).
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To follow up on what Joanne Barsanti had to say. She is absolutely correct. Actually in the Chicago area and the Chicago suburbs this month, June 2016, there are 16 Art shows. There are 4 week ends in June. How many art shows can the art buyers support?
Carol I have not applied for any shows that ask for a %%. I, like you, would rather pay a flat booth fee and take the risk.
This is ironic. I mentioned keeping my eyes open. Just now I got an email about an event July 2. Huge booth space 20x20, way bigger than we NEED. From what I can tell, no outright booth fee till you hit $150 in sales. After that they want 15%. Alas though, it is outdoors. :(
The most common type of event within an 60-90 minutes would be music festivals and street fair/carnival types. They often include an area with arts and crafts. However, that is not the main focus. Many times they are offered in the summer and all the activities are outdoors. I don't do outdoor shows in south Louisiana due to the heat and humidity. It is just too much. It is much like the polar opposite of trying to one up north out in the snow filled streets.
I had a personal invitation to a community showcase of local artists/crafters that is coming up on July 9. I was super excited about it. It is sponsored by the local travel/tourism office. Then as I read the details, I realized it was daytime and outdoors in the middle of the summer. I wrote back and told them thank you for the invitation but I could not attend, and the reason why. I also asked them to contact me if they ever did one in the fall or spring. I will probably go support it as a shopper but at least I can leave when the heat gets too bad. I really hated to turn it down because I am always looking for new opportunities, especially locally.
I am going to keep my eyes peeled for local stuff that will not be expensive (aka travel, etc.) but the dead of the summer has slim pickings because 99.5% of them are outdoors.
FYI, Chicago area is over-saturated with art fairs. Typically there will be three every weekend. Maybe more, if you count smaller fairs that are not so well publicized. For example, this past weekend, I was in the Deerfield Festival, and there was an Amy Amdur show in Buffalo Grove (a few miles west) and the 57th Street Art Fair in Hyde Park (south side in City).