So I applied to the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Mainly on a whim, wanting to see if I could get it, as it is 12 hours away from where I live. I have read the reviews and the comments on it. I am torn - the booth fee is high, and it seems like the show itself is kind of a mess. At least from what I have read. Who knows how accurate that assumption is without actually seeing it for myself.
My question is should I stay or should i go. $650 booth fee, 12 hour drive.
Thoughts?
Suggestions?
Replies
I think your work (and I looked at most of it on your website) is perfect for a show like Ann Arbor. I did the Original two years in a row (2007-2008) and did great the first year and nothing the second. Michigan was hit hard by the recession and it really put a damper on 2008. But that's not the only problem I have with the show, otherwise, I might still be giving it a go.
There are so many artists who've been doing it for years, like 20 years and more, and they swear by doing it. I kinda got the feeling that patrons are the same way about it. Very loyal. They notice you, keep an eye on you, buy from you, and come back again and again since they are dedicated to the show. Many of these patrons walk the entire group of shows since it established the reputation of bringing in the nation's best and brightest stars (er, uh, not really intended to be a shameless plug despite how that sounds.)
In 2008, one patron asked me why I didn't do the South University show since more happened down there. Since I opted to be in the big tents next to the tower, traffic was less than if I'd been on University Ave in the Original Show. There was way more traffic coming by the big tents in 2007 since the layout was different. I sold two major paintings opening night in 2007 and nothing else throughout the weekend. Everyone around me had a five figure show. I sold nothing in 2008. The fellow next to me in 2008 sold five $80 thumbnail sketches. One woman who painted flowers on textiles at the other end of the big tent had a five figure show whereas most everyone else didn't do very well. One Florida artist who usually kills it at every show didn't do well at all, but 2008 was his first year, and from what I have since discovered it was his only year. All he got was a major sunburn. But who didn't suffer from the heat on those 12 hour days? 2008 was 95 degrees with 95 percent humidity. 2007 could have been like that, but a tornado came through town and left a mid-70's low humidity absolutely gorgeous weather experience for the remaining two days of the show. The artists on University suffered greatly in the 2008 heat, but we also had a storm that year during the night that moved the big tents six feet forward exposing many of my boxes to the rain. Rain also ruined my plug-in cooler as well, that's an $80 loss where the trashed boxes were just a dumpster dive away and a few hours of time cutting and taping to fit.
Awards aren't very good, either. SO don't expect to bank-roll anything that way.