I was accepted to the Boca Museum of art show coming up Feb 8 & 9 and paid for the show in early January and thought I was all set.
I started advertising and letting clients and future clients know that I would be there. I mentioned it to patrons at a show in Boca 2 weeks prior and had some serious conversations with be backs.
When I returned from that show on Monday the 27th of January I had a email from the director about booth assignments only to find out that they overbooked and now I am on the wait list with other artists ( it was a form letter) presumably. That is only 2 weeks prior to show. Not sure when I will get my money back
I can't even apply to another show and had a possible other job booking for that Saturday night in Boca that will now have to be cancelled. very UNPROFESSIONAL of the organizer.I have lost revenue twice.
This past weekend in Mount Dora I spoke with several artists ( potter, painter, photographer,glass artist)that had done the show for years and said last year was terrible sales wise and maybe they saved me from wasting money. Lots of Lookers and no buyers.
Every artist I spoke to said the quality of the art was exceptional and I was happy to be considered and accepted to such a quality show.
I am extremely disappointed in the unprofessional work ethic of the Boca Musuem committee and will NEVER APPLY to a Boca Museum show again and I suggest we all stay away from the show.
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Jim, I wrote up my experience with this show. I share your lack of enthusiasm.
So sorry to hear about your experience at the Boca show, Jim. I, too, was at the show and received the email about the last minute cancellations. Considering I was removed from the wait list, I was concerned that I would end up back on it after I had paid for my spot. Thankfully, I wasn't.
I did end up on one of the side street which had probably 5-10% of the walking traffic as the main strip. That was a bit of a bummer. I wish shows wouldn't setup spots like that. Alas, I'm guessing they were just trying to accommodate the extra spots they needed.
Even with my less than ideal spot, I was able to make a good number of sales... and I do underwater photography! Saturday was scary, though, making only my booth fees, and Sunday started off slow, but it picked up nicely in the afternoon. Thank goodness!
There were a couple of things that I think the show could have improved upon. Obviously, as is the case with many shows, advertising... advertising... advertising... The one that concerned me was the free-for-all during breakdown. Artists were driving in their vehicles at 5:01PM on Sunday while there were plenty of customers walking around. The Boca Museum show would benefit from following in the footsteps of the Howard Alan shows and make the artists breakdown before allowing vehicles in. Things got a little tense there for a while!
On setup, I drove around the show twice before I found my spot. Having someone there to guide you around would have been nice. Supposedly they emailed a map but myself, and other artists I spoke with, never received it. I wasn't too keen on having to pay $40 for parking, either. I think this is something the show should have covered considering the money they make off these shows. Not a big deal, though.
The free breakfast was nice. I was impressed to see the judge of the show actually stop and take her time looking through the art work and speaking to every artist (at least in the area I was at). From my experience, shows in Boca are a bit of a hit or miss, but I have never left one of the shows in the negative. I can't compare it to any prior years as this is officially my first year doing art shows. I do hear stories about how great it used to be and only dream it will be like that again one day. Until then I will just continue to tell my fish stories and take it all in stride. :)
I too was bummed about the $40.00 parking.
Artists should know better than to pull in while patrons are still there. They were coming in around patrons at my end of the show too. We are supposed to be professionals.
The judge barely spent 15 seconds in my booth and the booths around me. All she did was look for the sign and already had a sticker in hand to put on the sign. speed judging is not very nice to the artists. She never really looked at my work or the painter next to me.
An update to the Boca Museum Show this past weekend.
Still unprofessional.
I found only one other artist that was booted last minute and paid but I image everyone had gotten in after others got their money back.
One artist I spoke to on Sunday morning was on wait list and had not paid and just showed up and got a spot directly in front of the museum. Plenty of space even a merchant said the show looked smaller this year.
The show is not worth doing. Every artist I spoke to said it was once a good show. One artist commented on the quality of art at the show and said it was not as good as years past. I asked if my work was bad too, they had no comment. Several artists noted the increase in first timers. 3 out six in my immediate area were new.
Several artists I spoke to on Sunday had no sales on Saturday and several artists only had sales to past clients no new sales. At the end of Sunday many I spoke to had not covered expenses including the double booth next to miine. One photographer had 2 sales all weekend and I had 4.
I have a counter and counted 5 thousand people on Saturday and 8 thousand on Sunday. and less that 300 people carrying a purchase from an artist.
Very little marketing was done to promote the show that I could see. Some customers did not know there was a show this weekend. The Museum Facebook page and only passing comment and setup a page for the show with only 17 like and few shares. Small yard signs were the only advertising on the stree and it is off the main street.
I only saw a committee person once on Saturday to pick up my packet and once in the room with food. They wanted to charge the artists for WATER. They had coffee and juice but no water. Not very organized.
There are too many shows in Boca and it is now a non event. All lookers not many buyers.
I don't think I will be doing any shows in Boca any time soon.
Sorry about your bad experience, but many thanks for sharing it.
This scenario is one of the worst situations of which I've heard. I am sorry to hear about this, Jim. It certainly makes one rethink their market. What if a lot of shows started this? I travel to Florida from Wyoming after jurying into from three to six shows. I'd hate this kinda news to come my way say the weekend of my first show for a show three weeks into my tour. This is outrageous. I'm happy they've put you in a sweet spot. The problem with this now is that you've gotta worry something else will come up that creates a problem for you and the other artists. I'll be thinking about you all and hoping it all goes well. Good luck.
Personally folks, I don't know why there is not a louder hue and cry over this situation.
What the Boca Museum has done is totally unprofessional.
The way to really get their attention is for everybody NOT APPLY to their rink-dink show in 2015.
Hit them where it really hurts--in their bank account--then see how quickly they take corrective measures.
You cannot let shows get away with this and by with-holding your jury fee this is the best way to get things corrected.
Also, this needs to be put out everywhere we can on the internet on other reviews and forums, let everybody know. Believe me, you will get results.
Leo Charette had the best practical solution for now, reduce any double booths to singles so you can get the "newly wait-listed" back in. That way, everybody is on an equal footing.
They offered anyone a refund if they did not want to stay in the show if done by Tuesday noon. I am guessing that some people took them up on it. I am not sure if all ten people that got wait listed last minute got in but I will let you know on Monday how things went. But I will not apply again next year.
Here's a tip: Make friends with a lawyer who will help you pro bono or take work in trade.
It just keeps getting better and better. News headlines: "Show Directors Rise to a New Level of Incompetence." This is the second time in recent weeks where this has happened. It must be the new in thing. They probably shouldn't have said anything. A lot of people have canceled events here in Florida because of the weather up north. They probably would have ended up with the right amount of people.
I stopped doing this show after it started going down hill. And, that was way before any of you did this for the first time. On the other hand, this was once a great, great show.
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