Forum

Flying to a Show vs. driving - suggestions on how to do it

Posted by Kay Cummins on July 23, 2011 at 8:01pm in Business of Art Fairs

Hello I have gotten into a show in Houston and am a jeweler. I am trying to see how I might be able to fly to shows instead of driving "the whole enchilada". I am metalsmith and enamelist, my display includes glass cases and open display on props.

Does anyone have tips on shipping props to their hotel ahead of time?

Pros? Cons?

I have shows scheduled for next year, some indoors that involve a lot of distance and I would like to be able to do some of them solo - so appreciate your feedback. I know that shows will often rent tents and tables but I do not have experience with that. Can you end up with a crappy tent?

I am thinking that I would ship the display pieces (busts etc), table cloth, banner, clothes etc. to the hotel. I would carry on my jewelry bags, CC machine and get a rental car. Arrive the evening before and get the lay of the land and set up props.

What experiences have you had?

Kay Cummins

Out And About Girls

You need to be a member of Art Fair Insiders to add comments!

Join Art Fair Insiders

a, by, displays, plane, renting, shipping, show, tents, things, to, travel

★

Votes: 0

Email me when people reply –

Replies

Kay Cummins July 25, 2011 at 12:33pm

OK Road Warriors - hope you are back from a great show and counting your cash.... :) can anyone add to this discussion on the pro and cons of flying to a show and shipping props and renting a tent? Tips? So far I have been warned to inquire about the how opaque the tents are. To carry on the jewelry. I am hoping for sugesstion on shipping, renting props or cases. Thanks!
- Linnea Lahlum > Kay Cummins July 25, 2011 at 1:14pm
  
  Kay, I'll try to PM you the name of that artist I mentioned, who ships her work and display. I don't feel right listing her name publicly.
Steph Mader July 24, 2011 at 8:06pm

A booth neighbor told me he bought 5 gallon collapsible water containers for weights & hauls them empty & fills them at the show. That would work for travel, as they squish down flat.
Linnea Lahlum July 23, 2011 at 11:15pm

I was next to a fiber artist from California one year who flies to almost everything in the midwest. She orders a rental tent from the show. She has her display and work drop shipped, sometimes even right to to the show (not sure how that works). I see her a lot, in rental tents, so I assume she is still doing it that way. Her work is pretty bulky, too. I don't know if she is on AFI.
Dave Hinde July 23, 2011 at 9:09pm

The rental tents I've seen were the more professional style tents that were setup by a tent rental company. They were the the type you might see at large outdoor city events. Very sturdy and well made, but not always white.
- Larry Berman > Dave Hinde July 23, 2011 at 9:19pm
  
  The biggest problem with rental tents is that they are opaque, not letting any light in. So, unless you have electricity, it's better to spend $200 on a canopy from Costco or Sams and either retrn it afterwards or sell it to another exhibitor. If you do, make sure to stop at Home Depot or Lowes and pick up a bunch of concrete blocks.
  
  Larry Berman
Larry Berman July 23, 2011 at 8:21pm

Hi Kay,

A much better time to ask this question would be Monday or Tuesday. Today's the last day of Ann Arbor and everyone's probably burned out from the heat. At least bump it up (by posting to your own thread) to the top of the business forum on Monday.

Josh was trying to rent panels on the west coast and I don't remember which show he was doing but he might not have needed a canopy. You need to get jewelers involved in this discussion.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
- Kay Cummins > Larry Berman July 23, 2011 at 8:44pm
  
  Great Point, I will do that tomorrow. I did post this on the Jewelry Genies group too. PS Love Elvis, I laughed watching your video of you, Xena and him!
Gary Haynes July 23, 2011 at 8:04pm

Great person to ask would be Josh Trefethen. He's a photographer and I remember him saying that he had done a cross country show where he shipped all of his stuff, booth etc.

Gary Haynes
www.reflectionsimaging.com