Does anyone have any information about an art festival taking place in Atlanta this weekend in Piedmont Park, calling itself the Piedmont Park Arts Festival? Seems it is put on by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces and is for local artists (only?).
Here is the story from the Atlanta Neighborhood Newspapers: http://neighbornewspapers.com/stories/Piedmont-Park-Arts-Festival-returns-this-weekend,174049?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id=&page=
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The promoters are artists that have done fairs for years and decided to put on shows that are artist friendly and they do that. I have done all but one of their show this year. I did better than expected and will do their shows again.
I had my big ticket buyers at the Ponce show. Sunday was a great day for sales despite the heat. My customers said it is called Hotlanta for a reason. The King of Pops gourmet popsicle guy did great.
Piedmont Sunday was really slow and I don't know why the heat was not that bad. I had return customers from the day before come back after they thought about a piece. I think it was a great local crowd. Saturday was the best in sales though.
I had two artists tell me they had a good show at Piedmont and two others who said they won't do it again. So it goes at most shows, I think. I didn't have a good enough feeling about it beforehand so I didn't do the show but I'll do it next year.
Ponce was brutally hot - mid 90's and steamy. I did it because I had nothing else going in July so I figured I'd check it out. Great location and great neighborhood but just too damn hot for many serious buyers. Neighborhood people did come out so I'd love if they moved this show to April or October. The crowd would definitely be bigger.
I don't agree with April about only having the two big Piedmont Park shows (Dogwood and Atlanta Arts Festival) in Atlanta. In a metro area of 5+ million, the large majority of suburbanites do not drive down to Midtown especially with the horrible parking situation around Piedmont during a large event. If you're a local artist, you're going to miss out on 90% of potential customers if you only work the two big shows and don't do some of the neighborhood shows, many of which draw very good crowds.
First let me say, I had been trying to get into the shows at Piedmont park for years and was never successful at it, YET, I had gotten into some of the best shows around the country and (just recently returned from Chicago). I happen to live in Midtown Atlanta and remember the good ole' days when the Piedmont Park Arts Festival was the best around. So when I heard that it was being revised, I was tickled, not only as an artist, but an Atlanta resident.
My Friends and neighbors were also excited about it!
I read the article after you posted it and the way that I read it was, "let's bring back a local tradition". not a show just for local artist.
I was in the "orange section" which was near park drive, so it was a little bit of a walk if you came in off of 10th street (while many people that I talked to came in from the parking garage). Either way, everyone had to walk past my booth TWICE!
All of the tents were single file and we had HUGE booths spaces, I felt like I had a corner because I could use all three sides and my customers could see my work, and the best part was I was able to set up an extra tent behind me and I had a shade tree. There was so much room I was just tickled. The people next to me were friends, so they had their tents side by side, which gave me so much room.
As for Artists there was about 200 booths and there were individuals from Texas, Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Alabama..etc.. and yes, there were several artist from the "metro Atlanta" area and G.A., but it was by no means a "local artist show". I know at least two artist that didn't get in, it was really a great mix of artist and many happy artist because they finally got into Piedmont Park.
This was my first show with this organizer and it was one of the best run show's that I had ever done.
They really focused on the artist and making sure we got everything we needed. Load in and Load out was easy if you followed the rules and the organizers made sure you followed the rules. It was one way in and one way out and a couple of arteris that branched out and came back together. I was amazed at how quickly I got loaded into my car. I was lucky as I got packed and was in my car before the rain started, but, the organizers kept us informed all day long about the weather, as it was 40% all day.
One of my neighbors had a goat!
The show organizer even convinced one of the customers that was "thinking" about buying some work to go home and come back before the rain and skip the movie that they were planning on seeing, made arrangements to pick them up at the gate and golf carted them in to make it easier to transport home. I wish it was me.. because that artist sold 3 paintings!! I heard that it was over $3500 in a single sale. But, I've never heard of a show organizer arranging for a golf cart/ vip ride into buy the work, its usually on the way out.
They even met us at the gate to golf carted us to our spots in the morning. I was so surprised.
As for advertising, it was every where, posters, signs, billboards and banners, I know because it was in my neighborhood and every where I turned there it was and Saturday night I saw it on four (4) of the news channel. On Sunday morning, it was strolling on the bottom of two (2) of the news channel screens an it was in the local paper, HUGE artical about the return of the Piedmont Park Arts Festival. The neighbors and the community was really excited about this show.
Comments from customers:
" I can finally afford to buy something here" and/ "I like the fact that its not so huge".
Comments from Artist: "I've done other shows here, and this is the best run show that I have done in this park." and/
"people were buying"
There is no doubt in my mind that artists will be competing for spaces for next years event.
Both local and from afar, they really had a great mix.
As for the show organizers, I will be applying to their next show in Chastain Park in November, while its still in the "metro Atlanta" area its about 10 miles from midtown, people in Atlanta stay in their neighborhoods, so I know that I'll have new customers. And, the show organizer did such an amazing job. I can only hope that I get in.
I also heard that the director is really is a painter and can also be seen doing shows across the east coast.
BEST UP AND COMING (revisal) of an ATLANTA show ever!!!!!!
No, it is not only for local artists. I was accepted (Florida artist) but I had to withdraw due to health reasons.
However, I can tell you that the "Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces", their directors, volunteer staff, etc. are the FRIENDLIEST and most "art" savvy group I have worked with in a while. I have done their show in BUCKHEAD and it was extremely well organized, directed and run. I was also very happy with the crowds and purchases even though the show was not helped by poor weather reports (the forecast called for rain but it turned out to be a beautiful sunny weekend). Anyway, Atlanta is a wonderful venue with plenty of artist support from the public. This group clearly understands artists and the needs of the community. Many affluent buyers ready and willing to buy art also showed up (in my experience).
I believe they organize four or more large art festivals per year. http://www.affps.com/