To Zapp or Not to Zapp, that is the question . . .

We have been promoting shows in New Jersey for 30 years. Approximately four years ago, we explored going with Zap as two other promoters who have shows in New Jersey had done (Artrider and Sugarloaf). Aside from the cost to us, we had input from some of our exhibitors that, at times, it led to some complications so we put it off.

We are once again thinking about whether or not we should go with Zapp. This forum seemed to us to be the ideal place to get input from you, the exhibitors.

So - to Zapp or not to Zapp - that is the question.

Janet and Howard Rose
Rose Squared Productions, Inc.
www.rosesquared.com

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  • If you look at the thread on this discussion you'll see it lay dormant since August 9, 2011. Yesterday, Jacquelyne Morgan posted a comment to it and it brought the discussion back to the home page and the top of the forum, then others commented on an old discussion. Nothing tricky here, or automatic.

    There are some great discussions in this forum and some of them get picked up now and again, e.g., the discussion from Linda & Jim Dalton, "What is the Worst Question You've Been asked at an art fair?" with over 16,000 views and many many comments, that has been around and active since April 2011. Last comment was August 2012, but you can bring it back to the top of the Forum by adding a comment to it today.

  • Actually, the blog about "to Zapp or not to Zapp" was from 2011. We don't use Zapp because it would mean so many exhibitors accepted who wouldn't then do the show They would understandably be applying to multiple shows on a given weekend to insure they have a show which wouldn't help us maintain our sanity working as hard as do already.

    We keep our booth fees as low as possible, especially considering we do not have gated shows except for the Westfield Armory. We do not want to add the additional expense of an online jurying service - an expense which we would have to pass on to the exhibitor with higher booth fees.

    We had an excellent year with both the quality and number of exhibitors applying as well as the weather for our four outdoor events. That said, Superstorm Sandy and the upcoming Nor'easter resulted in the cancelling of our Westfield show this weekend.

    We accept Zapp images via email or on CD and our applications can be filled on line.

    • I'm just picking up on this thread -- yes, all who are reading, this is a very old discussion started by Janet Rose 15 months ago that got recycled back in yesterday.

      As a promoter of shows using Zapp and JAS gives you a bigger pool of applicants and maybe from some who have never heard of your events, because they came into the business "post slides" and are totally hooked into the digital systems notifications, so you might receive some new applications from their databases.

      • Very true, Connie, but word of mouth and our attending shows throughout the year to insure no buy/sell works very well for us. Email blasts with you, Art Lynx, and for the first time Greg Lawlor also works for our style of promoting and our jurying and acceptance process.
        • You're right. There is nothing like word of mouth, the very best information.

      • How do threads get "recycled back in," Connie?  Is it an automated process? If so, I don't see its value.

        • The difference between blogs and forums. When a blog goes off the first page, it's gone even when people reply to it.

          When a forum is replied to it automatically goes to the top of the page. That's why forums are much more interactive.

          Someone replied to a forum thread from last year because they were interested in the topic. That's what Connie meant.

          Larry Berman
          http://BermanGraphics.com
          412-401-8100

          • gotcha, thanks

  • As an artist that has used Zapp, Entry thingy and JAS, I find ZAPP to be the most user friendly for the artist, and easiest to use.

    • I am not blaming ZAPP.  It's the shows that use ZAPP.  I have never been rejected until I started applying to shows that used ZAPP.  Why?  Is it the jurors they use, the increase of artists applying, is it the theme of the show?  When I asked one show that rejected me, the reply was you scored high marks on your work but the booth floor was not suitable.  It seems like they want every booth to look like a gallery.  I make puppets.  Many puppets and each one is one of a kind.  I need to display them all.  My floor is soft so children don't break a bone when they fall down in my booth.  I will not change my floor.  I know where I do well and if I can't be accepted into shows that use ZAPP so be it.  I here people complain all the time on this site that they get so many rejections from these shows and that they apply to so many on a given weekend and have to either choose if they get into 2 but mostly I read about the rejections.  That is until someone complains about ZAPP shows.  Then everyone is behind the system because it's so much easier to apply.  I don't mind the small amount of extra work applying. Since I stopped applying through ZAPP, I have not been rejected to any show.  That's a good thing.

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