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What makes a good Fine Art and Craft Festival?

Posted by geri a. wegner on March 14, 2010 at 9:37am in Jurying for Art Fairs & Craft Shows

I bet there are as many different opinions as there are people on this website.

 

The discussion about rejections seemed to be veering  towards what is a good show as much as who is rejected and why.

 

To me a good show is one that has a variety of price points,I want everyone to be able to purchase something.  I want young people to be able to start collecting early so that as their income grows, they will continue to buy art.

 

I want all media represented in proportional amounts.  I don't want to see 3 jewelry booths in a row or 35% of the booths one media. 

 

But the most important thing is --even in a medium that I have absolutely no interest in, I want to be able to recognize the quality of the work.  I want to  think, Hey, it isn't my style but I certainly see why that artist was chosen. 

 

Besides great sales, what do you think makes a great show?

 

 

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Replies

  • S. Michelle Babcock March 20, 2010 at 12:49pm
    Ditto.

    William S. Eickhorst said:
    To me a good show is one that emphasizes quality over novelty and has a serious Fine Art & Craft orientation. I am tired of the proliferation of shows jammed with "artsy-craftsy" items, cheap jewelry which I could easily replicate with a trip to Hobby Lobby, booths filled with junk from China being resold as "original art," booths filled with Giclee reproductions of work in other media not identified as such, things that are "cute" (cute sells), racks of notecards and postcards, and booths filled with "stuff" that has absolutely nothing to do with Art with a capital "A." Please don't ask me what I mean by "stuff" because I don't want to offend some nice people who are active on this website. Years ago, one could go to an art fair and see creative works of fine art - painting, printmaking, photography etc. and beautifully crafted works in metal, wood and other materials as well as finely crafted jewelry which I would sometimes purchase for my wife. The content of many shows today have been watered down by too many artists who feel that they have an inalienable right to make a living on the art fair circuit and feel that they can only survive by "making what sells."
  • Alison Thomas March 15, 2010 at 3:14pm
    I want judges that aren't afraid of digital photography.
  • Larry Berman March 14, 2010 at 10:01am
    Maybe I'm getting old,, but I remember doing shows where I didn't think twice about the show or the other exhibitors. I was too busy selling to notice.

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