Fine Craft Show Conflicts in Palm Beach?

8869172297?profile=originalSince 1988 Elizabeth Kubie/Crafts America LLC, has been a top independent presenter of fine craft shows. The organization presented three shows in very classy venues: the Washington Craft Show 1988 - 2014 at the Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC, the Westchester Craft Show, 1994 – 2012, in White Plains, NY, and the Palm Beach Fine Craft Show, since 2004 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, FL.

Many artists represented in these shows also have their work in prestigious galleries and museums in the U.S. They have depended on these fine events to meet their specialized market and collectors. In recent years two of those shows ended and close associates believed the Palm Beach show had also come to an end.

8869173052?profile=originalWhen these artists learned that the show dates at the PB Convention Center were no longer available they were very concerned about losing this venue and opportunity. Bill Underwood, the former publicist for the Palm Beach Craft Show, and who operates a contemporary art market in Charlotte, NC, was contacted by long time exhibitors of the event. He, along with them, did not want this marketplace to disappear and accordingly has established a new event at the Expo Center at the S. Florida Fairgrounds in W. Palm Beach to take place at the same time of the year as in the past, The Palm Beach Contemporary Art Show.

 

Subsequently, Elizabeth Kubie announced on May 16 that she has made arrangements with the Palm Beach Show Group that produces the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art and Antique Show to take over the management of the PB Fine Craft Show and they will now produce the it in conjunction with that event. Former artists have been invited to participate, jury exempt. 

Concerns brought to my attention:

  • where is there room in the Convention Center to add another show to accommodate 135 craft artists?
  • the letter the exhibitors received made no mention that it would be held in conjunction with an antique show
  • a concern that  that young artists, looking for their first big break, would be misled by the lack of info on the PB call
  • current online information has different dates for the craft show and the antiques show

Principals I spoke with said that this is very good news, akin to Art Basel, to bring these two events under one roof at the same time. The affluent collectors will get to meet the contemporary artists, in effect bringing them a new audience.

What do you think?

Many more details here:

Press release from Bill Underwood, May 13: http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/news/documents/2016/05/13/Craft_Show_News_Release.pdf

Article from Antiques and the Arts: Palm Beach Show Group Acquires Fine Craft Show, May  20

http://www.antiquesandthearts.com/palm-beach-show-groupacquires-fine-craft-show/

 

 

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  • Thanks for bringing this issue to the front, Connie. If I may, I 'd like to add a couple of things.

    The biggest problem we have with all of this, aside from the confusion the Palm Beach Show Group may cause, is the fact that they are not being honest with the artists or the public.

    We called the Palm Beach Show Group office and learned that they do indeed plan to hold this show upstairs in a ballroom, which is less than 22,000 square feet.  For a show with 135 artists, you need at least 50,000 square feet (I have done many floor plans and know this to be true). The fact that they and Juried Art Services have failed to mention this on the call is disingenuous at best, if not "lying by omission."  

    When we looked into producing a show in Palm Beach, we contacted the convention center. When they told us we could not rent the main exhibition hall, we asked about the ballroom. This is the reply from Maria Walker, marketing director: "...unfortunately, the ballroom is not ideally set up for a show like this with booths and the electrical is VERY limited up there. It is not set-up like the hall."  I'm sure the Palm Beach Show Group and Juried Art Services have this same information. 
    Artists: think about this for a  moment - no electrical drops. No way to light your booth except the light bulbs in the ceiling. And have you seen that carpet? Ugly is not a strong enough word. The Palm Beach Fine Craft Show has always been one of the most beautiful in the nation, so if people hike up the escalator to a show that looks the way this is going to look, they will not be happy.  


    Another problem with the ballroom, which is not mentioned in the call or anywhere else: there is ONE freight elevator that goes from the loading dock to the ballroom.  One. How long do you suppose you will be in line waiting for that elevator? How many trips do you make now from the dock to your booth and back when you load in?  And what about load out? Are you willing to hang around on Sunday and wait for that one freight elevator?  I've been in the hall at 5:01 pm on Sunday, and so have you. Waiting is the last thing anyone wants to do.

    Now, about the little white lie they are telling about the show being held "in conjunction with the antique show." The antique show opens on Feb. 15 with a preview party, and lots of people attend because the tickets are free (more on those free tickets in a moment). However, the craft show opens on Feb. 17. So, the craft show artists are not invited to the preview party. Tacky. The antique show hours are 11am-7pm; the craft show hours are 10am-6pm. At least you'll get to visit the antique show for one hour before it closes. The antique show runs through the 21st, but the craft show closes on the 19th.  Another scheduling problem with load out. 

    Now, about those free tickets. Elizabeth Kubie from Crafts America sent an email to several hundred artists, telling them to go with the PB Show Group because they know how to attract big crowds.  I encourage you to read this blog from one of the antique dealers who has decided not to return to the Palm Beach Show:  

    http://blog.chasenantiques.com/tag/palm-beach-show-group/

    To summarize, he talks about opening day here: "The show started with very few people, probably because there were so many attendees the previous night at the preview party. It got more crowded as the day progressed, but the quality of the inquiries has been poor."  He goes on to write about those free tickets: "The show attracted many attendees partly because the PBSG gave out thousands of free tickets, but also because they did a good job of advertising. The problem was the show attracted thousands of the wrong people. The purpose of spending a lot of money to exhibit at a fancy show in a wealthy neighborhood is to attract qualified buyers, but that didn’t happen." On Saturday, he wrote: "Attendance has been good, but not with the right people...PBSG gives out thousands and thousands of free tickets, so why not come and visit a prestigious antique show if you don’t have to pay? Great for the public. Awful for the exhibitors."
     

    I was the publicist for the Palm Beach Fine Craft Show for 9 years, and one of the things I prided myself on was the fact that we sold more tickets than all of the other Palm Beach art shows combined. And we attracted the right people. 

    Here's the good news: we now have over 80 of the nation's best artists on board (our shows are by invitation) and many have signed up in the past two weeks, since this whole mess started. And we will continue to bring the best of the best on board in the coming weeks. The artists know us and trust us, and for that we are eternally grateful.  Feel free to contact me at bill@aeshowgroup.com if you would like to discuss further.  

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