WANTED TO POST MY OPINIONS OF ART SHOWS WE HAVE DONE ION THE PAST YEAR:
SCOTTSDALE AZ: NOVEMBER 2012 BAD SHOW - TOO SPREAD OUT I DON'T THINK MOST CUSTOMERS COVERED THE ENTIRE SHOW. NO ONE SEEMED TO BE BUYING - NOT JUST AT MY BOOTH - BUT ANYWHERE - ALL THE ARTIST I TALKED TO WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED. NICE ARE - VERY SMALL SALES
TUCSON STREET FAIR: DECEMBER 2012 GOOD SHOW - GOOD SALES, BUT SET UP AND TEAR DOWN WERE VERY DIFFICULT AND SINCE THEY PUT IN A TROLLY DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET I EXPECT IT TO BE WORSE. PAIN TO SET UP AND TEAR DOWN BUT SALES MADE IT WORTH THE EFFORT.
CHARLOTTE NC - ART IN THE PARK, SEPT 2013 - WORST SHOW!!!! I HAD READ WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT THIS SHOW ON THIS SITE A FEW YEARS AGO. I SPOKE TO SEVERAL OTHER ARTIST WHO HAD READ THE SAME GREAT THINGS ABOUT THIS EVENT. TRAVELED ALL THE WAY FROM CA TO NC WITH A FEW SHOWS ON THE WAY. IT WAS AWFUL!!!! TOUGH SET UP AND WORSE TEAR DOWN BUT THE WORST PART WAS THE ATMOSPHERE. THIS IS NOT AN ART FAIR!!! ITS A CARNIVAL!!! KIDDIE RIDES ON ONE END OF THE PARK, CARNIVAL TYPE FOOD VENDORS, COMMERCIAL BOOTHS FOR INSURANCE, LARGE FORD CAR DISPLAY, GIVING AWAY CRACKERS, YOU NAME IT! WORST SHOW OF MY OVER 20 YEARS OF SHOWS. CROWD WAS LITTLE MORE THAN PUSHING BABIES IN STROLLERS OR PRE-TEENS RUNNING FREE WITHOUT PARENTS. I ACTUALLY STARTED KEEPING TRACK OF PEOPLE WITH ITEMS THEY HAD PURCHASED AND IT WAS LESS THAN ONE PER HOUR. THE ONLY THING THESE PEOPLE BOUGHT WAS ICE CREAM. THEN THE CHILDREN BROUGHT THE PRECARIOUSLY HELD ICE CREAM UP TO MY BOOTH AND SPREAD IT ON MY WORK. DO NOT DO THIS SHOW IT IS NOT AN ART FAIR IT IS A CARNIVAL
Comments
i wonder if you a re noticing that the economy is still not rebounded to allow for expendable income for art fairs? In Northeastern Ohio we seem to have been hit hard with loss of jobs, and the downturn in the economy... and some of the shows that were highly successful a few years ago are filling with lookie-lous and few buyers. Another artist friend of mine terms it "Art as Entertainment" where people walk around, look alot, perhaps ask a question, but have no intention of buying... they look at the artists much like people look at the animals in the zoo. That trend seems to be spreading to more of the formerly great shows. But i will not loose hope... and crowd patterns are not always predictable.
Linda - steady on.... pick your next events and go with an open mind, and a desire to enjoy what you do, and love people. It always seems to make the event better, and people know when they a re appreciated. And dont loose heart.
Honestly, there is no reason for such a lovely town as Charlotte not to have a decent outdoor event. There are a lot of well educated people there with good jobs. I'm sure since they are such a big banking center that the recession must have hurt them, but it is time for a good street fair. Several groups have tried ... and we have gone there for three different organizers, but hard to make any money.
The one where the near riot occurred was just a cattle call - hordes of people pouring down the street looking neither way. With the right marketing something could/should work here.
Linda, have you done any good shows?
So Sorry for you that The Show was awful. I lived in Rock Hill SC Just below Charlotte over the state line and would never even entertained the idea of doing that show. Wish, You would have thrown it out on line I could have filled you in. Now, There is money in Charlotte, very lovely homes in the older neighborhoods, as I was friends with a bunch of those people but I saw a lack of sophistication when it came to the arts. All, those Panther Football players live in the Lake Norman area which is high end but I think the same would apply.
There are a few shows in Edmonds. Was the show you referring to the early one in June - down on the waterfront? If so, I am very happy to hear that someone can do well at it.
I did Edmonds this year (2013) and it was a very good show for me!
I did a show two years ago in Edmonds, WA around the 1st of June. It was exactly the same thing, carnival rides, beer garden, commercial displays etc and it was the worse show I have ever done. Your show description could have been the Edmonds show. I will always research a new show to be on the look out for this very thing and avoid them like the plague.
Yeah, maybe.
Wasn't that called Springfest and someone yelled gun or someone shot a gun in the middle of the show which started the riot?
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
I did a show in Charlotte about ten, fifteen years ago. Maybe it was the same show. It stunk. Also, there was a riot...
Well u got thru to me! Too bad; sounds awful!! Thanks for the heads up. Plan on rv'ing nx year so alwways great to hear of good shows; bad shows! thanks! Patty Mc
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next