Am I the only one out here that thinks it's kind of heartless to email rejections (oops - "Not Invited") to us on Saturday afternoon? We all need the best attitude at every show, and if you were really counting on a show and got this love note at 5:00 on a sweltering Saturday with a beautiful forecast for Sunday is it possible that it would spoil your attitude? How big a deal is it to hit "Send" late Sunday or Monday? On the other hand, an "Invited" email would have the opposite effect, wouldn't it? While the email we got on Saturday did not negatively impact US, I can imagine it would some (did not really expect to get in, took a wild stab in the dark but it was a Zapp show, and of the 5 shows we have been "not invited" to 4 of them have been Zapp, so hopes were not high, and an alternate in the wings). So - am I just crazy?
You need to be a member of Art Fair Insiders to add comments!
Comments
I wish I could avoid emails on the weekends. We get emails from customers that are looking for us at the show, as well as web orders that have to be shipped on Monday. You are absolutely right, Barry, it is a business. We, as well as the promoters, are in it, at least partially, for the money. And business associates should consider the impact of their actions on others. For the record, I could care less about the emails, but there are a lot of fragile personalities in the Artist world. We all see them.
Well said Barry
This is a business, not a kumbaya moment. If you don't want the email on the weekend, don't open it until Monday. That's what I do for the very reason that it may affect my mood, even though I get plenty of rejections and am used to it.
I am a rare event promoter, who is an artist, my boyfriend is an artists, I have friends who are artists and when you become part of KoZmo Events your treated like family. I create art events because it is my passion to promote art and encourage people to support art. I am always saying," Stop decorating your home with junk from Pier One Imports and buy something original while supporting your artist and economy".
I get more upset with the wait list letter, it is disappointing to get the reject, but it is darn hard to plan around the wait list. especially if it is a good show. This year I actually got a call the day before the show to see if i was still interested!
As to Cynthia's comment, it is true the promoters do a good service IF and ONLY IF they actually promote the show. I was in two shows this year with a commercial show promoter where the community seemed to know nothing about the show. They were both held in busy commercial areas and if not for the location, there would have been no customers. That is NOT the definition of promoter as I understand it. There is work to be done to have the show, but like all good business you need to advertise to make the public aware or the product gets old, tired and diminishes in popularity fast.
Alan I understand your point of view but you know when I doing a show I do not open any emails that do not belong to show I doing and that is only if the promoter tells me that how they will communicate during the show. It is all about your attitude and you got another four days to deal with that. I will said in my case I only open them when I at studio hours. Not at night, not in my traveling day, not at my set up, not during the show, not when I having a bad week, etc.
But I understand your point but it is out of your control and considering everything else that is going wrong at the shows I will not consider this even an issue.
Unfortunately, Alison, not eveyone is as amazing as you are when it comes to a positive attitude. My point is simply that if you have the power to mitigate negativity in an artists life by avoiding the obvious bad idea of delivering bad news in the middle of a show, you should do it. Sheesh.
I have backed into a tree and broken my back window the morning of a show. I have gone to a show 2 days after putting my beloved cat to sleep. I have been at a show when my husband called and told me my car had been broken into in our driveway and not only had the convertible top been slashed but all my CDs had been stolen. And I've gotten rejection notices at a show. I have learned to put it out of my head and smile. I have done many jobs in my life from grocery store checker to parts runner and I've learned in every instance that you can't tell what it's like until you do it. My attitude is my job, not anyone else's.
>>Promoters provide you with a venue and an organized show so you can sell your work. If there were no promoters willing to do this work where would you show and sell your work? You should be thanking them for taking a chance and working to create an event. I really resent the attitude that promoters just sit and take your money.<<
The promoter/artist relationship is a two way street. I could ask the opposite question: Where would promoters be without artists or crafters willing to apply and then attend the show?
There needs to be an appreciation for the work and role of both sides of the aisle. There are promoters who are there to just take your money. There are artists who want to show up and be diva for the day (though I have not come across any that act like that here). I believe if one does enough shows you will find some caring promoters who not only love doing events but appreciate the art/craft factor. I believe there are plenty of artists who care about not only their art but the work that goes on behind the scenes to put on an event.
In reality, none of us truly understands the "other side" unless we have walked that path. I have been a scrapbooker for about a dozen years. I have organized "crops" for scrapbookers where we have a group of scrapbookers all at the same time. My events are smaller, around 30 or less. (These events can have into the 100's or 1000's, though mine have not.) There is always someone or several someones who thinks you just throw it together and that many, if not all, decisions are arbitrary, don't take into account their "special needs", that it costs too much, they don't have enough room, not enough prizes, not enough (or the right) food choices, not enough electrical outlets available, etc.
Pat, did you respond to the wrong post? No one here is bashing promoters, just asking for some consideration. While some promoters care very little about the artists, they are the ones that have new artists every year.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next