Blog

May 21 & 22 
East Lansing, Michigan
Downtown Streets
180 Artists
Deadline:  January 31

Application Fee:  $35
Booth Fee:  $335 (10'x10') $670 (20'x10') $50 added for corner

Established in 1964, the East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF) kicks off the festival season each spring in the beautiful streets of downtown East Lansing.  The popular fetival attracts 80,000-70,000 attendees.  In addition to the 180 juried exhibitors, the ELAF encourages future artists through the Emerging Artist Program.

This non-profit event is beloved in the greater Lansing area and attracts devoted art buyers from across the state of Michigan as well as Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. Informally known as the "City of the Arts", East Lansing welcomes the finest artists in North America to exhibit at this highly promoted event.

East Lansing is a charming university town with a variety of shops, restaurants and galleries.  The beautiful Michigan State University campus is right across the street, which is now home to the renowned Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum.

At the ELAF-ranked #50 by Sunshine Artist Magazine-exhibiters can expect:Well-educated visitors, including professional people from state government and the university

• friendly volunteers who welcome artists and make load-in and load-out run smoothly
• booth sitting services and Friday set-up as well as free artist parking, coffee and welcome dinner
• affiliation with local public TV and radio-bringing the right people to you
• eclectic live music that enhances the art rather than distracts from it
• international flavors in a unique food court
• a festive mood-this is the kickoff of the local festival season

"I just wanted to thank you for a great experience in my first juried art festival this past weekend! Thank you also for stopping out to meet us individually during the course of the weekend. I have been attending the festival as a visitor for years, and this was my first time as an exhibitor. I appreciate everything you did to make the experience a positive and memorable one."

Apply:   www.zapplication.org/

<  Learn more:   www.elartfest.com 

www.facebook.com/#!/ELArtFest

info@elartfest.com

<                              Phone:  (517)319-6804

February 6 & 7, 2016

Downtown Fort Myers, FL

9 am to 5 pm

215 Artists

Option to participate in Opening Night - February 5, 2016

Deadline:  September 14, 2015

ArtFest Fort Myers works year-round to produce the best fine art festival in Southwest Florida and many artists agree that this fine art festival puts all the right components together to create a very successful weekend for artists!

Ask the artists - - -

"ArtFest Fort Myers was, by far, one of the top shows we have done in the past several years." Debo Groover, a MM2D artist who participated in ArtFest Fort Myers 2015. 

ArtFest Fort Myers has a comprehensive marketing campaign targeting art buyers throughout Southwest Florida and beyond.  Between TV, radio, newsprint, billboards, glossy magazines, ads in theatre & symphony programs, as well as a vigorous social media presence, they concentrate on bringing art savvy, motivated patrons to you.  Their web site is mobile friendly and the on-line Artist Gallery gives buyers a sneak peak at your work, in anticipation of your arrival!

"Thanks for hosting a terrific show - I have done your show five times, and this year was my best ever. What a great way to start a new year." Michael Brown, a digital artist from the 2015 festival. 

Show promoters- Puleeeeze stop calling for "vendors" in your prospectuses and advertising. It drives me nuts!

May 16 & 17 
East Lansing, Michigan
Downtown
Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 10am-5pm
200 Exhibitors
Deadline:  January 31

Established in 1964, the East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF) kicks off the festival season each spring in the beautiful streets of downtown East Lansing.  The popular festival attracts 80,000-70,000 attendees.  In addition to the 200 juried exhibitors, the ELAF encourages future artists through the Emerging Artist Program.

This non-profit event is beloved in the greater Lansing area and attracts devoted art buyers from across the state of Michigan as well as Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. Informally known as the "City of the Arts," East Lansing welcomes the finest artists in North America to exhibit at this highly promoted event.

East Lansing is a charming university town with a variety of shops, restaurants and galleries. The beautiful Michigan State University campus is right across the street, which is now home to the renowned Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum.

The combination of the University and the State Capitol nearby brings a well-educated population to attend and appreciate the handmade work.

At the ELAF---ranked #54 by Sunshine Artist magazine---exhibitors can expect:

• well-educated visitors, including professional people
  from state government and the university
• friendly volunteers who welcome artists and make load-in and load-out run smoothly
• perks such as booth sitting services and Friday set-up as well as free artist parking, coffee and break area
• affiliation with local public TV and radio---bringing the right people to you
• eclectic live music that enhances the art rather than distracts from it
• international flavors in a unique food court
• a hand-on area for children
• a festive mood---this is the kickoff of the local festival season!

Apply today:  www.Zapplication.org

For more information please contact:

Michelle Carlson, Art Festival Director

East Lansing Art Festival

410 Abbot Road, East Lansing, MI 48823

(517) 319-6804

e mail:  info@elartfest.com 

www.elartfest.com 

The festival is presented by the East Lansing Art Festival Board in cooperation with the Arts Commission/City of East Lansing.

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Find more art fairs around the country looking for artists: www.CallsforArtists.com

July 11 & 12 

Noteworthy:

May 2 & 3 
Elmhurst, Illinois
19th Annual Art in the Park 
Grounds of Wilder Park and Elmhurst Art Museum
10am-5pm both days

For more information and to download the application please visit: www.rglmarketingforthearts.com

and LIKE our Facebook page.

    

As some of you may remember, I won the full pass to the ZAPP Art Festival Conference from this year's pledge drive.  Well, it's been a long time coming, but I'm finally able to sit down and write about my experience there.

I flew from Oakland to Portland on Thursday morning and got to the Benson Hotel about ten minutes into the first session and quickly jumped from one session to the next, hoping to find topics that would help me learn how to make my art festival experience great and professional.

To be perfectly honest, I was a little disappointed at first to find out that the main sessions were geared more toward art fair promoters.  I think I had been expecting this conference to be more like a convention; where art fair promoters and advertisers had booths where would-be artists could learn all the ins and outs of art fairs, have some questions answered, and learn how to improve their business.  But thankfully there were some afternoon break out sessions at the conference that focused on the artists and how we could improve our experiences.

One of the break out sessions that I found incredibly helpful was the Public Portfolio Critique.  My husband and I submitted our art and mock booth photo in the hopes of getting some feedback on our stuff, and YAY, we were one of the artists they chose to judge!  But I also learned a great deal from their comments on the other artists' images.  It was very cool to be sitting in on a mock jury, to get an idea of where they're coming from, what they're looking for, and how to improve my chances to be selected for a show.

And then there were the lunches.  I normally find a spot out of the way to sit and eat (whether from fear or a need for solitude, I'm not sure), but on both days people came to join me and I'm so glad they did!  I met some wonderful people during those lunches, and have some good contacts now; some fellow artists and a couple promoters, one even in my local area!

I also got to meet Connie!  While sitting in the back of the room at Eve Connell's session about effective interpersonal communication, I got introduced to Kelly Smith Cassidy who was also sitting in the back row.  When Kelly heard my name, she said that Connie had been looking for me.  That was a nice feeling, and I made sure to go meet her after the session.  She's just as warm and friendly in person as she seems on her podcasts and in the comments and blogs she writes here on AFI.

I was unable to stay for the festival afterward--as I had to get home and spend the weekend with my husband and his daughter--but I know I'll be looking at the festivals I walk very differently now.

Thank you, again, Connie and AFI for this wonderful opportunity!  And hopefully I'll see you all around at art fairs very soon.

September 13 & 14
Atlanta, Georgia
Historic Piedmont Park
Saturday 10am-7pm; Sunday 10am-5pm
200 Artists
Deadline: April 21  

Set in historic Piedmont Park, this autumn festival of excellence in the arts is an event dedicated to bringing together outstanding artists from across the country with the large and enthusiastic art buying community of the Atlanta area.      

The  Atlanta Arts Festival is produced by a highly qualified staff and  strong volunteer pool, both with multiple years of event production and  promotion in the City of Atlanta.  This annual September event is committed to delivering a quality experience for both artist and patron! 

Eddie Myers, 2013 poster winner, "United"

Items of Interest:

• Held in Piedmont Park
• Juried show; artists selected by a panel of experts
• Limited number of participants to increase sales
• $7,500 in award money
• Artists retain all proceeds from their sales
• Commemorative poster image will be selected from a show participant
• Ranked in the 100 Best Fine Art & Design Shows by Sunshine Artist Magazine, September 2012

Artist Amenities:

• Artist hospitality providing continental breakfast & refreshments
• Booth sitting
• Load-in/load-out at booth space
• Free parking (parking information will be forthcoming in artist acceptance packet and/or check-in packet)
• 24 hour security patrols
• Discounted rates at participating hotels

For more info:  www.AtlantaArtsFestival.com

        

(770)941-9660 (office)

(866)519-2918 (fax)

Copied from my blog:

I had my world shaken by one person's images while jurying an art fair. Today was the jury for the art fair that Michael Kifer and I run in Kalamazoo Michigan. Because this is a different type of art fair (the Garage Sale Art Fair), Michael and I jury the show ourselves. It's something I'm very comfortable doing and really enjoy. This time it was even better.

Without permission I can't use the person's name but I will tell you that I wish the images of my own work evoked the strength of the feelings that these did for me. Just when you've seen your fill of overworked, over Photoshopped images, one person's work comes up on the screen and reaches up to grab you by the heart. I caught my breath and just drank it in. 

There's a lesson to be learned here for all of us. Make your images speak. Let them tell a story. Don't worry about making those big expensive pieces of your work because you think that's what a jury wants to see. Let the jury feel your work and they will get it. And you'll probably get into more of the shows that you want to do. I know I'm rethinking my own images...

Okay. Earlier in the year I snapped this photo of my car to the Crosby Festival of the Arts in Toledo, Ohio. Notice something?

Yes, my ham radio license plate. I have been an amateur radio operator for 25 years now - first getting my Novice license when I was 16 years old. I now have the highest class license of Amateur Extra.

Plus I am a Skywarn certified spotter. Something that comes in handy at art fairs. I can listen and report to the local weather net to hear the storms progress. That is kind of tricky with taking items down from your tent to get ready for the impending doom.

So do you have any other strange hobbies that kind fit in and kind do not fit in with the art fair circuit?

This is my second year doing shows. I am based in the Milwaukee area. I have decided to branch out and try some shows in Door County this year. However, now that I have gotten into a few of them, I am stumped at figuring out where to stay economically. Does anyone have any ideas? I may end up borrowing a tent and camping for $20/night, even though that seems like a bit more trouble than just sleeping in my car in the Walmart parking lot for free. Unfortunately, these art shows all fall on holidays where the motel rates are higher to begin with. 

September 14 & 15
Atlanta, Georgia
Historic Piedmont Park
Saturday 10am-7pm; Sunday 10am-5pm
200 Artists
Deadline: April 29

The Atlanta Arts Festival is a two day, outdoor festival with an emphasis on the visual arts.  Set in historic Piedmont Park, the festival fills the fall time art festival void in the City of Atlanta.

This autumn festival of excellence in the arts is an event dedicated to bringing together outstanding artists from throughout the country with the large and enthusiastic art buying community of the Atlanta area.

The Atlanta Arts Festival is produced by a highly qualified staff and strong volunteer pool, both with multiple years of event production and promotion in the City of Atlanta.  This annual September event is committed to delivering a quality experience for both artist and patron!

Items of Interest:

• Held in Piedmont Park
• Juried show; artists selected by a panel of experts
• Limited number of participants to increase sales
• $7,500 in award money
• Artists retain all proceeds from their sales
• Commemorative poster image will be selected from a show participant
• Ranked in the 100 Best Fine Art & Design Shows by Sunshine Artist Magazine, September 2012 

Artist Amenities:

• Artist hospitality providing continental breakfast & refreshments
• Booth sitting
• Load-in/load-out at booth space
• Free parking (parking information will be forthcoming in artist acceptance packet and/or check-in packet)
• 24 hour security patrols
• Discounted rates at participating hotels

For more info:  www.AtlantaArtsFestival.com    

Applications: www.Zapplication.org  

(770)941-9660 (office)

(866)519-2918 (fax) 

June 8 & 9

The  58th annual Talbot Street Art Fair is sponsored by Talbot Street Art  Fair, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts  and philanthropic endeavors; program grants, scholarship endowments and  awards.

270 fine art and fine craft artists from across the nation will participate in the oldest juried fair in Central Indiana.  The fair remains free to the public.

Media  categories are two dimension, two and three dimension mixed media,  clay, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, photography, sculpture and wood.  Merit  Awards of $250 are given for each category and also a $500 Best of Show  Award. In addition to the Merit Awards, we also sponsor Purchase  Awards.

All of the fair's focus is on the artists.

• We do not have   commercial booths or performing musicians.
• We do extensive advertising to bring you the customers that buy.
• The fair has a dedicated following of patrons who show up rain or shine.
• Our  local and regional media coverage includes billboards, newspapers,  magazines, online ads and radio and television interviews.
• We provide 24 hour security with our Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers
• Free parking for both artists and RV's and cold water.  We also offer the option of Friday afternoon set-up.  Our Block Captains help us create an organized fair that runs smoothly.

The booth space sizes vary from the standard of 10'x12' to 10'x22'.  Fees: $25 Application Fee; Booth Fee of $295-$545.

This is copied from my blog

You’ve applied to hundreds of shows over the years. You know what to do and not do with your images. ZAPP and JAS have made it really easy to quickly apply and not really think about it. BUT, when was the last time you went into ZAPP and checked your profile? Checked that all your information is correct? Checked your capitalization, spelling and punctuation? Have you checked your artist statement to make sure it’s current?

 The same things are important on JAS but on there your artist statement is even more important. When you’re being juried on JAS, your artist statement is right in the center of the page, easy for the juror to read. And you wouldn’t believe how many people make mistakes in there. The wrong words, extra punctuation, missing letters and the big one is your name! Sometimes just the first name, sometimes the full name, “James does this”, “Mary Smith likes that”. I was shocked during my latest jurying how many statements had names. Have you checked yours lately?

 Your artist statement should be current and if you want a juror to read it, it should be short. I don’t need to know where you went to school, what your life’s path has been or how many years you’ve been doing this. I need to know anything critical to what you’re showing me in your images. This is not your resume, please don’t list all the shows you’ve done. Short, readable and to the point.

 And then there’s the old issue of a name in the booth image. There are still many, many booth shots that have either the artists name showing or the business name. Please, please remove it. It will not help you and it may hurt you. Take down the booth signs that the show gives you even if you can’t read your own name on it. Anything that distracts from what you want the juror to be looking at which is your booth and the work in it. Leave the chair, that doesn’t bother me at all but get out all the signs.

 And I’ve learned a couple of new things in this last round of jurying that I’ve done. Photographers as a group have the most odd looking booth images of anyone. Many of them look like they’re 20’ x 20’ booths and amazingly they show under 10 pieces with no flip bins! Wow! Please don’t take offense if you’re a photographer because it’s probably not you I’m talking about but you probably know someone who fits this. Just something to think about.

 The other thing I’ve learned is that sterling silver must no longer be a precious metal. No one told me! Jewelers - if there are two categories, precious and non-precious and you work in sterling silver, fine silver pmc or gold, you belong in the precious category. And trust me, you don’t want to be in the non-precious category if you don’t belong there. There is some absolutely wonderful jewelry being made these days without the use of precious metals and you don’t want to be competing with them if you don’t have to. Of course if you’re applying in the non-precious category then I’m not competing with you for a space so maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this…

This is the blog I posted this morning.  It is directly related to a specific art fair but it's not the first time I've come home empty handed.  In this day and age and economy, perhaps more of us are dealing with this than not....

I recently returned from an art festival in Louisville where I have previously shown with success.  Not so this year.  Not one sale.  Zip. Zero. Nada.  I left the show thinking “I could have had so much more fun with the $600 I just spent to be here!”  The experience left me pondering.  If I look to financial success to define the weekend it will always and forever be an abysmal failure.  However (you knew that was coming)…

If I look to the results of the show I will be left with a different view point.  The results:  a decision to pursue different types of shows and festivals, a confidence to know it wasn’t about the quality of the art I create, a confirmation to be intentional with my pursuit of honing my craft and developing my personal style, a sensitivity to the art festival market, a beginning of a 5-10 year plan that might take my art out of the outdoor festival model.

Armed with a different perspective, Louisville will never be a failure.  It will be a turning point.  The ah-ha weekend.  The starting line of the next leg of this adventure I call life. ” Failure” is only the end of the line if I allow it to be.  I vote for allowing it to be a catalyst to a creative problem solving process that will move me forward in my journey.  Not the end, but the beginning of the next step.  Who knows where that step will lead.  The possibilities are endless.  I’m all in.

August 31-September 3 

Happy buyers at Arts, Beats & Eats

Royal Oak, Michigan
Downtown Streets
155 Artists
Deadline: April 10

We invite you  to apply to the 15th annual Arts, Beats & Eats. This festival is the "go-to" event  that heralds the end of summer in metro Detroit, hosting more than  300,000 visitors who come to enjoy the amazing diversity of art, music  and food in a cool urban setting.

This event is held in Oakland County, which is the  third-wealthiest county in the nation (including cities such as  Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Rochester).

The 155  artists chosen to participate come from across the country to join our  celebration. Being an art fair artist is a demanding business. A  professional staff awaits your arrival and we look forward to welcoming  you with perks such as vigorous volunteers, easy set up and take down, good cash awards, free food and beverage tickets and personal attention  to particular needs.

New this year:

• A lower number of artists than in 2011
• reduced exhibit space prices
• an enhanced layout with varied price  structures
• easier load in and load out
• improved parking access, and  much more!

This year we  will miss Connie Mettler, who has left to pursue

People love this festival

full time her commitment to artists through her various websites. Good Luck to you Connie!

We are pleased to add Donna Beaubien who has joined us as our new Associate Art Director to our Art Team. Donna comes to us from a long history as an artist and a director of art fairs, such as the Art  Fair Chair for the Guild; Art Fair Birmingham, Meadowbrook, Greektown, and the Village of Rochester Hills Art Shows. Welcome Donna!

We know you  are aware of the challenging economic times throughout the nation and in  Michigan, but we want to reassure you that we are committed to meeting  your needs and bringing you the audience you deserve. Ford Arts, Beats & Eats has been one of the few festivals that has been able to sustain a fine arts component over 14 years, and the event's recent move to Royal Oak and limited number of booth spaces, positions it as one of the top potential sales spots for artists anywhere.

Our  promotion is considered among the best of art festivals

nationwide. You  cannot be in the metropolitan Detroit area on Labor Day weekend without seeing specials about the arts activities on television, hearing artists' interviews on the radio stations and reading comprehensive feature articles in the press, directed solely to the juried fine arts show.

Buyers of all ages

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Looking for more art fairs for your 2012 season?

Visit www.CallsforArtists.com

I have been looking at getting a large format printer (Canon imagePROGRAF iPF6100 Large Format Printer) and I am seeking input from any experts out there who might like to chime in. I would be using this to print up my own work for sale.

I welcome any input anyone is willing to give. I know a little bit about printers, so don't be afraid to throw in technical jargon if the situation calls for it. : )

Thanks in advance

Michael R