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Magical Fairy Place?

Posted by Scott Pakulski on July 17, 2013 at 10:34am

So, I had this idea percolating though my head recently; and, since it is the time of the Ann Arbor fairs, seems like this place does exist?

After taking to artists at various art fairs, they often mention a magical fairy place called ten times the booth fee. Where is this place? I know I am still fairly new to the art fair scene but the best I've done is maybe 7.5 times booth fee (West Shore Art Fair, Ludington, MI). 

I know I have issues form getting there. My inventory is always too low. I've spent most of my available funds on the tent and the Flourish mesh panel walls. Which does not leave enough funds to stock up on inventory. Will I hit this magical place next year (when I don't have to focus on a tent or display walls) and really look at the off season on replenishing my inventory to much greater levels than this year?

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Comments

  • Nolly Gelsinger July 22, 2013 at 4:23pm

    I've heard of that magical fairy place and it existed in a time before my memory.  When art fairs were really great, and it seems to me that time was in the late 80's-early 90's, artists used a rule of thumb "10 times fee" to determine if the show was worth doing again.  Those days are well over, don't you think?  Now if I do 3 or 4 times fee, I'm pretty happy.  At least at those numbers, I come home with something to reinvest in the business and maybe have a meal out!

  • Elle Heiligenstein July 22, 2013 at 11:37am
    Yes, Margaret some artists do make that much. My best show to date is right under 4K. It all depends on what you do, how much of it you have and the crowd. I nearly sold out of my small items at Ann Arbor. I started with 40 smalls and came home with 5. However, I have had shows where I couldn't give them away! You just never know.
  • Scott Pakulski July 22, 2013 at 11:31am

    So my biggest fair so far to date has $1509. I see what a few of my problems are. My framed pieces are too small and not enough inventory.

  • margaret luttrell July 22, 2013 at 11:02am

    I was at the American Craft Council Show in Atlanta this year and I had my best show to date. I felt so great hitting the 5thousand mark...euphoric really...then I went to 4 Bridges and saw another artist whose work I liked and asked him if he had a good show at the ACC Show in Atlanta too. He said he made 38 thousand dollars....I realized then that it was all relative and I just had to be happy with my accomplishments and not compare. But Jeez...is that normal???--do people make that much regularly? He also said his best show was at Ann Arbor where he made 64 thousand.....If I sold everything in my booth I wouldn't make anything close to that much.....sometime I just shake my head.....

  • Scott Pakulski July 22, 2013 at 10:29am

    Wow! Susan! 25 times booth fee! Way to go! I have never been there yet...

  • Scott Pakulski July 17, 2013 at 12:15pm

    Sorry to hear. Hope you have a good show!

  • Elle Heiligenstein July 17, 2013 at 11:49am
    Yep bunch of lookie loos. I don't expect to sell much today, after all it's Wednesday. I am only seeing small things walking by and some SOS. It is pretty hot down here too, thank God they have electricity for the fans.
  • Scott Pakulski July 17, 2013 at 11:41am

    Is it slow in your booth right now? Like me posting from Wyandotte last week. 

  • Elle Heiligenstein July 17, 2013 at 11:36am
    Hi Scott. Yes this place does exist, it's just a question of where. I believe it has to be somewhere, since I met the mythical buyer in Spring Green who said " I'll take almost everything!"
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