A word of warning to anyone who has applied -- the deadline is/was April 18 -- to The Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest in Dayton Ohio the weekend of September 26: chalk up the $30 you spent for the jury fee as a minor loss compared to what you could have lost by actually doing the show. If you are accepted, run in the other direction.
I did this show the last two (or three?) years and had come to the conclusion that it was quite overpriced at $400 per 10 x 10 for an event that draws a huge crowd, but the crowd is interested in eating, drinking beer and listening to the live bands. Each year they attendees seem to get less and less interested in the art. Now we are something to walk past on the way to the beer.
What prompted this message is the notice on Zapp about the imminent deadline, and my innocent peak at the application to see if the booth fee was still too high for the return. I noticed that they had posted photos from last year's event so, oh what the hell, I'll take a look and see if I notice any artist friends.
Out of 1180 photos -- that's one thousand, one hundred and eighty -- guess how many had anything at all to do with the art? This includes showing an artist, showing some work, catching the corner of a tent, anything. The grand total is zero. No kidding. And this from an art institute.
That pretty much says it all, don't you think? They should be ashamed.
Comments
What is REALLY sad, is that it is put on by an ART INSTITUTE! You're RIGHT Robert when you hear the word "OktoberFEST'~BEER is the major draw... Sad, but funny comment from you!!! Hearing this, "Yeah, I guess Steve & I could have done worse shows!" Sorry you had this experience Karen~we have made mistakes too! Good thing you didn't go Scott~we love your ART~we would have hated seeing beer splashed all over it!
Jacki, I can't remember if there's a survey or not. But I do remember that last year several artists were discussing that the booth fee was way too high for the return, and when I asked if they told the committee that, the answer was yes. So none of this should be a surprise to them.
Karen, thanks for taking the time to let other artists know about this.
Does this show give artists a survey to fill out after the show?
Christine, I've started doing the Hyde Park show and even in the pouring rain I do far better there than at the Dayton Art Institute.
Problem is, I remember the Dayton show from 25 (30?) years ago when it was held in the center courtyard with the art museum wrapped around it. There was beer and food back then, too, but it was more about the art and it was pretty damned civilized, as I recall. So I was excited when I got into the show here in the 20-teens, but alas, it's not what it used to be.
It was the non-photos, though, that sent me over the edge. They mention artists in the event description on Zapp, but apparently that's where their interest in art begins and ends.
It's just so frustrating, because everything about the show -- the museum setting, the healthy booth fee, the prospectus, etc. -- would lead you to believe this is a good show, so unsuspecting first-timers get sucked in.
There should be some sort of cosmic penalty when show organizers oversell their shows to the point of lying about them, because the artists pay quite a price for the deception.
I'm embarrassed to say that this is my home town. We've lived here twenty-four years. It had always coincided with the much preferable (until last few years) Hyde Park Square Art Show in Cincinnati. Only art show worth considering in the Dayton area is Art on the Commons in Kettering where the art is pretty much what they come for. The much-ballyhooed Starving Artist Show and Spring Fling in Miamisburg are little horror stories of how not to do an art show. Mostly flea mart level with a handful of "real" artists sitting around looking miserable. Oh, and just to enhance delectability to the customers, a price cap of $50. (Unless it's gone up since I last checked.)
Karen, What a disgrace to the art show world. ugh!!!!!
Karen, What a disgrace to the art show world. ugh!!!!!
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