review of Artfest Midwest

This was my first time at this show. This was an inside show which was a wonderful break from the stress of being outside and checking the weather channel every five seconds.. Set up was fairly easy as they had parking on all sides of the building with a central large overhead door on each side. On Saturday the people seemed to be trailing in right when the doors opened and were steady all day. I am a painter and my booth consists of original wall art with a few reproductions. I believe my artwork is very reasonable being that my most expensive piece is 500 dollars. By the end of the day, I barely had anything left. However... my neighbor next to me was also a painter and his prices were 500 and up.. I don't believe he sold anything all weekend and he had some really nice work. I asked other artists how they did and they had the same response. The higher priced items were not budging.Sunday went well for me also which left me with a few items to take home with me. (Good problem to have). I wasn't able to talk to every artist there so there may be some large items that sold but I didn't see them being carried out. Lol one artist asked me if I would try and sell some of his artwork in my booth and he would give me a percentage as if I had some sort of magical powers over my customers! Overall I thought the crowds were good, quite a few seemed on the elderly side but they were buying. Sue Stookey was very nice and great to deal with, answered all my questions. I will definitely do this show again but I bet some higher priced artists won't.
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  • Hi, back! I always forget about the shuttles since we live locally and I know where to park :) It sure is nice that Des Moines is doing some things right. 

  • I really wanted to but i was flying solo at this show.. (my husband usually goes with me) So i was a little nervous about going downtown by myself. lol I know, im a chicken.

  • Deda, thanks for this info. I know a lot of people are curious about this event and whether work can be sold there. It seems to me a very healthy thing to have both of these events going on. It not only enhances the downtown show it makes people be even more interested because of the offerings available and maybe more inclined to make the trek to DM to see all of the art. Even the discussion or which show to attend and why enhances the enthusiasm about attending.

    Did you go downtown to see the Festival?

  • Also want to comment on Donna's statement.. Hi by the way! Along with the two shows going on at the same time, there is also a shuttle (provided by Artfest Midwest) that goes from the downtown to the fairgrounds! very nice! I heard some comments that the people who came from downtown prefer the art at the fairgrounds. I loved the artists there, in fact I felt a little out of my league.. Every artist was truly talented at their craft.

  • Oscar, My pieces range from 6x8 to 24 by 36ish.. So not huge.. although I am working on some ; ). I would suggest you do it if you have some smaller items for sale with your larger pieces. (you never know). I agree with an above comment that a lot of the customers are there because they cant afford the downtown show. My most expensive piece that sold was 250.00. Hope that gives you a better idea of the show? 

  • I should point out that these two shows ALWAYS go on on the same weekend at about the same times. The appear to be direct competition, but I think the theory is that as long as people are in an art fair mood, it becomes an even bigger draw. As things worked out this year, we were rained out of shopping at the Art Festival, and I decided to take my shopping to the indoor show at the fair grounds. I think there's a lot to be said for indoor shows. 

  • I have lived in Des Moines for years and this year I decided to attend ArtFest Midwest to scope it out for a future year. Artists coming into this show should definitely know that the "big" art show in town in the Des Moines Art Festival, which has been in it's current location and format for about 13 years now (I can gauge it by my daughter's age!) It has the reputation of being extremely high-end, attracting artists from around the country. Crowds are huge, the set up is purely professional, and prices can be shockingly high. 

    Locally, the other art show, aka ArtFest Midwest is at the state fairgrounds and is referred to, not disrespectfully, as "the other art show."  The local reputation is that you go to the Des Moines Art Festival to look, to eat, have a day at the fair, and maybe buy something small, but you go to "the other art show" to actually buy something. I do assume people are also buying at the the Art Festival too, or it would not be coming back every year, and it has a wonderful reputation. 

    I got a little more insight by talking to the artisan I bought from at ArtFest Midwest. She said that  when the art festival came into town and became this huge thing, the Iowa artists who had always participated in "Art in The Park" as it was known then, were basically shoved out. As an outgrowth of the change, many of those long-time Iowa artisans (herself among them) began ArtFest Midwest, and it seems to have worked out well for them too. I thought it was an interesting glimpse inside a show that I never would have expected just by buying a few coasters (which are just perfect, by the way.) Interesting to see this post, and while I consider the DMAF completely out of reach for me as an artist, I think AF Midwest may just be something I need to shoot for. 

  • I too enjoy this show, have done it before and will again. I have done the other show(play on words) and I like this one better. Had good sales plus the Des Moines people are very nice and the fair grounds has to be one of the best around! Sue is good & easy to deal with and very helpful too. My neighbor, who is a jeweler and has high end things had a good show too. Great week end!

  • Hi Deba, What size are your paintings? I was wondering about this show but it seems from your review the high end work wont work.

  • I have done this show five times, I believe, and I love it!  I have made very consistent, excellent sales every year.  In fact, it's been the most consistent show I do.  I do have reasonably priced art, as well (2D mixed media), with nothing over $300.  I think it's a great show for my price points.  Many of my customers comment that they can't afford anything at the downtown show (Des Moines Art Festival) and either don't go or go to both but buy at ArtFest Midwest.  And this show is SO EASY!  At teardown, after a point, we are even able to drive our vehicles into the building to load up!  I will go back for as long as I can and as long as I'm making such great sales.  

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