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Des Moines ArtsFestival—the nuts and bolts

This info will be helpful when considering applying for the show.

A few salient facts.

This is a biggie show.  Well respected,hard to get in, but a real money-maker.

Many artists do well over $10K.

This year there were 152 artist spaces.  Roughly, 1200 people juried for it back in 2019. The 2020 was cancelled,COVID, and we were rolled over to this year.

It is a three day show (Friday-Sunday) with long hours— Friday and Saturday 11am-10pm. Sunday 11-5pm.

Setup is on Thursday, they give you four hours before you have to move a van.

They give you electric.  You need it, especially after 8pm.  Bring fans for you and your patrons.

Booths are on paved city streets in downtown. You have sculpture park behind booths on one side and tall business buildings on the other.

It can be nasty windy, take heed. No staking allowed only weights.

Some booths are able to tie off parking meters.

They had five foot spacing between booths,who knows, next year.

Corner booths have wide open space between the next booth.

At teardown,booths must be on the ground before they issue a pass.

Exception. Corner booths are allowed to drive and park headin. So you

do not have to have all on the ground.

There is generous storage behind all booths.

The show does not do fine art categories.

Generous prize money with an auto invite.

Great artist breakfest on Sunday morn.

They constantly bring around water and snacks.

Good variety of food trucks.  I hit the Jamaican truck both days.

Crowd is pretty civil, no assholes.

They love art.

They buy pretty much conservatively. It is the Midwest.

The show director, Steven King, is one of the best in the country.

If you have an issue. You can call him.

That pretty well sums up the show.

I am going to Appleton,Wisconsin for a show at the end of the month.

Wish I had info like this to prepare for the show.

But people seem to be pretty close mouthed about giving out show info.

Later,Gators.