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This was my first show of the year and the first since having rotator cuff surgery four months ago. I learned some things on this go around, among which was the need to organize the way I hang pieces better and to next time take a decent step stool so I can reach the top of the panels to hang stuff instead of standing tippy-toe on the top of a two-step stool.

Load-in is on Friday morning starting at 9:00 AM and it is strongly suggested to be there early if your set up takes some time. Last year the community center building where the show is held had good size skids available, but I didn't see them this year. I did bring a dolly and it was a good thing as it is a few steps from the load out area to where my booth was inside the building. The problem is that if you unload everything into your space, which is only 8 feet deep, you have to move everything around while you set up display panels.

There is no storage space available in the booth unless you sacrifice some space at the rear. The show does have locked storage available, but it's the set up clutter that's the problem, not storage after the set-up is done. Several artists took the tactic of bringing in panels first and quickly setting those up before bringing in the rest of their material. Unfortunately that tended to bog down the spaces available to park your vans or trailers while unloading.

I opted for a 15 foot wide space, which were determined by request and how fast you sent in your payments. I sent mine in immediately after acceptance. I left a little space on the left side of the booth behind the panels, so the left side of the booth was only two 38" panels deep which left about 16 inches space behind me. That was just enough space to slide in Rough Totes sideways with zero clearance behind them and the artist behind me. But it worked though :-)

Aisles were narrow, zero clearance behind and beside your space, so you sit inside the booth or stand around. I put up an L set of panels in the middle and sat behind there where I could still see people when they came in on that side.

Sales were all over the place with some folks doing well, some fair-to-middlin', and others struggled. In other words, just like any other show, although I heard from several that they were down this year compared to last. I was down almost 50% from last year and wound up taking a loss. I'll apply again next year to see what happens and decide at that time what to do.

Some complained about the Friday portion of the show, which started at 5:00 and ran to 9:00. A mixed media artist got off to a good start with a couple of nice sales and was already breaking even by that point. Saturday was 10-6, and Sunday was 11-4.

Volunteers came around frequently with water and checking on us. Another nice touch was being able to order food in advance from the concession folks, with the volunteers delivering it to your booth. Sandwiches were great tasting and healthy, with the chicken salad sandwich as good as anything I've had elsewhere. I might mention that this is a volunteer driven organization and they have the show logistics well in hand. 

Tear down went fairly smooth with most out of the building in about 2-3 hours, and I wasn't the last out although close to it at 4 hours. I can lift heavy tubs to waist level but can't lift to shoulder high if it weighs more than 25-30 pounds, so it takes some finagling to stack tubs in the van on top of each other.

The show is organized in "streets" with names and a center "boulevard" that keeps it from clogging up with heavy traffic. There are about 130 artists in the show with all but about 12-15 in the rink area of the building. The others are in another room where the food concession and restrooms are. You need to bring your own lights as the building lighting is very high and some sections are dimly lit. Power is supplied with a limit of about 300 watts per booth. 

Here are a couple of shots taken from up in the bleacher stands to give an idea of the layout of the show. the shots aren't the greatest as all I had with me was my cellphone.

Atlanta, Georgia
Old Fourth Ward Park
Presented by:
The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces
Approximately 130 Artists
Deadline:  April 22

Application Fee: $25 ($35 mail in)
Booth Fee: $250-$400

Named "Best New Event" by the Southeast Festivals and Events Association, this two-day arts festival has become the perfect celebration of the artistic innovation that the Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood, considered to be the most up and coming neighborhood in Metro Atlanta. Visitors will enjoy art from up to 150 local and regional artists carefully chosen to reflect this historic but progressive neighborhood.  

Contact: Randall D. Fox, randall@affps.com | www.affps.com

It's a great question. And over the years I have always opted for a double booth for my own reasons.

It looks much more substantial which customers can assume , "Oh this is more impressive, this artist is more successful  THEREFORE I'd better check it out."

I specialize in humor which at first blush always suffers from the Rodney Dangefield effect- "Don't get no respect". But once people catch on to what I have (sometimes it's the color that draws them in- sometimes it's my personality) they have to read every single title of every single piece.

That's because when there's humor involved, no one wants to miss out on a good laugh. So when they read every single title, they stay longer, the booth fills up more, it looks like "Hey it's crowded so it must be worthwhile checking out". And the longer they stay the better the chance of them buying something. Plus it gives me more time to address the entire group with information (our specials) and humor "No internal laughing allowed here folks!"

Does a double double my sales? no!. But it sure feels more like a gallery than a broom closet. Way back I had a single inline booth at a very busy show. People got trapped in there. I could not get in to talk to anyone and I vowed never again to have an inline booth. Other artists can do fine with it. I can't.

So it's a single corner or a double if I can afford it. Whew! There you are. I hope that helps some of you.

Jeff

I rented a double booth at the Great Lakes Art Fair in Novi, Michigan last weekend. This is the first time I've had a double and I only did it because the art fair offered the second booth for 1/2 price, and its an indoor show. The double cost me $600 and I loved the extra room and the panoramic display on the back wall. For this one experience, the extra investment seemed to pay off. My sales were 50% more than they were last year (but that could be accredited to other factors as well). I'm wondering what other artists think about the extra expense (and work) of doing a double. I've noticed that most photographers have double booths. 

I have a Trimline booth. I'd be reluctant to buy a second one (my wife would kill me. She's not all that crazy about setting up one booth let alone two. Trimlines are hEAVY)). I'm thinking that I could set up in the middle of a 20-foot space and wing out a five foot awning on both sides.  This would only work in good weather so renting a double would be a risk. But, if I can make 50% more with a double, the gamble might be worth it. What are other artists' experiences with doubles?

I've been exhibiting at the Great Lakes Art Fair off and on for many years. I've never done terribly well at this show, but the timing (early April) and the location (indoors), is so tempting. If I can make a few bucks early in the season, it would be a great way to finance a few more shows in the summer (and pay a few bills). It is also only about three hours from my home in Saugatuck, Michigan. In past years I've sometimes kicked myself for investing in this show, but this year I'm happy I did.

The show takes place at the Suburban Collection Showplace, a big convention center in Novi, Michigan. It offers an easy setup on Thursday, when you can drive your vehicle into the convention hall, unload, then take all day for a leisurely setup. Or you can set up on Friday morning. Friday setup requires you to dolly your stuff into the hall. This year the show offered artists the option of buying a double booth for 1/2 off of the second booth. Single booths are $400. I added a second booth for an additional $200. Electricity is included. I stayed at a nearby Holiday Inn Express for four days, bringing my expenses up around $1200 for doing the show.

Show opens at 1pm on Friday and runs until 8pm. Saturday hours are 1-6pm and Sunday, 11-5pm. Crowds were never very big on either of these days but the best times seemed to be right after dinner on Friday, mid-day on Saturday and mid-day on Sunday. Saturday and Sunday after 3pm the place was nearly empty.

My sales were OK at about triple my expenses, so it was worthwhile for me to do the show. Other artists around me were mixed in their sales results, but that's the case at all art fairs. There are a few good artists exhibiting at this show, but there are also a lot of questionable exhibits. The show could use a lot more fine art and fine crafts. The convention center sponsors this show and does their best to make a profit. They charge a $12 admission fee for each day and they also sell booths to local businesses hawking windows, insurance and rain gutters (among other things). A mattress company rented a big space and had a lineup of about 20 beds in one location. They also have a small cafe set-up and a bar in the middle of the floor. My booth was right across from the bar (which paid off for at least one sale to a tipsy fair-goer).

If you do this show, don't expect sales to skyrocket, but it might help pay a few bills early in the season. I'd personally like to see a lot more fine art and craft. I think it would boost the popularity of the show among the locals. I plan to participate again next year.

This show has been going on 42 years, and this was the first time they cancelled the Saturday of it because of imposingly bad weather. Ironically, I had left Tampa early Friday morn and headed up to Cedar Key to do a shoot before traveling back east to Gainesville.

When I arrived at the show location nobody was around. So I checked my emails and saw that they had cancelled the Friday setup andSaturday Show because of bad weather. We were to setup Sat. After 5pm and have a show on Sunday. Bummers!

I drove back to Tampa, a two hour drive.

So Sat. I left home at noon in a pouring rain,heading to the show. Being the first of the month, all the snowbirds were heading north out of Fla. The interstate was clogged with traffic and the weather sucked. It took me four miserable hours to get there.

Thank God it was a mellow setup. They had a free dinner on Saturday. I finished setup and drove for 30 minutes to my hotel in Ocala. Sunday morn was clear and chilly, needed a vest. Show started offically at noon but I opened at 10am. Made my first sale at 10:30.

Crowds finally showed up around noon.

Sales were pretty much low end for most of us. I only saw two big packages go down the street all day.
I made decent money for the day, but it was way too much driving. I won't do that again.

This is nice little show but I would come any great distance to do it. Too many exhibitors for too little sales.

August 20 & 21 

The Golden Fine Arts Festival is located adjacent to Clear Creek History Park in historic downtown Golden.  It is a favorite show for visitors from throughout the state.  

• Artists comment that they appreciate the strength of our marketing program, mix of art, good sales and the respect and support given to them by organizers and volunteers throughout the show. 
   
• Visitors comment on the beauty of the location, ease of seeing the show, free parking and mix of art.  

• Cash awards = $1,800
• artist reception of Friday night, light breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings, hospitality suite including lunch both days
• booth sitters
• night-time security and early set-up on Friday

 I don't even know how to explain this show.....except that last Fall I went to a show in Covington, Louisiana that I really liked... not just for the fact that it was a good solid sales show for me, but also because I just really liked Louisiana( a first time for me) ... and it didn't hurt that they also have great food and know how to make an excellent Bloody Mary.  

So, since I have never been able to crack the hard shell entry to the New Orlean's Jazz Fest in the last four years,  I decided that maybe it was worth the drive to try out Baton Rouge. It was a new listing on Zapp but a show that had been around for a few years. After arriving, I found out that it was a show that was under new management this year and the director, Malcolm Robertson was trying to keep all the balls in the air at the same time. Without any irony, (which there is plenty of in the deep south) I would like to declare..."Bless His Heart" - he did an amazing job- I can't even imagine what he must have been up against. He was helpful and accommodating and really nice while keeping everyone happy.

Let me back up a bit and tell you a little background. It was a 10 hour drive, that is never an auspicious beginning for me.... any time-any show. Plus, last Thursday and Friday there were more Tornado warnings up in down Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana than you could shake a stick at. Booth spaces got assigned last Thursday...and that is when we were notified that set up was on Saturday morning. I walked the show on Friday night when I got there and I realized I had a booth spot that would be in full sun and emailed Malcolm to see if I could change my spot. Even though I sent an email on Friday night...I showed up early on Saturday and wondered what to do. Malcolm helped me move my booth and I was set up under some big oaks and out of the direct sun ( I'm an encaustic painter) .

 The show was set up in the main historic square with plenty of space behind the booths for storage. Once the show started I was really surprised at the crowds. There were about 80 booths that were set up on the tree lined median. I can't say that Saturday was very warm and it got pretty windy but luckily there were no flying tents and nothing too crazy happened.

The people of Baton Rouge however did come out in full force and were eager to buy and everyone I talked to had a good solid day. There were also a good amount of awards given out and they were pretty substantial amounts. I was lucky enough to be one of the recipients.

I usually hate when music is close to me at a show... but honestly, I was amazed at the diversity of musical genres that were on display, Everything from poetry jams to rap to mariachi bands -to great folk and indy bands.  And I only heard one stage! There were two other stages with the main stage pretty far from the artist venue. It was well thought out and really enjoyable. The show delivered lunch to the artists, which was a nice touch...But, just a wish for next year... Please provide coffee in the morning, as most of us are truly addicted and need it desperately and there was no place open or around to purchase it in the A.M.

Sunday was warmer and sunny and no wind and the crowds came out again. For me personally, it wasn't as good a day as Saturday but it was still decent. The potter's I talked to said they had done well and the painter next to me had a good show, but I was on my own, so I didn't get around as much as I would have liked. Load out was easy as we were aloud to bring our cars right up to our booths. 

For a show in transition, I felt like I was at a show that had the potential to be great in a few years. It had good bones and a director that wanted it to succeed. It had great music and a buying crowd that usually has to go other places to get any art that isn't local. It's a drive, that for sure... but sometimes it's not such a bad thing to go with your instincts and take a chance on a show that isn't tested and reviewed. It's risky, that's true... but you might just be pleasantly surprised! And if nothing else...you will definately appreciate the Bloody Mary's.

Bill Kinney is a new breed of show director, coming from years of experience selling his own photography at art shows. His diverse background brings many skills to the table, making his shows in demand by some of the higher end artists on the circuit. Read about Bill's philosophy on art events and his ideas on how to fix and rescue the art fair industry.
http://bermangraphics.com/blog/bill-kinney-interview/

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100