Blog

This was my third year in Tubac, and it's been better every year. 

My dad and stepmom live in Tubac, so I do have a little bit of a different attitude toward this show than toward many others. It's a five-day show, and the booth fee is $600. My first two years, I basically tripled the booth fee, and I was OK with that. $1800 is a low-acceptable rate for me for a two-day show, but really pretty crummy for a five-day show.

Spending time with my dad and stepmother is primary in this trip. Secondary is plein-air painting. Third, getting out of winter. The show is fourth on my list, so I can live with $1800 - especially since I'm staying for free. 

That being said, my total for show and post-show sales this year was over $7K, so I was quite pleased. I'm a painter with large, bold pieces, not the type of work that you buy on a whim. I'm learning that sticking around after a show is a smart thing to do - and in this case, was what I had planned to do anyways. 

But let me start at the beginning. Tubac is a tiny golf and art village 40 miles south of Tucson. The show takes over the town, the second week in February, from Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Set-up is Tuesday - starting at 2 p.m., when you get your packet and find out your location. 

I've always been in the same spot, and it's a spot where it's easy to set up, where storage space behind the tent is plentiful, and where parking is close. My neighbors have generally been the same, all three years, and are very pleasant. It seems that most spots have some space, and that set-up is generally not too difficult.

The quality of work in the show is pretty high, though you should expect "vendors," i.e., people selling STUFF - soap, garlic-infused stuff, "All Artificial!!" cactus (actually, these were pretty amazing) candy apples, candles, etc. Some work that marketed itself as "handmade" clearly was not. But the Real Art and Craft is quite good. 

In my limited experience, buyers come out on Wednesday and again on the weekend. Thursday and Friday tend to be lookers, and people wanting low-end items. They are generally older, retired folks, of which there are many in the area. 

A jeweler friend had a good show, selling items from both high and low ends of her price range. A painter friend who has a lot of prints sold more than $2K on the first day, and had decent days afterwards, including selling an original after the show. A photographer friend had a lousy show, and some trouble with his booth placement. He'd threatened to leave Saturday night, but stayed, and had a good Sunday, though I don't know his $ total.

Though one year it was in the 50s-60s during the show, this year and last the temps were 70s-80s. There's a good artist dinner on Wednesday, and every year, there's been someone selling edibles at some point during the day. That said, the town is crowded during the show, and you're well advised to bring your lunch. Booth sitters were plentiful this year, and very helpful. There are port-a-potties in very convenient spots throughout the show. Lodging can be an issue, but artists say to try Rio Rico, which is south of Tubac.

This is a friendly, cheerful show, with a decent potential for sales. 

After searching Art Fair Reviews and this site we can find very little information on this show, other than one post that said the food was bad a couple of years ago. If anyone has done this show recently could you share you experiences?  Our medium is photography.  

May 7-June 12 
Brooklyn, NY
presented by the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC)
500 artists in a gallery setting
Deadline: March 15

BWAC's 25,000 square foot gallery is in a Civil War-era warehouse on the Red Hook waterfront in Brooklyn. The vista of New York Harbor spanning from the Statue of Liberty to the Verrazano Bridge is one of the best in the city. Our 18,000 annual visitors also enjoy the nearby restaurants, bars, IKEA and Fairway Market. 

Our gallery's enormous space affords us the opportunity to exhibit really huge work, and we welcome it. We will be using 8,000 square feet for this show, and look forward to exhibiting artist's work from all around the country, work in all sizes, and subjects, and media, (it's completely wide open).

Theme of the show:
The broad theme of "Wide Open 7" encompasses all the possibilities of knowledge and freedom and love - wide open spaces...arms wide open...eyes wide open - but as with all things, there is the inevitable opposite - wide open to attack...corruption...failure. What kind of fantasy is this? What does it really indicate? This juried show looks to explore the idea of "wide open" in all the hidden niches of our collective psyches.

Who we are:
The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC,) is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. Organized in 1978 by 16 artists looking for a place to exhibit, BWAC has grown to become Brooklyn's largest artist-run organization with over 400 members. 

Our juror: 
We are privileged to have another of NY's art elite as our juror, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Beth Saunders, Curatorial Assistant. Before joining the Met as curatorial assistant, she was a Jane and Morgan Whitney Art History Fellow.

Fees: 
$65/3 images, plus $5/each addt'l image
Early Bird discount $45/3 through 3/1/16

Learn more & apply: http://bwac.org/2015/11/wide-open-7/

2016 Broad Ripple Open Jury Review

http://bermangraphics.com/blog/2016-broad-ripple-open-jury/

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

Hello! Does anyone out there drive either a small bus (like a short school bus or a handicapped-accessible community bus) or a small box truck? If you do, what kind of MPG do you get? 

I love love love my Nissan NV, and can fit a cot in it... but when the time comes for a new vehicle, I'm really thinking about one I can make into a more livable RV-ish thing, and still have enough room for my big paintings and tent stuff. 

Thanks for any info you can provide. 

Hello Art Show Family! This intrepid artist is back from Florida and ready to review my second set of shows for the Florida winter season. First, I'll dish about Artigras in Jupiter and then Suart's Arts Fest. 

I decided to try Artigras vice Coconut Grove for several reasons, but primarily my personal objection to outrageous booth fees (CG) and the desire to try something new. The set up at Artigras was deliciously unscripted- but it worked. The wide lanes for traffic and parking and an all day window put me in a relaxed frame of mind before I even drove up to my check in gate. The signage getting to the different gates were plentiful and easy to follow, btw, adding to the relaxation. So when I need to move my rental minivan a little to the left, a little to the right, front a bit, back a bit for the artists around me, I really didn't mind!

I found the check in packet good (I always read the materials) with only one confusing part-- artist parking. I must admit, I followed the lead of a few old timers near me and parked nearer to my booth than the mysteriously hard to find artist lot.

I was disappointed the trailer bathrooms were not reserved for artists only, and as I was alone at the show, I loved the "text for a booth sitter" feature. Morning breakfast staff were gracious, even if I think they had the same bagels out each successive morning. Hey-- free food is better than no food! (I have to give Beaux Arts better points for breakfast overall, maybe the best breakfast in the winter Florida season. #forReal)

I absolutely loved that the volunteers delivered lunch to the booth daily-- Thank you Jersey Mike's subs!!! I did not win an award, but the trumpeting and fan fare made it obvious that awards were being given out. Bravo! The show rained out on Monday, but I made $300 for the day- so I guess I had an excellent day based on other reviews. Load out was easy and it was a pleasant experience for the show overall. 

Ok, Ok, thanks for the logistics chat-- but "how were sales???" you'd like to know. I'm a jewelry artist and find my normal price lately has been $150-$225, but average sales tickets at Artigras were $100-$115, most frequent price point being around $85. For me, the magic multiplier price point is the $200 & up sale and those were few and far between. I worked hard for sales and have hope that exposure to my work will drive eshop sales later in the year.

Overall, it was a solid show and maybe in the long term it would average higher than normal. I was able to keep lodging costs low and the booth fee was lower than CG. There seemed a lesser degree of sophistication in the buying population overall, not to mention the excitement factor of Jupiter vs Miami. In my secret artist's heart I missed Miami. 

Stuart Arts Fest was my two-fer show. With teenagers at home, I cannot make a 7 week Florida swing, so I plan tactical two-fer strikes allowing me to spread travel costs across two shows and limit the unpredictable weather factor we deal with every weekend.

It was a pretty small show; although staff refused to answer exactly how many booths were in the show. I'm guessing 100 booths. There was some great work there-- it makes sense on a Florida swing. However, there were 27+ jewelers. YUCK! Most of the work was nice, but please limit your categories, Stuart, it doesn't work out with more than 15%-20% of any one category. There were 5 potters, maybe 3 sculptors, a few mixed media-- get the picture?

Load in was confusing and I had an issue with the gates not being open on Sunday morning, but the greatest success they had as a show was the LOAD OUT PASS. I love it when a show does that!! Come on-- we're professionals, right? Break your booth down THEN get your car and if we can't be trusted to do it that way, then the show needs to step in and take in on board.

Breakfast was donated by a bagel shop down the street and we got to go in and pick out the bagels and what we wanted on them-- with a drink-- almost a princess moment. It was a small town touch and extremely nice. Sales were low with less than mediocre buying energy, but I tripled expenses and I had wholesale business at the show (it's always a nice surprise when that happens).

I enjoyed being able to spend time with customers as only a small, slower paced show allows. I would not plan the Stuart show as a stand alone show-- it is definitely not worth it, but it's an ok, non big promoter show for the time frame for a traveling artist. 

That wraps Florida up for me-- Scottsdale, AZ is next and I'll post a blog/review about it in March. Good luck out there, everyone! 

July 8-10
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Presented by: Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
320 Artists
Deadline: March 6

Application fee: $50
Booth fee: $450-$900 

We are Toronto's first, largest, and longest running outdoor art fair, a staple of Toronto's arts scene, a treasure hunt for collectors, and a fun, exhilarating and proud celebration of the arts, the artists and their talent.

As the largest outdoor art exhibition in Canada, the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition offers a fresh-air alternative to conventional art shows and galleries. 

Over 350 artists participate, interact and sell to an audience of over 100,000 visitors.  Side by side, established artists, undiscovered talents and innovative students sell their work directly to the public and make lasting connections with art dealers and collectors.

New this year:

• Artists can apply in up to THREE categories (fees apply)
• Artists can choose between two booth sizes - 10x10 or 10x20
• Artists retain 100% of all sales
• Accepted artists' are automatically entered into the Best of Exhibition Awards.  Last year, there was $20,000 in prizes awarded
• Apply early. Booth space selections are based on first-in-first-choice.  The earlier you apply, the better chance of getting your first space choice.

Craft Show Advice for the First-Time Seller
(sponsored post)

Author:  Chris Alexander

Congratulations! You’re on your way to your very first craft show! Once there, you’ll be meeting people who will like and potentially help you endorse your products. However, you might be a little nervous about what to expect or what to bring with you. You should not worry too much because selling your crafts should be an easy and fun experience. Here are some tips to ensure that your first show is less about stress and more about success.  

Check on the registration date for the show. See how far ahead you can register for a booth, as some shows are more popular than others and may fill up quickly. Contact the show producers to learn the details on when and how to register. Confirm if you need to provide proof of insurance to register. Also, keep copies of all registration paperwork and correspondence. When registering, provide photos of your crafts to show producers.

Ask about booth fees. Booth fees are usually based on show quality, so if you’re unsure about what the fee may be, look at the quality of the vendors who are attending the show. Also, how much it’s advertised and the anticipated attendance for the show. For a higher audience, such as 50,000 people, a booth fee of $1,000 would be appropriate. However, if the show only typically attracts 500 people, the booth fee should be fairly low. 

Make a list of everything you need to bring with you. Supplies should include a booth itself (if one is not already provided for you), decorations, office supplies (pens, pencils, a stapler, business cards, tape, scissors, surge protector and extension cord), a tool box and your products. Making a list ahead of time will help to keep you organized and focused.  Use the Lindbergh Craft Show Checklist to get you started. Lindbergh-Craft-Show-Checklist.pdf

Do a dry run. Set up your booth or at least a space the size of your booth before you go to the craft show to get an idea of how you want to display your crafts. Your preparedness will show when you present your booth and wares in an eye-catching and inviting manner.

Follow the rules. Be on time to set up your booth; do not set up too late or leave too early. Besides missing early or late sales, the show rules may require that you’re set up for a certain amount of time. Make sure your booth is set up properly and that you are dressed appropriately for the show. Take responsibility to review the craft show rules before you arrive and even bring a copy of the rules with you.

Engage with show attendees. When the show starts attendees start to mill about, smile to show that you are welcoming and willing to talk to them. Be friendly but not overbearing, and offer to provide customers with information on the products you’re selling. Also, just a simple acknowledgement, such as “good morning!” or “good afternoon!” will at the very least turn the head of passersby.

Reciprocate contact information. When someone asks for your contact information, ask if they’d be willing to share theirs as well, and add them to a mailing list where you can notify them of new products or future shows where you’ll be exhibiting. This will help build your clientele as well as increase the possibility that they may refer you to others that might be interested in your crafts.  

Most importantly, show you love what you do. Showing your enthusiasm for displaying and selling your crafts should be apparent and natural. Introduce yourself to other sellers to network and exchange ideas – you may even make a friend or two!

Follow these tips and your first craft show experience is bound to be less nerve wracking and more fun-filled and exciting - and you’ll be that much more ready for the ones to come as well!

Learn more about why you may need a proof of insurance to sell your wares at a show. 

Sources:

http://aeolidia.com/trade-show-tips/

http://www.craftsreport.com/beginning-business/236-doing-craft-shows-simple-tips-to-make-your-experience-successful.html

When you read these art fair reviews you have to realize that every artist participating in a given show will have had a different experience... sometimes drastically different. I posted a mostly positive review of Arti Gras in Jupiter last week, and Nels posted a mostly negative one. Just goes to prove that every art fair is a crap shoot.

I ran into Ellen, Nels main squeeze, at Naples National yesterday and she told me she had a great day on Saturday. Huh? I had a terrible day on Saturday. You never know...

Naples has a lot of art fairs and this one is arguably their best one. It is set up in Cambier park, downtown, and along 8th street adjoining the park. Setup for this show is on Friday and the committee tries their best or schedule and organize a difficult situation. Most of the booths are in the park and these artists have to dolly in, and most of them have to park on 8th street to unload. So... us artists who are exhibiting on 8th street have to wait until the park artists have all unloaded. Our scheduled setup time was 7:30 pm (moan), but we did get in a little ahead of schedule. The committee rented lights on the street for setup so we didn't have to set up in the dark. Since we were among the last to get in, and our booth was toward the far south end of 8th street, we were able to leave our van on the street for the entire setup.

Artist parking for this show (and, I think, most of the Naples shows) is three miles away. The committee booked a closer parking lot about four blocks away, but at a $50 fee for both days. I paid the fee so I didn't experience the free artist parking. There was a shuttle that ferried artists back and forth, but I didn't hear about how successful this shuttle was for artists.

Saturday was not a good day for us. Lots of people, but slim sales. We sell small 5x10 inch prints for $28 each for the low end buyer, and that was all we sold on Saturday (I'm a digital artist/printmaker). Clientele was mostly retired Naples people who just "did not have any more room for art on their walls," or were "downsizing and not buying any more stuff." Sound familiar? Also, my work is kind of surrealistic and fantasy oriented, so, not a good style for the retired crowd.

Sunday started out the same, and I was getting more and more depressed, but about 1pm we got a flurry of sales that lasted until about 3:30. It seemed to me that the clinetele changed around then. More tourists and vacationers than residents and retirees. That saved the show for us and we wound up with just over $3K in sales. Disappointing, but not a disaster.

Weather was great for the weekend... dry for once. Pack up for us was pretty easy. We broke down and were able to bring the van in from the far south end of 8th street. We were out of there by 7:15.

Not sure what to think about this show. Marcia wants to drop it from the schedule next year, but, who knows? We had a pretty good show here in 2014 (didn't exhibit last year). But our booth was further north on 8th street closer to where Ellen was set up. Maybe a better booth location... or maybe the stars were just not aligned in the right pattern this year. Whatever... 

June 11 & 12

• Qualified buyers
• cash awards
• overnight security & free parking
• Artist breakfast

August 5-7
Crested Butte, Colorado
Presented by: Crested Butte Arts Festival
165 Artists
Deadline:  March 4

Jury fee: $35
Booth fee: $375 Standard; $450 Corner

New this year:

• CBAF will showcase our Emerging Artist Program
• Student Art Buying Program
• an amazing artist VIP area 
• an Artist Home Stay Program to off set the cost of lodging.

Apply:  www.zapplication.org

September 2-4
Lancaster, PA
Presented by Long's Park Amphitheater Foundation
225 Artists
Deadline: March 1

Application fee: $35; Booth fee: $540-680

Labor Day weekend finds 10,000 art lovers flocking to Long's Park in picturesque Lancaster, PA to shop for fine arts and crafts. This top-rated, award-winning show draws sophisticated, high income buyers from Philadelphia (and parts of NJ), Baltimore, Washington, D.C. (and into VA), Wilmington, DE and all across Central Pennsylvania thanks to the quality of its exhibitors and extensive traditional and digital marketing throughout the region.

Set in a tree-lined park where booths line walkways surrounded by a tranquil, freshwater lake, Long's Park treats its guests to a virtual outdoor gallery of the best work being created. 

The park is located in the outskirts of Lancaster City - a growing, vibrant arts destination in its own right! Lancaster City boasts Gallery Row along with cute coffee shops, restaurants, breweries and theaters. Attendees like to make a weekend out of the festival and all Lancaster has to offer.

For 37 years, Long's Park has fostered very special relationships with its exhibitors. Booth fees include two catered breakfasts, an exhibitor dinner, and advance mailing services (postcards and emails). In addition, there are RV accommodations and community hosts continue to offer exhibitor housing on a first-come/first served basis.

Marketing Plan:
Traditional and digital marketing/advertising will be placed in and around Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and Wilmington, DE with some advertising in Central PA (Harrisburg, York, Lancaster and Lebanon). Additional direct mail and database marketing will be explored and included in the advertising mix.

What the Artists say:

“Keep up the good work! I only do several shows a year and this is by far and away the best. Great setting, good buyers, and excellent artist amenities. Who else feeds you and takes care of you like you do!”

“I thought the show was of high caliber ... Love the fact that you guys/gals make this show about the art, artists, and customers. So many great things ...”

Apply: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=4467
Learn more: http://longspark.org/art-festival/exhibitor-application/
Contact: Bill Wright, info@longspark.org, (717) 735-8883

Over the years, I have been as critical as anyone regarding the Howard Alan Shows. I think he has too many shows and has diluted the market, at least here in Florida. This is exacerbated by the fact that many other promoters saw HAE's success and have copied his business model leading to a further dilution of the market. No show is special now because there are so many of them.

To compound the problem, all the big shows in Florida have expanded their events to create circus like atmosphere's charging entry fees and adding more food, more sponsor booths, more music, and as many other things that distract from the thing that made those shows great, which is the art work.

Increasingly every year, I felt that we, the artists, were just the draw to get people to come and then the show tried everything they could to take their money with items that would make them money. Increasingly, I felt used as my gross sales declined and the attendance grew. Many of us have stopped coming down to Florida because it wasn't a viable market anymore. This could be difficult for some because we need the cash flow to pay for all the spring, summer, and fall shows that are due now and in the next couple of months. Enter the Howard Allan Shows.

The first thing you notice about the HA shows is that they haven't changed much over the years. He has a formula that works. Thirty years ago, we only did HA shows if we couldn't get into the blockbuster events. To their credit, they were and are loyal to their artists. If you supported them, they supported you by letting you have a space. That worked for a lot of people and artists preferred to do HA events because they could count on having a space in their shows.

Another word for not changing much is "consistency." That is a good thing. As shows got bigger and bigger adding more and more annoying distractions, HA stuck to the formula that the art is, not only the most important thing, it's the only thing. There are no food vendors, no music, no begging artists for donations for silent auctions, no t-shirt booths, no poster booths, no beer, etc., etc,. There is only the art. Ironically, as I was whining incessantly about all the crap at shows, I avoided Howard Allan events. I should have been paying closer attention.

I have done the Coconut Grove Arts Festival for over 30 years. I have won my share of awards there and numerous purchase prizes, when they made an effort to cultivate buyers. They used to have a pre-show event, starting at 8 AM on Saturday. The patrons would commit to supporting the artists by buying show bucks weeks before the show. They would get to see the images at pre-show events during the week and they would make notes as to who they wanted to buy from before the show started. This was fantastic.

For me, a few years in a row, I would have my best show ever before the show even opened at 10 AM on Saturday. CGAF has the record for my biggest single art fair day and it has been my best show ever. Sadly they cut this out a number of years ago, added a gate fee, brought the food vendors closer to the artists, added beer hawkers, replaced the appropriate live jazz with raucous music, appealing to a younger crowd that had no interest in buying art. Last year was the tipping point as they added a t-shirt/poster booth kitty corner to my space and parked a golf cart across from me and left it there all day. So, I didn't even bother to apply this year.

I had a choice to make to replace the Grove show. There was St Stephens. If I did that, I might as well go ahead and do CGAF because they are in the same area. I could have done Arti Gras, which I have never done. Arti Gras like CGAF, charges a ridiculous gate fee. Someone said it was $12. Someone else said it was $16. Either way, that was unacceptable. I wasn't about to support that. I could have done the rotary Sanibel Island show. I did that show once and I didn't like the fact that the show is run by ex-military types that were control freaks. I felt that I had to ask permission to go to the bathroom. So, that was out. That left the Howard Allan Sarasota Show. I'm glad I did it.

Set up is the morning of the show. This starts at 3:30 AM. You get to drive to your booth, unload your display and work, and then go park. If you arrive after 5:30, you have to dolly in. You are not supposed to start setting up your tent until 5:30. It takes me over an hour to unload, so, by the time I parked and got back to my booth, I could start setting up. Set up is really easy. There is plenty of space to drive in and unload.

There is more than enough free parking for artists. Since there are no vendors, there are no huge beer trucks, food trucks, etc. that you have to fight and work around. Take down is even easier, as there again is a lot of space and load out is staggered because everyone packs up at their own rate. One real pet peeve at a lot of shows is that the show tries to control load in and load out. I've often said that if you leave it up to the artists, it would only take a couple of hours to get in and out. If the show controls this, it will take 8 hours or more. HA allows the artists to control the set up and take down, so, of course, it is a quick pleasant experience.

The show opens at 10 AM. People start arriving at 9:30. There are only artists booths. As I said before there are no food booths, beer hawkers, etc. Consequently, there are no twenty somethings drinking and checking out the girls. There are only people who are serious about the art. I had many great conversations and a lot of compliments because, lo and behold, people were there to look at and buy the art work.

The one thing that everyone says about Howard Alan Events is that he brings in the crowds. I found this to be true. The streets are wide. Where I was, the booths faced each other. there is a section where booths are back to back. You get 11-12 feet, so, you aren't packed in like sardines. I'm guessing there are only 200 booths. Certainly, there aren't 400 booths. I saw everyone twice.

As a patron, it is an easy show to do. If you want eat something there are some really nice small restaurants around the show. The street is clean and wide so if the show had a lot of customers, there were no bottlenecks. A block away on a side street there is a farmers market with some great things to buy. You wouldn't know it was there unless you walked down the street. The area is upscale but not glitzy. Just my kind of place.

I never post numbers, but, everyone I talked to had a solid show. Some had a great show. My price points are $80-$800. I only sold only a few pieces under $200. I love making sculptural non-functional teapots. I used to sell 6-8 per show. The past few years I maybe sell 1 or 2 if I am lucky. Here I sold 6 teapots and all 3 sizes. Saturday, was kind of slow for me. On Sunday, I had a 3 hour period where I couldn't write fast enough. I will definitely do this show again next year.

In conclusion, this is a hassle free show, with plenty of patrons, free parking for artists and most importantly sales. Howard and Debbie have a strong presence at the show. They stop and talk to everyone numerous times. Debbie found it necessary to help fix up my booth with foliage, which I appreciated and enjoyed. When I think about how annoyed I was the past few years with the shows I did on this weekend, with how good I felt after this one, I had a good laugh. There were no negatives in Sarasota only positives. I liked it so well, I am going to do HA's Coconut Pointe show next weekend in Bonita Springs.

I only did the Grove one time many years ago. It was not a good experience. Miami is a tough city to get around in, the art fair is big and busy and confusing, and the sponsored booths take much away from the feeling of an art fair (my booth was across from Verizon, which hired a carnival barker to attract customers). I did ArtiGras in Jupiter last year, and again this year and I'm impressed with the civility and tasteful atmosphere. 

The art fair is laid out on two cross streets in the Abacao neighborhood next to "Dean" Stadium where the Marlins and the Cardinals play their spring training games. Nice neighborhood. The committee was wise in scheduling setup all day on Friday without over organizing and scheduling specific times. Artists tend to self-organize these things much better than a committee can. We got there mid-morning and had a leisurely set-up being able to leave our van next to our booth for the entire time. We moved the van a little to accommodate other artists a couple of times... no problem. Weather was cool at first, but got a little hot in the afternoon. Booth size is generous at about 12 feet wide by 12 feet deep. We had a corner booth but arranged our booth with our neighbor to share a second side wall with an aisle between... lots of exhibition space! The one negative was a storm drain in our booth that necessitated bringing the booth out toward the street about 18 inches. Since we were early in our setup we kind of set the tone for our neighbors who also set up our from the curb. We flagged down a committee member zooming by on a golf cart to make sure we were OK in our arrangement before hanging panels and artwork. Another negative that reminded me of Coconut Grove, was out booth location. This year they placed a string of sponsored booths at the beginning of the show on University Avenue where we were located. Last year these were all artist booths and our booth was maybe the 10th or 12th one down. This time we were the first artist booth with and investment company next to us. Unfortunately they were a bit aggressive about drawing people into their booth... a bit distracting. They tempered their approach after we asked them to ease up a bit, but I still don't like being that close to sponsored booths. Next year I'll ask for a different location.  

Saturday was the first day of this three day art fair (President's Day on Monday). In spite of the entry fee ($10-12, depending on discounts), the crowds were big. Lots of people coming in. Our booth was busy most of the day, and, although we didn't have a windfall, we did OK and I was happy with the sales total for the day. Weather was cool and pleasant; too cool for the beach.

Sunday was, again, nice weather and the people came again. Sales were about the same as Saturday, so we were happy again with our totals. About mid-morning we saw a parade of committee member with a trumpet player and a fog horn approaching our booth. They stopped in front of us and after a trumpet fanfare they made the announcement to all within hearing distance that we had won an award for best of category (Digital). I was presented with a custom made "helmut" decorated with digital artifacts and a $1000 check. Nice touch. Here's a picture of the crazy helmut I had to wear for all the promotional photos they took.

Helmut.JPG

Monday dawned a little cloudy and with fewer crowds. Most people still have to work on Monday, so we got mostly educators and bankers for customers. Sales were mild and pretty much dried up (HA) after the rains started. It rained off and on all afternoon and made the pack up very difficult. Since the committee left it up the the artists to "self-organize" the break down, trucks and vans streamed into the art fair grounds right after the show closed. We carefully packed up our artwork and kept the tent up to keep things dry. We took it slow and brought our van in when traffic eased a little. We packed slowly and waited until most things were in the van before breaking down the tent. We had to move the van a couple of times to accommodate other artists. The rain and darkness made the break down difficult, but we got out of there at about 7:30, abut 30 minutes longer than it usually takes us. Not too bad.

In spite of a couple of negatives, I like this art fair. I won an award (I won the same award last year), and had decent sales. Not as good as last year, but Monday's rain kept the crowds away. We booked an Airb&b for our stay in Jupiter so, we had a nice condo to stay in. We will do the same next year and look for a better booth location.

June 18
Madison, Wisconsin
Hilldale Shopping Center 
100 Artists
Deadline: March 4

Application fee: $10
Booth fee: $135

This outdoor event is now in its second year. Hilldale Shopping Center has gone through a major renovation in recent years and how now added upscale merchants including Macy's, kate spade new york, L'Occitane en Provence, Lucky Brand, lululemon athletica, Michael Kors, North Face, Sundance Cinemas, White House l Black Market and many more.

The area is near the UW Campus with many affluent students and Professors living in the area. Madison is also home to Epic Systems, who is known for attending and supporting Art Shows at Hilldale and buying "big" in Madison.

Hilldale is now an outdoor Shopping destination in Madison. The show takes place on the Main Street of the Shopping Center directly in front of the Stores.

The show is supported with advertising in a number of local print medias along with postcards, paid social media posts, event calendars, and posters around the shopping center.

Apply: www.artworksmadison.com

June 11 & 12 
Racine, Wisconsin

Downtown Racine
Sat. 10am-5pm; Sun. 10am-4pm

Monument Square Art Festival, one of Wisconsin's oldest and most respected juried fine art fairs presents 70 artists from around the country exhibiting works in a variety of media.

A new event will debut in conjunction with MSAF 2016. The Great Lakes Chalk Art Competition will feature 24 regional chalk artists, working on 4'x4' Masonite panels positioned along 5th Street between Wisconsin and Main Street.  Live music will also be featured throughout the festival.  The 2-day Festival is expected to attract in excess of 2,000 attendees.

 

Conveniently located between Chicago and Milwaukee, Monument Square is located in the heart of beautiful historic Downtown Racine.  It is adjacent to shops, condominiums, a marina, restaurants, historic home districts, a superb harbor and is just minutes away from breathtaking examples of the work of master architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

 

Online and print advertising and promotion is placed

throughout southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

Learn more: www.monumentsquareartfest.com

Apply:  http://www.monumentsquareartfest.com/Artist-Registration.html

Contact:  Denise Roberts McKee,  drmckee@racineartscouncil.org (888)373-7608