There has been much frustration expressed with the (almost) past year and the results of our labors. I just read this article about marketing oneself, it's not a DIY article but rather how to be kind to yourself as you figure it out. I find myself there often and am about to attempt to jump in again so the words of encouragement were well received!
http://faso.com/fineartviews/98950/the-frustration-of-being-your-own-marketer
February 13-15
Coconut Grove, Florida
An oasis of art, you will enjoy three days of sales on the beautiful tree shaded campus of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, located in Coconut Grove, Florida and within steps of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. After 28 years of international popularity the show averages almost 50,000 people, sponsors, media and industry patrons annually.I am an older person who went back to school to study photography after my family business of over 50 years closed down. (I have an art degree from a LONG time ago.)
Before I go back up into the "real world" to try and make a living again, I thought I would TRY and see how I would do at several Art Fairs.
So I registered for 8 or 9 (thinking I MIGHT get accepted into 1 or 2.) However up to now I have been invited to 3 of the 4 that have been decided.
I have couple of questions that I would like to ask you people out there with more experience in these fairs that might help me:
CAN YOU MAKE MONEY ON THE FAIRS?
Taking into consideration the:
Cost of a tent
Cost of entry fees
Cost of booth fees
Cost to mount/and or frame your work
Cost of a hotel room, food, miss. income..
Is there enough left over to actually make a profit???
I am an older person who went back to school to study photography after my family business of over 50 years closed down. (I have an art degree from a LONG time ago.)
Before I go back up into the "real world" to try and make a living again, I thought I would TRY and see how I would do at several Art Fairs.
So I registered for 8 or 9 (thinking I MIGHT get accepted into 1 or 2.) However up to now I have been invited to 3 of the 4 that have been decided.
I have couple of questions that I would like to ask you people out there with more experience in these fairs that might help me:
CAN YOU MAKE MONEY ON THE FAIRS?
Taking into consideration the:
Cost of a tent
Cost of entry fees
Cost of booth fees
Cost to mount/and or frame your work
Cost of a hotel room, food, miss. income..
Is there enough left over to actually make a profit???
In response to last year's feedback we've revised the survey. What you'll find:
Do it now before you forget
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Deadline for voting: NOVEMBER 3, 11:30 pm ET
Why would an artist want to participate? Because this is part of our mission to bring buyers to attend the art fairs. We choose the best ones, shows brag about their placement and it gets picked up in the press and voila! art fair tourism!!
PLEASE SHARE THIS SURVEY. Its findings will only be as relevant as the number of responses received.
HERE'S THAT LINK: BestArtFairSurvey
We want to include opinions from all people who love art fairs. Forward this to all your friends who care about increasing quality attendance at the nation's festivals. Help us recognize the best.
P.S. YOU COULD WIN: All survey takers will be entered in a drawing to win two $50 gift cards for Ann Arbor, MI's, famous Zingerman's Deli.
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Attended Centerfest in Durham in September on the 19th-20th... and it was a scorcher. One of the hottest shows I have ever done and not a great show to have encaustic at. It was so hot that the paramedics had to come and take one exhibitor to the hospital who had heat stroke. The show is laid out in full sun on the downtown streets.
It was early morning set up, some were allowed to set up that night before but most had the early set up at 7am, with the show starting at 10. It was a scramble at best- but coffee was available to make it through.
It was a mixed bag show, some great stuff, some locals. I didn't see any buy and sell to my knowledge, (but they have gotten so sophisticated, who knows anymore). The crowds were fair but I think that the heat just wiped people out and they went to the lakes instead...just my opinion- I sure would have.
It's a educated crowd (the first show that I didn't have to explain what my medium was to everyone walking down the pike), but not a buying crowd. Everyone around me had a rough time. In fact next to me a jeweler with beautiful work, got a goose egg...when that happens something is wrong. Everyone commented- sales were down all around.
I had electricity and it didn't mean a thing.....it was brutally hot- maybe that was the problem but I would have to think long and hard about going back. We got lunches delivered and load out was easy and pleasant, as was parking, but sales , as everyone knows- make a show. and this one was a bit of a dud for me.
The next weekend was Tennessee Craft, on the 25th to the 27th of September. What can I say, a fabulous show put on the way a show should run...seamless, and they bring out the crowds. The weather was beautiful and the sales were great. Everyone I talked to had a good show. Loading in was easy, as was load out. The people are friendly and you are able to build a following, which is rewarding. Teri Alia and Hanna Cofer do a great job of laying out a show where no one is overlooked and everyone gets a fair shake. Plus, you have Nashville- best music around and great eats. The only negative, hotel prices will kill you....and the reasonably priced ones are a long drive from the fair.
Last but not least...(yea, maybe least), was the first Saturday in October, Bluff Park Art Show in Birmingham. This is a great little show put on by a funny,caring and organized director, so I can't really give it a thumbs down....but it poured RAIN the whole day. On top of that it was unseasonably cold and to add to the problem...Alabama had a home football game ( we are in Alabamaland folks.....so now you understand).
Set up was rough because the terrain was so rocky...people had to step up a rock ledge to get to my booth....my husband and i almost got divorced trying to level out the booth with shims ( maybe you can relate) and the crowds were barely there. Even then, I still paid for expenses and then a bit more.
Alabama takes taxes right when you break down, so there is no thinking you made more than you did until ten days later...ha. We all know that we can't stop the rain and an occasional show will get wiped out, (it was that pesky hurricane).
All in all, three in a row was pretty successful. Some I will consider again, if they will have me ....and some I will definitely not make it back to. Live and learn. At least these were all a little closer to my home base of Knoxville, and that made it worth it for me.
p.s. If you notice that I am missing "o's and p's" in this post...it's because I spilled maple syrup on my computer and it's been sticking ever since ...and I refuse to pay $750 dollars to Apple to look at it.....so just deal. thanks.
I haven't found any reviews for this one. It's a long way from home. I'd appreciate any information. My work is decorative fiber. Thanks!
Sharon
I'm selling my pro panels. Used once. GF and I broke up, and it was a relationship project between us. It's sad. Spent $2300 with shipping, selling for $1700. If you need museum hangers as well, I have those as well. $14 a piece, sell for $16. I used everything once. $200 for tent. Prefer to sell all at once.
Los Angeles, CA 90034 pickup
ryanhartford86@yahoo.com
April 1-3
Indian Wells, California
Presented by: Indian Wells Arts Festival
200 Artists
Deadline: October 15
Application Fee: $35
Booth Fee: $300 single/$600 double
Hi Everyone,
I had thought about applying for a Paragon show that will be held in Sarasota, FL and wondered if anyone had done it and what his/her feelings about it were. I missed the deadline (unless they extend it). The reason I thought about trying it is that I am doing the Osceola show in Kissimmee (for the first time) and the Space Coast Art show two weeks later. Since I will be coming from Tennessee, it would be nice to have a show the weekend of 11/21-11/22 to fill in the gap.
You all have always been so kind, helpful and supportive, the various times I've blogged. Thank you all in advance.
Susan
Hi Everyone,
I'm looking for Propanel walls. Black. I live in Aliso Viejo CA and need before Nov. 7th. Im new to Art Fair insider so not sure how this works:)
Thank you,
Kate Cohen
Received my new Square swiper and thought I'd inform folks about it. In case you've been under a rock for a while credit cards with the EMV embedded chip require a new swiper for which Square will charge you $29. Not too bad considering all the free ones they gave to us.
The new swiper has two slots and is quite a bit fatter. The top slot accepts the EMV embedded cards while the bottom slot is for traditional swiping. Just plug the card into the top slot and don't remove it till the transaction is totally complete! Easy peasy!
The hardest part about the new card is remembering to charge it. Unlike the old swiper you have to charge this one with a USB/mini plug cable. The first time I used it, after charging it I thought it would take the charge off my iPad. Nope! So, the next day I'm swiping madly away and it's not working, no EMV charges no regular swipes, etc. Finally, at the end of the day, the light bulb goes off in my head, hey! Charge it! Wha-lah, like magic, it's working again. I later discovered that when you plug it in and it initializes its connection it shows a battery charge icon indicating the strength of its charge!
Good luck and happy charging!
Post Scribble: I've had the swiper plugged into my iPad since 9 am it is now 4pm and I got an alert when I unplugged it and plugged it back in that it has no charge! Believe me, it wasn't because I was madly swiping away at the Rio Grande, Albuquerque show this weekend. (But that, is another story). Glad I have my little portable Mophie power supply!
April 15-17
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock Memorial Civic Center
presented by the Lubbock Arts Alliance
Friday, Premiere Night 6 pm - 9 pm
Saturday, 10 am - 7 pm
Sunday, 12 pm - 5 pm
110 Artists
Deadline: October 13
Application fee: $20
Booth fee: $375, $475, $700
Why should you bring your artwork to Lubbock?
Because we are the home of Buddy Holly, Mac Davis, Waylon Jennings, Joe Ely, Glenna Goodacre, Eddie Dixon, Jaston Williams, Barry Corbin, Susan Graham, and Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks! Pretty cool, huh?
In addition to that interesting piece of info, Lubbock has a population of 230,000 and serves as the regional education and medical 'hub' for West Texas.
In fact, we have three major universities in Lubbock; the largest of which, Texas Tech University, has undergraduate/graduate programs, a law school AND medical school. We have also been selected as "100 Best Communities for Young People" by ING.
You can "Tour Texas." There are plenty of other great shows around the time of our festival including Fiesta Arts Fair in San Antonio; Art on the Square in South Lake, Dallas/Ft.Worth and Cottonwood Arts Festival in Richardson. So spend some time in the Lone Star state and enjoy the bluebonnets of the Hill Country along the way!
The show venue is completely indoors, totally air-conditioned. Artist perks include free, reserved parking; easy loading/unloading; lunch on Saturday; private hospitality room; event security that stays overnight; wireless internet; discounted rates at our host hotel; and $50,000 worth of advertising. Most of all, and most importantly, we are just really nice people who want you to be successful!
What else you should know: 
As always we are striving to be the most "artist friendly" show that we can. This year we shortened the event at the request of our artists and now we are moving up the deadline to apply and acceptance notification to provide optimal time for planning.
We received a very good review from Sunshine Artist Magazine about how artist friendly we are. Read it here: http://lubbockartsfestival.indiemade.com/content/artist-evaluation
November 14 & 15
West Palm Beach, FL
The Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds
presented by Artistic Synergy
100 Artists
Deadline: October 15
As the sign at the Miami Airport points out, Palm Beach is the center for the arts in Florida. Known for it's large and varied cultural base Palm Beach County is home to many art districts with regular monthly walks, CRA sponsored artist residencies, art in pubic spaces, art district tour buses, both major and minor art shows, art schools with regular exhibitions, museums offering art classes and a host of art leagues. This show will not have the usual crowd of people just out walking their dog.
What we are:
Why is ARTNADO the most innovative and creative art show of the season?
You will find our process to be slightly different then what you may be use to.
First, a photo of your booth will not be required. This gives emerging artists, who have not commercially shown their work, a level viewing field. Of course, you are welcomed to submit one if you so desire, since we specifically chose a venue that would allow indoor tents.
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So... here it is Friday morning, October 2; and I’m here in my studio instead of on the streets in Louisville. I’ve done Louisville several years running and I enjoy this show. It’s never been a great money maker for me, but, being my last show of the season, it has always helped me get over the hump before the winter shows start. I had always depended on some revenue from this show to help finance the winter booth fees.
When I applied to Louisville earlier this year, I applied to the 3rd Street section, which I have done several times in the past. Last year, at the show, I walked the Court section to see how that show looked. Impressed by the overall quality of the artwork in the Court, I decided to try for the Court next year. So, I applied to the Court section as well as the 3rd Street section, hedging my bets, like we all do, hoping to get into one of them.
When the results came, I was invited to 3rd Street, but put on the wait list for the Court. I promptly paid my booth fee for 3rd Street because I wanted to insure that I would be in the same booth location as last year. Waiting to pay my booth fee could get me a poor booth location. Then, surprise... I got an invitation from the Court off of the wait list. Seeing that the deadline for receiving a refund from 3rd Street was still a month away, I requested a refund and accepted the Court invitation. I paid my $550 booth fee to the Court and a couple weeks later, received a refund from 3rd Street. I was pretty excited about exhibiting on the Court with some of the best artists on the circuit.
A couple weeks went by and I got a letter from the Court informing me that I had been disqualified from participating. Huh? Reading further, I learned that the Court has a rule that if you accept an invitation from one of the other sections, you were prohibited from accepting an invitation from the Court. Since I paid my 3rd Street booth fee, I was prohibited from the Court, even though I received a refund from 3rd Street. I was devastated.
I went back to Zapp to review the rules and, sure enough... I blew it. Here’s how the rules read:
Court Section Rule:
3rd Street Rule:
In a panic, I promptly composed a letter to both 3rd Street and the Court to try to reverse this disqualification. I pointed out that I was guilty of missing that rule, but the penalty for missing that rule was incredibly severe. Last year I earned around $4000 on 3rd Street. In effect, the Court was levying a fine of at least $4000... income I needed, and depended on, for upcoming booth fees, mortgage payments and food for my family’s table. I also pointed out that both 3rd Street and the Court could have avoided this “disqualification” with a single sentence warning me about this rule.
It took me a couple of tries but finally, 3rd Street responded to my letter and would not let me back into the 3rd Street section. But the Court did not respond, and they still had my $550 booth fee. I made several attempts to contact Margue Esrock (Court), by phone and by email, hoping to reverse their decision, and, at the very least, get my booth fee back. I got no response until September 30. Here is her response:
John
At this point I will speak with you after the show. I thought this was settled and thought you might have gone back to Third St.
Marguerite
After all my letters and phone calls, I’m not sure how she could have determined that “this was settled.” And, I still did not have a refund for my booth fee.
Yes, I was a “bad boy” for skimming the rules on Zapp, and missing this one. (who reads them all?) Especially a rule that I had never seen before in all my years doing art fairs. I’m not a lawyer, but the rule may even be somewhat illegal. It stifles competition and may be an anti-trust violation. But what irks me the most is the total disrespect I received as an artist. I felt the Court could have done a much better job of communicating with me. And, after my disqualification, why couldn’t they promptly refund my $550 booth fee? As of this writing, I still have not received it.
Next year I will be applying, again, to 3rd Street and the Court, not because I like the management, but because I have customers in Louisville. What’s the chance of me getting into either one of them after this post?
When artists do not cover their expenses it is often because there were not enough qualified buyers at those events. This has happened to all of us. The issue is simply “bodies vs. buyers”, a concept we are all intimately familiar with. In a time where artists are failing at record numbers, the Show Director’s responsibility should be that of a ‘conservationist’. By ‘conservationist’ I mean how does the show; 1 - protect the artists as a national and cultural resource and, 2 - perpetuate the growth and quality of the event. For without artists, there is no event. And without buyers, artist will stop applying and as a result, there is no longer a meaningful fine art event.
The objective for the Show Director is therefore not how to get more bodies through the gate, but how to get qualified buyers to the event. Expanding this concept, the success of an event should not be based on attendance but on sales of art.
Art shows that generate money from their event to pay for other projects shouldn't be limited to counting on the gate (if there is an admission charge) and jury/booth fees. They should be looking for sponsorship money to help underwrite the show and fund their ancillary projects.
Sponsorship money can be derives from potential sponsors that can see that the demographics of the attendees are also their own demographics for their products and services. When potential sponsors see these demographics, it is far easier to obtain national sponsorship dollars for the event. A further benefit of the financial investment by sponsors is that it helps underwrite the event’s media campaign that will further work to attract more qualified buyers.
We are now seeing “fine art shows” that have either added a craft section or incorporate such items as packaged food or non art items to fill their event. This also includes the "jurying so there is something at every price point" model.
A recent conference presentation advocated mass dancing and letting people take pictures of art with their smart phones to make art shows more family-oriented so as to bring more people through the gate. If a carnival atmosphere is considered by a Show Director to be the attraction, then the focus is not on fine art and those shows are no longer for artists or our customers.
Word will get around among the artists and the quality of these shows will begin to drop, making it even more difficult to bring qualified buyers in, resulting in a downward spiral that is next to impossible to reverse.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
