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Hello, All:

I have pondered about this show for a couple of years and I have heard good and bad things about this event (just like any other, right?)  Can anyone offer info:  attendance, buying energy, etc.?  Is it worth a 7 hour drive?  Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Congratulations to long-time member and frequent contributor, Pat Sorbini, whose post "Re-Calculating" was voted "Post of the Month" for December 2013. Well worth a read for all of us in January as we plan for the year ahead.

Try as I might, scouring the Internet as hard as I could there are no images of Pat to be found. So here is a simple thank you, job well done to you Pat for not only this thoughtful contribution but for all of your heartfelt posts. Read more of them here.

The members also voted special recognition for their help and contributions to the site to Larry Berman, Geoff Coe and Nels Johnson. Thanks, guys, for everything.

June 6, 7 & 8
Omaha, Nebraska
Downtown Omaha alongside a beautiful and scenic park
135 Fine Art Exhibitors
Deadline:  February 1

The Best in the Midwest:
Attracting more than 80,000 patrons from throughout the region, the Omaha Summer Arts Festival is consistently ranked in the top 100 art fairs in the country and enjoys an established tradition of excellence.

This popular show features 135 juried artists from across the country selling their fine art and contemporary crafts in 14 media categories.  An experienced staff of dedicated, event professionals produces the Omaha Summer Arts Festival.

Members of the Festival's Board of Directors visit each artist individually providing an opportunity for one-on-one feedback and evaluation.  We care about the artists, listen to their input and react to their concerns.

Each artist is provided an 11'x11' space with an additional 2'x11' storage area at the back. An exceptional show layout allows every artist to pull his or her vehicle in front of their booth for easy set-up and tear down.

Outstanding Artist Amenities:

• $2,500 in Cash Merit Awards
• A variety of options for discounted lodging within one mile of the show
• Complimentary lunch delivered to each artists' booth on Friday
• Artist Awards Brunch on Saturday & Continental Breakfast and Artists' Meeting on Sunday
• Artist Concierge Dest, centrally located, with dedicated cell phone number for Artist requests
• Private, air-conditioned Artists' Lounge with complimentary snacks and beverages, private, indoor restrooms, artist-only computers, free WiFi and chair massages by appointment
• Artwork Delivery Program picking up from your booth and delivering to your customers' vehicles
• Experienced booth sitters & water delivery to Artists' booths throughout the weekend
• Assistance with load-in and tear-down
• Complimentary sand tubes delivered to your booth and removed at the end of the show
• 24 hour security provided by off-duty Omaha Police Officers 

Application:  www.Zapplication.org 

The Omaha Summer Arts Festival is a magnet that draws people together to celebrate art in all of its forms and varied expressions. Its mission is to present culturally diverse, high-quality arts programs, performances and exhibits in downtown Omaha for the general public to appreciate and enjoy. 

Apply today to be a part of the tradition as the Omaha Summer Arts Festival

For more information:

Emily Peklo, Visual Arts Coordinator

epeklo@vgagroup.com - www.summerarts.org 

(402)345-5401 Ext: 106 

Fellow Artists, I need your opinion, please.

I am a glass artist who primarily works over the torch. Most of what I make is wearable, some not. A few years ago, I applied for and received a registered trademark for "Torch in the Head" and have that on my booth sign, web site, and business cards. I meant this to be used as a pun as I was an English major in my former life who loved and still loves word play.

 This sign attracts a lot of attention from walker-bys, many who become customers because they first think they're reading "touched in the head" and want to hear more about it. I then somewhat jokingly explain that I work over the head of a torch and that you've got to be a little "touched" to want to work with 2,000-3,000 degrees of heat--plus, I have red hair, which admittedly comes from a bottle these days.

A few months ago, I did a show and was visited by the promoter who thought that was a terrible name asking me why I wanted to demean myself. He thinks I should use my name alone. I then asked a well-known marketing guru who thought I should change it because it could connote a painful image of someone's head on fire.

I did ornaments for the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington DC (2010) and no-one said anything negative about the moniker then, but perhaps that should be handled as a  different critter.

I am now slowly getting into some higher end shows and wonder if I should change my name--or only use the more somber name for them. Hope I make sense--And Thank you in advance <3

After looking back at 2013, I have decided to concentrate on applying to shows that are sponsored and run by local non-profit arts organizations. Those are the shows where I had the best sales. And after a solid crushing defeat at each of the 3 Amdur shows I did in the Chicago suburbs, I am hesitant to try for a professional promoter again. 

I am curious if anyone else has noticed a difference between the type of crowd attracted by local arts centers and the crowds that attend the for-profit promoter shows?

I certainly have. The arts centers seem to draw from their member base and their respect in the community. I see avid collectors and shoppers on a mission. Many will visit every booth before they make their purchasing decisions. Even if they don't buy from me, I'm happy to see them, because I know I at least have a chance to succeed at that show. And overall last year, my sales were best at the shows run by local arts centers.

At the suburban Chicago shows, I saw very few collectors. The crowds were just walking by and looking. Few artists seemed happy. I'm not sure if it was because of the location of the shows,  the way people perceive a professional promoter, or something else entirely, like the people just didn't like my work. Hey, it happens. I chose the Amdur shows because they are run so well. But that isn't much help if they don't attract people who will buy my work. 

Perhaps, during the recession, art buyers are reserving their dollars for their community arts centers, to keep them going. Is the buy local movement supporting this?

Has anyone else been considering these points in their 2014 applications?

Geneva, Illinois
Downtown, 8 S. Third Street

Saturday 10-5 | Sunday 10-5

presented by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce

Geneva, a chic and charming historic town located on the Fox River, will celebrate its 13th annual Fine Arts Fair in 2014. Its prestigious reputation of offering a superb selection of fine art by renowned artists and cutting edge newcomers attracts beginning and avid collectors. 

The show is tucked among 100+ specialty shops located in Victorian-style homes and century-old buildings. Awards for emerging and seasoned artists along with warm small-town hospitality, offer a picture-postcard setting for this juried art celebration.FESTIVAL FACTS:

• Sunshine Artist's Top 200 for 2013
• Jury Fee: $20
• Booth Fee: $300
• Ribbon Awards: $4,000
• Attendance: 20,000+

To learn more and apply, visit:  http://www.emevents.com/ 

PLEASE NOTE: Prints, photography, digital art and computer generated art: Prints must be produced by traditional printmaking techniques. Giclee prints are allowed only in digital photography. Photography may be wet darkroom (chemicals) or digital darkroom. We define computer generated art as an art form created entirely with a computer.

Emerging Artists: Emerging Artists are required to abide by the same rules as professional artists. The jury fee is waived for emerging artists. If accepted the space fee is $100. Note: emerging artists are considered those who have never paid for a booth space at a fine art or craft fair. Accepted emerging artists will receive one "wall" to display artwork on that is approximately 6' high by 8' long. Artists need to supply their own chair, umbrella and pedestals. Limited photography spaces are available.

The Geneva Fine Arts Fair is one of a series of Chicago area art fairs managed by Erin Melloy of EM Events, a well-established promoter of art shows in the Chicago area. EM Events works closely with some of Chicagoland's most innovative and

creative communities and organizations to produce premiere art festivals of distinction.

This is my first post and inquiry.  I was so looking forward to doing this show at the Callanwolde Mansion in Atlanta, GA.  I applied and was accepted by the jury.  I went to pay my single booth fee (a week before the deadline) through ZAPP and received the message that it was "SOLD OUT".  Confused, I clicked on the double booth (which I did not need or want) and it was available.  Again, I tried to click on the single booth with the same message.  After sending two emails and not getting a response about the "sold out" question, I finally got this e-mail:

2014 Callanwolde Arts Festival: January 25-26, 2014
STATUS NOTIFICATION
Dear Amy,

Thank you for your interest in participating in the 2014 Callanwolde Arts Festival.

When the jury made its selections, you were either Invited or placed on the Wait List.  

The response to this event was immediate and very strong.  Those who received the invitation to participate secured their space quickly, many with double spaces.

Although we set the deadline to confirm your participation (make payment) and open the Wait List on January 13, we are now completely SOLD OUT.

How did this happen?

The jury invited 90 artists to participate.  This venue will hold a maximum of 86 artists.  There is no room to "expand" to include more space.  We were quite surprised that no one declined, and many purchased a double space. It is very unusual for our events to sell out so quickly and it really put us in a bind, because we hate to lose you!   

We regret that we are unable to invite you to join us for this event, however if we receive any cancellations, you will be the first to know!    

Don't forget, we have many more events in 2014!  Click HERE to see them all.
If you have questions, please send us an email and we will do our best to reply to you quickly.
 
Sincerely,
Patrick, Randall, Lisa and Sarah
Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces
info@affps.com 

After going back and forth, insulted by one of the staff (saying I shouldn't have waited until the last minute to pay, which I didn't), I finally just gave up on them... they were selling double booths (and then not single) before everyone who had been juried in had a chance to get a single booth.

I was very frustrated and miffed...

Has anyone else have this happen to them?  Should the people in charge of this made some of the double boothers, give up half their booths to accomodate the four of us that just were plain out of luck...

I would just like to say I will never enter another Paragon sponsored show again.

I am new to the Art Show business and have had only three shows to date. Paragon put on a show in Sarasota last November that I was invited to attend. I found the show producers rude and not at all accommodating for the Artists.

We were supposed to have a free breakfast, coffee and bagels, fresh fruit etc. The vendor didn't show up until the show began at 10 am, no time for coffee and even those who were lucky enough to have someone watch their booth, the coffee was ok, but the bagels and fresh fruit turned out to be packaged cinnamon rolls, that was it, yuck. The only "pay for" offerings were beverages, no other food at all. The only restaurants were blocks away.

Parking was blocks away and a lot of the other artists parked in spots considered "for patron only" even though they were behind a building close to the tents but not being used. If you got caught you were rudely asked to move, even when the spots were clearly not being used by anyone else.

The portable potties were in one location only, at the opposite end of the street.

I saw al least two buy and re-sell vendors, one across from me that used a blow torch to "melt" wax off stone, a ploy to attract attention. This vendor receives stone statues in bulk from African workshops then re-sells them as his own. He even got into the "Fort Myers" show, how does that happen?

I was at the show by myself, no one to help set up or take down, I am a 58 year old female. When we started break down Sunday evening about an hour into it the show producer, on bicycle smoking a cigarette, rode up to me and asked " Why is it taking you so long to pack up?" I was the last to leave and even though there were plenty of show people around no one offered to help. The producer and his crew watched me load the last piece into my trailer and drive away.

I heard the producer bad mouthing Howard Allen shows, my second show in Venice was produced by Howard Allen and I will say it was much better organized and the people were 100% more friendly. Never again Paragon!

May 17 & 18
East Lansing, Michigan
Downtown East Lansing
Produced by Art Festival Board of Directors under the auspices of the East Lansing Arts Commission/City of East Lansing
220 Artists
Deadline: January 31

#56 Sunshine Artist ranking  

Established in 1964, the East Lansing Art Festival kicks off the festival season each Spring on the weekend prior to the Memorial Day holiday weekend in the beautiful streets of downtown East Lansing.  The popular Festival attracts 70,000-80,000 attendees from across the region.  In addition to the 200-220 juried exhibitors the ELAF encourages future artists through emerging artist programs.

East Lansing is a charming University town with a wide variety of shops, restaurants, galleries and the beautiful Michigan State University campus across the street.

This long-standing, non-profit event is beloved by the community of Greater Lansing and   attracts devoted art buyers from across the state.  Informally known as the "City of the Arts" the City of East Lansing welcomes the finest artists in North America to exhibit at this highly promoted event.

Having exhibited in this art fair ourselves here is what else you will like:

• well-educated visitors, including professional people from State government and the University
• dedicated and friendly volunteers who welcome artists with friendly smiles facilitating a smooth load in and out
• booth sitting services
• well-planned eclectic live music entertainment that enhances the art rather than distracts from it
• international flavors in a unique food court
• a festive mood as this is the kickoff of the art fair season
• affiliation with the Public TV and radio stations, bringing the right people to you

Apply today: www.Zapplication.org   

Michelle Carlson

Art Festival Director

East Lansing Art Festival

(517)319-6804

mcarlson@cityofeastlansing.com 

More info: www.elartfest.com  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Find more art fairs looking for artists: callsforartists.com

June 16-22 
Detroit, Michigan
Along the Detroit River Walk
15 Artists
Deadline: March 1

I live in Fort Lauderdale and did the show for 3- 4 years but stopped doing it last year  because of the buy/sell and cheap crafts.  If you are selling fine art forget about this show.  The locals shop this show for Christmas gifts and want to haggle over prices.  I hope this helps. 

JANUARY 15 - 4 pm ET 

Call in to speak with us we want to hear from you: 805-243-1338

June 12 - 15
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Along the Boardwalk
280 Artists
Application Deadline - January 22

Click for Application https://www.zapplication.org/event-info-public.php?fair_id=2938

 

This year marks the 59th year for the Boardwalk Art Show, making it one of the oldest and most respected outdoor fine art shows on the eastern seaboard. The show is consistently ranked in Sunshine Artist Magazine's Top 40 fine art shows.

With an average attendance each year of 250,000, this four-day event attracts collectors, patrons, artists and tourists from across the nation. The show runs along the Virginia Beach boardwalk overlooking the sandy beach and Atlantic Ocean.

280 artists in 13 mediums compete for cash prizes up to $30,000, including our $7,500 Best in Show award. Staffed with over 300 volunteers, the Boardwalk Art Show prides itself in the genuine support and hospitality provided to artists and guests alike.

Expect:

• Beautiful festival atmosphere with public art, fine food and live entertainment.
• Artist Amenities: great volunteers, drive-up loading and unloading, overnight security, booth sitters, free artist awards dinner for all artists with live music and great food.
• For Guests: Enjoy 15 blocks of fine art, fabulous food and great entertainment situated in an active resort community.Consider joining us at the Boardwalk Beach Club, the jewel of the show, if you're looking to add something special to your experience. An 80' tented space along the boardwalk with open bar, unparalleled lunch service and lovely shaded seating with beautiful views of the ocean.

For more information: www.boardwalkartshow.com
or email christie@virginiamoca.org

Apply:  www.Zapplication.org

Like us on Facebook for show updates.

Proceeds from the Boardwalk Art Show directly support the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art and help fulfill our mission to provide thought-provoking art exhibitions and children's art education programs. In one year alone, MOCA brought over 10,000 school-aged children to the arts through our outreach programs.

See you at the Boardwalk!

...Unbelievable.....

Guess they have not been reading here about unreasonable costs to enter and exhibit at juried exhibitions......

This is from the call for entry I just got in my inbox:

"As you review the Artists’ Market application for 2014 you’ll note changes to our fee structure. We’ve worked hard, to maintain level costs for program administration and equipment rental to our exhibitors, particularly during the economic downturn. This year‘s increased costs reflect the incremental increases that the festival has absorbed over the past five years. We believe that these fees are competitive with arts festivals of similar caliber and that participation in the Artists’ Market at Artscape is a tremendous value to exhibitors."

"NEW Artists’ Market Fee Scale:

• Application Fee: $60
• Standard (10x10x7) Space Fee: $700
• Taller (10x10x10) Space Fee: $750
• Double Space Standard (10x20x7, limited availability) Space Fee: $1400
• Double Taller (10x20x10, limited availability) Space Fee: $1500
• Table and Chair Rental (2 each): $50
• End of Group Location (limited availability): $200"

This isn't what I would call a "high - end" event.. Guess it is high end cost, though

Purple Rose Theatre Company, Development Director - professional theatre in Chelsea, MI. Actor Jeff Daniels lives there and has started this theatre.

Paint Creek Center for the Arts, Executive Director - Rochester, MI -- the center runs the popular Art and Apples art fair

Ann Arbor Farmer's Market, Manager - cool part-time seasonal job, an hourly wage. Part of it is an artist's market

And if you really have the credentials, how about this one?

Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum, Director - in Bloomfield Hills, one of the finest art schools in the country

Find more here: a3arts.org

Thanks to the Arts Alliance newsletter for sending this info.

Well, when you are down to your last few  gold coins in your pirate's chest, a certain level of anxiety and apprehension sweeps over you.

Which was my spirit as I left scenic Ybor for the lures of Florida's lower west coast last Friday.

We are, of course, talking about the newly relocated Bonita Springs Art Festival.

I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty and open-ness of the art site.

It flowed down palm-laden streets and coursed back on a paved road near the railway. A nicely, grassed park held a fair amount of booths.  I worried about them.  And I was right to.  They did not get nearly the same traffic as us on the paved streets.

If I know director Barry Witt, he will rework the layout before the next show in Feb.  He heard a certain amount of criticism from those who were ignored by the masses.

Unfortunately, you have the "lemming effect" going on here.  The crowds follow the easiest straight or curving line.  If you make them have to step up or onto a new path, there usually is a lot of resistance.  It happens everywhere.  You would think most show promoters could have figured that out by now.

Being on a new site created a lot of apprehension.  Would the crowds come, would they buy in certain numbers, would our booths be safe at night--not pillaged by the locals?

Glad to say it went swimmingly well.

Big crowds, lots of them with their dogs.  A certain amount of sales were made.  I heard of no vandalism anywhere.

The venue is in a real positive area.  It is very tropical, very airy, lots of sunshine.  There is ample parking for all.  It is a better situation than we had at the old location.

My sales were OK, I made a paycheck.  But this was the lowest amount of sales I have ever had at this show in 13 years.

For a $400 booth fee, I expect a better return on my money.  So do a lot of others.

There were ample sales made in the $2K-$5K range.  It happened across the board.  

There were also a lot of artists who had a zero Saturday and a meager Sunday.

Thirty-plus new booths were added to the show (an extra $12K for the promoting organization).

Frankly, it is too many.  The pie gets sliced way too thin.  But, that's the "haps" at shows these days.

We live in the era of cut-throat art associations, and private promoters, who can gouge the artists.  The artists' cost escalate, their sales returns get smaller all the time.  Trouble is, there are too many suckers lined up waiting to pay.  So the shows just don't flat-ass give a damn about your situation.

So, I am going to end this on a very positive note.

While I replenish my small gold chest with a few tokens, consider the following advice:

To make money at this show it helps if you have big price points and only need a few customers (say, 3-9) to make your show.  Volume sales are not here.  It helps if your work is related to tropical birds, or fish, and especially tropical flowers.  The patrons are monied and conservative.  Everything must match the wallpaper.

So there it is.

Barry Witt has done a very good job of promoting an established show at a new location.

It is  very nice new location.

The booth layouts need a little tweeking.

Think twice before you plunk done your money here--it is not a guarantee for all.

Hopefully, my 2014 season will steadily improve.

Drink a pint of grog for the pirate, he needs to feel the good vibes.

Nels.

BTW, Travis wrote a very good, cheery review of this same show, so check it out.

We were at the Howard Alan Boca Fest show this past weekend.  The show has been mentioned/reviewed on AFI a number of times so I’ll just hit the highlights of the logisitics.

As with most HAE shows, it’s a 5AM setup on Saturday morning, although many tents were up earlier than that.  The load-in is easy if you get there early enough but not horrible even if you’re late.  The HAE staff keeps everyone moving and we didn’t see any real logjams.

Spaces are in the parking lot at the Boca Town Center, an upscale shopping center in a very upscale community.  The layout is a series of fairly short row bordered by a long row connecting the short ones – think shopping center parking lot and you’ll get it.  The aisles are very wide and the spaces are 18 giant feet deep – think parking space.  If you had enough panels, you could display art the entire depth of your space or you could store everything you own behind the tent.

The weather was perfect all weekend – mostly sunny, not too warm and gentle breezes.  On Saturday the crowd was steady but not the throng we had expected.  Contributing factors may have been the torrential rains that had flooded the streets of many Boca neighborhoods in the few days before the show.  Also, it was the Jewish Shabbat combined with the Ariel Sharon funeral. 

In any event, Saturday was slow for us and for a number of the other artists we spoke to.  Of course, some were vey happy.  Just like every other show.

Sunday was very crowded  - HAE gets them out with lots of promotion/ads.  Unfortunately it was just as slow for us as Saturday.

Sales were very disappointing especially after coming off a very good weekend at Las Olas. Last year we did the Hot Works Boca show (Patty Narozny) and had light sales as well.  Combined with this year’s result – Boca you’re dead to us!

A painter across from us practically sold out and we did see lots of bags being carried – though many were small.  The quality of the art was very, very high and there were buyers – just not for our fabric art.

Highlights:

We had a buyer on Saturday who was waffling about taking a piece because the colors might not match.  We did the old pay for it now, take it home, if it doesn’t work, bring it back routine.  On Sunday morning, she walks into the booth carrying the piece.  We immediately assumed that our slow sales were to get even slower.  Instead, she said the piece worked so well she wanted another one just like it.  Yay!

Also, we had enough Marriott points that we got a “free” weekend in the onsite hotel.  (Of course it’s only free because we have paid for so many other nights.)  It was great to have a two-minute walk to the room for air-conditioning/bathroom breaks.  It also ensured that we could be in the hotel bar for happy hour within seconds of getting the tent zipped up.

We saw and talked to many artists who were also at Las Olas. This week we were next to AFIers Gary and Maureen Shull and right behind Melanie Rolfes-Leonard.  We enjoyed meeting them in person and comparing notes with them on past/upcoming shows.

Teardown was as easy as it gets.  With an 18’ deep spot, stacking everything behind the tent and then getting the tent down meant that the already wide aisles became even wider.  There was plenty of room to drive right to your spot and load the van.  HAE staff tightly controlled entry to the venue.  We were on our way in no time.

Lowlights:

It really came down to sales.  We covered the booth and a few meals but that was about it.  If we didn’t have the free room it would have been a loser.  Boca Raton is clearly not our market.  There were plenty of artists who did well here; there were also a number who weren’t happy. 

Bottom line:

Great venue, big crowds (mainly on Sunday), professional promoters, poor sales.