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Prior to my current issue, I have been very pleased with The Square but, in spite of written communication, I have been unable to resolve the problem I'm having now.  I'm wondering if anyone can help me?  I have the wrong sales tax plugged into my system and I'm trying to get suggestions on how to change it.  They keep telling me about a 'Dashboard' within their system and I can't get that particular feature to come up on my iPad.  The only App I have is called 'Register' and, when it comes up, it is simply a screen to process the current transaction.  There are no options on it to change anything.  Can anyone please, please help.

Well, I have been patiently waiting.  Waiting for somebody's two cents worth about Bayou City last weekend.

Good thing I didn't hold my breath.

The "Who's-who" of the art circuit was there, many fresh from Winter Park.

Nary a peep.  H-mmmm!

OK, I will give some insights and observations.

First off, it wasn't everybody's big, good show.

Probably about 20 per-cent of the exhibitors did big bucks--more than $5K.

Than there was the rest of us.

For me, it was my best show since my big operation.  Hell, it was my best show in the last 16 months.  I almost forgot what a good show was like.

Luckily, I had a bunch of new images that sold very well.  "See, I jumped off the cliff and the parachute opened."

That said, here are some reasons why it wasn't great for many people.

One, they raised the gate fee to $15.

Two, everybody thought it was going to rain bad on Saturday, and so the crowds were quite thin.

Three, Houston has really low unemployment, so people have money.  Trouble is it gets spent on a lot of blick.  Lots of brown stuff printed on Giclees going my me all day.  They are not the most sophisticated crowd.  "Oh my God!  Burn me at the Rodeo stake."  Oh well, I said it, I will stick by it.  It is just my humble opinion.  There will be several who will disagree with me.  That's OK.

Sunday was by far the best day for sales for many including me. I did more on Sunday than the other two days combined.

BTW.  Reason 4 that the show was not so great for many--too many exhibitors--it slices the pie pretty thin.

Bayou City is worth doing if you can bundle it with another show, or if you don't live too far away.  Otherwise, it can be risky, and expensive to do.

Credits go to the show committee for getting us a great deal at the Sheraton Suites near Westheimer.

Credits go for doing a great job of keeping artists fed, nice daily breakfasts, and lots of water,sodas, cookies being distributed.  Nice volunteer committee.  They were on top of most things.  They advertised well. But the crowds were real thin on both Friday and Saturday.  You could have rolled 300-pound boulders across the walkway without hitting anyone.

I am going to another blog, later on a great idea than came out of this situation.  Wait and read, it is a classic.  We are all going to get incredibly rich off it.  Terry and Deborah, my show neighbors have the exclusive in Ohio to Ann Arbor.  I got mid-Florida covered from Tampa to Orlando, I might share some of it with Steve Vaughn.  Sorry RC and Bill, you will have to stake out your own turfs elsewhere.  Wait til you read this blog--it is a life-changer.

There, did I leave you whetting for more?

That's what an old newsie does well.

Later, Gator.

Following Geoff Coes' lead to put a bunch of info into one post here are my offerings:

Young Sculptors Competition:

• $10,000 William and Dorothy Yeck Award*
  Young sculptors, U.S. residents, ages 25 to 35 as of competition entry are invited to participate in a competition, held every other year for the 2013 William and Dorothy Yeck $10,000 Purchase Award. Entrants should have achieved a significant degree of success as an emerging artist of noteworthy talent. The winner will become part of the Miami University Best Young Sculptors of the Twenty-First Century Collection. Deadline 4/26/12

Emerging Artists Program

• Ann Arbor Street Art Fair: New Art, New Artists Program*
  The New Art New, Artist Program (NANA) is a unique program offered by the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original.  Knowing how challenging it is for young people to embark on a career in the art world, they created the NANA program to offer college students the experience of participating as an exhibiting artist in a major national art fair without incurring any of the costs. Students display and sell their work in a shared tent and are mentored by career art fair artists. The students gain a great deal of artistic exposure and experience firsthand what it's like to be an arts entrepreneur. Eight college artists are selected from a field of applicants through a jury process. 

One Day Art Fair

• Call for Artists in Livingston, Tennessee, May 4 - booth fee $50.00.  One day Arts and Music event in downtown Livingston, Tennessee! With musical acts broadcast live throughout the Upper Cumberland by local PBS affiliate WCTE. Learn more: www.homeofamericana.com. My friend, Jack Stoddart, is organizing the small art/craft component of this cool event. If interested contact him directly, hippiejack62@yahoo.com
  

*Thanks to the Ann Arbor Arts Alliance newsletter for this info.

August 17 & 18 
Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania
Sponsored by: Pennsylvania Chautauqua
265 Artists
Deadline: April 1

Artist fees:  $25.00 application fee
                  $350.00, 10'x12' booth space

Admission $10 per person, children 12 and under free

In mid-August as many as 18,000 festival-goers will plan on enjoying a weekend of art, crafts, entertainment and gourmet food in Mount Gretna, PA.

Every year, during the third weekend of August, this community of some 700 homes and cottages suddenly springs to life, welcoming 264 artists chosen through juried competition and 20,000 visitors who-by their presence acknowledge the role that art plays in their homes, hearts, and lives.
Every year, as thousands of art show patrons return, many  others discover Mount Gretna for the first time. For  everyone who comes, it is a return to an earlier era: a time when neighbors greeted neighbors from their front porches, when going for ice cream meant going for a stroll rather than getting into an automobile, and when life itself pulsed at a rocking chair pace.

The artists speak:  "I will certainly sign up for the Mt. Gretna, PA show again."

The last three weeks have been busy, so I'll try to wrap up three shows in a single review, and maybe by the end of this typing exercise a glimmer of a trend will have developed, and I'll feel smarter about this business than I do at the outset.

But first: Context!  As I've written earlier, with varying degrees of accuracy and/or persuasiveness:  This has been a puzzling Florida season. 

* Local (SW Florida) shows at which I've always killed 'em, have gone flat--leading me (and others) to speculate that 2-D artists in this overcooked market should "sell big...[hoping for that one big fish] or go home."

* More distant shows have largely held their own compared with 2012 totals.  So I've wondered, aloud, if it pays to travel more and assume the guise of "artist from afar." 

* Buyers are pickier, especially at the big shows that present more choices (and any show that has competition right down the street (i.e.: Howard Alan v. Barry Witt, "The Battle for Bucks in Bonita Springs", which is definitely a blog title I wish I'd written).  This buying behavior, taken to the extreme by market conditions, leads to lots of "be-backs" throughout the weekend, and, for too many of us, praying under our collective breath for  "4 o'clock miracles" on Sunday afternoon. 

Thanks to an unusually early Easter weekend (which usually shoos the snowbirds back north until the first fall cold snap), we're now just about at the end of the season.  So, what have I learned in the last three weeks that will clear up the admittedly muddled view in the crystal ball?  Let's have a look. . .

Jupiter Art Fest By the Sea (March 9-10) is one of Howard Alan's biggest shows--well over 300 artists, extending pole to pole for over a quarter mile along A1A in Juno Beach (a.k.a. the slightly less monied suburb of Jupiter Island).  And an impeccably run show, it is!  With a location just down the road from Alan's Tequesta headquarters, the organization does everything it can to promote high attendance, manage artist access and egress smoothly, and bring in the very best artists it can.  A separate craft section on the south end of the show gives something for everybody, at any price point. And for the most part, this is a high-quality experience for patrons. 

HAE pulled out all the promotional stops, including having a special advertising insert in the local paper, strong signage near the venue, and great cooperation from both local police and the Florida State Patrol(!) in assisting artists and patrons alike getting into the show.And Howard, Debbie, Helayne, and the parking staff couldn't have done a better job.  They were on-site, accessible, and helpful throughout the event. 

Sales were decent for most of the artists I spoke with...though some commented that they fell short of expectations given the high traffic volume of attendees.  And, as you might expect with so many artists, a few folks I spoke with were raving about their totals, and a few were moaning.  Among the repeat exhibitors, it was more down (slightly) than up for most.

A first-time exhibitor at this show, I don't have any personal Jupiter history to reference.  But earlier this season I'd done an Alan show in Stuart and a month-long January exhibit at Dickinson State Park, and my Jupiter results were highest of all.  So overall, I was satisfied. 

The extraordinarily long show layout, coupled with limited patron parking close to the show, may inhibit folks from walking the entire show, or from buying large 2-D or bulkier 3-D items.  I'd like to see Jupiter implement  "patron pickup booths" so that visitors could buy a large or hard-to-handle item and get a claim check they could use to pick up their item(s) by car later. 

Next stop:  Key Biscayne Festival of the Arts (March 16-17): another Alan show, in another town where I'd never exhibited.  And what a different experience it was!  This event was founded years ago by the local Rotary, and (at some point in the past) enlisted the Alan organization to run the art festival while the Rotarians concentrated on providing food, music, and entertainment for the kids and families. 

Despite the hard-to-miss venue in a spacious downtown park, there just wasn't any buzz happenin'.  Crowds were light to moderate, at best and the show had barely 100 artists (small, by Alan standards).  There were very high percentages of 2-D artists, especially photographers, and about 17% jewelry.  Functional 3-D art was lacking. 

And so were buyers. Many who visited were on bikes or rollerblades, suggesting to me that they were planning on visiting the park anyway, and then, hey! an art show broke out, so why not wheel on through? 

I talked to probably 15 artists, and only two were happy with their sales results.  I zeroed on Saturday, the first time that's ever happened in nearly 200 shows.  Three customers on Sunday bought small, but at least they broke the drought, and one (finally!) enthusiastic late-day visitor called me on Monday to order a large canvas, meaning I'd at least cover the booth fee and the (expensive, but charming) oceanside hotel room. 

I love Miami's culture, but my largely Gulf Coast bird art doesn't tug their heartstrings.  As my neighbor Sally, a funny and wise jeweler, put it: "People down here are into how much concrete they own, not how much wildlife they can see."  And, sadly, development has rendered this longest of Florida barrier islands into something more like Boca Raton than a vestige of Old Florida wilderness.  So, for me, this is a show best avoided. For anyone else, the high hotel and travel expenses make it a crap shoot.  Frankly, if I were Alan, I'd leave this one to the Rotarians and the local artists and concentrate resources on his Coral Springs show 75 minutes north, happening the same weekend. 

My last stop, and by far my most successful, was the Englewood Rotary Art Festival (March 23-24).  Nels Johnson blogged last year that this was a show like art shows used to be, and after a weekend that included winning Best in Show for 2-D, I'd have to say Nels was right on target (as usual).  Strong crowds--perhaps not rivaling Jupiter, but astonishing nonetheless, considering that this usually-sleepy town is more than a dozen miles off the heavily-beaten path of US 41.  A solid mix of categories, with none too dominant.  This crowd skews to the older side--a resident told me during Friday-night setup that "Folks retire and move to Venice.  And their parents move here  to Englewood!".

But come they do--from Englewood itself, and surrounding enclaves like Rotonda and Gasparilla,  starting  before the show officially opens on Saturday morning.  And, in an area that hasn't yet been oversaturated with shows like the rest of South Florida, they come to buy.

The area doesn't seem quite as heavily midwestern (Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin) as the surrounding areas of SW Florida.  Many of the seasonal visitors come from the northern tier of states--Michigan, Massachusetts, Maine.  A number from Virginia and Pennsylvania and the Delmarva Peninsula. And lots of folks from the UK and northern Europe.   

The (mostly) Friday setup was cheerfully managed by the Rotary volunteers, and there are a couple of funky mom-and-pop restaurants along the usually-sleepy main drag that seem to love the show and the crowds they bring.  The show ended at 4 PM both days (which, after 12 straight show weekends, almost made it feel like a vacation.) 

It was a weekend well spent in every sense of the word.  And if it didn't completely answer the questions I'd had about whether shows can still kick serious butt in the Florida circuit, it sure pointed in the right direction.  If only one could roll back the hands of time!

What is one of the best things about art fairs? Near the top of everyone's list is meeting the other artists and spending time with them. Which brought me to Springfield, MO, March 15-17, for a professional development conference sponsored by Best of Missouri Hands.* 

I was really pleased to be invited to speak at this conference. I love to talk about the business of art fairs and to meet the many, many people in this organization who are members here at AFI. (And let's face it, folks, travel is in our blood).

BOMH was founded in 1989 dedicated to the development and recognition of Missouri's arts and artisans through education, interaction, and encouragement. They sponsor juried exhibitions and their members have access to exhibiting opportunities at popular places like Silver Dollar City in Branson. They host workshops and have regional chapters which develop a real spirit of camaraderie. 

If you've never been to an artist development conference think really hard about it the next time you have the opportunity. In fact, you might want to put this on your calendar for next year as it is open to artists from other areas. The attendees were an amazing audience, no iPhones or iPads in evidence. They were really there for development, listening and note taking.

"Framed" at the Frame Gallery: Robert Lyall, Marian McKinney, Connie Mettler. Thanks to Fresh Gallery for the photo.

What you missed:

• gallery exhibition and sale of member's work
• Friday night frolics: workshops where you could try your hand at printmaking, wax resist and other media, taught by members
  
  Speakers:
• Reed McMillan, currently sales manager for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair,whose long list of credentials includes Producer of The Artist Project, and Show Director of the American Craft Council spoke three times on Seeking Inspiration, Adapting to a Changing Market and Maintaining Artistic and Creative Integrity.
• Connie Mettler, after more than 25 years participating in art fairs, an event consultant, art fair director and show organizer, but now runs four highly ranked websites around the art fair business, advising artists and bringing patrons to attend art fairs. She spoke on Jurying for Art Fairs, Insider Secrets to Art Fair Success and led a roundtable on the business of art fairs.
  
  treasures to take home, hand dyed yarn from Marci Blank, "memory" key from Bob Lyall, aroma flask from Robin Ragsdale

More workshops:

• Introduction to wholesale markets - led by long time wholesale exhibitors, Dodie Eisenhauer and Teresa Gallup
• Insight from an Art show Manager - led by Vic Barr who manages the Queeny Park Art Shows
• Legal Issues for Artists
• Managing your web page
• Making the most of the Artist/Gallery Relationship
• What Makes it Great? led by Martha Greer. What makes a show great? What compels an artist to participate?

Social events: Welcome Reception, Gallery Reception and gallery crawl - hospitality!

More details: www.bestofmissourihands.org/conference/artsmart 

The people I met: Don and Gail Crozier, Vic Barr, Dodie Eisenhauer, Teresa Gallup, Bari Precious,Julie Bell, Marcie Blank, Serena Boschert, Jean Hartley, Peggy King, Nancy Koehler, Robert Lyall, Marian McKinney, Robin Ragsdale, Joyce Wathen, Don Ament and so many more! Thank you for your welcome. 

Martha Greer, executive director of BOMH, is pretty amazing, thorough and on top of everything. Photo courtesy of Fresh Gallery, Springfield, MO.

Favorite story: potter Bari Precious' website url was recently up for renewal: www.preciouspots.com. She was offered big bucks to sell it. Any idea why? 

*With support from the Missouri Arts Council.

Six minute video that includes Reed McMillan's tips on jurying and the importance of the "hand of the maker" in the work he views:

Mt Dora is a lovely location.  I did their October show in 2011 and did great, so I applied for 2012 as soon as they opened for applications.  Sadly, I did not get in but was told to try in 2013 since they have different jurors every year, so I have submitted my application.  They also suggested the spring show as an alternative.  This is a smaller show (and less expensive) which they are trying to expand.  It is definitely both arts and crafts, and someone came around before the end of the show to verify that everything was handmade and that I was the artist.  I didn't see everything, but what I saw appeared to be nice quality.  Given that Mt Dora attracts crowds, I applied and was accepted.

Everything started out very well.  In fact, I have never been to a more organized show!  They assured me that the same practices are going to be implemented for the fall show, too.  I opted to "dolly in", which guaranteed me a parking space.  Unbelievably, I was assigned to a lot right behind my booth location and it was easy-in, easy-out at the start and end of the day, which was a 100% difference from my 2011 fall experience.  All during the show, there was a huge presence of red-shirted show officials and volunteers ready to help, as well as a significant police presence which was very effective in getting cars towed from the streets so we could set up.  Set-up and break-down were a breeze, except for the storm that ended the show early on Sunday.  I was packed up with a wet tent and on the road by about 3:15.

Now for the problem.  Lots of people, lots of visits to my booth, lots of be-backs, lots of oohs and aahs, but not so many sales.  I did not cover my expenses, given the price of gas for an over 350-mile round trip and hotel for 2 nights.

I make jewelry, and there were a lot of jewelry artists there.  In fact, from my booth I could see 6, 3 of which were right across the street.  None of us sold much jewelry, although other items seemed to sell well.  The man next to me makes very nice wooden kitchen items and I think he did well, and the couple on the other side make charming copper garden/lawn ornaments and I know they did well because I could hear people buying!  The good news for them is that they are fairly local, so they could stay at home. 

The couple across from me sold barely any jewelry, but sold lots of other non-jewelry items.  They told me they did the same show last year and did very well, but thought of one explanation for low sales.  Apparently, last year there was an adjacent antiques and boat show, which brought in more crowds who could see arts/crafts/boats/antiques all in one fell swoop...maybe that explains it?

I tried a new show this past weekend as I didn't get in to either Vero or Winter Park this year,so I did Hyde Park in Tampa. It is a Howard Allen venue so set up was early on Saturday morning.We had good weather and good sales on Saturday but I was very worried about Sunday. Fortunately the front moved off to the north and we just had a tiny sprinkle or two. The buying energy and crowds were lighter on Sunday but I had two be-backs come back and buy a big piece. I'm happy to say that the show turned out to be very good for me.

Something I'm noticing is that I tend to do well in shows that are in neighborhoods with lots of old craftsman-style houses. Also, I seem to need educated Floridians. Hyde Park had both of these for me.

Will I do it again? I did almost as well as Vero there, but Winter Park is still tops for me! We'll see what shows will roll my way next year.

Leslie Peebles

June 1 & 2
Sylvania, Ohio
Historic Downtown Sylvania
Presented by the Sylvania Community
Art Commission & the
Sylvania Chamber of Commerce
75 Artists

Set up: Saturday 6 am
Show Hours:
Saturday June 1, 12 noon - 7:30 pm
Sunday June 2, 10 am - 4 pm
Application Fee $25.00
Booth Fee: $160.00

Maple and Main Art Fair is pleased to invite you to submit

your entry to this juried art fair in Historic Downtown Sylvania, OH.  In early June, just as the weather turns really nice, join us for this exciting  art fair in a great little town.  

Sylvania, a city of 19,000 residents, is the perfect setting for an art fair, the home of a thriving art scene and one of the region's highest median incomes.  This highly regarded suburb of Toledo, OH is part of a metropolitan area of more than 650,000 residents.  We welcome you to discover what is quickly becoming one of the best little fairs in the Midwest. 

Application for this Fair is through Zapplication

Important Dates:
March 31st: Entry Deadline
April 21st: Notification Date by email

Highlights:

• On the downtown, tree lined streets of
• Historic Sylvania
• Two days - Saturday and Sunday
• Overnight Security
• $2,200 in Total Prize Money
• Live Music Stage-Great Lineup of Musicians
• Local Food Vendors-Beer and Wine tickets for artists
• Booth Sitters
• Coffee, Doughnuts and Refreshments
• Extensive Promotion

Additional information: www.Maple-and-Main.org 

Apply: www.Zapplication.org 

Questions: email us at: Info@Maple-and-Main.org

My most recent podcast "Let's Start an Art Fair" was full of great information for anyone who is starting  an art fair and those of you who are continually working to improve and grow the event you already have in place.

Rae Marie Schneider and Kim House started the St. John's River Festival of the Arts in Sanford, FL, in 2012 and just as they got really busy the tragic murder of Trayvon Martin exploded all over the news. They had to work on damage control to make people believe their community was a safe place for an event. You'll also learn their grassroots organizing and why they are really looking forward to year two.

Dennis Gorg is a known event organizer in St. Louis and June 1 & 2 will see his inaugural Midtown Taste ART FAIR. His expertise is pretty obvious as he speaks and discusses why sometimes a festival (that includes music, restaurants, children's activities) is the best answer to promote and sell art, never losing the focus that the art comes first.

Tim Reilly is stepping deep into the water promoting a fine art festival in his town of Madison, GA, The Cotton South Fine Arts Festival. He shares his ideas of how an art fair can really stretch start up dollars with one's connections throughout his city and ideas for supporting artists so they can afford to spend the weekend at his show.

A few tips along the way:

• by having components for income besides booth fees can help support an event and keep expenses low
• don't be afraid to innovate, develop new media channels (really work the social media)
• listen to the artists, they probably know more about events than you do
• utilize your local contacts and connections even those that seem unrelated to your specific goals
• let local hotels know about your show so out-of-towners can attend

Lots more right here: Let's Start an Art Fair

July 21  
Neenah, Wisconsin
Riverside Park
10am-4pm
75-90 Artists
Deadline March 31

The 39th Annual Bergstrom-Mahler Museum Arts Festival hosts fine artists in a beautifully wooded lakeside park with music, food and family-friendly fun.  The festival is a much anticipated Fox Cities tradition strongly supported by residents.

Looking for a show for this particular date? This is a lovely time of the year to spend a day in Wisconsin. Neenah is near Appleton and just north of Milwaukee.  Click here for location.

• Jury Fee: $20, Entry Fee: $100.
• Total Cash Value of Prizes/Awards: $1,600.00.
• Free admission.
• Music and dance for entertainment.
• General types of work acceptable for this event are: Fine art, High-Quality fine craft, limited edition/handmade prints, offset lithograph prints and photography.

       
More info: www.bergstrom-mahlermuseum.com
Application: www.bergstrom-mahlermuseum.com

Contact info:
Kelly Stoll, Visitor & Customer Services Coordinator
Bergstrom-Mahler Museum
165 North Park Avenue
Neenah, WI  54956-2994
(920)751-5658 Ex: 303
E-mail: stoll@bergstrom-mahlermuseum.com

Congratulations to Robert Wallis whose discussion "St. Louis Art Fair Mock Jury and Image Workshop 2013, Part 1" was chosen by the members to receive this month's award. 

As you can see from the video Robert really knows how to navigate tricky terrain and get to the finish in style. If there is anything anyone wants to know about preparing images for jurying and how a mock jury is run, please see Robert's discussion, plus don't miss Parts 2 and 3.

Admitted to our Hall of Fame this month for their generous participating and sharing on the site are our newest featured members. Many thanks to the members who make this website work so well for so many. The members have voted and the following people have been chosen as the most generous and friendly and appreciated for their constructive contributions:

Elle Heiligenstein - Elle's friendliness has permeated AFI since she joined. I'm thinking she is going to have lots of friends before she even does her first big show. In her first six months on the site she has participated in nearly 160 discussions and brought a lot of helpful strategic info to many.

Richard Sherer - Dick joined the site in July 2012 and has been a great source of lots of down to earth business information in addition to teaching us a lot about the saddle business and Colorado art shows. He has participated in nearly 300 discussions adding his own brand of good sense and community sharing..

Robert Wallis - member since July 2010. Sometimes he can't decide if he is the teacher or the learner. He indefatigably searches out answers and shares his answers generously. When you

see his name you know his info will be substantive. 

Members who have made extensive contributions to AFI can be identified by the Red AFI symbol on their photos.

Thanks to these three from all of us. You have been chosen by the community to receive this award.

Asking for Booth Image Reviews

If you are asking about having your booth image reviewed, please start a thread on the forum specific to that topic. Thanks.

http://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/categories/booth-examples-and-reviews/listForCategory

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

  Photo by Kim Fulwiler

                                               OUR HERO!!

  I can't describe the thrill of being able to announce that RC Fulwiler, the Chuck Yeager of photography,  has broken the CANVAS barrier by taking a first place award for photography at the Fairhope, Alabama show last weekend.  The reason I’m reporting this is that I know RC, like most other photographers, is too modest to brag.  This, however, is a report that needs reporting.      

   Guys and gals with photography on canvas at the shows know all about the glass ceiling when it comes to awards.  Although it’s not official policy, photographers who show on canvas have not been eligible for  those  awards.  It’s simply been a tacit policy among art show judges.  A photographer  can get awards for digital  fotos on aluminum, titanium, bronze, pewter, and maybe even particle board if the subject matter is right.

     But canvas?  Noooo.  

     Until now.  

Way to go, Rich.  One thing about awards, however.  When you get one, sales suck, don't they?    

The BBC is pleased to invite fine artists and fine crafts people to apply to their 2013 Spring Fine Art and Fine Craft Show.  This annual event is eagerly looked forward to by the whole tri-state area. 

What to expect:

• This show draws over 15,000 attendees.  
• We have wonderful, professional fine artist and fine crafters, plus a gourmet food section.  
• In addition we have live music.  The food and music sections are separate from the exhibitors so that people can have a wonderful meal and dance, and is far enough away to only enhance the shopping experience and adds a wonderful background ambiance.  
• This is the first year we are listing the show nationally to encourage exhibitors from outside the tri-state area to participate.

Application: www.entrythingy.com
For more info: www.bbcblockassociation.com

March 21, 2 pm ET

Thought I'd give my 2 cents to this festival being a newbie to the show. IMy booth was right at the end of the chamber part and the beginning of the Arts center show, yes there is two different events butted up to each other. Very interesting talking to artist on both sides you seem to get a lot of different reasons for why who has choosen the show their in. I still didn't see the difference other than the way the booth layout was. On the chamber side all the artist had a corner so that was pretty cool not to have to pay a extra fee for that.

Loadin you had to wait until 6 the police cleared the streets from 5 until you could bring your vehicle in to unload. In theory one was to unload move your vehicle and then setup no body did that but you had plenty of space to setup.

It's a 3 day event on Friday lots of artist I talked to did very well I DID NOT, but it was the local or returning vendors that seemed to do well. I made the same amount all three days I did cover my expenses and put a few dollars in my pocket. I didn't see many folks carrying big paintings around or a lot of bags, the wood carver and potter to my right had a very good show both took in several thousand. I sold a lot of matted small prints nothing over $100.00 no orginals thought a few times I had one in the bag only to fall short. Crowds on all three days were pretty large with that said it left a few of us 2D artist scratching our heads why the low sells compared to the amount of people. There was enough interest in my work and with the amount of print sold I'll give this one another try. The Chamber of Fairhope are extremely friendly plus the fact it's a pretty nice area of Alabama to be in anyway. It does have a award dinner on Friday night "VERY GOOD" I may add.

Load out was about the same as loadin with no help I was out and on the road in about a hour.

If you do get into this event and not done the show before you'll have to purchase a business license to display your work, it's cost $32.00 on top of your application and booth fee. Food for thought.

Later, Mike

http://www.mikebrownstudio.com/

August 10 & 11  
Shelby Township, Michigan
Shelby Township Municipal Grounds
Sat. 10am-5pm; Sun. 10am-4pm
Deadline: April 1

Since its humble beginning in 1983 the Shelby Township Art Fair has become an annual event that many look forward to visiting.  It has grown to be a favorite for those looking for a great family outing and a wonderful venue to find that special piece for their home or themselves.  The Shelby Township Art Fair Committee invites artists from near and far and Michigan based businesses to exhibit at its 30th Annual Art Fair.

ARTISTS and FINE CRAFTERS that create works in paint, wood, glass, clay, metal, photography, jewelry, fibers, and more are being sought to exhibit. This is a juried fair where buy/sell products are not permitted.

MICHIGAN-BASED BUSINESSES that make items for visitors to purchase and take with them are invited to apply to exhibit and sell their products in the area designated for Michigan Made Products. This was a new feature at the Art Fair in 2012 that was met with very positive feedback from the participating businesses and by the visitors to the fair.

Artist & Michigan Made Products Vendor Features:

• Juried fair limited to 100 artists and 30 Michigan based businesses
• Spacious grassy 15'x15' exhibit areas
• Reasonable jury/booth fees-Artists $10/$140- MI Made $10/$50
• Sponsor provided cash awards for juried art
• Friendly, helpful, organized staff; easy load-in & load-out
• Free parking available close to exhibit areas; overnight security on grounds
• Attendance was approximately 10,000 in 2012
• No commission taken on sales-artists and vendors are responsible for their own 6% sales tax
• Advertising in local and regional publications, on-line, through social media, television and radio announcements, e-mail and Node blasts, flyers, banners and signs throughout the community, and through other promotional venues

APPLICATIONS:  www.shelbytwp.org/departments 

Questions or concerns regarding support of the Art Fair can be addressed by contacting Committee Secretary Pam Reinhardt at the Shelby Parks, Recreation and Maintenance Department by phone at (586)731-0300 or (586)803-2087, or via e-mail at preinhardt@shelbytwp.org

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Find even more art fairs looking for artists: www.CallsforArtists.com