Blog

Looking at returns on shows, geography and my plans for the year.  I'm going to try to pick up some shows outside the Chicago area for the first time.  To see my reasoning check out my blog: http://heartfirestudios.blogspot.com/2013/01/geographically-challenged.html  ... if you are so inclined I welcome any advice to an artist who is finally going to travel.

May 18 & 19  
Indianapolis, Indiana
43rd year
225+ Artists
Deadline: January 20

Established in 1971, the Broad Ripple Art Fair, the Art Center's largest fundraiser, is Indy's kickoff to the summer festival season!  Now it its 43rd year, the Broad Ripple Art Fair attracts over 22,000 visitors annually to the Broad Ripple Village cultural district and showcases more than 225 artists from the U.S. and Canada.

The Art Fair features booths from local cultural organizations, a children's creative area, gourmet food courts, a beer and wine garden and live entertainment on four stages and the Frank M. Basile Auditorium.


The Art Fair takes place on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center and its ARTSPARK, and the North Side Optimist Opti-Park annually each May.

All proceeds from the Art Fair aid the Art Center in serving more than 300,000 people annually through its year-round on-site studio art classes, contemporary art exhibitions, community events and outreach programs for underserved youth.

Points of note:

• Top 100 Art Fair (Sunshine Artist Magazine 2012, Art Fair Sourcebook 2012)
• Jury is open to public and scores are released to artists
• Jury/Booth Fees ($34/$320-$420 depending on location)
• Over $400,000 in marketing and promotion
• Features 225 fine artists
• Second day pass-back for patrons; gated fair average of over 20,000 attendees
• Heavy item pick up service
• Staff and volunteer supported load-in and load-out
• Over 400 volunteers

Application Dates:

• Applications Open:  October 1, 2012
• Application Deadline:  January 20, 2013
• Notification:  February 22, 2013
• Booth Fee due:  March 22, 2013

For more info: http://indplsartcenter.org/events/braf/

Apply: www.Zapplication.org

Kyle Herrington, Artist Committee Chair KyleH@IndplsArtCenter.org

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Want to fill up your 2013 show schedule? Visit callsforartists.com

I have a trivial question and am wondering if anyone else has ever pondered the same question.

When you have your choice of a booth location in a show, is it better to be near the front (or the main entrance) or the back or somewhere in the middle.

My question specifically applies to the Bayou Festival in Houston.  You have to enter Memorial Park through the main entrance and, if your booth is in the back, you have to walk the entire length of the park to get to your booth.  And, of course, if you're near the entrance, you don't have far to go.

I guess it's a psychological question as to whether a person is more likely to buy as they come in or as they go out  Coming in they are fresh and ready to rock-and-roll and as they go out they're tired and ready to go home.

I know.  I said it was a trivial question but , I'd be interested in hearing whether or not any of you have an opinion on this.

Does anyone have any comments regarding this Spring show?  I know their Christmas show has a lot of buy-sell and I did well there many, many years ago in the handcraft section; however, I know nothing about the spring show.  How does it compare to the May show in the park?  Any input will be greatly appreciated.

PS:  Happy New Year to everyone.  I'm hoping it's a good one!

Yet another reason to move to Florida:

Series of fine arts festivals planned for Veterans Park

Does Florida need more art fairs? The City of Flagler Beach has just announced a series of six art fairs to be held on the third Saturday of the month, starting February 17. The city has entered into a partnership with Justine Wintersmith, who has organized similar festivals in Washington State and Arizona.

Wintersmith's hope is "to help "establish the artist/collector relationship" in the area through repetition so that collectors might come to the series of festivals to meet the artists and gain a better understanding of their work."

The city hopes that in addition to generating revenue for the city, the festivals will attract more visitors to city shops and restaurants.

Some interesting points:

• Veterans Park can accommodate between 50 and 80 artist booths.
• There is no application fee to enter but admissions will go through a jury process to ensure that three main criteria are met: work must be created by the artist who submits the piece; it is quality work; and it is considered fine art.
• Artists within 100 miles are eligible to participate.

Read the story here: http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20130102/NEWS0402/301019988/1064?p=1&tc=pg

What do you think? Does this venue impinge on other nearby events?

I have been accepted to Woodlands in Texas but was waitlisted for Main Street Ft. Worth (#4). I don't want to drive that far for one show or risk showing up for Main Street and not get in. I do well in North Florida in April as it's home base. Should I go to Texas or stay home?

Also, Leesburg or Las Olas? I can depend on @$2000 from LAs Olas, but Leesburg would be so easy and convenient. Has anyone done the Deland show in March? they want slides or photos?!?!), or do Hyde Park? Hmmm, so many decisions!

Sculpture by N'namdi Okonkwo at the AA Street Art Fair

 
The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is the original of a collective of four concurrent fairs that transform central Ann Arbor into a massive outdoor art gallery each July.  Established in 1960 and still true to its mission of increasing public knowledge and appreciation for contemporary fine arts and fine crafts,  the Original Ann Arbor Art Fair presents consistently high quality, all original work.

Located on the streets surrounding the historic Burton Carillon Tower and the tree-lined central campus of the University of Michigan, the Street Art Fair, the Original, offers a serene atmosphere that does not include sidewalk sales or merchandise vendors.  The Street Art Fair is the only Ann Arbor fair to be named to AmericanStyle's list of Top-Ten Art Fairs and is known for attracting collectors, corporate buyers, and gallery representatives.

Highlights:

• The combined Ann Arbor Art Fair draws more than 500,000 fairgoers from across the nation
• Marketed extensively throughout Southeast Michigan and northern Ohio
• In-depth Artist directory on the Fair's website, which received 11 million hits leading up to last year's Fair
• Inclusion in the searchable iPhone Artist Directory
•  $7,500 in award money and automatic reinvitation for award winners
• Set-up the day before, behind booth storage
• Artist amenities include: 24-hour security, indoor restrooms, booth sitting, daily breakfast, beverages and snacks, welcome cocktail reception, and an awards breakfast on Thursday
• Paid demonstration opportunities

Application fee: $40

Booth fee: $650

Electricity and corners are available for $100 additional

For more info:  www.artfair.org

email: mriley@artfair.org, (734)994-5260

Apply: www.zapplication.org

Our Tradition continues...The Art League of Lincoln has renamed the former clay art show and competition held annually at the Gladding McBean Clay company as “AMERICA’S CLAYFEST at Gladding McBean”  This show is celebrating 25 years of clay competition at the historic Gladding McBean Clay Manufacturing Company in Lincoln, California. Our juror, world renowned ceramic artist, Richard Shaw, will be selecting the works that will be shown on site at the Gladding McBean property, inside one of the historic beehive kilns and in the historic architectural design studio. This prestigious show has traditionally had entries from all over the United States, Canada, Mexico and Asia. All clay artists are invited to submit entries. Deadline is February 4th 2013...See our web page www.all4art.net for a Prospectus and Entry

After a show-free December, I was anxious to get the cash register ringing at Coconut Point, Howard Alan's first event of Florida high season (or "last-show-of-the-year", depending on your perspective).  I'd invested not much money but quite a bit of time during the break installing the Square's point-of-sale software and Fresh Books cloud accounting and reporting software, putting all my items into its inventory and price point systems, and figuring out how I could tweak them to get an at-a-glance view of the business in 2013.  I was really looking forward to seeing how that improved the customer checkout experience.

Unfortunately, but through no fault of the Howard Alan folks, I didn't gather much data--or moolah, either.  Instead of my speedy, high-tech gizmos, I could have gone all retro and serviced my few customers with a stone tablet and abacus beads and not missed a beat.

The crowds came strong, as they always do, to this jewel of the Southwest Florida shopping scene.  And some folks sold very well, indeed.  But I was among the downtrodden on this trip, selling less than I'd sold at the much smaller Naples Thanksgiving show, and about two-thirds less than past experience here had led me to expect.

I didn't do a great deal of walking around during show hours, but I did a lot of asking around during load-out.  And it seems that the folks who fared best (sales of $4K and up on the weekend) were selling at high price points: Large paintings and photographs for the high-ceilinged, Mediterranean-style homes in this area (at price points of $800 and up); expensive glass sculptures, and the like.  Some folks, like myself, who didn't meet expectations were selling at middle price points, and, as more than one artist said to me, "the middle class folks weren't buying."  A jeweler near me had sold one item as of early Sunday afternoon; a painter finally had a $1200 buyer (for a half-dozen reproductions) in mid-afternoon of Day 2 to get her, more or less, in the black. A photographer friend had a decent show, thanks to a single large buyer.   Another artist nearby, like myself, struggled to crack $1K.

I had lots of traffic through my booth, to be sure: About a half-dozen folks who are about to close on new homes, but not quite at the "furnishing stage";  some potentially nice marketing opportunities (about which more later); but no buyers of my (typically) 24x30 inch canvases of Florida bird life, at price points from the low $200s to high $400s. (Last year, I sold seven.)

Matted prints moved slowly, too, as browsers didn't seem impressed with a "15% off both if you buy two" offer. I might have done better, had I adjusted on the fly.

Lots of the stores surrounding the show had 20 to 50 percent off signs in their windows; maybe that's what the middle-income shoppers were looking for.  But the word around the tents was that, if Joe Sixpack was made nervous by fiscal cliffs and bills from Christmas past, the upper-income buyers weren't.  And that may be an observation worth paying attention to as the winter season continues.

"Go big, or go home," as they say. 

****

Other notes:

*This is a Friday, all-day, setup show.  Easy and well-managed.  Artist parking was tightly restricted this year to the row at the far edge of the movie theatre lot that hosts it.  It's a brisk seven-minute walk to the near edge of the show, but an artist shuttle was provided to help out, and it seemed to do the trick.  

* It's a busy, busy shopping center, especially with the show falling only four days after Christmas. (I overheard a clerk in the Barnes & Noble store referring to "gift-card-from-Grandma season.") A few visitors mentioned that parking for the show was a bit of a hassle.

* Give yourself lots of time for tear-down: The shopping lots stay filled late at Coconut Point, so if you're hoping to find a spot on the edge of the show and dolly out, it can be a long wait to find space.  Many artists just ordered takeout from one of the restaurants and waited until they could pull past the barricades and up to the front of their tent.

* Show quality was very good, as usual for an HAE "A" show.  Maybe a little heavier on photography than in years past.  Quality may have benefited even more from the lack of a competitor down the road in Naples: The von Liebig's first Fifth Avenue show isn't until next weekend.

I'll be spending this day flying from Los Angeles to Detroit. Like many parents I have seen my bright and shiny children move away for greener pastures and good jobs in California and elsewhere. So, for me this last day is a sad one, as I leave behind my sons, their wives and 3 little grandchildren until we can meet again. I make these trips to LA frequently and almost always my seat mates are parents or kids making the trek to visit family. All of us are happy on the outbound trip and depressed on the inbound leg. 

Have you been watching Facebook in the last week, as many friends post images of happy families together and loved ones gathered? It has been heartwarming.  I hope your holidays were full of love and hugs like mine and that the New Year will bring you more of the same, whether with your family of birth or your family "on the road" as we travel and meet up with friends. 

How will you spend the last day of 2012?

March 23 & 24
Saint Augustine, Florida
Palm Sunday Weekend
Old Town Art & Craft Show~Spring
Francis Field
10am-5pm
Holiday Art Shows
125 Artists
Deadline: Jan. 11
(late applications will be accepted if category is not full)

Please join us for the Old Town Art & Craft Show~Spring, Palm Sunday weekend in Saint Augustine, Florida.  This is a carefully juried fine art and fine craft celebration of the arts.

Palm Sunday weekend is an extremely busy weekend with both tourists and locals alike converging in historic downtown to enjoy the Nation's Oldest City.  We are excited to offer you this premier event during the festive spring season in Saint Augustine.

Show Highlights:

• Free admission
• Reasonable booth fees
• Overnight security
• Easy drive up load and unload
• Free artist parking nearby
• Extensive marketing campaign
• Artist friendly, knowledgeable staff
• Free postcards for your customers
• Friday set-up
• By artists for artists

Holiday Art Shows offers three options for submitting your application; please choose whichever is most convenient and comfortable for you.

1. Holiday Art Shows Online Application:  www.holidayartshows.com/online-application.html 
2. Zapplication.org:  www.zapplication.org/index.php 
3. Print and mail application:   www.holidayartshows.com/support-files/application.pdf 
   
   

Media campaign includes: arbus magazine, regional newspapers, Folio Weekly (Jacksonville), radio, posters, flyers, banners, signage, social networking, and postcards.

Sponsored by arbus-The Arts and Business Magazine of Northeast Florida  

We look forward to receiving your application!

For more info: www.OldTownArtShow.com 

Lynn Wettach, Show Director: lynn@holidayartshows.com

Phone: (904)794-0084 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fill up your 2013 schedule. Visit callsforartists.com for inspiration.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  I originally wrote this in early Dec. after the show.  Went to publish it and lost it in the internet ether (yes, I know, hit the save button--I did not this time).  So I had spent almost two hours composing and editing, and then I lost it.  Naturally, I was pissed.  So here it is as best I can recollect.  A little "bon mot" to end 2012 with.  Hope you read and enjoy.

Doing the Englewood, FL show in early December is like going to your Grandmother's house for a special meal.  You know there is going to be that mouth-watering meatloaf ringed with baked potatoes, browned onions and carrots, and that "killer" gravy that you can sop up with those tender biscuits.

Englewood sits nested below Sarasota/Venice and between Boca grande Island.  The gulf beckons.  Take a short bridge out there and you are in a whole other world.

It is still Old Florida."  Believe me there are not many of those places left anymore.  You see vestiges of it in Cedar Key, New Smyrna, Vilano Beach and Fernandina.

It is home to several artists on the circuit like Jim Sears, Al Dela Vega, Ben Essenberg and Carol Swayze.

Carol first invited me down to the spring show eons ago.  I fell in love with it right away. Yeah, I did not make a lot of money, but it was easy to do, and most importantly, you were among friends and having a good time doing it.  Isn't  that one of the main reasons why we return to certain shows over and over again-- even if we don't make a lot of moola?

Over time, I came to stay with Ben Essenberg.  He has a big house, a big family, and a big heart.  Oh, did I forget to mention he still has a lot of room to put up a lot of artists and their vans.  Plus, there is always a good feed going on.  BTW.  Generously, Carol Swayze puts up a lot of good artists, and their vans and motor homes.  She also puts on a hell of a good feed with a lot of serious hooting and hollering around a campfire.  Two great venues for us wandering "gypsies" to pull our wagons up to.  And the golden waters of the Gulf just beckon over a short bridge, with, no tolls.

Englewood is like what most art shows were like when I first got started in the late seventies.

Mellow setup, usually the day before.  You could park behind your booth--the whole show.  You could take your time setting up--no show- Nazi committees here.  You could smoke a number in your van.  You could enjoy a little tequila or other.  You are always surrounded by known artists.  And occasionally, you could make serious money, especially if the Boca Grande "Good Shoes" people showed up.  Of course, a good mailing list never hurts having.

The December show show s always slimmer pickings then the spring show.  More buyers in town in March.

It is a small show with maybe 100 artists.  Many are regulars on the circuit and do it for the same reason I do.  Usually, there is plenty of room on your sides and behind.  Also, the show ends at 4 pm and you can be out of there in no time, and have a meal at home, or maybe some sushi.  Whatever.

The best times of this show come on the Friday and Saturday nights of the show, after we are done selling.

This year I crashed at Ben's, along with Carol and  Michael Webber, Bill, and Steve Khourie.

Naturally, we sat around a big table, with a big meals, with lots of wine and beer flowing.  And we told stories.  About people, long gone, who we still remembered.

To me, that is important.  I like remembering, and I like being remembered.  You can't take it to the bank for anything, but you can sleep the "sleep of angels" hoping you will be remembered in some kind way.

I got around to telling the story of Rene Marchettie.  He was a talented painter, along with his wife Sandy, who was on the circuit for eons, nationwide.  These people sold work for serious moola.

We always did the old Piedmont Show in Atlanta.  Back when it was a nine-day show, first in May, and then finally in September. At show closing we always jockeyed for position "A", being the first van into the show at end.  He always out-foxed me and was first.  He would give me that big grin and twirl his mustache, and yell,"Nels, maybe next year--but not now."

Rene died the perfect way most artists pray for, if you gotta go.  He fell over dead, peacefully, in his directors chair at the show, with a smile on his face, and a customer wanting to give him a five-thousand dollar check.

We all got a good chuckle about that.  You know how I like to tell stories of old.

Then, I started ribbing Steve Khouri.  He is a talented wildlife painter, who is very handsome and very successful.

Steve had the newest IPhone with that delicious voice of Siri.

So I just plum up and asked him, "See what Siri has to say if you ask her 'Does Siri do BJs'. Steve's face turned four shades of red and pinks, like his sunsets.  He said," i am not going to ask Siri that."

I said, "Come on, what have you got to lose, and besides, enquiring minds want to know."

So he asked her.  She replied,"Sir, I am not familiar with BJs but I will be glad to research it on the internet for you."

I asked Steve about five more sex-related questions for Siri.  Finally, he relented after five and retired with Siri for some serious pillow talk.  Whatever that was about.

Next day, I took Ben to breakfast at our favorite morning restaurant, bought a New York Times at Publix, and heled on down to the show (That's Hawaiian for for taking a short trip).

Sunday was beautiful, we all made a little money and I headed home with sweet thoughts.  It was a good way to end a most difficult year in the business.

It is only a little over one hour to my home in Ybor City from Englewood.

I left at a most opportune time.  Winter Soltice was just around the bend.  Light shadows were longer, and more colorful, upon the land.  I saw tops of palm trees painted in bright pinks. Rivers, like the Alafia, painted in pastel lavenders with crimson high notes.

I was heading home to sushi with my favorite blonde.  I was thankful for good health again.  Wealth is coming in 2013.  I feel it in my bones--and my brand new work.

I thanked God there were still shows like Englewood that could nourish my inner spirit.  I silently thanked Carol Swayze for inviting me on down, those long, years ago.

In my heart and soul I still have many miles to travel, many pieces of great art to create, and most of all, many great friends to spend my time with.

I am truly blessed.

Happy New Year everyone.  Nels.

Hello, I just wanted to introduce myself and say hello to everyone.  I have always made art, but only recently have I tried participating in art festivals.  I found out about Art Fair Insiders and I am very glad to be a member!  I will gladly share whatever knowledge I have, though I suspect everyone will know much more than I do. 

These days my artwork is mostly about music and musicians, jazz especially.  I call it "Jazz Art".  The subject matter is usually jazz, but the media varies:  I make mixed media collages with fabric and paint swatches, abstract collages from paper, and I also use scratchboard. 

Thank you for having my in the community-- it is nice to be among like-minded people. 

Danny Darr

April 5-7
St. Louis, Missouri
38th Annual Spring Art Fair at Queeny Park
Queeny Park in West St. Louis County
Fri.: 6pm-9pm; Sat.: 10am-6pm;
Sun.: 11am-4pm
Deadline: January 15

For more than thirty-eight years the Greater St. Louis Art Association has been providing opportunities for the public to see and purchase original works of fine art and fine craft directly from the artists who create them.

Every year we produce two juried art shows (Spring and Labor Day Weekend).  Artists in all media are encouraged to apply.  These shows feature juried local, regional and national artists' original work.  From the pool of artists applying, about 130 artists from all over the US and Canada are invited to exhibit.  These artists are selected by a professional jury process in eleven distinct media categories.

Both shows are presented in the indoor, air-conditioned setting of the Greensfelder Recreation Complex at Queeny Park in west St. Louis County.  Food and refreshments are available on site, parking for the public and artists is free.  Live music playing during wine tasting and peak attendance.  During Sunday afternoon, an interactive children's art education program encourages families with youngsters to meet and talk with artists and learn about their work.

Noteworthy:

• Our 38th Annual Spring Art fair
• Limited to approximately 130 artists
• An air-conditioned indoor art fair, no worry about the weather, tents or security
• Jury/Booth fees ($25/$200); free electricity 
• Cash awards totaling $4,500
• Booth sitters, 24-hour security. Rest easy knowing your booth is locked up safely at night.
• Excellent marketing campaign, expanded to television, newspaper, magazine and radio advertising, internet and e-mail promotion
• Promotional postcards, business cards and coupons provided free to exhibiting artists
• Live music throughout the art fair
• Wine tasting Friday & Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon

Important dates:

• Artist's entry deadline:  January 15
• Notification date:  February 1
• Booth Fee Due:  February 8 

For more info: www.artfairatqueenypark.com/  

You may also contact:

Vic Barr, GSLAA President

(314)997-1181

vicbarr@sbcglobal.net 

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

Find more art fairs for 2013: www.CallsforArtists.com

This is a special edition of our Call for Artists. Listed below are eighteen juried art festivals professionally run by Amdur Productions, a nationally acclaimed art festival production company which will celebrate its 30th anniversary this season.

Founded by Amy Amdur, Amdur Productions exploded on the art fair scene with the launch of the Port Clinton Art Festival in the affluent community of Highland Park, Illinois, 30 years ago.  Since then Amy and her great staff have continued to produce and organize nationally recognized festivals in high-profile suburbs and popular metro areas, many of which are considered the best in the business.

Last year Amdur Productions expanded its geographic footprint beyond the Chicagoland area by launching new festivals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Hallandale Beach, Florida and New Buffalo, Michigan, a high-end summer-home destination and weekend escape for Chicagoans.

Barrington Art Festival

May 25 & 26 Barrington, Illinois  130 Artists Booth Fee: $405 Jury Fee: $25 Amdur Productions proudly kicks off the season with the fourth annual Barrington Art Festival over Memorial Day weekend. Known for its grand mansions and horse farms, the affluent suburb of Barrington boasts a wealthy population with a deep appreciation of art and buying history. The festival takes place in Barrington's charming downtown, which is filled with cafes, boutiques and restaurants.  Easy listening live music takes place throughout the festival.  A centrally located Festival Info Booth and children's art activities add to the weekend.  Admission and parking for the public are free.  More information.

Millennium Art Festival

May 31 - June 2 Chicago, Illinois 125 Artists Booth: $495 Jury: $25         Located two blocks from Chicago's bustling Millennium Park, the Millennium Art Festival returns to downtown Chicago's iconic Michigan Avenue for its fifth year.   More than 175,000 people visit the area daily for work or play at the Art Institute, Chicago Cultural Center or Millennium Park.  Chicagoans and tourists patronize and love this big city show. The Festival opens to the public on Friday to reach the tremendous number of people who work in the area and welcomes visitors from near and far on Saturday and Sunday. It takes place right off Chicago's famed Michigan Avenue on Lake Street, next to some of the tallest and most famous buildings in the world.  Admission to the festival is free. Easy listening live music takes place throughout the weekend. More information.

Promenade of Art Arlington Heights

June 8 & 9   Arlington Heights, Illinois 130 Artists Booth: $450 Jury: $25 Celebrating its eleventh year, the Promenade of Art Arlington Heights is rated as one of the top 100 festivals in the country by Sunshine Artist magazine. The festival is a longstanding tradition for the art-loving homeowners in this prosperous suburb of 90,000 residents and nearby communities. The Promenade of Art Arlington Heights takes place in the lively downtown area amid many upscale high-rise apartments, the Metropolis Arts Centre, boutiques, cafes and popular restaurants.  All booths are on pavement. More information.

New Buffalo ARTigras!

June 15 & 16 New Buffalo, Michigan   125 Artists Booth: $450 Jury: $25 After a successful inaugural event, ARTigras! proudly returns to New Buffalo, Michigan, for its second year.  Located one hour from Chicago, this charming Michigan town, on the shore of Lake Michigan, welcomes tens of thousands of art lovers who own summer homes in the area, known as Harbor Country, or escape the city to enjoy a weekend away. This year's festival takes place over Father's Day Weekend, ensuring large crowds of festival-goers.    Traditional and contemporary work does well here as the public is shopping for city and weekend homes. More information.

The Art Center's Festival of Fine Craft

June 22 & 23 Highland Park, Illinois 130 Artists! Booth: $450 + local permit Jury: $35 Amdur Productions celebrates the second year of partnering with The Art Center - Highland Park (TAC) with the Festival of Fine Craft.  A longstanding community tradition, the Festival of Fine Craft attracts a loyal audience of art lovers who patronize the show annually.  Hosted on the beautiful tree lined streets of Downtown Highland Park, the show emphasizes fine craft including glass, wood, ceramics, fiber, jewelry and more. All artists are required to donate a piece of art, valued at $100, for "Bid or Buy," a silent auction benefiting TAC, a 51 year old not-for-profit visual arts organization.  All proceeds from "Bid or Buy" support TAC's mission of ensuring access to the arts for individuals of all ages and cultural interests. More information.

Gold Coast Art Fair

June 29 & 30   (tentative date) Chicago, Illinois 350 Artists Booth: $595 Jury: $35 The Gold Coast Art Fair is heralded as the "Granddaddy of American Art Festivals" and is rated as one of the top 30 shows in the nation by Sunshine Artist magazine.  Now celebrating its 56th year, the Gold Coast Art Fair is the third oldest and by far one of the most well attended art festivals in Chicago.  The festival proudly returns to Grant Park, Chicago's premier festival destination! Located within walking distance of the Art Institute of Chicago and Buckingham Fountain, the art festival draws hundreds of thousands art enthusiasts annually from Chicago and beyond! An improved layout makes the festival even more enjoyable for the artists and the loyal art lovers that shop the show year after year. This show is supported by an extensive marketing plan that include newspaper ads, radio, television, street banners and more.  An artist's VIP  tent provides support during the festival. More information.

Chicago Botanic Garden Art Festival

July 5-7 Glencoe, Illinois 85 Artists Booth: $625 Jury: $35 The Chicago Botanic Garden Art Festival returns for its third season.  Since its return after a decade-long hiatus, the festival has quickly become a favorite for the art lovers that live near or travel to the Chicago Botanic Garden for a day of exploring. Since its first year, the festival has set attendance records for the Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the top five visitor attractions in the Chicago area. Art of a botanic theme, material or use is exclusively featured at this festival. The Chicago Botanic Garden is located about 1/2 hour north of Chicago.  Booths are on grass and pavement overlooking a lake and spectacular gardens. More information.

North Shore Festival of Art

July 27 & 28   Skokie, Illinois 120 Artists Booth: $445 Jury: $25 North Shore Festival of Art takes place at the incredibly popular Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center, a luxury outdoor shopping destination in Skokie, Illinois.  Benefiting the Skokie Chamber of Commerce, the festival is located in a very busy shopping and dining area, ensuring high visibility and traffic from the crowds of shoppers at Westfield Old Orchard. Since its inception, attendance at the festival has consistently increased and it now welcomes more than 84,000 guests.  A revamped layout and day before set-up make this Amdur festival a pleasure for artists.   More information.

Glencoe Festival of Art

August 3 & 4 Glencoe, Illinois          120 Artists Booth: $455 Jury: $25 Glencoe Festival of Art takes place in the prestigious Village of Glencoe, an upscale community blocks from Lake Michigan on Chicago's North Shore. This high-end festival features fine art and craft and attracts a highly educated crowd of art lovers.  Held in cooperation with the Glencoe Chamber of Commerce, Glencoe Festival of Art takes place on the main strip of Glencoe's downtown area downtown amongst many galleries, high-end boutiques, retailers and cafés.   More information.

Art at the Glen Town Center

August 10 & 11   Glenview, Illinois 185 Artists Booth: $525 Jury: $35 Sales rank among the highest at this high quality show, which is currently rated as one of the top 12 shows in the country by Sunshine Artist magazine.   Art lovers flock to Art at the Glen Town Center, which is situated in a high-end, shopping and dining destination.  Festival streets are filled from opening to close with thousands of art buyers.   In addition to great restaurants, The Glen Town Center boasts some of the finest stores in the Midwest.   More information.

Lincolnshire Art Festival

August 17 & 18   Lincolnshire, Illinois 130 artists Booth: $430 Jury: $25 The Lincolnshire Art Festival proudly celebrates its 16th year as a fine arts institution this summer.  The Lincolnshire Art Festival is currently ranked as one of the top 100 art festivals in the country by Sunshine Artist magazine.  Located in one of Chicago's most prosperous suburbs, this popular art festival draws crowds from near and far.   More information.

Port Clinton Art Festival

August 24 & 25   Highland Park, Illinois 260 Artists Booth: $760 + local permit Jury: $50 ***30th Anniversary*** Now celebrating its 30th season, the Port Clinton Art Festival is nationally recognized as one of the most successful juried art festivals in the country.  Founded 30 years ago by Amdur Productions, the Port Clinton Art Festival was named the number five show in the nation by Sunshine Artist magazine and featured on the recent cover of the magazine's celebrated "200 Best" issue. The festival welcomes 260 of the world's most celebrated artists and 250,000 art enthusiasts annually.  Only originals are allowed to be displayed in artist's booths at this high-end festival. More information.

Third Ward Art Festival

August 31 & September 1     Milwaukee, Wisconsin  140 Artists Booth: $450 Jury: $25 After a remarkable first year, Amdur Productions proudly returns to Milwaukee for the 2nd annual Third Ward Art Festival. The Third Ward Art Festival is located just three blocks south of downtown Milwaukee in the Historic Third Ward, knows as "Milwaukee's Arts and Fashion District." This upscale area boasts the city's most dynamic array of restaurants, spas, theaters, galleries and unique shopping - attracting visitors from near and far. The 2013 festival takes place the same weekend Harley Davidson brings hundreds of thousands of hog enthusiasts to Milwaukee for a national convention. Motorcycle and automobile themed artwork will certainly be coveted at this year's festival in addition to all other mediums which produced great sales at the inaugural event. More information.

Downtown Downers Grove Art Festival
September  7 & 8 Downers Grove, Illinois 130 Artists Booth: $315 Jury: $20 A cherished community tradition for the past 36 years, the Downtown Downers Grove Art Festival draws stellar crowds of art enthusiasts annually. Held on the main street of Downers Grove's charming downtown area, the festival features artwork of all mediums and price points.  More information.

Highwood Last Call Starving Artist Art Fair

September 21 & 22 Highwood, Illinois 100 Artists Booth: $235 Jury: $15 Nestled between three of the wealthiest communities on the North Shore, the Highwood Last Call Starving Artist Art Fair offers artists the opportunity to sell off their inventory at the end of the season. The festival promotes "great art at great prices" and artists are encouraged to reduce prices at one of the final festivals of the season. Artists and/or artist's reps are welcome to work the festival. The festival sets up in an "all American" park with paved walk ways around a gazebo featuring live music. More information.

The Inside Show

November 22-24   Highland Park, Illinois  40 Artists Booth: $750 Jury: $25   Amdur Productions extends art festival season into the pre-holiday season with the return of The Inside Show. A select group of artists showcase their artwork at the festival, which takes place indoors at an upscale country club in Highland Park just before Thanksgiving. Artwork of all mediums is welcome, with an emphasis on fine art for the home and jewelry for holiday gift giving.  More information.

Gulfstream Park Art Festival

December 14 & 15   Hallandale Beach, Florida  100 Artists Booth fee: $450 Jury fee: $25  ***NEW December Date!*** After a successful first year, the Gulfstream Park Art Festival returns to The Village at Gulfstream Park, south Florida's newest outdoor shopping and entertainment destination. This beautiful outdoor enclave, located adjacent to the legendary Gulfstream Park Racetrack and Casino on South Federal Highway, boasts a sizzling collection of fashion boutiques, home accessory shops, signature restaurants, outdoor cafes and nightclubs - adding to the art festival experience! This year's festival will take place in December, ensuring a larger crowd of art lovers and snow birds eager to find the perfect gift of art for the holidays. More information.

A friend of mine wrote this and I thought it was worth sharing.  

Has anyone done the 4th Ave Fair in Tucson? Was on their waitlist for winter - heard that is a great show, but how is Spring?

Acting on a tip that I got from Larry Berman, which was posted on my last blog (http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/another-shot-at-having-images-pre-viewed#comments), I attended the first day, elimination round of jurying for the Cherry Creek Arts Show. I know that there is antagonism among artists about the jury process in general but let-me-tell-you, attending an actual jury process is a very humbling experience.

First, they are bringing together a group of people that most likely don't know each other as they may not have met before. These individuals come from diverse backgrounds and experience. In the case of this years Cherry Creek jury there were two (of twelve) artists from last years show who had been award recipients and were therefore exempt from the jury process and were asked to be jurors. Two other jurors represented the artist/teacher category and the fifth juror is an arts collector/patron and the son of artists. It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, they come with a different mind/tool set. This was not a group comprised of "professional jurors" as has sometimes been intimated on this blog site. They were pretty "ordinary", so-to-speak, people that had been given a mission to accomplish within 20 hours. 

Next, and this was the part that made me feel humble and gave me a lot more respect for the process in general. In the case of Cherry Creek they had to view the work of almost 2000 artists; that's 4 images of work and one booth shot projected all at once for each artist. Not all of the art was projected at once but was divided into categories. The first group was graphics and print making. There were about 41 entries in this category. First, the jurors were given a quick preview of the entire group, about 3 seconds per artist. They were  instructed to score each artist from 1-7 on their computers, using the Zapp system software. One of the artists asked if a 4 was acceptable, as some shows force the jury into a high or low score, in this case for this round a 4 was okay to use. They were then shown each artist's images again for about 10 seconds each (I counted!) and scored them for the first "silent" elimination round. Terry Adams, Director Cherry Creek Arts Festival had previously instructed them that they were not looking for any particular ratio in each category only the art that demonstrated excellence as-well-as diversity in each category.

The pace was fairly brisk and Terry checked to make sure things weren't moving too fast for the jurors. With only 20 hours and that many applicants they had a long way to go! Terry instructed the jurors that they were to refer to the projected image for scoring as the monitors had low-resolution images intended for reference only, to make sure they were on the right group.

If I had to score that group it would have been a very difficult task as I thought the majority of the work demonstrated that "excellence" that Terry referred to. That's the part that earned my respect for the process! Also these were the most consistent in terms of image quality.

The next group up was glass. This group was comprised of about 65 artists and it was where the greatest diversity in the quality of images was apparent. Referring back to my experience in the mock jury (see the blog referenced above) I could see how some artists might be eliminated at this point. Take note glass artists, you might want to project those images of yours to see how they measure up! I know personally what a struggle it is to make decisions about ones own art so it might be helpful to get an objective viewpoint about the quality of the images that you choose here.

The things that stood out for me in this group of images were: The glass that was shown on a plain white background tended to get washed out even if the work was very good. Also, after sitting in the dark for a long period of time when that glaring white shows up it really hurts the eyes! Glass artists that had been professionally shot (or did so themselves) with a graduated grey or black background tended to show up better (check out sites that show the artists work to see what I mean here). As for those graduated backgrounds, personally I would make sure the images you provide all have the same color temperature! What do I mean? Not all blacks showed up as black! Some of the graduated blacks looked more on the grey side then black and when viewed as a group you have this inconsistency from image to image. Also, what about the white that shows up at the bottom, color temperature again was a factor in my viewing, some were warmer (yellow looking) and others cooler and more neutral lending an inconsistent look from image to image for the same artist. I know I'm being nit picky here but its your application, don't you think you should put your best foot forward!

Remember the discussion of booth shots? There was a lot of diversity here as well. Some were well staged whereas others made it difficult to separate the figure from the ground. At least one artist didn't have a booth shot but referenced some show they were doing with type over some random picture, oh, by-the-way, having yourself in the photo or a poster referencing your name/company is probably not a good choice for a booth shot, better to have a grouping of art then that.

They were about to move on to one of the bigger groups, over a hundred artists, but after only an hour and a half of this I was fried. Besides which I wasn't there to see the entire show juried I just wanted an experience of it.

I came back today thinking that they would have the entries narrowed down quite a bit and I'd be able to see the final elimination round but apparently things moved quicker than I expected and by the time I arrived they had already made the final cuts and were ready to show "the show" to the jurors. As can be expected I was respectfully asked to leave so that I wouldn't have what they considered confidential advance information about the show. No problem!

Based on what I saw the first day this had to be a daunting task and I have a better understanding and respect for the process then I did prior to this. Is it a perfect process? Maybe not but given the numbers they had to deal with and the time limitations inherent in the process what else can be done? Like I said, I didn't see the entire jury process and I imagine, based on what I did see, that some elimination may have been easier than others based on comparisons of image quality and of course the quality of the work itself. Again, based on the quality of the sample I saw it would have to be a difficult and challenging task for anyone. Cheers!