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With the start of festival season quickly approaching, you need to start preparing in order to make the most of every art event you attend this season. 2020 put a damper on our spring and summer markets, so you can bet the turn out for this year’s season is going to be great. You don’t want to miss out, and is here with some info on liability insurance and a few tips to help you make the best of 2021’s art festival season.

TIP #1: UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION

Is your contact information up to date? Have you checked to make sure your phone number and email are listed correctly online and on your business cards?

You’ll want to spend some time updating your information if anything has recently changed. If nothing has changed, be sure to proofread any new business cards or signage you’ll be using for the 2021 market season. You want your customers to be able to find your website and online store info as easily as possible.

TIP #2: STOCK YOUR INVENTORY

We’ve all had plenty of time to create and think of ideas for new products. Now is the time to make sure your signature pieces are fully stocked and prepped for your first show.

Most seasoned crafters and artists suggest you carry enough inventory to sell at least 8-10 times. the vendor fee. So if a show costs you $40 to get into, consider carrying anywhere from $360-$400 in merchandise. You know your business best, though. Maybe try looking at past sales from shows you attended a few seasons ago to see how much you sold and base your show inventory off that.

TIP #3: CREATE NEW SIGNAGE

New year, new business signage! Try amping up your signage by designing something new for your booth. Whether you want to create socially-conscious signs that remind people to be mindful of space or have a new color theme you want to use, new signage is the way to go.

You can usually design something online yourself or contact your local graphics or even UPS or FedEx store for help.

TIP #4: REARRANGE YOUR DISPLAY

In creating new signage for your booth you might also look into rearranging your booth display. If you’re currently keeping things basic and only using a few tables and tablecloths to display your products to the public here are a few ideas to step things up:

• Using shelves to elevate products
• Organizing items with storage cubes
• Try displaying larger art with table easels
• Hang items with clips and racks

TIP #5: FILL OUT APPLICATION FORMS

Have you signed up for the shows you know will start soon? You’ll need to fill out your exhibitor forms correctly in order to avoid any application mishaps that could result in your business not getting into the events you've chosen.

Be sure to read through your forms a few times and list accurate, up-to-date information. For the best outcome check to see if your show has an online application to avoid any complication.

TIP #6: GET INSURED

When filling out your forms and applications, you may realize you’re asked for proof of artist liability insurance. Event shows and promoters may even ask you to list them as an additional insured on your policy. Wherever you’re unsure in getting the right coverage or paperwork, ACT Insurance can help!

ACT Insurance offers artists, crafters, and tradesmen liability insurance that can protect you against financial loss associated with liability claims that arise out of your booth operations at a market, fair, or festival. Show policies start at $49 and you can also purchase annual policies starting at $265.

To learn more or get covered, visit ACT Insurance. today.

I'm selling my 10' x 10' SlimLine tent with awning (7' height), 9 ProPanels (oatmeal), matching ProPanel print rack, and director's chair because I'm moving to New York. Also including hanging hardware and floor rug. Asking $1,200 for all. I'm in Kansas City MO. 

Selling Tensador II, T-155G+ Pneumatic canvas stretcher. up to 60" wide capacity. Hardly used. $1,500 firm. Price includes long-nose staple gun, air hoses, and pounds of staples. Pickup only. Lakeland, FL. if you are doing the Mayfaire, May 8 & 9, we live 2 miles away from the show.

Also selling large clear 4 mil bags. Have 3 unopened packs of 24"x30", 50 each, selling for $35 /pack. Also have 14 loose unused 20"x30" 4mil bags, $ .75 each. Have two 24"x60" 4mil bags, $ .80 each.

In Clearbags for unframed work, have 17"x27" and 14"x25, 100 bags each. $20/100.

Call Bill 813-714-3614 or Ann 813-714-3616

During the COVID lockdown, when we weren't doing art shows, i had time to write a memoir about my year (1961-62) as a governess in a castle in Bavaria for a Count and Countess and their 5 kids. it's now out on Amazon, and i also have author copies if you want to order one personally inscribed. i could even deliver your copy at the Mayfaire here in Lakeland, May 8 & 9! Here's the link (it allows you to read the first few chapters to see if you like it). 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08W7R1LMS/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=american+governess&qid=1613084082&s=books&sr=1-1

I'm finally putting away my pliers, wire cutters, etc. and am selling all of my accumulation of stones, beads, chain, leather components, findings (both precious metal and base metal) and much too much to list here. I have been providing jewelry to high-end boutiques and some galleries for many years and reached an age where my eyes are not willing to continue. I know it's difficult during this crazy COVID period with hardly any gem shows and I certainly miss going to the Tucson shows which I have attended for 20 years.  So I hope to find fellow jewelers who need and want much of the inventory of raw materials that I have at very low pricing and we can both benefit. Please just email me and I can provide more information and photos.

Well Covid times demand new thinking.

Here is one strategy that I use when sitting at a bar and wanting my social distance

This works for a single or a couple.

I live in Florida on the beach below Daytona

It is the wild, wild, west in Florida.  People are shoulder to shoulder at bars and restaurants. Everybody feels immortal, we ain’t getting no fricking Covid?

Science proves otherwise.

So when I did one of my first shows in Naples this year, I went to one of my fav restaurants, Bonefish Grille, great fresh fish and awesome libations.

Well, the bar was packed. I slid into a chair near the end, by myself.

There was an empty chair to my left, and then it was packed to the other end of the bar.

So, I ordered two draft beers, and when they arrived, I put one in front of the empty chair to the left.  Of course I drank the other.

Worked all night.  Nobody came and tried to sit in the chair.  If somebody had asked if the chair was available, I would have told them my brother was coming any minute.  It works.

I have employed this strategy everywhere I go in the Pandemic.  It works like a charm.

In the photo I posted for this blog I am at the Ocean Breeze bar and grille in New Smyrna right on the ocean.  It is Monday Monday which means all drinks and food are half price at the bar, for men.  The place is packed.

Notice, to the left is a draft and to the right is another draft.  My tequila is in the middle where I sit.

I figure my life is worth more then two drafts.  All the the bartenders love my strategy.

Most, would just put a glass of water in front.  But I will eventually drink most of both drafts and then go home and have a great afternoon nap.

Try it out, it works.

PS, got my second vac last Tuesday..

One of our shows has ask the vendors 

A. Change the dates  to September 17 & 18 (only two

   days) but keep the event at the same location

OR

B. Hold the event on the three-day weekend( Columbus Day)

    but move the event to a different venue.

whats your advice ? ... my thoughts .. be now most artisans show schedules are made ( I know ours is) BUT changing the location is also tricky.

Time to get a Colonoscopy

In 2002 at age 53 I was diagnosed with colon cancer. Colon cancer is a disease that doesn't present symptoms until it's too late. I was fortunate in that I had an intermittent strange pain in my stomach. It happened a few times and I thought I was getting an ulcer. After having an Endoscopy which didn't show anything, my doctor sent me for a Colonoscopy. The result was finding a lemon size tumor and they wouldn't let me leave the hospital, scheduling me for surgery the next day. I'm still here because the tumor was removed early enough.

At the time I was active on a few forums and I made some posts about the experience. Two people contacted me to let me know they had tumors which had been found in time. And after I put up a web page about it, someone called me because he had been diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer and just wanted someone to talk to who understood.

I'm writing about this now because there is a renewed interest. Recently Dr Oz had a series on getting a Colonoscopy and one of the prime time sitcoms had a Colonoscopy theme last week. I was contacted by a company doing some background work for the Dr Oz show to interview me on Zoom about my experience because I had created a page on my web site titled "A Colonoscopy Saved My Life".
https://bermangraphics.com/about/medical.htm

Bottom line is that if you're over 45/50 and have never gotten one, get a Colonoscopy because it could save your life.

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

Well, this show marked a special one year anniversary for most of us in the biz.

It was the last show, we almost got to do, due to Covid.

Last year, Friday the 13th, The Vero Fire Dept. showed up and declared the show done and over at 4:15 due to Covid.

They told the artists to pack up their tents and get the hell out of Vero with their camels.

Well, my camels did not take this well.

They were expecting a leisurely night of munching on oats, figs, yogurt and emaciated mangos.

Needlessly to say it was a bumpy road home to NSB.

Disgruntled camels will pull a One ton Ford van over every bump they can find on the interstate.

Well, it was like old home week when I checked in on Thursday to setup.  This is a three day show.

For many of us this was their first show since the shutdown last March.

I saw a lot of old friends, pretty near a hundred.  Everybody was glad to be out again.

The Show is produced by the Vero Beach Art Center.  This year they had to jump thru hoops to be able to have the show.  They had over 20 meetings with the city council and the park service.

The City allowed for six foot spacing between booths,  but, they made artists negatively have their outside walls covered with a tarp and no art could hang on them.  Go figure.  Normally you want good air flow for safety.

That was the only negative about the show.

The Show is laid out in a large circle in a tree shaded park.  We are all on grass.  About 220 exhibitors were there. You can park behind your booth in most spots.

They fed us a free breakfest every morn, even had scrambled eggs and bacon.

Plus, in our packets were two $5 tickets we could use for food and drink with the concessions.

Demographic-wise Vero is a very affluent community. Most are on the older side of 50, and they love the Bs (birds and beach imagery).

Traditional sells well here. In the past this has always been a $5000 show for most.

This year was much of the same, but there were lots more Lowend sales.  I did not see a lot of big pieces going out like I saw in Naples and Bonita.

Friday is always the slowest day, lots of retirees out for a walk.  The ones with disposable income are at work.

The crowds were thin, probably due to Covid. Almost 99 percent were wearing masks.

I saw a few big pieces go out, but it was mostly small sales out of the bins.

Most artists are happy if they sell $500-$1000 on Friday.

Saturday is always the big day and it was a great one.  People were selling everywhere.

BTW, the weather was perfect.  Cooling breezes all day with no humidity.

It stayed in the high seventies all three days.

Crowds were heavy in the morn, but thinned out by 1pm.

Again, mostly Lowend sales.  Did not see many big pieces go out.

By 2pm it was pretty quiet, but I still ended up real happy.

One of my new pieces that I created last summer was selling like hot cakes.

The Potter next to me and the one across from me were wrapping pieces steadily all day long.

At day’s end we were all happy campers.

I found a great new seafood restaurant near my hotel called the Green Marlin.

They had nightly specials with fresh fish. Friday I had Seabass, and Saturday I had the grouper. They had reasonable prices and poured ample amounts for cocktails.

Sunday was a repeat with great weather. Crowds were slow to come, never got busy until around noon. Sales were not as big as Saturday, about one half, but they were steady.

Overall, most artists were very happy to be doing a show again.

The committee did a great job keeping everybody safe.

I sanitized my hands after every sale.  I wore my mask. Oddly, Sunday was the one day when we saw more maskless patrons. About 20 percent were not wearing masks.

This Show is a winner, it is not easy to get in.