Blog

Well, it seemed worth a try but after wrestling with trying to move blogs to the discussions I'm now thinking, not such a good idea. Sorry to have caused confusion, please revert to the old ways: blog posts in the blogs and discussions in the discussion forum.

Here is a rule though: NO tent sales in the blog. Put them in the "for sale or trade" section in discussions. Please.

Marcia and I opened the LebenArt Gallery in downtown Douglas, Michigan in May. We picked this area because we live close, and the area has become known at the Art Coast of Michigan. The small resort town of Douglas, where our gallery is, also has six other fine art galleries. We thought that would make Douglas an "art destination." This last weekend was the annual "Gallery Stroll," Saturday and Sunday, in which dozens of area art galleries (including Saugatuck) celebrate art openings. It's also nearing the end of the gallery season here in Western Michigan. How did our season go? Was our gallery a success? Can gallery sales replace art fair sales?

The answers? Good! yes! and no! (at least not yet...).

When we opened the gallery in May our goals were modest... to break even this year. We knew that a new gallery would take a while to catch on, so we maintained a robust art fair schedule to make sure we could pay the bills. The gallery did better than break even, but art fair revenues far out-paced gallery revenues. This may change over time (we only have a few months of experience under out belts). We were fortunate to get into some of the best art fairs this year (Belleville, DesMoines, Old Town, St. Louis and Plaza), and each of these shows generated more income in a weekend than a whole month in the gallery. So... why continue the gallery?

We will continue the gallery, and there are a lot of reasons why.

1. Age
We are getting older, and the physical requirements of setting up and breaking down that tent seems to be getting harder every year. And the stress of dealing with the weather doesn't help. 

2. Advocate
I'm a digital artist and I've been advocating for digital art for years. I've been seeing great strides in the acceptance of digital art as a legitimate art medium for the last ten years. Our gallery specializes in digital art and this venue gives us the opportunity to promote the medium and feature the best digital  artists in the country.

3. Symbiosis
We are seeing a definite symbiotic relationship between the gallery and the art fairs. Each one sends patrons to the other. The gallery sells more because of our presence at art fairs. And visitors to the art fairs buy more from an artist with a gallery (our art fair sales this year are higher than last year, even though we did less art fairs). 

4. We like it
We continue to enjoy having a continuous venue to display art that is not in a tent. Its still fun to open the gallery every day and be surrounded by the creative work of some of our favorite artists.

Traffic here in Douglas, Michigan will slow down dramatically over the winter months (Douglas and Saugatuck are "summer" resort towns on Lake Michigan). But, we are looking forward to next season as we continue to promote digital art in all of its forms. The gallery is currently showing the work of eight digital artists.  We met most of them at art fairs. Their gallery sales don't match their art fair sales, but they provide a nice commission check once in a while.

As we plan for next season, we are on the lookout for more digital artists to exhibit at the gallery. We feel the gallery can supply our artists with a little supplemental income not dependent on art fairs, and, the gallery can help promote and celebrate the myriad possibilities of digital art. 

Ultra heavy duty white tent for sale excelent condtion $600 OBO  paid $1200  _  used for 2 years extremely well taken care of , simular to rental tents only much nicer , comes with bags . We are located in Faribault Mn. for pick up Call Jeff at 1-507-210-0660   

Hello all of you who over the last 8-10 years have been generous to share your ideas, show reviews, tips and stories in the Blog here on ArtFairInsiders.com. During this time over 6000 posts have been added to this blog. Impressed? I know I am ... however ...

Changing times means even AFI needs to make some changes now and then. Starting today if you come to this site to add a blog post will you please instead post it in the "Discussions?" 

I hope by moving the blogs to the discussions area it will make it easier for the members to read and respond and keep the conversation going. This is a test. Let's see if it works.

In the meantime, where would this site have been without you? I hate to start naming names, but I'd guess the champion blogger is Nels Johnson. Melanie Rolfes has really kept us up to date in recent years, Richard Sherer reports in on every show he does ... That is such a short list, I'm embarrassed to start. 

See you in the "Discussions." Click here and then click on "ADD", write it up, then choose the category you want it to be in ... who's first?

February 17

Why should you parti-cipate? For the Love of Art combines an exciting array of traditional and contemporary artists from Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and showcases them at the only premier inside art fair in the region in a first class facility, right in the heart of "cabin fever" time in the Midwest.

• Marketing to art buyers 30+ years and older with disposable incomes and women who love appreciate beautiful things.
• Advertising area South Bend, Fort Wayne, Elkhart, Kalamazoo, Chicago neighborhoods, and all of southwest Michigan.
• Media: Television, newspapers, internet, posters, billboards and leaflets.

• Drive up to the building to unload and load
• Reasonable booth fee and Professional management
• Host families available for your overnight stay
• One-time Life time jury fee (once accepted to KoZmo Events shows you will always be invited back)
• Best booth contest and Best over all: Credits to use for future show with KoZmo Events
• Seating area for patrons to enjoy soft music, food, and wine.
• Art Dollar giveaways to be spent at the show to encourage patrons to buy art.

KDKanopy Majistic tent.  Used sparingly over 5 years $500.  Excellent condition,

4 - 6' Black Propanel walls Excellent condition

4 - 45lb Dumbbell Weights $35 each

6 - 15lb Dumbbells for anchoring easels $10 each

7 Artists Loft Easels $35 each.

6' 40 slot greeting card stand

3 large matted print stands

2 small matted print stands

Phone: 520-820-5081

I'm wondering about a sort of top-10 list of the best fine-art shows in the midwest. The ones that are really difficult to get into, but just amazing to be part of, the feather-in-your-cap shows. Any thoughts? Just to get things started, I'm sure Des Moines, IA would be on the list. 

May 11, 12 and 13
Greenville, South Carolina
Presented by: Artisphere
135 Artists
Deadline: October 6

 

Application fee: $30; Booth fee: $400

Despite its short history, Artisphere has distinguished itself as both a national and regional highlight.  A supportive, art-loving community, beautiful setting, and over 600 volunteers make Artisphere an enjoyable experience for 135 exhibiting artists.  

In addition to a Purchase Awards Program that provides an average of $10,000-$12,000 in art sales Artisphere distributes $15,000 in prize money to eleven award winners each year.

I've been on and off with this show for years. Two years ago it was good (relative to this show) and last year it was worse than ever, I was stuck in a corner in the back and NO ONE ever goes to the back corner! This year the show was moved to the east side of the outlet mall on the north side of town. Some visitors were reported to have said they went to the old site and didn't know that it had been moved, no signs to speak of...Some folks I talked to said that they hoped the show would go back to its old location. That may not happen, but we shall see.

The location at the outlet mall was at the top parking area which was at an angle, tough for some setups, with rough blacktop. There were three entries to the show which charged a nominal entry of $5. Artists at each end of the show swore that the end opposite them had more people than theirs, you know how that goes!

Just The Facts...

Show Hours and Dates: Artfest at Castle Rock, Castle Rock, CO. September 9 and 10 (about the second weekend in September) Staggered setup on Friday, Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 10-5. Art, crafts, music, kid stuff... This show can be found on the Zapplication call for entry website.

Logistics:

Load in for the show was Friday morning starting at 9 am. As I am less than 1/2 hour away I didn't have to spend money on a hotel room. Load in was on a staggered schedule. Got there just before my 12 o'clock setup time and got right in. As it was early there wasn't a lot of interference from other artists unloading so it all went well and I didn't have to move till I got the tent up and the van emptied. This new location leveled the playing field in some ways. The "old" location was split in two by a street and usually people tended to go to one side or the other and skip the other side. As the show was in a long row visitors could travel up and down the two main rows and see everyone.

Amenities:

Water,  snacks, breakfast sandwiches on Saturday, lunch on both days. This show has always relied on the artists to figure out on their own that food was available.  The occasional volunteer booth sitters came by.

Storage, Booth Space, Load-In/Out:

A plus for artists in this location was more than ample storage space behind your booth.  Some artists didn't like what they felt was a large alley behind booths. As stated above load-in was easy as I beat most of the crowd setting up earlier on Friday morning. Load-out was fairly chaotic but most people behaved and I got out, as usual, in just under 2 hours.

Demographics/Buying Trends:

There were a lot of artists visiting each other during the day. If you've been to that kind of show you know what I'm talking about. I found that the mid-age group were the buying type although occasionally, the millennials were buying as well, older folks, as is usually the case, were out for a stroll. For me there was no buying energy on Saturday and very little on Sunday which has more typically been the better of the two days. Pre-show info from the Chamber, which manages this show, likes to state how Castle Rock and Douglas County is a high median income area. That may be so but that has nothing to do with what they do with that money. In the case of this show, they don't spend it here.

Quality/Range of Art:

From my survey of booths content was variable. There of course were some of the best artists I know as-well-as store owners who bought booth space to advertise their businesses. And the ever present  Window replacement booth who most people try to avoid.

Food:

The location of this show did not make it convenient for artists to get food. You either brought your own, remembered that the show offered some lunch and snacks or went to the food court of the mall which was not all that convenient to get to. For visitors to the show I think there was an ice cream truck and maybe another food truck or two.

Reflections:

This was not a first time show for me. I know (sometimes) when it's time to bail on a show. Usually it's when your revenue one year goes to half, you think it's a fluke, and the next year it's half again. That was the case with this show so I guess it's time to bail! This show lacked enthusiasm, it seemed as if it were being held out of some obligation and not out of a real spirit of support for the arts or the artists. As is the case, when that happens it seems to be a swan song.

Okay, now for the star rating! I'd give this show ✩ out of 5 and that's because of the logistics and amenities. As far as the buying goes, I'd give it  1/4 ✩ and that's being generous. I did lose money doing this show even though it was close to home.

March 1-4
La Quinta, California 

Application Fee: $50  
Booth Fees: $275-$775, all located on lush grass.

Noteworthy:

• Gross Art Sales 2017 exceeded $3 million
• Average Art Sales in 2017 was over $14,000.
• Innovative Online Jury Process by qualified jury members per category who independently evaluate one medium over a three day period 
• Dedicated 24/7 Artist Hotline - contact booth sitters by cell phone
• 24 Hour Private Security and Police
• Leisurely 2 day set-up and tear-down. Paid Labor Assistance with flatbed golf carts available.
• Artist Hospitality includes morning and afternoon snacks, a gourmet lunch box delivered daily to each booth. (Artist selects lunch order.)
• Impressive Artist Award Reception
• Year round exposure to buyers on LQAF.com Artist Galleries, $100 annual fee

La Quinta Arts Festival is held on the spectacular grounds of the La Quinta Civic Center Campus, a life-size picture postcard framed by majestic mountains, lush green lawns, and a lake. This spectacular outdoor gallery is extolled by Art Fair SourceBook as "the most stunning festival site in the country". 

Hosting 220 of the nation's foremost contemporary artists, this four day show attracts an affluent demographic and wealthy snowbirds who have second homes in the southern California desert. The festival runs concurrent with the HITS Horse Show which attracts the most accomplished equestrian riders in the world and is the weekend before the BNP Tennis Open March 5-18th. This ensures hotel availability for art patrons and artists.

La Quinta Arts Festival requires the Artist to pay a show fee of 20% of all art sales made at, or as a result of participating in La Quinta Arts Festival.  A low booth fee of $275 for a 12x12 space means minimal up-front investment to participate, and allows LQAF to be successful only if the artists are successful. The 220 participating Artists are the stars of our show. Art patrons come for the high quality art! 

   

Apply: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=5803

NEXT PODCAST: After the Hurricane, 10am ET, Fri., Sept. 22

Found on the forum on ArtFairInsiders.com:

I would imagine any shows scheduled for this fall are being cut. It will take months for Florida's infrastructure to come back. 

Do you agree? Are you cancelling art festivals along the Gulf Coast? Wait a minute. Before you do that listen to these show directors as they sort out the impact of the storm on their festivals.

Joining the podcast are:

• Bridget Anderson and Carrie Clevenger, Bayou City Art Festival (show dates are October 14 & 15)
• Sharon McAllister, ArtFest Fort Myers (show dates are February 2 & 3) 
• Katrina Delgado, Coconut Grove Arts Festival (show dates are February 17-19)
  
  

Do you have any questions or thoughts for these people? If so, please post them in the comments below.

These podcasts can be listened to at any time and you can download them at ArtFairRadio.com.

Do you think a show in Delray Beach on Thanksgiving is a good time to sell, or is everyone busy with family??

April 7 & 8
The Woodlands, Texas
Presented By: The Woodlands Arts Council
225 Artists
Deadline: November 6 

• As a thank you for donating to the Art Dash, we are offering our artists a 10% discount on booth fees. We are truly grateful for all your hard work and want to celebrate you. Also, as a donor, the artist and one guest receives complimentary tickets to the party that includes fabulous food, drink, and entertainment. (Value: $250.00)
  
  
• The party is a prime opportunity to mix and mingle with our community leaders and art patrons, as well as fellow artists. (Value: priceless).Donating artists will have their work highlighted on our website and Facebook page (Value: priceless) at http://www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org

The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival in Town Center is presented by The Woodlands Arts Council, Inc., a non-profit organization with Board of Directors, Advisory Committee and more than 700 community volunteers.

This review will consist of images, links and a few words. I believe this is my 6th show here. I have reviewed it many times, see a few links below, making it easy for ya. Tons of details. If you want more info it's easy to go to link or if you want even more just use the search box. I don't have much more to add then what I have over the years.

This year weather was very good, humid but good. The majority of artists have been at this show for a long time. It's the show that keeps on giving. I know many of the artists that show here, in all mediums, all sizes, all price ranges. Strong to excellent show reports mid day Sunday. There are a handful of newer amazing artists I know that have done just ok, don't know why. Excellent advertising. The show runs like clockwork.

http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/alexandria-king-street-art-festival-1

http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/alexandria-and-arlington-va-art-shows

http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/alexandria

Can anyone give me any advice on new print racks that I need to buy? I've been using the cheap wooden ones for six years now, two of which broke this season. I need ones that have a relatively deep gusset or bottom area to hold a fair amount of prints. I need ones to fit both 12 x 16 and 18 x 24 prints. I was next to another photographer at a show this weekend, and she had the Jack Richeson black canvas medium print racks, that looked nice enough and were much deeper than mine, which was a big plus in my mind. But in reading Amazon reviews, people complained that they were flimsy in construction, especially the legs.

I also looked at the Martin Avanti metal print rack, which is larger. They also have a wooden rack, I think about the same size. First question, if anyone has them, is do they collapse? I have a compact SUV, and I will need to strap them to the roof of my car. Or are they fixed in shape?

Or if anyone else has any other suggestions for products they have or like, I'd love to hear your experience!

Thanks much.

I attended this art fair for the first time this past weekend, September 16-17, 2017.  The traffic was excellent on Saturday and I did really well in terms of sales.  Traffic and sales were down for me on Sunday but all in all a good show...a little over $1000 for the weekend.  Met many nice people and was set up next to a photographer from Aurora, IL.  Dave Barnes and his wife Donna are very nice and made the weekend more fun.  I bought a photograph on canvas from Dave...picture of four Ibis taken in the ocean...Sanibel Island, FL.  Another juried show with approximately 130 vendors.  I will apply to this show again next year.

This is a one day show the Sunday before Labor Day from 10-5:00.  I did this show last year and had almost $1100 in sales; did the show again this year and had almost $1000 in sales.  The show had only 30 vendors so sales of this magnitude seems very good to me.  Maybe my art fits well with the clientele.  I recommend this venue for other artists in the area.  The booth fee is only $65 if entry is early.  The show is also juried.

Weather was great for this fair.  Fairly steady crowd but not a huge number of lookers/buyers.  For me, a woodturner, the show was disappointing considering the distance traveled and the $300 set up fee.  I did about $260-280 in sales each day.  The one highlight was that I won a 2nd place ribbon and $150.  This was a first for me.

I attended three Chicago area shows this season...an experiment. Given the set up fees and amount of sales among the shows, I will not likely risk going to this area again.