How do shows establish their deadlines? I know at Arts, Beats & Eats we'd look at the Long's Park deadline and talk about being before or after it, but we really never acted on that, but trading emails today with someone (nameless) dropped this information:
... there are 3 big shows ... right now jockeying their cut offs so artists have to apply at their show 1st in order to hope to be accepted. Meanwhile the other shows will only get the ones that were not accepted. They have changed app deadlines twice trying to 1-up the other ...
Sounds to me like the political primary game -- who gets to go first and does Iowa or New Hampshire really represent the "real Americans," or should that honor go to California or Texas, or how about Michigan?
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I direct two regional art fairs, Art on the Lawn and Rockford Artists Fair in my city. Booth fees are due ONLY after acceptance. The bookkeeping for fees up front is a killer and I have better things to do with my time.
If a show is that concerned with getting and keeping good artists, they need to do everything possible to make sure their shows are profitable for the artists, and they need to treat the artists with respect.
Just my two cents...
There you go, Barbara. Shows are having to do more creative bookkeeping with lots of juggling of receipt of booth fees and making sure they are paid. I have received payment of fees many times at check in. It is part of doing business these days.
OK, I have a question to follow this conversation. Was chatting with another artist today as we were comparing show schedules, made a comment about the huge cash outlay that we've got going on right now and she said some promoters, if you contact them, are willing to wait and let you pay later or at least just include a deposit for now.
I've never asked for this exception, thoughts? Is this a common practice or will this just result in getting on the "blacklist" for a show?
Just between the two of us, Ruth, this does go on regularly. It never hurts to ask. My "sources" tell me that their bookkeeping has gotten quite complicated, collecting fees at different times.
Connie,
I think companies are doing what they think best for their Art shows: try to get the best artists to commit as early as possible. I understand it. It’s business. Plus the artist is guaranteed their spot and can plan their schedule for the season. I have been saving for these costs after every show by putting a percentage of each show’s profit aside. I am very thankful for the shows that have a later due date, though. LOL
But fact that these early months of the year for artists maybe our time for developing a new “artistic look”, incorporating new methods (finally) into our repertoire, or incorporating the myriad of small precisions we have waited for a gasp in our schedules to include in our designs, may elude Show producers. The pictures, professional or otherwise, which we send off to jurors on January 5th may not be our year’s pinnacle.
A good example of this is a certain July show, well known, has a deadline next week. I am an invited artist, get to skip the app fee, but they want their hefty booth fee now. Right at the time my cash flow is at its lowest ebb. The Ann Arbor Guild show same way, they want almost $800 up front in Feb. for a show in July. The show directors need do get a dose of common sense and live in the real world. Artist monies are at their lowest ebb in Dec.-Jan. This is not the time to be asking for hundreds of dollars for shows long down the road. This is another example of a failed business model that we have to put up with, and frankly it pisses me off more and more as time goes on.
Nels, thank you for getting pissed off. I've seen this coming for a long time and have been complaining about it. I've been roundly criticized for "whining" by everyone, especially other artists. I'm not kidding about people not being able to pay their Florida booth fees. Ask Richard Sullivan. He reads these posts. He is one of the good guys because he bends over backwards to let you pay at the last minute. But, it isn't fair to him, that he shouldn't get his money because we have to pay for summer show fees.
About that one unnamed show you are talking about. I'm facing the same dilemma because I can send her a check, but, in no way can she deposit it. I don't know if I can take that chance. She comes here a lot. I hope she reads this.
I'm with Nels on this one!
I think it is one of the reasons. I don't know the motivation behind the earlier and earlier deadlines. I just know what works for me and I think a lot of other people. I communicate with a lot of artists and I am just reflecting what I hear. I used to sit on the beach in between shows, in Florida and fill out applications. I believed then that the summer shows purposely waited until February because they were thinking of us and our needs. Look, I think it benefits the shows if they go back to the old system. They will get more applications. They won't have to extend their deadline dates. I think it's better for business.
Connie, this surprises you? I guess this is the reason why many, too many, of the summer shows now want their money in December and January. In the not too distant past, the only shows that wanted your money in December and January were the April-May shows. There were only a few who's deadline was February 1st. The bulk of the shows had deadlines mid-February to March. This was actually the civilized way to do things because most of us don't have a cash flow in December and January. Also, many of us have spent money on the holidays. So, why do they require our money when we don't have any? Most of us do shows in the warmer climates in February and March. This is when our cash flow starts up again. So, having your show application deadline after February 1st always made good business sense. I've talked to a lot of people who haven't paid for their Florida booth spaces, yet. Why do these shows think that people have money for them when they can't pay for shows they are already committed to? I wonder if applications are down for the early deadline shows? When show deadlines were in February and March, shows never extended their deadlines. Now, it's a common practice.
The idea that shows that have an earlier deadline will get the better artists is a myth. The better artists will always go where they can make the most money. The application deadline has nothing to do with it.
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