This was not a very good show for us. I agree with the previous poster that they are very good to the artists and it is a nice venue but just not enough attendance and few serious buyers. I would certainly not recommend traveling any distance for this show....
I did the November 2011 Scottsdale ArtFest and I will never do it again. The show was very well organized, the artists were treated very well with the nicest hospitality tent I've ever seen, the weather was perfect, the setting to die for, I had a great spot, tons of foot traffic, but NO ONE was buying anything! On the last day just about an hour before closing I walked around and stopped at displays that pulled me in with quality art work and everyone had the same reply, no sales. My daughter-in-law has a music group. Her tent was next to my. She sold one tenth the CDs of other shows. I agree with the artist that stated the area is saturated with shows
i live in az and refuse to do that show. I will not do any of his shows for that matter. The work in show is excellent. I have heard from a lot of my friends who have done the show and most are complainting of no sales very little sales. The promoter does take care of his artists. . if you are signed up for it go and see for yourself. i have a theory if they are still advertising for artists than the show is not filling.
I agree with Steve: just for fun, last year I called the Nov. show about two weeks before the show date and asked if they had any openings, even though I hadn't even applied (see why on the above comment by me). I was told that, yes, there were some openings available and to hurry up and send in my booth fee. Needless to say, I sent that show into my "gone to oblivion" file.
I did this show last year with my oil paintings (expressionistic/Southwest/representational) and did horribly. A beautiful show with quality work in a beautiful setting, perfect weather with nice artist amenities but the public didn't come out. The woman selling glass next to me did OK but not many others were happy. Scottsdale will put you through the ringer with the tax license thing - be sure to bring your original birth certificate as a copy through the mail is not acceptable. Luckily the tax place is right next to the show.
steve appel > Lynda AlcamoOctober 21, 2010 at 7:00pm
Thanks for you comments and yes the city of scottsdale requires a birth certificate and not a copy to get a license.
Is this birth certificate a new requirement, since the LAW went into effect in Arizona? I've done the Scottsdale Center for the Arts and never had to show or bring a birth certificate.
BTW I thought the courts put this LAW on hold for now.
Yes, I did it a number of years ago. Please don't confuse it with the Scottsdale Center for the Arts Festival, which takes place in March. In this November show, I had paid extra for a specific spot, but was bounced out of it, halfway during setting up and didn't get the extra fee back (a favorite artist of the promoter wanted that spot). Also, there are over 200 artists, but the March show stuffs in 185 booths, so space would be very tight. There are a lot, repeat, a lot of bad booth spots there, with little or no traffic flow. In the same location, there is a Sat. art market every weekend of the year, except for the March and Nov. shows. The area is saturated with art shows. Artist beware!
Replies
This was not a very good show for us. I agree with the previous poster that they are very good to the artists and it is a nice venue but just not enough attendance and few serious buyers. I would certainly not recommend traveling any distance for this show....
I did the November 2011 Scottsdale ArtFest and I will never do it again. The show was very well organized, the artists were treated very well with the nicest hospitality tent I've ever seen, the weather was perfect, the setting to die for, I had a great spot, tons of foot traffic, but NO ONE was buying anything! On the last day just about an hour before closing I walked around and stopped at displays that pulled me in with quality art work and everyone had the same reply, no sales. My daughter-in-law has a music group. Her tent was next to my. She sold one tenth the CDs of other shows. I agree with the artist that stated the area is saturated with shows
BTW I thought the courts put this LAW on hold for now.
Carla