Just got my annual invitation to apply to CC. They stated on there that sales were "$10,100 per artist average", also that they spent $930,000 on advertising and marketing. Most of what I have read are sales commonly in the $5K to $10K range. To get an average like that where are the folks selling $50K to $100K? Don't confuse average with median or mean statistics. Also, I live in the Denver metro area and never saw much publicity about the show beyond the usual. Someday after I get my booth redone I may apply, but it isn't going to be this year. What do I do if I get accepted? LOL. Steamboat Springs is the same weekend. Do you forgo a long weekend at the condo with the hot tub in the mountains and a good hike after the show for a weekend on hot asphalt in Denver. Both can get flooded with a thunderstorm, but the mountain lightning is more exciting. It's not the money because Steamboat is usually a good solid $4-5K show.

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  • This show was solid for a few potters I know who got in-but they only got in once-never again. It was always over 10k but they got turned. for me its to far -I can do better with less travel.Also getting over the rockies sucks gas like a hippo in a drought.

    Mark

  • Interesting to get all of these bits of information from different sources.
  • Lets not misunderstand what the words waiting list means. I'm sure Cherry Creek has a waiting list taken from artists who have applied for the current year show and fell just below making the cut. Most every show has that. I was even on the waiting list a long time ago.

    But what's implied here is that they run the show like the Michigan Guild, where every artist can get in once they pass the standards and the wait list is for a permanent space once there is enough turn over. When I first signed up for the Michigan Guild, it took about seven years for me to reach number one on the waiting list. My initial number was about 430. Nothing like Cherry Creek.

    Cherry Creek gets about 2400 applications and the jurying takes three or four days with some interesting twists. Round one is open to artists to attend and see all 2400 sets of images projected. I think it takes a day and a half.

    I have an interview with Terry Adams along with my own observations and a few pictures from the 2010 jury:
    http://bermangraphics.com/artshows/cherry-creek-2010.htm

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

  • There is no waiting list. It is a new show every year with only the award winners reinvited. It is very carefully and professionally juried.
  • It is definitely a good show. We did it for a number of years and probably our best year was around $18,000, not bad -- we are talking pre-recession, so this is a very old figure. I spoke with friends who were there this summer, one who had been Best of Show at least once said she wouldn't be going back another who had had his best show at Bayou City in March went on to have an even better show in Denver. As usual, everyone falls in between the extremes.

    I'd say you might want to do it once, just as you are in the business, so why not? But SS sound really wonderful.

    • Not sure on this show but for a lot of shows there is a lot of "trade" for advertising that gets counted in. Say a radio station comes in as a sponsor and they give so much time in exchange for publicity
    • Yes,it would look nice on a resume. The almost $1M on advertising is puzzling as at this time of year there is a lot of data about $s spent on political ads. I don't see any comparison to the $1M being spent by politicians to CC's claim. Maybe the political hacks get a volume discount LOL.
  • It's only an average of the reported numbers.

    A few years ago Coconut Grove published a ridiculously high number and NAIA did a survey of artists who had done the show. Average was a fraction of what the Grove show reported.

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

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