So, my question to the members here ..... if you could ask Santa for 5 significant changes in how promoters conduct their events this next year ..... what would they be? And Connie, if you can encourage promoters in your membership to create a reply as to exactly, and specifically, what they ARE going to do next year to change the landscape for the better (all the raising of booth fees is for 2010 is becoming seriously depressing!) .... I for one would love to know what promoters are planning on doing differently.
So, here is my list. What would anyone like to add, delete, or change? All options are, or should be, on the table, should they not?
Have a clear vision of what you want your show to be and create clearly stated objectives to guide you. Every decision you make regarding your show should work to achieve that goal by meeting those objectives. Don’t make them wishy-washy touchy-feely, soft-and-squishy undefined and unachievable objectives. Make them real, tangible, able to be achieved. Tell us what those are in your show description and prospectus so we can understand what you are trying to achieve.
Learn how to promote an art show. That is your number one job. Don’t just hold an event. Don’t just rent us spaces on the ground, indoors or outdoors. That’s not the point of the exercise, not why we pay jury fees, booth fees, and expenses to come to your event. It’s about the buying and selling art, isn’t it? (Rhetorical question). Yes, it is. So promoting at ART show rather than holding an event is a huge, major, significant difference. Qualify people coming to your event as much as possible so we know the people we see walking the streets or aisles are not just the walking dead, shuffling disenterested, or casual out-for-the-day-hands-in-their-pockets folks, but people specifically coming to the event actually looking for artwork. Bring in BUYERS, not bodies. Major, huge, enormous difference. If you don’t know how to do this, hire a good consultant with a track record in promoting ART SHOWS, not just events in general. Money well spent. MIMIC good shows that have proven over the years they know what they are doing. You are not in competition with them, so they probably will be flattered if you emmulate them. Create and use an artist advisory panel. Again, you don’t have to now the all the answers, but you must learn where to go find advice and experience, and you have to ASK. The artist community, as a whole, is a vast resource of experience, knowledge, and insight. Tap into it. We will love you for doing all these things. Don’t let your ego stop you short of the goal.
Develop corporate & media sponsors. The business community needs to be a partner as they benefit from the event and the monies brought into the community by an art show. Make it a community effort. A little from everyone provides a bigger resource pool. Find someone, even if you have to pay them, that has that aggressive but effective pitbull approach to selling your event to the community. Someone who can help you find media sponsors and broker good deals for advertising, radio spots, TV spots and onsite coverage. Find corporate sponsors to come on board and help themselves and the event simultaneously by branding the show with their product. A win for everyone. Everyone shares in the risks and the rewards. As it should be.
Develop a good relationship with your artists. Don’t cater to us, don’t kiss our butts. Do treat us with some level of respect. Examples being: don’t create dead zones in your site layout - we all want an equal chance of success. Do create a booth refund policy that is fair to both parties so artists can cancel and those on the wait-list move up. You don’t want empty booth spaces at your event, artists on the wait-list want to come take those spaces. Don’t treat the jury fee as a revenue stream - those juried out shouldn’t have to pay for an event they are not part of. Don’t use, for promotion of your event, the artwork of an artist your jury has juried out of your event. Things like this.
Incorporate a jury process that makes sense. De-emphasize the initial jury process as much as possible where only 3 or 4 slides is used to evaluate a body of work and the presentation at the whim of a few jurors. Options for improvement include: (1) a commision-based model where the voice of those who buy art is actually represented in sales by artists and those artists the public most enjoys come back, (2) an onsite jury process to reinvite artists based on body of work and actual presentation (helps sort out buy-sell too!), or at least (3) increasing the number of images used in the jury process to 6 or 7 and the number of jurors viewing the work to 6 or 7. Oh yes, and (4) use the booth slide, as you have stated to artists you intend to use it. Do you want an indoor or outdoor? Fully stocked or not? Just a few panels of work or the whole shebang? And, do oversee and manager your jury process. Ensure it is done as you stated it would be, that any biased jurors are identified and removed, and that the jury process gets you where YOU want to be with YOUR event. After all, it is YOUR event, not that of your jurors, is it not?
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I love it - I'd like all of this - plus if the booth fairy could setup my tent while I'm sleeping, that would be just great too!
Warren Townsend said:
Well i know Christmas has past but there is always next year. For my Christmas wish list for promoters would be: 1. I get a TV interview showing me and my booth and it makes it on the Friday evening news and also the Saturday morning local what happening show. (not the Sunday because it is the last day) 2. I get a double wide booth for the price of a single because I have some large pieces (I promise I will not tell the other artist) 3. Instead of making me breakfast on Sunday, just buy me the $25 Brunch special down at the fancy restaurant. Note I will also need a booth sitter for an hour while I am there, and I will not try to drink too much champagne. 4. If the show is in the street all of the surrounding markets and stores can not have a sidewalk sales. We need the sidewalks for the large crowds who come to buy just art. 5. I get to bring my truck in first to load at the end of the show.
What an interesting idea -- candelaria! I only wish there was time to do something like that. I'll share this idea with other show organizers.
Just as artists are harried at set up you can't imagine how it is for the organizers--making everyone happy, getting the load in going smoothly, working with the traffic directors, the security and the police. You've given me a good smile for the day.
On the other hand, here is what can work and I've done this--in pouring rain in downtown Detroit at the Greektown Art Festival some years ago, I was marking the spaces (at night in the dark), someone with a tape measure, someone else with an umbrella, someone else with a flashlight -- our little team -- but it worked. Someone had told me about wax crayons that contractors use so I'd been to the Home Depot earlier and was able to get the spaces marked. I'd loved to have had candles. (wish emoticons were enabled for this site so you could see how big my smile is). All show promoters need them in their tool boxes.
Phil Crone said:
Ron- One of the reasons I've been so interested in this thread is that I'm not experienced enough yet to even know what makes a good art show promoter or organizer. What you and others have contributed have given me a better idea of what to look for at a show and it's going to help us in our art show endeavors.That said, and at the risk of having someone like me criticize me, I'll pitch in a couple things, both pretty concrete rather than general.
1. Our St. Louis experience was great, but the primary thing that would have made it better was drinking water during setup. Once the show started, carts and carts of water and refreshments made the rounds, but before, nada, and we were dying for it, even trying to beg some from the drinks vendor about 50 feet from us ("Sorry, we can't give it away and until the show opens, you can't buy it") to no avail. We now know to be better prepared, but I'd ask that exhibitor services extend to before and after the hours of the show, especially during setup and teardown.
2. Our "Beth Row" show was good because we made money, but the unexpected bad weather (folks apologized about it all the time) was an eye-opener and dampened (yes) the experience. The rain forecast for the weekend started on Friday and continued until sometime late Saturday night (no rain Sunday, just cold + wind). Show organizers didn't have a backup plan to chalking out booth spaces on the streets, so no one knew where to set up since the chalk had washed away. There were also a lot of no-shows due to the weather (one guy next to us came in, set up, then broke down a drove away about an hour later), so organizers were trying to eliminate dead spots (a noble thing) by re-assigning booth numbers that no one could find - it was confusing and time-consuming. Anyway, my suggestion for all promoters would be to have some kind of booth marker that won't wash away in the rain. Maybe something like the candelaria you see at Christmas. Write the booth number on the bag, drop in a handful of sand and put it on a corner. If setup's early and it's dark outside, put a candle in it. They can still use chalk, but doing both in case of rain would be better and a very minor expense, or no expense at all if someone sponsored it.
Those are the things I'd expect from a friendly, savvy promoter. I'll bet over the years I'll have lots of wishes and I'll have more input. Thanks for working this thread, Ron, and thanks to you, Connie, for giving us the opportunity.
Phil Crone
Cheap Fobotics Officer
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Ron Mellott said:
Thank you for this last post Phil. Way more to the point. Yes, art shows should be about art. We all want to make money, but art (and money) bind the process.
I started out on this particular thread not to get a consensus. Just a good listing of ideas from artists that would constitute a resource from which promoters could draw if they so chose. Letting them know things we, as artists, in all our glorious diversity, feel are important and often not done well or lacking in shows. Hopefully not because we are arrogant or feeling self-important. Rather, we are neither blind or stupid. We can see, evaluate, and assess shows outside of our own personal experience. And the more we do shows, the more we see different approaches to the same issues, some working far better than others. There will be differences in any such list of what some artists feel are important. That's okay. There will also be a lot of artists feeling the same about some issues. That's great.
As originally envisioned, the more we noted the same thing I would assume the more those issues are considered important to many artists and thus might be of more interest to promoters as points to seriously consider in their events, if they aren't already addressing the points. I think most of us feel the art show venue could stand a fair bit of improvement. As an example, your immediate experience of receiving both an acceptance and rejection letter. Bottom line for me anyway is that if the art show venue doesn't strengthen, many artists will not be here next year and far too many others will struggle to survive. Seems we need to do all we can to work with promoters, and they with us, to figure out better ways.
So adding your thoughts as you did on your last post, much appreciated Phil. In the way they were offered up, I believe most all of us appreciate them and look forward to your future contributions.
It's not easy....I never said it was easy. No one said it was easy.
In fact, if it were easy - everyone would be doing it.
Lots of people think they can, but it's not for everyone.
You have to want to be an artist more than anything.
You have to need to paint as much as you need to breathe.
That's what separates artists from the rest of the world.
greg mackenzie said:
so this is a case of sh+t happens. there is nothing that can be done to improve your chances of sales. If that the case I understamd why you think this thread is stupid. I wish it was that simple. God I would diffently like to be you. Trust fund. lottery winner. Those of us that do this for a living don't have that luxury.
Thank you for this last post Phil. Way more to the point. Yes, art shows should be about art. We all want to make money, but art (and money) bind the process.
I started out on this particular thread not to get a consensus. Just a good listing of ideas from artists that would constitute a resource from which promoters could draw if they so chose. Letting them know things we, as artists, in all our glorious diversity, feel are important and often not done well or lacking in shows. Hopefully not because we are arrogant or feeling self-important. Rather, we are neither blind or stupid. We can see, evaluate, and assess shows outside of our own personal experience. And the more we do shows, the more we see different approaches to the same issues, some working far better than others. There will be differences in any such list of what some artists feel are important. That's okay. There will also be a lot of artists feeling the same about some issues. That's great.
As originally envisioned, the more we noted the same thing I would assume the more those issues are considered important to many artists and thus might be of more interest to promoters as points to seriously consider in their events, if they aren't already addressing the points. I think most of us feel the art show venue could stand a fair bit of improvement. As an example, your immediate experience of receiving both an acceptance and rejection letter. Bottom line for me anyway is that if the art show venue doesn't strengthen, many artists will not be here next year and far too many others will struggle to survive. Seems we need to do all we can to work with promoters, and they with us, to figure out better ways.
So adding your thoughts as you did on your last post, much appreciated Phil. In the way they were offered up, I believe most all of us appreciate them and look forward to your future contributions.
Actually, I did post my idea on a different thread because, well, because.
I indicated that what needs to happen is for artists to make and bring their best work to the shows. Sales are what happens when people love your work. Not you - not your tent, not your anything. I've sold in "dead zones" and I've struck out at St James - it's not me - it's the work. Bring your best work, treat the show like it's the best one in the country - and you'll do fine. It's art, there are no easy answers folks! If you want someone else to do it for you - you're not an artist. The only thing worse for artists than an artist, is a group of artists. Quote me on that.
You miss the point Munks, and you also Phil. It isn't about criticizing one another's opinions, or wasn't suppose be. If we all contributed to taking it off path, we have erred. It was suppose to be an attempt to get artists to offer suggestions to promoters, based on their personal experiences and perspectives, ways to improve how art shows are run. THAT is the topic. Five things they would like to see done differently. No challenge, no criticism. Just their opinions. Which promoters, if they read them, can consider and do whatever ... ignore, ask questions back, or implement into their show. Their choice.
To the extent that got off track and for my contribution to getting it off track, my apologies to all involved, contributors and readers alike. My hope is that you, and Phil ... anyone with a similar bent at this point .... anyone not interested in the original topic of suggestions ...... just stay away. There are lots of other threads to choose from or you can start your own. If you can't talk about the original topic, there is nothing here for you is there except some twisted interest to insult, mock, and make derisive comments about the ideas offered or those offering the ideas and that's neither warranted or welcomed. If you find no value here other than criticizing, don't post. I don't think that is what any of us, including Connie as the founder of this website, had in mind. There are times for good discussions and debate, other times no. This isn't any longer suppose to be for debate. Just ideas to be voiced.
So please don't read and get annoyed. Just don't stop here any more. Criticism for the sake of criticism doesn't accomplish anything. Either keep going, or contribute based on the original question. Pretty straightforward.
You miss the point Munks, and you also Phil. It isn't about criticizing one another's opinions, or wasn't suppose be. If we all contributed to taking it off path, we have erred. It was suppose to be an attempt to get artists to offer suggestions to promoters, based on their personal experiences and perspectives, ways to improve how art shows are run. THAT is the topic. Five things they would like to see done differently. No challenge, no criticism. Just their opinions. Which promoters, if they read them, can consider and do whatever ... ignore, ask questions back, or implement into their show. Their choice.
To the extent that got off track and for my contribution to getting it off track, my apologies to all involved, contributors and readers alike. My hope is that you, and Phil ... anyone with a similar bent at this point .... anyone not interested in the original topic of suggestions ...... just stay away. There are lots of other threads to choose from or you can start your own. If you can't talk about the original topic, there is nothing here for you is there except some twisted interest to insult, mock, and make derisive comments about the ideas offered or those offering the ideas and that's neither warranted or welcomed. If you find no value here other than criticizing, don't post. I don't think that is what any of us, including Connie as the founder of this website, had in mind. There are times for good discussions and debate, other times no. This isn't any longer suppose to be for debate. Just ideas to be voiced.
So please don't read and get annoyed. Just don't stop here any more. Criticism for the sake of criticism doesn't accomplish anything. Either keep going, or contribute based on the original question. Pretty straightforward.
I just don't take my self that seriously I suppose.
Normally, I guess in the grand scheme of things it really just doesn't matter.
Except . . .
well,
when you have a public discussion on something - well, gosh darn it - that just makes it public, doesn't it?
Now stay with me here - if you have a public discussion, then you open yourself up to00000000?
C'mon now, what do you open yourself up to?
Praise? Noooooo. Adulation? Nooooooo. Respect? Not necessarily.......
The answer is: criticism. Welcome to the free and open exchange of ideas Ron!!! You've been criticized!
Say it with me phonetically.......kr-it-i-sized. That's right Ron (and Linda, and you too Billy...) Criticism. Ask for it by name.
Now if folks want to have some kind of weird discourse on how important they are or were or pretended to be in some corporate universe followed by haughty defense mechanisms that would make a psychiatrist and a psychotropic medication drug rep wring his (or her) hands in glee and then follow it all up with some kind of dysenteric flow of really, really odd twists of logic - then yep, you're gonna get some of that magic word - "criticized".
You see, we're artists - we're not easily impressed. In my case, Looney Tunes references seemed to foot the bill in sending that message to you guys quite nicely. I was trying to use some humor. (Yes Billy, sarcasm is classified under humor - you'll find it the last car show catalog - look it up we'll wait here for you.) But I failed, and I apologize to you and everyone on this little forum. And I bow to you all in humility - except for you Linda - unless we do the show in the parking lot in Edina.
But seriously - please, the next time you three want to carry on with how important/smart/witty/smug/condescending/aromatic/flawless/etc. that you are - then great - but please, please, please, have a point!
Thank you for your time,
The Village Idiot
PS:
Standing before you all as I gaze at the ground, hands behind my back, drawing pictures in the ground with my foot. "I promise to never do it again, and I hope you'll forgive me" (Fingers crossed behind my back. . .)
Ron Mellott said:
Why do you choose to mock anyone on this or any other posting Munks? Why is that so consistently your M.O. on Art Fair Insiders? You waste your time and ours. Surely you have a better things to do, don't you? You imply you do. Such a successful artist as yourself? Are you sorely lacking something in life whereby you have to interject yourself in any discussion that you are not interested in merely to make fun of others to somehow fulfill yourself? Talk about feeling self-important!!! Do we not have a right to talk amongst ourselves however we see fit without you, if you've no interest in the subject? You, who are always championing rights of some kind? You consistently demonstrate you have no interest in what many of us on this site say or how we say. We seem to be merely fodder for you to entertain yourself with. If the topic doesn't interest you why not just stay away?
Thanks Greg for the post and your thoughts. Should have gone for more wishes! They were good.
Also, for acknowledging our trying on this post to garner ideas. Since I think we all love creating art, and are tied to this venue to a good degree, trying to make a difference seems worth the effort. So again, thank you.
Replies
Warren Townsend said:
Just as artists are harried at set up you can't imagine how it is for the organizers--making everyone happy, getting the load in going smoothly, working with the traffic directors, the security and the police. You've given me a good smile for the day.
On the other hand, here is what can work and I've done this--in pouring rain in downtown Detroit at the Greektown Art Festival some years ago, I was marking the spaces (at night in the dark), someone with a tape measure, someone else with an umbrella, someone else with a flashlight -- our little team -- but it worked. Someone had told me about wax crayons that contractors use so I'd been to the Home Depot earlier and was able to get the spaces marked. I'd loved to have had candles. (wish emoticons were enabled for this site so you could see how big my smile is). All show promoters need them in their tool boxes.
Phil Crone said:
It's not easy....I never said it was easy. No one said it was easy.
In fact, if it were easy - everyone would be doing it.
Lots of people think they can, but it's not for everyone.
You have to want to be an artist more than anything.
You have to need to paint as much as you need to breathe.
That's what separates artists from the rest of the world.
greg mackenzie said:
I started out on this particular thread not to get a consensus. Just a good listing of ideas from artists that would constitute a resource from which promoters could draw if they so chose. Letting them know things we, as artists, in all our glorious diversity, feel are important and often not done well or lacking in shows. Hopefully not because we are arrogant or feeling self-important. Rather, we are neither blind or stupid. We can see, evaluate, and assess shows outside of our own personal experience. And the more we do shows, the more we see different approaches to the same issues, some working far better than others. There will be differences in any such list of what some artists feel are important. That's okay. There will also be a lot of artists feeling the same about some issues. That's great.
As originally envisioned, the more we noted the same thing I would assume the more those issues are considered important to many artists and thus might be of more interest to promoters as points to seriously consider in their events, if they aren't already addressing the points. I think most of us feel the art show venue could stand a fair bit of improvement. As an example, your immediate experience of receiving both an acceptance and rejection letter. Bottom line for me anyway is that if the art show venue doesn't strengthen, many artists will not be here next year and far too many others will struggle to survive. Seems we need to do all we can to work with promoters, and they with us, to figure out better ways.
So adding your thoughts as you did on your last post, much appreciated Phil. In the way they were offered up, I believe most all of us appreciate them and look forward to your future contributions.
I indicated that what needs to happen is for artists to make and bring their best work to the shows. Sales are what happens when people love your work. Not you - not your tent, not your anything. I've sold in "dead zones" and I've struck out at St James - it's not me - it's the work. Bring your best work, treat the show like it's the best one in the country - and you'll do fine. It's art, there are no easy answers folks! If you want someone else to do it for you - you're not an artist. The only thing worse for artists than an artist, is a group of artists. Quote me on that.
greg mackenzie said:
I - am an artist!
Ron Mellott said:
To the extent that got off track and for my contribution to getting it off track, my apologies to all involved, contributors and readers alike. My hope is that you, and Phil ... anyone with a similar bent at this point .... anyone not interested in the original topic of suggestions ...... just stay away. There are lots of other threads to choose from or you can start your own. If you can't talk about the original topic, there is nothing here for you is there except some twisted interest to insult, mock, and make derisive comments about the ideas offered or those offering the ideas and that's neither warranted or welcomed. If you find no value here other than criticizing, don't post. I don't think that is what any of us, including Connie as the founder of this website, had in mind. There are times for good discussions and debate, other times no. This isn't any longer suppose to be for debate. Just ideas to be voiced.
So please don't read and get annoyed. Just don't stop here any more. Criticism for the sake of criticism doesn't accomplish anything. Either keep going, or contribute based on the original question. Pretty straightforward.
Sending you all good thoughts for the New Year...Ron, Munks, William, Phil, Linda and Greg.
Normally, I guess in the grand scheme of things it really just doesn't matter.
Except . . .
well,
when you have a public discussion on something - well, gosh darn it - that just makes it public, doesn't it?
Now stay with me here - if you have a public discussion, then you open yourself up to00000000?
C'mon now, what do you open yourself up to?
Praise? Noooooo. Adulation? Nooooooo. Respect? Not necessarily.......
The answer is: criticism. Welcome to the free and open exchange of ideas Ron!!! You've been criticized!
Say it with me phonetically.......kr-it-i-sized. That's right Ron (and Linda, and you too Billy...) Criticism. Ask for it by name.
Now if folks want to have some kind of weird discourse on how important they are or were or pretended to be in some corporate universe followed by haughty defense mechanisms that would make a psychiatrist and a psychotropic medication drug rep wring his (or her) hands in glee and then follow it all up with some kind of dysenteric flow of really, really odd twists of logic - then yep, you're gonna get some of that magic word - "criticized".
You see, we're artists - we're not easily impressed. In my case, Looney Tunes references seemed to foot the bill in sending that message to you guys quite nicely. I was trying to use some humor. (Yes Billy, sarcasm is classified under humor - you'll find it the last car show catalog - look it up we'll wait here for you.) But I failed, and I apologize to you and everyone on this little forum. And I bow to you all in humility - except for you Linda - unless we do the show in the parking lot in Edina.
But seriously - please, the next time you three want to carry on with how important/smart/witty/smug/condescending/aromatic/flawless/etc. that you are - then great - but please, please, please, have a point!
Thank you for your time,
The Village Idiot
PS:
Standing before you all as I gaze at the ground, hands behind my back, drawing pictures in the ground with my foot. "I promise to never do it again, and I hope you'll forgive me" (Fingers crossed behind my back. . .)
Ron Mellott said:
Also, for acknowledging our trying on this post to garner ideas. Since I think we all love creating art, and are tied to this venue to a good degree, trying to make a difference seems worth the effort. So again, thank you.
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