I was recently in a show with a lovely set up - although the artists were requested to have all of their merchandise INSIDE their tent, we did have room for our chairs either in the middle of the street or on the sidewalk [depending on booth location].
Our neighbors had the same amount of space. However, the artist[s] showing next to us had their entire family - parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents, etc. visiting the entire show. At one point, there were nearly 30 people! They were eating, drinking [alcohol], smoking, talking, playing music - having a party on the sidewalk. They decided to sit in our chairs, throw their trash in our boxes [our backstock was in them], They blocked the way for our customers to get to or into our tent. They were loud and inconsiderate. Little children running around and babies crying are not conducive to conducting business.
I'm sure they had a lovely time, but this was our "temporary" place of business. We did try to speak to them about it, but it was the artist's first show, and the family was there for support. At one point, I wanted to sit down, but an aunt told me I could not sit in my own chair!
I know most of you would never do this - here's hoping newbies will be more thoughtful of the space we rent... thanks for letting me vent!
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Pauline Ross said:
A couple of years ago, at the Uptown Art Fair, in Minneapolis, I was next to a painter who had hundreds of paintings in all sizes. His thing was to frame them in old wood in a kind of rustic manor. The booths were 12' or 15' wide so there was plenty of space between us. He had his paintings on the inside, on the outside, on the back of his booth. He even laid them on the ground behind his booth. The first day he was quite civil, even though the work was ghastly, but, eventually he encroached on my space. I took a bio break and when I came back he had paintings up against my boxes, my walls, my chair and everywhere he could. I, of course, made him remove his stuff but it didn't stop him. I ended up complaining to the committee chair more than once and they spoke to him about moving his stuff, which he did. However, slowly he would test the boundary again and again. Eventually, the committee looked at me like I was a troublemaker for complaining too much. Apparently, he was well known in the Minneapolis area because it seemed like they all knew him. At the end of the show, artists came up to me and told me that they felt sorry for me, being next to that guy. I never had that happen before.
Always get the show director's number before you arrive. When you check in, always ask where the person in charge will be situated if you don't already know. Don't be afraid to speak up, be firm, but please be nice about it. No one wants to be confronted with an angry diatribe. Most issues can be resolved between the artists themselves, but if that doesn't work, by all means, talk to the director. That's why we're there. If that doesn't work, you may have to make a choice: hope it will be better next time, try contacting the host with your concerns, or don't do the show again.
To them it was a day out. But to you it was your business. Don't let that happen to you again! Be forceful. At first, ask them not to block your booth. If that doesn't work, say it a little louder. Let them know in no uncertain terms they are costing you money. It's not always wrong to be the bad guy once in a while.
And next time bring along a CD player. And turn it up. That works wonders, I guarantee it. I know from experience.
And I completely agree with Geoff. What was the show? Nobody's going to blackball you if you tell us.
And as far as the chair, Diane would have just looked her straight in the eye and said "Excuse me? This is MY chair!" I guarantee Aunt Fanny would have moved.
Oh, and by the way, we had 4 inches of snow last night. We're doing a show in Burlington, VT this weekend and they got 15 inches.
Some of my worst neighbors have been clueless friends (I like that quote). This has happened to me more than once. My neighbor adds an extra panel in front of his booth on the side angled 45 degrees towards the middle of his booth. For anyone to see what's on it they have to stand in front of my booth blocking my work. To counter, I add an extra panel straight out in front of my booth. My clueless neighbor complains to me that there's no room for people to stand and see what's on his panel. Because he still doesn't get it, my response is to say that we both should take the extra panels down.
Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100