This September I am doing my first art festival, and I'm super excited and very nervous. I have a 10 x 10 space to work with, and am not sure how to go about setting things up. I mostly do ink and watercolor paintings, so I work in various sizes. Does anyone have any pointers on how to set up an area, or where to buy the supplies to set it up. Thank you so much for your help!
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Welcome! Our first shows were outdoors in September, so we rented everything: tent, tables, etc. I needed to know if people would buy my stuff (mostly handbound books and one-of-a-kind collage cards). If you have never done a show before, you may want to try that. You will need some sorts of walls to hang your framed work and a surface upon which to place your browsers (or some browse bins) and a set up for conducting business. Then tell Larry Berman what you got and he'll explain how to set it up Heh. Meanwhile, visit as many shows as you can and take notes (and pictures if allowed) of booths that please you, Talk to the artists. Most love to give newcomers advice. Good luck.
Thank you so much. I'm still getting the networking thing down. I am not a shy person, but when it comes to my artwork I get very shy about it. Not sure why that is, but I've been talking with a lot of artist who have been very helpful. I didn't even think about walls! I am trying to think of a way to display them on the table top. Any suggestions?
First of all, welcome! I think you'll find the answers you're looking for here...where is the show you're participating in? You've got a couple of great responses so far, just give them some specifics and away you go...best of luck!
Julia Demopoulos > Christina L. TowellFebruary 17, 2016 at 8:42pm
I'm doing a show in Bel Air Maryland. There are tons of art shows, but this one was the least expensive one. I didn't want to spend too much money just in case this does pan out well. One thing I am still learning about is how to price my items. I have a friend who has done shows before, and she said I'm under pricing myself. So I've been looking at other ink artist and what they charge as a starting point.
Larry Berman > Julia DemopoulosFebruary 17, 2016 at 8:48pm
Be aware that choosing a show based on booth fee alone usually means the show is not worth the fee, unless you've heard otherwise. Before applying I suggest trying to contact other artist who have done the show in previous years and get their feedback. usually the list of artists would be on the show's web site. Or at the very least, ask on one of the forums (like this one) if anyone has heard of the show.
I looked at this question yesterday and felt it too broad to answer without writing a book. Like Chris asked, have you attended shows and have you looked closely to how artists were displaying their work?
Besides the advice Chris gave you, do not overspend on inventory until you have developed a marketable body of work. Test the waters first with your art, and this goes for every medium. It's better to sell out and make a profit than to bring home most of what you've created and end up storing it in your garage or throwing it away as your style develops.
Thank you. I've been doing small commission work for awhile now, and I know not to expect too much out of my first show, or any show for that matter. The two things I'm concerned with is pricing my work, and how to get prints made. Would you have any advice about that?
Cindy Welch > Larry BermanFebruary 9, 2016 at 1:21pm
Yes, I felt it was too broad too. That is why I waited for other replies and for more specific questions or information from the OP.
I would advise that whatever display items you decide on try to find them gently used. This can be a money saver in the event you don't do too many shows a year or find you don't like the life. Ebay may be a source for such things.
Larry brought up your style developing or changing. I am finding that what I want to display items is somewhat different than when I started. As I replace display items and booth "décor" I am going for the "new" style I am drawn too. As with many of us, I am limited in what I can use based on the square footage, storage space at home, room in the truck for transport, etc. Once you decide on a style for your booth, don't feel you have "married" it and can never change it. We all change and grow and it shows in how we decorate our booth and the items we make.
Just a couple things we would like to know about you so we can help. What made you decide to do shows? Have you attended any shows as a customer? If not, that's the very first thing I would suggest you do. Is your first show indoors or outdoors, and would you need a canopy? Do you have a vehicle that you can use to transport your work and display?
My first bit of advice is do not spend a boatload of money at the beginning on things like expensive display items because you may find out this life isn't for everybody, especially when you work a show and make very little money. It has happened to every one of us.
Read as much here as you can. Get to know us and our quirks. Most of us are very straightforward in our posts and some newcomers can be turned off by it. Don't be. When you see a post, click on the photo of the person or whatever and that takes you to their page. You can see what they do, where they're from and how long they've been doing this.
As far as shows go, it makes no difference whether the poster is a long time journeyman, a high end fine artist, craftsman, or a weekend warrior wanting to make a few extra bucks, all shows are pretty much the same as in how you do them.
Thank you very much for responding. I have been to many art shows, and have always wanted to do one. So I wanted to start with a small local festival that wasn't to pricey. I really just kind of want to see where this goes. I've been drawing and painting for years, but gave up trying to sell my artwork when I tried to join a gallery and had a very bad experience. I have far more confidence in myself and my work now. I know going into this that I many not make any money at all, but I can't wait for the experience.
Replies
Welcome! Our first shows were outdoors in September, so we rented everything: tent, tables, etc. I needed to know if people would buy my stuff (mostly handbound books and one-of-a-kind collage cards). If you have never done a show before, you may want to try that. You will need some sorts of walls to hang your framed work and a surface upon which to place your browsers (or some browse bins) and a set up for conducting business. Then tell Larry Berman what you got and he'll explain how to set it up Heh. Meanwhile, visit as many shows as you can and take notes (and pictures if allowed) of booths that please you, Talk to the artists. Most love to give newcomers advice. Good luck.
First of all, welcome! I think you'll find the answers you're looking for here...where is the show you're participating in? You've got a couple of great responses so far, just give them some specifics and away you go...best of luck!
Be aware that choosing a show based on booth fee alone usually means the show is not worth the fee, unless you've heard otherwise. Before applying I suggest trying to contact other artist who have done the show in previous years and get their feedback. usually the list of artists would be on the show's web site. Or at the very least, ask on one of the forums (like this one) if anyone has heard of the show.
Larry Berman
I looked at this question yesterday and felt it too broad to answer without writing a book. Like Chris asked, have you attended shows and have you looked closely to how artists were displaying their work?
Besides the advice Chris gave you, do not overspend on inventory until you have developed a marketable body of work. Test the waters first with your art, and this goes for every medium. It's better to sell out and make a profit than to bring home most of what you've created and end up storing it in your garage or throwing it away as your style develops.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Yes, I felt it was too broad too. That is why I waited for other replies and for more specific questions or information from the OP.
I would advise that whatever display items you decide on try to find them gently used. This can be a money saver in the event you don't do too many shows a year or find you don't like the life. Ebay may be a source for such things.
Larry brought up your style developing or changing. I am finding that what I want to display items is somewhat different than when I started. As I replace display items and booth "décor" I am going for the "new" style I am drawn too. As with many of us, I am limited in what I can use based on the square footage, storage space at home, room in the truck for transport, etc. Once you decide on a style for your booth, don't feel you have "married" it and can never change it. We all change and grow and it shows in how we decorate our booth and the items we make.
First, welcome to our crazy, crazy world.
Just a couple things we would like to know about you so we can help. What made you decide to do shows? Have you attended any shows as a customer? If not, that's the very first thing I would suggest you do. Is your first show indoors or outdoors, and would you need a canopy? Do you have a vehicle that you can use to transport your work and display?
My first bit of advice is do not spend a boatload of money at the beginning on things like expensive display items because you may find out this life isn't for everybody, especially when you work a show and make very little money. It has happened to every one of us.
Read as much here as you can. Get to know us and our quirks. Most of us are very straightforward in our posts and some newcomers can be turned off by it. Don't be. When you see a post, click on the photo of the person or whatever and that takes you to their page. You can see what they do, where they're from and how long they've been doing this.
As far as shows go, it makes no difference whether the poster is a long time journeyman, a high end fine artist, craftsman, or a weekend warrior wanting to make a few extra bucks, all shows are pretty much the same as in how you do them.
Welcome aboard and fasten your seat belt.