Hi all. I'm not an artist, but I'm the marketing coordinator for a relatively young, all-volunteer-run art fair in Michigan. I tell people that I do this because I like being around artists but I'm not creative enough to be one, so helping run art events is the next best thing. :)
I've enjoyed reading the blogs here and listening to the podcasts, and I've learned a lot of useful things about this business in the process. A question I'd like to throw out there ... besides being able to make good sales, what are the most important things an art fair can offer you? It seems like booth sitters and availability of decent food are both pretty crucial. What are your biggest peeves -- the things that, when they're screwed up, pretty much guarantee you won't be back next year?
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Thanks for all the great suggestions! I'm meeting with the rest of the marketing committee soon, and specific things we can do to boost sales (beyond just increasing total numbers) will be a major topic. Hopefully we'll develop some cool things I can share...
Erik, So many great suggestions are listed here. I like the day before setup and if it is staggered (not all at one time) it is even better. My art and display are heavy and I appreciate driving up to my booth to unload and load. And enforce your rules. If you say tear down before bringing in your vehicle, I will do that. But don't let my neighbor bring in his truck and trailer, blocking mine and two other booths, before he takes anything down. Also be helpful at set up and also at tear down. At too many shows, all the volunteers are gone at tear down. Leave the portapotties and trash cans in place till we are gone. Many of us have a long drive and need to use these before heading out. So many times I've had to take my trash with me. Most important are the sales, sales, sales. Our investment requires it! Lots of people parading by doesn't necessarily equal sales. We need customers who see the value in purchasing art. Lastly, we will put up with some of the inconveniences if we have great sales. Thanks for asking!
Erik, you can also create your Art Festival on Foursquare. So Patrons can easily share their location or post on Facebook. It may attract a younger crowd but they also buy handmade jewelry, bags, smartphone accessories, etc. That can also inform their parents and grandparents, who are on FB, about the ongoing Art Festival. The more exposure the better...and it is free.
Thank you for the replies so far!
We're fortunate to have an excellent group of people running the jurying side of the festival, including one of the festival's founders, who is extremely vigilant about keeping us on track and making sure we remain a fine art fair, not a craft fair. (Not to say there's anything wrong with craft fairs, but we're exactly one week and about 15 miles removed from one of the most popular craft fairs in the region, so it's important for us to stake out a different niche.) The only exception is that stores along the festival footprint are allowed to do sidewalk sales ... we are, after all, essentially camping out in their front yards for two days.
I'm sure marketing is where we can do a much better job optimizing our message to bring in art buyers in addition to spectators. We have good partnerships with music and theater organizations in the area, and last year we added buying-focused language to some of our ads -- phrases like "find the perfect gift or that perfect piece for your living room" in TV and radio spots, for example -- but I think we can do a lot more.
Ideas I'm thinking of include running an article about decorating with original art in the tabloid we print to promote the festival -- maybe interviewing a few interior designers who work with local artists -- and using Facebook's ad targeting features to push messages to, say, people who have recently purchased a home.
Is there anything you've seen festivals do to increase the "buy art" focus that you thought was especially good or helpful?
Erik, something I have seen a couple shows do is have something along the lines of "Art Bucks" that patrons can enter to win. It ends up being coupons the public can win to put toward any art purchase they choose and always seems like an exciting way to encouraging buying. Sometimes people win who otherwise couldn't afford any art. The public enters for free, the coupons are remitted to their chosen artist for work, and at the end of the show each artists who was paid in Art Bucks gives them back to the show for their cash equivalent. A great incentive for art buyers and a nice gesture for the artists who can feel as though their entry fees are being put to good use. Just an idea...
2. Aggravation: misinformed volunteers. At one show I had three volunteers tell me three different places I need to go to pay sales tax. At another show a volunteer tells me I cannot stack my bins in front of my booth during take down, yet neighbors on both sides have vehicles parked in front of booths and traffic lane is open.
Hi Erik. Welcome to AFI. Thanks for asking this great question.
Artists participate in art fairs because this is their chosen venue to earn a living. Shows that exist solely to draw large crowds of people with no marketing about their purpose (an ART FAIR) surely are discouraging to the artists. Market the art -- reach out to community groups who may be interested in art, affiliate with arts organizations, theatre groups, galleries, symphony goers. If the attendees are there just to look around and hear the music, fine -- not everyone will buy -- but focus, focus on why the event is being held and its purpose.
What does anyone else think?