On this site we have been agonizing over making our applications perfect to lead us to getting into the best shows. Here is what you can do:
- Quality images, shot well with good color saturation
- The perfect booth shot allowing no distractions from the surrounding area
- An artist statement that is creative, direct and differentiates
- A completed application that includes all the information
What else can keep an artist from getting into an art fair? You've done your homework and paid attention the above 4 points. What else makes a difference?
I'd love to hear your comments.
Do you "like" this discussion? If so, please click on the "like."
Replies
When I started doing shows almost five years ago, I started with shows in which the bar was high, but not too high. Then I upped the ante in Year 2 and the first show I applied to, a local but prestigious one, I got rejected. On the weekend of the show, I visited, introduced myself to the promoter, and let her know (smiling the whole time so as not to have my intent misconstrued) that I'd applied and not been accepted, so I was there to visit the show and see what I was missing so that, if I provided it, I would have a good shot at being accepted.
The promoter was momentarily taken aback (in spite of the smiling thing) but we wound up having a conversation for several minutes, at the end of which she promised to look at my app (I gave her a business card) and coach me.
She did; I took the coaching, and it improved not only my show acceptance rate but my sales. It was a very generous act on her part, for which I'll forever be grateful.
The point? Whether you do what I did, or visit the websites of accepted artists, resist the temptation to "vote" on the coaching you get. Take it all in, without taking it personally, and then implement as much as you can within the bounds of your medium, your vision and your wallet.
Connie....... what a great question.......... When will I go digital? I have talked to alot of the people who do our show who say, "don't do it" and hear on this and other forums how they think Zapp/JAS etc may not the perfect solution and the most friendly to artists etc. Think this would belong in another blog question! I need to make up my mind before I get through with the Jan/Feb. shows! I really would love to streamline and attract new artists, but don't want to do so at the cost of some of my loyal ones! It's not an easy decision! Will try to come up with some questions to put in another post!
Also........ YES YES YES on the winning answer...... Make great art......... do new stuff ........ change things up! It's always so wonderful to see someone change out images or take a bit of a new direction!
Lois
A timely topic! Cherry Creek Arts Festival and ZAPP just announced a free mock jury opportunity in Denver this morning. It's on Thursday, November 11th. Details from the email are pasted below:
Dear Artist,
Don't miss this FREE consulting opportunity to improve how your artwork is presented for online art show applications
When: Thursday, November 10th at 12:30 p.m.
Where: Cherry Creek Arts Festival (CCAF) 2 Steele Street, Suite B100, Denver, Colorado
What: Digital Jury Image Workshop presented by the Cherry Creek Arts Festival & Zapplication
Why: Come to CCAF on 11/10/11 to see your images projected in a true jury setting and receive feedback from a professional former CCAF juror. The goal of this invaluable and free feedback is to help best present your work to art show juries and increase the number of shows that accept your work for exhibition.
1-2-3:
1) Create a FREE user account online at www.Zapplication.org
2) Upload your artist images
3) Apply to a mock show found on Zapp under the "Colorado Artist Image Review Workshop" and join us 11/10/11.
If you are new to the digital application process for artists, all are welcome to attend and learn! If you choose not to apply to the Mock Jury and would still like to attend, please RSVP to (303) 355-2787.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Whoa, I thought that was all part of our homework when applying to shows. I always look at the website, see who exhibited last year, check out their websites, see if they had a well-balanced show, (the right ratios in each category), how many artists, customer attendance, admission fees, advertizing promised and done, check blogs and reviews about that show (and others that artists in my field have done), call the promoter with any unanswered questions, and, if I can think of anything else.............
I spend more time each year researching my show potential schedule then I did the year before. It is getting harder and harder not only finding the right show, but, getting into them. Wish I had a better way of doing this, also, wish I had an administrative assistant....ah, if my cats could fly.... ;-)
After I finish this next batch, it'll be time to listen to Lynerd Skynerds' 'Still Unbroken'.
Connie,
Having just gone through the Key West Craft Show Jury and preparing applications and images for the Old Island Days Art Festival (for jury on Tues.) I would like to share a few observations.
We are not a Zapp or other electronic application show. We ask for images on a CD (we outgrew slides two years ago finally!) We have a paper application and guidelines and prospectus on our website. Here are some things that stand out as really annoying when processing applications.
1. We ask that images be named with a specific convention so that I can copy them onto the pc and view them in a way that I can track. I asked for artist name, category, 1, 2,3 with booth being 4) so it would be songer jewelry 1.jpg etc.
I actually had one app where the person wrote a note saying she didn't know that much about computers and didn't know how to rename files. I also had cd's from the walmart, cvs, walgreen's etc. that has all their software on them and files named about 15 numbers... after I get to them for all the other crap on that cd.? I actually had one cd with a virus on it! I had to rename about 35% of the files. Several cd's would not open or would not show any files.
2. I had more than one application that I could not read the writing. One was seriously, bad enough that I had my assistant call the phone number and get the proper name and address.
3. Photo images....... oh boy............ blurry images, images with multiple items, images with artist names labeled on the bottom etc. Booth shots.......... my worst one was a jewelry shot with what appeared to be a card table with a cover, set up in the middle of an ez up with no sides at a street show.... fire hydrant bright red in back and people all over the place! We understand that it isn't always easy to get a totally perfect booth shot, but we do understand....... I'd much rather see your booth as close to the way it will look at our show than a sterile one that doesn't really look like your booth! I know that you will sell some or most of the work that is on the walls......... but I know that you will replace it with more work!!! Shoot it head on or to the side but let me see most of the booth... please? If you sell small items in addition......... don't leave those out or you might get questioned at the show and we all know how unpleasant some of those conversations can be when we are both stressed about getting set up!
I've got more........... but I'm going to stop now and tell you how much we appreciate those folks who read the application guidelines and rules and spend a couple extra minutes to make sure their app will be easily processed and juried.
Lois
Ah yes, Lois. Many people would be surprised at the condition in which some applications arrive and, depending on the point of view of the show director, how much intervention should be done. Let them sink? Hold their hands?
In addition, why aren't artists who are genuinely puzzled about the jurying process get themselves to an open jury, or follow up online when some juries are presented there? Do they click into the shows they were rejected from and take a look at the work that was accepted? Do their images present a cohesive body of work, well photographed without any distractions, or is it a combination of everything they are capable of creating regardless of the relationship of the images?
So, Lois, I now ask you -- when will you be digital? I know you can do it.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next