Kansas City, Mo area art shows

S. Michelle Babcock March 3, 2010 at 3:24pm

The Town Art fair is a bust. The two times I did it I did well because at each show I sold a major piece. If I hadn't I wouldn't have made my fee. However Kansas City is a good art buying city if your in the right show. My stuff is not Hallmark...far from it. I am however trying to do more shows out east and perhaps west because in general it is a conservative buying crowd. So if you do show like the Plaza or Brookside you'll find the show you want.

Munks said:

Kansas City is a really tough market. Lots of forces to work against such as apathy, notably un-savvy and/or uneducated lookers, few buyers, cronyism/nepotism, etc. My favorite was the yuppie chick wearing her daughter's jeans and baseball cap driving her green convertible Jaguar through the middle of the Town Art show a few years ago yelling for people to get out of her way - then parking in front of the Coldstone Creamery, running in, getting her pint of ice cream and running back out and yelling for people to get out of her way all over again.

I for one stopped applying to shows out there. Maybe they miss me, maybe they don't - but it's not the only city in the country, no matter what they may think. I guess if "that art don't look like no Hallmark" it's just not gonna fly in KC!

S. Michelle Babcock said:
Bill having done the Unplaza Art fair I'd say most of the people don't know the story behind it.These are not the disgruntled artist that started it. For such a tiny show I made more money then I did at Brookside, go figure.As for Westport they stopped the grandfathering about six or seven years ago. And Ray Wolfe who ran it retired last year and handed it over to someone new. So I'm interested to see how it might change this year.
As for the Plaza talk about grandfathering. I read about how many are reinvited and how many new spots are actually open for grabs. And they get over 3000 apps for maybe 100 slots. Of course that doesn't mean I won't contribute my annual donation to what I think of as the black hole. At least last year I made the wait list.

William S. Eickhorst said:
Brandie:
The Plaza Show is a top notch event - go for it! It is by far the best show in the Kansas City area and is very well attended every year by folks interested in art who are willing to spend money. The Un Plaza show is comprised basically of disgruntled Kansas City area artists who don't get into the Plaza Show - its the annual Salon de Refuse. Both Brookside and Prairie Village are quality shows and are run by the same people. Westport is only for artists within a 40 mile radius of the city - it has been steadily going downhill for the past several years because there are too many of the same artists returning every year - many were grandfathered in. Zona Rosa is primarily a music festival and art sales were pathetic - the artists are only there to provide a background - mostly music people there for the performances. Longview is a new show but attracts mostly "lookers" - I was there last year and none of the people I talked with, myself included, did very well. The Parkville show "Art at Park" is a small show and sales are also pretty small. I haven't been in all of these shows but I have lived here in the Kansas City area for more than 30 years and go to most of these shows every year.

Munks March 3, 2010 at 1:02pm

Kansas City is a really tough market. Lots of forces to work against such as apathy, notably un-savvy and/or uneducated lookers, few buyers, cronyism/nepotism, etc. My favorite was the yuppie chick wearing her daughter's jeans and baseball cap driving her green convertible Jaguar through the middle of the Town Art show a few years ago yelling for people to get out of her way - then parking in front of the Coldstone Creamery, running in, getting her pint of ice cream and running back out and yelling for people to get out of her way all over again.

I for one stopped applying to shows out there. Maybe they miss me, maybe they don't - but it's not the only city in the country, no matter what they may think. I guess if "that art don't look like no Hallmark" it's just not gonna fly in KC!

S. Michelle Babcock said:

Bill having done the Unplaza Art fair I'd say most of the people don't know the story behind it.These are not the disgruntled artist that started it. For such a tiny show I made more money then I did at Brookside, go figure.As for Westport they stopped the grandfathering about six or seven years ago. And Ray Wolfe who ran it retired last year and handed it over to someone new. So I'm interested to see how it might change this year.
As for the Plaza talk about grandfathering. I read about how many are reinvited and how many new spots are actually open for grabs. And they get over 3000 apps for maybe 100 slots. Of course that doesn't mean I won't contribute my annual donation to what I think of as the black hole. At least last year I made the wait list.

William S. Eickhorst said:
Brandie:
The Plaza Show is a top notch event - go for it! It is by far the best show in the Kansas City area and is very well attended every year by folks interested in art who are willing to spend money. The Un Plaza show is comprised basically of disgruntled Kansas City area artists who don't get into the Plaza Show - its the annual Salon de Refuse. Both Brookside and Prairie Village are quality shows and are run by the same people. Westport is only for artists within a 40 mile radius of the city - it has been steadily going downhill for the past several years because there are too many of the same artists returning every year - many were grandfathered in. Zona Rosa is primarily a music festival and art sales were pathetic - the artists are only there to provide a background - mostly music people there for the performances. Longview is a new show but attracts mostly "lookers" - I was there last year and none of the people I talked with, myself included, did very well. The Parkville show "Art at Park" is a small show and sales are also pretty small. I haven't been in all of these shows but I have lived here in the Kansas City area for more than 30 years and go to most of these shows every year.

S. Michelle Babcock March 3, 2010 at 11:46am

Bill having done the Unplaza Art fair I'd say most of the people don't know the story behind it.These are not the disgruntled artist that started it. For such a tiny show I made more money then I did at Brookside, go figure.As for Westport they stopped the grandfathering about six or seven years ago. And Ray Wolfe who ran it retired last year and handed it over to someone new. So I'm interested to see how it might change this year.
As for the Plaza talk about grandfathering. I read about how many are reinvited and how many new spots are actually open for grabs. And they get over 3000 apps for maybe 100 slots. Of course that doesn't mean I won't contribute my annual donation to what I think of as the black hole. At least last year I made the wait list.

William S. Eickhorst said:

Brandie:
The Plaza Show is a top notch event - go for it! It is by far the best show in the Kansas City area and is very well attended every year by folks interested in art who are willing to spend money. The Un Plaza show is comprised basically of disgruntled Kansas City area artists who don't get into the Plaza Show - its the annual Salon de Refuse. Both Brookside and Prairie Village are quality shows and are run by the same people. Westport is only for artists within a 40 mile radius of the city - it has been steadily going downhill for the past several years because there are too many of the same artists returning every year - many were grandfathered in. Zona Rosa is primarily a music festival and art sales were pathetic - the artists are only there to provide a background - mostly music people there for the performances. Longview is a new show but attracts mostly "lookers" - I was there last year and none of the people I talked with, myself included, did very well. The Parkville show "Art at Park" is a small show and sales are also pretty small. I haven't been in all of these shows but I have lived here in the Kansas City area for more than 30 years and go to most of these shows every year.

charles nolder March 2, 2010 at 6:21pm

thanks for info :)

S. Michelle Babcock said:

Westport Art fair is a good one. Stay away from Zona Rosa...great amenities, but people are coming for the music. you know you're in trouble when people wonder into your booth and ask what's going on. There's also one in parkville...I haven't done it years though. Prairie Village art fair is good, put on by the brookside people also there's The UnPlaza Art Fair which was good except they take a percentage and one year it cost me more than if I had done the Plaza. That's all I can think of for now.
If you want to try outside if Kansas City there's also Hidden Glenn just out of town in johnson county. It's been a good show for me and Lawrence has Art in The Park in May and The Holiday Artfair in December those are done through the Lawrence Art Guild.

S. Michelle Babcock March 2, 2010 at 1:11pm

Westport Art fair is a good one. Stay away from Zona Rosa...great amenities, but people are coming for the music. you know you're in trouble when people wonder into your booth and ask what's going on. There's also one in parkville...I haven't done it years though. Prairie Village art fair is good, put on by the brookside people also there's The UnPlaza Art Fair which was good except they take a percentage and one year it cost me more than if I had done the Plaza. That's all I can think of for now.
If you want to try outside if Kansas City there's also Hidden Glenn just out of town in johnson county. It's been a good show for me and Lawrence has Art in The Park in May and The Holiday Artfair in December those are done through the Lawrence Art Guild.

Melissa Starks March 2, 2010 at 11:30am

Holly Holly Holly days is a good women's only juried art show. You can find it on Facebook.

BenJamin Stielow March 2, 2010 at 9:42am

I say do some research online regarding booth shots and artwork shots; I should know where to look but it's too early for me. That research will help you see what some good jury shots will look like. Then apply for the Plaza. I have heard from customers that the Plaza show is a higher quality show than Brookside, but I still have not been accepted to either show.

Greg Heihn February 27, 2010 at 1:16pm

I have to chuckle Brandie because this sounds a little like my Mom "god rest her soul". She would not call someone because they might not be home. I'd say "Ma, call em and if their not home they won't answer" simple as that. If you don't try you're 100 percent sure of NOT getting in.

phillip hall February 9, 2010 at 11:06am

Why would you be worried?

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