I just read read "How Many Shows in 2013" which got me thinking again about fees this time of the year. Here is the question for folks that say apply to over 50 shows a year. If the jury fee is $20 that's $1000 out of pocket. If you plan on being accepted to half, is the loss of $500 recouped down the road and how does it affect the end of season bottom line. My gut reaction would be to be more selective at the beginning of applying, but I realize folks in the east and Midwest exhibit in a different world from the Rocky Mtn. Region. Off to visit grand kids for a couple days. Gravity will work in the studio while I am gone (using buckets of water to flatten old curled antique saddle parts- it's on Facebook).
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I prefer calculated risk to gamble. And any application is a calculated risk. It depends on a lot of factors and each artist has to decide for themselves if it is worth it. Your medium, your area, how far you are willing to travel, those all need to be taken into account. I could do a decent season of shows now with shows that I am almost positive will accept me. But why shouldn't I push for the better, more lucrative shows even if my acceptance rate is 25%? I'm betting $50 in the hopes of making $4000. That's a good bet to me.
What I don't get is when people get into shows and then come in here and ask "should I do this show?" That question should be asked at application time not acceptance time.
Nothing arrogant about good business sense. New people probably have far less capital and a lot greater risk than an established artist. I have never followed the heard. I applied to one show my first year-Michael Martin Murphy's Westfest at Copper Mtn., CO. some 20 years ago. Made money and learned a lot. Gradually applied to more well selected and analyzed shows thereafter. Never doubled up any as that was a guaranteed loss of money. With all the problems described on this site about poor shows in the eastern half of the country, I have to wonder if artists are treated poorly there because they always support the existing system with jury fees to shows they won't be attending. Maybe it is just the frugality of us westerners LOL.
Had a flat in Eagle, CO today. I think the last time I had a flat was when a rock went though the side wall on my Blazer it the Elk Mtns. East of Helena, MT back in the mid 1980s. That's a pretty good run of good luck. I was looking at a gold property of a crazy old coot who left little paper bags signs at his prospect pits about how many unexplored rounds were in them. A real nut case.
unexploded rounds - stick of dynamite with a blasting cap in it. If you hit it banging on the rocks taking a sample it might go off - BOOM, bye bye geologist.
I understand the concern with the double fees, but again, it depends on the show, your medium, etc. We are Jewelery which everyone knows is super competitive, we can get into certain shows for 2-4 years, find ourselves juried out one year, just to get in the next year. So doubling up on fees can make sense.
Going into a new market can also cause you to double up on fees, our first trip to CA in 2012 and we doubled up on some jury fees due to timing, ended up getting into our first choice for 2 out of 4 shows and overall had 3 solid to very good shows. Do I regret spending the extra jury fees? NO, not for a year when we were new in a particular market. Am I doing that again in 2013? No, but it took that first try to figure out what worked best.
If you are in a unique category or have a really unique product, maybe you don't need to double up on jury fees. If you are in jewelry, photography and a few other saturated categories, good luck getting into all your first choice shows year in and year out. It just won't happen, IMO.
I have to agree that my category and work are unique and I have less competition than ones you mention. Down side is that jurors are less informed about my medium - even the basics as discussed in other forums. Basically I am simply curious about how others operate in this business and I want to learn from others. What works for one artist/medium is not universal and then there is the geography thing. Interesting stuff. Enjoying my grand kids for a couple days off from studio work, 5, 3 and 2 months.
It is not good business sense when you are a seasoned pro. When you are relatively new it is a necessary evil. Few things in life are guaranteed. You do not know until you try. What is the point of this thread anyway? Is it an arrogant attempt to say "golly you sure are reckless with money and all those fees you pay out,". Or is there actually something to be learned here? New artists to the art fair scene have no baseline to work with and must apply or over apply to shows so that they can WORK their first few years in the business until they get re-invites and/or a sense of which shows are likely to accept them. Period!!
I am one that applies to around 50 shows. Yes, the cost is recouped later on. It goes into the overhead column initially and after sales are calculated at the end of the year less overhead you have your profit or loss. I feel that the high number of applications is a necessary business expense in our highly competitive and unpredictable business.
Replies
I prefer calculated risk to gamble. And any application is a calculated risk. It depends on a lot of factors and each artist has to decide for themselves if it is worth it. Your medium, your area, how far you are willing to travel, those all need to be taken into account. I could do a decent season of shows now with shows that I am almost positive will accept me. But why shouldn't I push for the better, more lucrative shows even if my acceptance rate is 25%? I'm betting $50 in the hopes of making $4000. That's a good bet to me.
What I don't get is when people get into shows and then come in here and ask "should I do this show?" That question should be asked at application time not acceptance time.
Had a flat in Eagle, CO today. I think the last time I had a flat was when a rock went though the side wall on my Blazer it the Elk Mtns. East of Helena, MT back in the mid 1980s. That's a pretty good run of good luck. I was looking at a gold property of a crazy old coot who left little paper bags signs at his prospect pits about how many unexplored rounds were in them. A real nut case.
I understand the concern with the double fees, but again, it depends on the show, your medium, etc. We are Jewelery which everyone knows is super competitive, we can get into certain shows for 2-4 years, find ourselves juried out one year, just to get in the next year. So doubling up on fees can make sense.
Going into a new market can also cause you to double up on fees, our first trip to CA in 2012 and we doubled up on some jury fees due to timing, ended up getting into our first choice for 2 out of 4 shows and overall had 3 solid to very good shows. Do I regret spending the extra jury fees? NO, not for a year when we were new in a particular market. Am I doing that again in 2013? No, but it took that first try to figure out what worked best.
If you are in a unique category or have a really unique product, maybe you don't need to double up on jury fees. If you are in jewelry, photography and a few other saturated categories, good luck getting into all your first choice shows year in and year out. It just won't happen, IMO.
That is a pretty low average application fee, Richard -- maybe closer to $25-30 times X.