need advice on 'putting on' an art show for our community

An art fair is just like putting on any other event. The more work and money you put into it, leveraged with local good contacts, the better the outcome. Outside of attracting exhibitors the second part is the promotion and marketing, because if you do pull together a decent show it won't ever happen again if you haven't pulled together an audience for the event. Think long term.

Beat the bushes in your neighborhood for exhibitors, visit colleges and universities, get arts groups involved, find all the community calendars for free listings. Do you have a budget for finding exhibitors? Then the Sunshine Artist magazine has the most complete listings (sunshineartist.com) and a listing is very inexpensive. But you have to get the listing very early as this is a print magazine. Other free listings are at festivalnetworkonline.com, CraftsReport.com and at ArtFairCalendar.com.

Make a time line, get your committees together and away you go! Visit any events in your area to get ideas on how the other guys do it.

Replies

Mark Loeb March 4, 2010 at 3:14pm

When I was helping with school shows I would attend as many other events of a similar nature as possible to discuss participation with artists. Bring literature, as many people don;t want to talk right then but might call you. Never interupt an artist with a customer! Another resource if you are in the midwest would be a listing magazine called affectionately "George's Book". http://www.michigancraftshows.com/
Connie Mettler March 4, 2010 at 3:06pm

An art fair is just like putting on any other event. The more work and money you put into it, leveraged with local good contacts, the better the outcome. Outside of attracting exhibitors the second part is the promotion and marketing, because if you do pull together a decent show it won't ever happen again if you haven't pulled together an audience for the event. Think long term.

Beat the bushes in your neighborhood for exhibitors, visit colleges and universities, get arts groups involved, find all the community calendars for free listings. Do you have a budget for finding exhibitors? Then the Sunshine Artist magazine has the most complete listings (sunshineartist.com) and a listing is very inexpensive. But you have to get the listing very early as this is a print magazine. Other free listings are at festivalnetworkonline.com, CraftsReport.com and at ArtFairCalendar.com.

Make a time line, get your committees together and away you go! Visit any events in your area to get ideas on how the other guys do it.

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