As those of us doing art shows for years know, and newbies soon to find out, some shows (one being too many in my view) seems to have policies that seem to reflect some type of a "rites of passage" philosophy. Meaning, you will be assigned to a poorer booth location when you first get into their show and if you survive, then in subsequent years you will get a better spot. Shows like 57th Street in Chicago, where first-year artists are put into a parking lot off the beaten path, Edina as Linda Anderson noted in her posting where the promoter said your booth assignment was based on your jury score and the number of years you'd been in the show. There are others. Let's identify (aka: finger) them!
Personally, I think this is another policy, may be should be worded as a "philosophy", that is at best controversial and needs to either be understood better or done away with by promoters. This is not a veteran vs. newbie issue, it is an issue of the first time you are juried into a show, you are given a "special" booth location. aka: typically a weak spot with less traffic flow.
So promoters .... why do you have this kind of philosophy of making us "pay our dues"? What is your objective or goal? Why do you not state it in your application?
One, it indicates to me that there is a substantial variation in booth locations as far as traffic flow is concerned which explains why first year artists are put in such locations. If that isn't true, then booths could be assigned by some type of a lottery system, couldn't they? And no one would complain. Because, after all, your premise would be "there is no difference" among booth locations (I can feel artists cringing already). And for all those artists that need as much traffic flow as possible (are there any artists out there that don't?), that is a super critical factor, very critical bias, to be assigned to a location where you may see only 40% or 50% of what other artists see in terms of people.
Two, it suggests a sort of grandfathering system, where once you are in, you may be in for as long as you want to stay.
As for the first, ensuring a better layout of the show so such discrepancies in traffic flow are minimal would be a solution, I'd suggest a better all around solution. Otherwise, adjusting the layout to bring people into otherwise low traffic areas .... successfully ..... which means monitoring by the promoter to ensure the ideas work .... is another. Otherwise, some artists are just plain going to be handicapped and experience less success at selling their artwork, though paying the same fees as those in the hot spots. And the likelihood that they will return for a second year or say anything good about the show? Minimal. Short of being grandfathered into the show.
The second point: grandfathering. I believe hows need to openly state this in their applications so we all know that philosophy, that policy, exists. That we are really only applying for a fraction of the available booth spots. Some shows must seem to think this will be a turnoff to artists, and to some, perhaps many, it will. However, others may find it appealing that once they are in, they are "in" and will apply religiously every year until they break that juror barrier. Either way, it just seems fair and ethical to state what you are doing, full disclosure.
So, my question to my fellow artists: Is this concept of paying your dues, some type of rites of passage, valid and fair and okay with you? Under what circumstances? Should it be clearly stated so we all know what we are going to potentially experience? Are there better ways to assign booths that gives everyone a better chance to be successful?
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At my last show I was given an off street while the main festival was set up on a larger street. Anyway, I still managed to get some people to come by but I had looked at the site and asked the promoter why 6 of us were on this side street. She assured me that there would be traffic. Although there was it wasn't as much as the main street.
I guess for me I understand if I'm a newbie and need to "know the ropes" but don't lie to me about the space and don't take $300 from me when I'm getting 1/2 the traffic of those on the main street. I think I would have done the show anyway if they had disclosed to me that my booth was $200 and I would not get as much traffic flow but would be let into the main area after my first year.
The thing that gets me is like my neighbor at the last show, he was a really good woodcarver (bowls, furniture, clocks) really well made things. He made one sale all weekend and his stuff was really top-notch. I was heartbroken that someone who has such beautiful work isn't getting it out there NOT because of his effort, fine craft or money but because he was new to the show.
I can see previous years exhibitors being given the same space. But when I was applying to a show for the first time, I'd always research good booth locations, apply early and ask for those specific spots. This wasn't so difficult to research before the internet made it even easier. I just picked up the phone and called artists who had done the show before. Now you can go on the forums and ask for information about shows PRIOR to applying and both apply early and pay immediately upon acceptance so you have some request leverage.
Nice reply Christine. Thank you. Great observations. Now ... the rest of you artists, veterans and newbies alike ..... speak up so promoters and your fellow artists can hear you also!
I don't believe in "paying your dues" when our careers are at stake. Especially for those artists whose only income is doing shows.
If there are obvious "bad" booth locations, then do away with them. If there is not an organized flow of traffic, then create it. A show will quickly know after year one what booths are bad locations and how the show actually flows...and thus most shows that have been around for more then a few years do not have any excuse for bad booth locations. I also usually know what booths are pretty bad locations when I find most of the artists around me are either off the waitlist or newbies. So if no returning artists are wanting those spots, then they must be bad. I also believe that if a show is kept small enough, and the flow is organized then there really aren't too many bad locations. I have been at shows where I am two booths away from the "end" but because it is a smaller show with booths in one straight line parallel to each other down a street, I have had some of my best shows. I believe in this type of situation, those who are at the show to buy art will visit all the booths.
I also think shows should not be concerned with putting the food booths in prime locations that would be better suited for an art booth. Once the overfed America public sees that ice cream booth just past my booth, there is no looking at my artwork at all. Food and music should be together and away from the art booths. That way if people are only coming to the show for food and music, they can go directly there. If they are coming for art, they can enjoy it without the distractions of loud music and food. Kid zone areas can also be in the "bad booth locations" because parents will find that area specifically for the children's and their own sanity.
As for a lotto system, that would be a fair way to do it. I can totally see if a show has ten categories and they want diversity from booth to booth, then stick each category into a different bucket and then blindly pull names to go with the next booth they are placing.
Newbies are already paying their dues by being new and not having a customer base for that show.
Replies
I guess for me I understand if I'm a newbie and need to "know the ropes" but don't lie to me about the space and don't take $300 from me when I'm getting 1/2 the traffic of those on the main street. I think I would have done the show anyway if they had disclosed to me that my booth was $200 and I would not get as much traffic flow but would be let into the main area after my first year.
The thing that gets me is like my neighbor at the last show, he was a really good woodcarver (bowls, furniture, clocks) really well made things. He made one sale all weekend and his stuff was really top-notch. I was heartbroken that someone who has such beautiful work isn't getting it out there NOT because of his effort, fine craft or money but because he was new to the show.
Neither of us are doing the show again.
Larry Berman
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If there are obvious "bad" booth locations, then do away with them. If there is not an organized flow of traffic, then create it. A show will quickly know after year one what booths are bad locations and how the show actually flows...and thus most shows that have been around for more then a few years do not have any excuse for bad booth locations. I also usually know what booths are pretty bad locations when I find most of the artists around me are either off the waitlist or newbies. So if no returning artists are wanting those spots, then they must be bad. I also believe that if a show is kept small enough, and the flow is organized then there really aren't too many bad locations. I have been at shows where I am two booths away from the "end" but because it is a smaller show with booths in one straight line parallel to each other down a street, I have had some of my best shows. I believe in this type of situation, those who are at the show to buy art will visit all the booths.
I also think shows should not be concerned with putting the food booths in prime locations that would be better suited for an art booth. Once the overfed America public sees that ice cream booth just past my booth, there is no looking at my artwork at all. Food and music should be together and away from the art booths. That way if people are only coming to the show for food and music, they can go directly there. If they are coming for art, they can enjoy it without the distractions of loud music and food. Kid zone areas can also be in the "bad booth locations" because parents will find that area specifically for the children's and their own sanity.
As for a lotto system, that would be a fair way to do it. I can totally see if a show has ten categories and they want diversity from booth to booth, then stick each category into a different bucket and then blindly pull names to go with the next booth they are placing.
Newbies are already paying their dues by being new and not having a customer base for that show.