Finally got there. I was like getting to the grand buffet and finding only a few slivers of beat up melon.
For example:
Ann Arbor State Street.
Tuesday night an artists' dinner is held, we had the "privilege" of sitting with the Mayor and the show organizer. Tom, the show organizer, boosted that his was the only show that would allow stores to have street booths and that Urban Outfitters would do more than $250,000 during the four days of the show. That is $1/4 million that wasn't spent on art. That was only one vendor.
Consideration should be given to renaming the event the Ann Arbor Flea and Art Market.
Comments
Paul, you are a funny guy. Humor helps to get your through most anything.
Thanks for your post. This was a good discussion.
Paul, IMHO you just won the award for Most Thought-Provoking Comment in this robust discussion: "we don't have to eat our own."
We're all newbies in one way or another, even if it's just being new to a particular show. Generously sharing info on forums like this keeps us from devolving into a tribe that eats its young. Remember when your only source of information was the show prospectus? Good lord.
Sorry, don't mean to highjack your thread on A2, Paul; just felt the need to ponder your words for a minute. Thanks for the perspective.
Thank you Robert for your comments. The bottomline is that we can't change the shows, A2 will never trim days/hours to something reasonable. We can change ourselves. Yes there will always be a glut of newbies, but we don't have to eat our own. If we save one artist $750 in jury and booth fees it is worth it.
I thought I would throw my 2 cents worth into the discussion. I was in the State Street show this year. My booth was on Maynard just south of William, next to a jeweler in the corner spot. Weather was hot during the Tues setup but it was unseasonably nice for the rest of the show. I sell landscape/nature photography ( see www.rgreenpix.com if curious). My sales were good on Wed, minimal on Thu and Fri, and good on Sat. In my opinion, the crowd was very "thin", much of it was students and retirees. At a decent show, I usually cannot get in my booth. That did not occur at anytime duriung the 4 days, My total sales were equal to a good 2-day show but it took 4 days and $700 in fees to get it at State Street. No other show I do skips Sunday. Why AA is a Tue-to-Sat show baffles me. Some say the churches object to Sun, some say UofM objects. Either way, an obvious improvement to be to go Thu-to-Sun. There are a lot of poor booth locations in Ann Arbor. Thompson St is a slow death. Maynard south of William is bad. These are where newbies get placed and there will always be a glut of newbies to abuse.
I'm not sure there is a way to "warn/protect" newbies. Unfortunately, the attitude of shows is changing everywhere. The people who love/know art will purchase from us. There has been years of B/S infiltrating the shows. It looks "ok" and is cheaper, patrons simply are thinking with their pocketbooks.
It's a lot like customer service. I always acknowledge good customer service. I had an "ah-ha" moment recently when a young clerk told me the younger generation doesn't even realize how important good customer service is.
I will continue to give the best customer service possible - always. We exhibitors who have been around awhile need to continue our class act. We will stand out against those who do not offer a good product at a good price with a smile.
Connie, Folk Fest ATL August. then Funky Ferndale...which is in MI and a great show in Sept.
So here's the deal -- many thanks to everyone who is weighing in here with their opinions. You think no one (who can change things) is reading? Think again.
I think I have to meet you, Paul. What's your next show?
The whole point is how can we warn/protect newbies from getting burned by A2 (and I mean all the shows) I will never darken their doorstep again simply because all of the shows - the long hours, horrible heat, lack of customers, poor attitude of the public toward artists, over commercialization, and weird days - Wednesday and Thursday, no Sunday...REALLY???---well it all adds up to watching a dinosaur trapped in a tar pit. I am not going to live long enough for this nightmare to unscrew itself. How can we save future artists who haven't been there the pain?
That is hilarious Paul! I had 2 helpers that I thought were going to go mind numb! Kept kicking them out of my booth because the traffic didn't warrent 3 people, just 2. Should have sent them for a doo! Or I did see the massage chair out for one of the schools as well. And hopefully, only cheap box o wine is being used to make slushies! Over the 4 days, couldn't get myself to actually go over and try one. One of the funniest moments of the show was when my very funny neighbor, a guy(in a keltic like skirt I might add!) made up a sign and followed behind the women holding a sign, "where is the magnet lady? ASK ME!" His sign read " ask me to ask her where the magnet lady is!" Greg and Paddy, potter neighbor's got some great shots that are probably on facebook for sure.
And Connie, doesn't surprise me that I am getting the names of the 4 shows mixed up. I know them as the original, which never visited but would surmise is still an art show area, South university, which is the one very seperate, The Guild, and not sure what they call themselves this year, and the State Street Fair. I was in the State Street Fair as was the artist I mentioned on Liberty. I know that State Street and the Guild kinda run together on Liberty. Nice to hear everyone's feedback. Helps in making future decisions. Thanks!
Debbie Fehrenbach...hahahaha...the show was so slow that my wife and I had are hair done at the Aveda hair shop where you get a discount cause the kids are learning. The woman with the slushy wine shit was in there and she wanted to hire my wife to help her cause she was swamped. Imagine taking a $30 bottle of wine and turning it into a slushy? My God, is that sophisticated or what?
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