ARtFest Midwest,The other art show in DesMoines. Did anyone do this show in 2011? I am looking for feedback. I have been accepted to this show and I live in Atlanta. With rising gas prices I am not sure its worth the drive. I paint florals on canvas and metal ceiling tiles.
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I know this is an old thread...but does anyone have attendance figures for this show? I can't seem to find that information anywhere. Thanks!
I was just accepted to this show after being turned down for the DMAF. I live in DM and am looking forward to it. I visit both shows every year myself, and most people I know actually like ArtFest Midwest better than the DMAF because there is a larger selection and the prices are often more reasonable. If you submitted to be at this show then the distance you were aware of before even submitting, so that should be a no-brainer. As with every artist, some shows will be good, some won't be. Yes there have been some bad storms, and the inside venue certainly makes sure you are not experiencing it. I hope to see you there and that you will have a good show.
- Larry stevens
This will be my third year. The other two years, have been extremely bad weather downtown. Last year, a lot of those customers came to the fairgrounds. I did so-so the first year and did much better last year. I am hoping that it builds to a financially great show for me. I believe the art is higher caliber than comparable shows. The load in and load out are very easy. I have met some very nice artists and the customers do look for you year to year. The staff is excellent!
The few exhibitors I've met from the Midwest show all seemed to be very happy with sales.
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." -George Bernard Shaw
As for the show I have never done it but have many friends in various mediums that do well and go back year after year. I would love to read a report from someone though.
Wow Rick, I'm sorry to see you woke up on the wrong side of the bed today – what do you really think about the show? It’s kind of hard to read between the lines of your statement LOL!
I have done this show every year since the beginning (except for one year when a relative very inconveniently scheduled a wedding for that weekend) and every year the show has continued to grow and improve for me. Now, it is a well above average show for me, which makes it even sweeter that it's only 1.5 hrs from home. And Rich is right in his last paragraph - both the artists and the patrons enjoy being indoors away from the weather. Every year at least once the downtown gets smacked by the hand of god and it's nice to be able to sleep through the night not worrying about your setup! Plus the hours are much more humane than the downtown show. And while it’s true that the past few years there have been more artists who do choose to leave the downtown show because of these issues and more and exhibit at the fairgrounds, I’m not sure that has an impact on sales there. From talking to the people who come through my booth, most patrons who come to the show DO also visit the downtown show. The difference is that the other comment people most often make is something along the lines of "I looked at what they had downtown, but I'll buy here because I don’t like what they have at the other festival." Plus, Sue is an excellent promoter as well as a great person. For example, I’ve never worked with anyone else who will give you an exhaustive list of every billboard, radio spot, TV ad, newspaper ad, etc. that she placed to provide publicity for her show.
As with any other recommendation – your mileage may vary. As with any show some do well, and some don’t. I do have a mailing list that I work to get my customers excited to come. The trip from Atlanta to IA is a long one (done it!) and you are right that is a long way to drive for something new. But there are artists who do come from further away than that - and I would hope they wouldn't make the drive if they weren't making money.
Thanks Rick, I am aware of what the show is. I still just want to know if anyone has done the show.
This is a parasite show feeding off the goodwill of the Des Moines Art Fest that same weekend.
They do a great job of promoting a free shuttle between the two shows to suck off as much traffic as possible.
Many of the scab show exhibitors seem to appreciate the indoor, out of the inevitable storm, air conditioned location and the crowds they manage to siphon off the real art show.