The very day after getting accepted into Madison Art Fair on the Square I sent my cancellation notice to the Brookings (South Dakota) Summer Arts Festival...here's what I wrote in the letter (email):
3/29/12:
Dear Brookings SAF Committee,
Due to a scheduling conflict, I am regretfully asking to have my application for BSAF withdrawn for 2012. I fully understand that my jury fees are non-refundable. As a professional independant artist, I find that I must apply to more than one show on certain weekends during the busy summer months. This is not meant as an insult to shows that I am unable to attend, but simply a business decision that I must make in order to assure I can make enough money in the short season to support my family. When I exhibited at BSAF in 2009 and 2010 I found it a wonderful and relaxing show to do (a breath of fresh air!) and hope that you will continue to consider my application for future years. Thank you so much! Sincerely,
Ryan Tischer
After no response from the show for two weeks in regard to my withdrawal, today I received a 'rejection' letter from the show in the mail, along with my $200 booth fee check. All's fine and dandy, because I did get my booth fee back, but I can't help but thinking the rejection letter was meant as a sort of slap to the face, given my withdrawal email sent two weeks prior, which they surely knew about before sending the letter. I won't totally dismiss the possibility that my work just flat out got rejected, but given the fact I'd done the show in 2009 and 2010 AND that Brookings isn't exactly an "A" list show, I feel that is very unlikely.
I hate to burn bridges with shows, as I'm sure that someday I will get rejected by Madison and Brookings would be the next show I'd like to do, but at this point I feel blacklisted by them and also feel this method of correspondence by them was rather unprofessional, as my withdrawal notice was in long before the rejection letters went out. Perhaps they just didn't check their email, AND my work just didn't jurty in, but I think that this coincidence is quite unlikely.
Comments
I have a question. Are Unilateral contracts really legal? I mean, contracts where one party (the Uni part) has complete dictator control over the lesser/ weaker party (that would be us Artists).
I understand show rules. But signing a contract that only favors one side,.. I don't know,... seems illegal?
Yes, there should definitely be a way to withdraw apps at Zapp and JAS. Ryan, I think you're reading way too much into this. It's standard procedure for shows to get cancellations. I can't imagine any show run by semi-professionals "blacklisting" you for this. And as far as being "grateful" to get your booth check back, as some have stated, I'd say you naturally deserve the check back. An application to a show is not an artists commitment to accept, anymore than it is the show commitment to invite you.
I know most photographers want to do three shows per month. I figure out that you better off selecting the shows you want to be part of them. Make a list for the main show and if you need to have backup for those where you feel you may not get in. If you do not get into a A and B option you better off taking the weekend off. Sometimes doing a smaller show is better than a big show. Filling the holes sometimes is very bad idea.
I think the both parties know this so keep it simple like Alison mention. I do not apply to shows where they ask for booth fee check in advance if you not sure that you want to do that show.
I would have not gone into so much detail in the letter. Tell them you are withdrawing your application because of a scheduling conflict and hope to do the show again in future years. I wish ZAPP and JAS had some way to withdraw our applications. This happened to me in the past and they did accept me and cash my booth fee check. They claimed they never got the email.
Thanks everyone for your input and reassurance!
Yup, I agree with Travis. Don't read more into it.
OOps for the typo- I agree with Rich. Don't over-think their response..Just be grateful that you received your check back.
sounds like your reading to much into receiving a rejection letter... Just enjoy the fact that you have a refund.
Most of the shows I've notified that way accept me and keep my money. Consider yourself lucky and just apply again next year.
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