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Upstate Visual Arts (UVA) is accepting applications for the 2^nd annual West Greenville (S.C.) Arts Festival on September 18-19, 2010. For more information see the following link: http://www.upstatevisualarts.org/events/wgreenvillefestival.php The deadline is July 15.

This is my hometown so I have a sincere desire to exhibit here, even purchasing a double booth. I have absolutely no travel expenses and I have so much “local” work that it is the best of all worlds for me. Yet with so much desire to take advantage of this great opportunity, and with the cost of only $100 for a booth ($175 for double), I really question whether I want to even apply. I share the following points to explain.

1. The most recent show that UVA did was on Memorial Day weekend at Freedom Weekend Aloft. Sold to the artists as a great venue with only 25 "juried" artists, 300,000 visitors over 3 days,
   tents were provided by the property owner and the booth fee was only $50. However the tents
   provided DID NOT have sides; it was a mere canopy top. You were not allowed to bring your
   own tent and it rained all three days. Artists were not told of the lack of tent sides until
   the artists arrived for setup.
   And UVA was only able to sell perhaps 6 spaces out of the 25 promoted. I was one of those
   6 and it rained all three days and even had a hail storm the first day. The last day was totally
   cancelled because of the weather. When asked how were we to protect our art in case of inclement weather, the UVA director said the owner had two storage PODS about 200
   yards away. So when were we to grab our art and run for the PODS? When the rain started or when we see the first cloud? And then you have all artists sharing the tiny PODS together walking over and around everyone else’s art. The planning for this event was non-existent. Most artists had serious damage to their art due to lack of sides and no way to protect as the rapidly approaching thunderstorms came up much to quick. I’m sure the UVA is in a learning curve; but at “our expense.”
2. The 1^st annual West Greenville Arts Festival was held last year. It rained lightly both days. Crowds were perhaps 300 to 500 visitors per day; many of which were simply other artists just checking everything out. Sales were virtually non-existent for everyone I saw and talked to, although I did manage to cover my $100 expenses. There were only about 20 or 25 artists at the show last year.
3. I have left numerous messages and emails for the UVA festival contact over the past three weeks. Finally, yesterday I got a return phone call. I asked a lot of questions and was told about how they were trying to attact some sponsors to help with the advertising, etc. Sounds promising; but based on past performance, I will have to see it before I believe it. The setup will be in the same parking lot as last year with 4 rows of tents. Artists tents will be 10’x10’, placed side by side with no room in between and NO space for any storage or chairs whatsoever. It was clearly explained to me that EVERYTHING must fit inside your 10’x10’ tent because the tents would be side by side and the two rows in the middle would be back to back with no space in between. I measured the parking lot this morning. The boundaries are not quite in straight lines but the width ranges from 58’ to about 70’ and the parking lot is perhaps 150+’ long. So if they are putting one row of tents on the outside boundary and two rows back to back in the middle (that’s 40’ of width taken up by just the tents). And if you have two rows of traffic, that’s only 9’ between the facing tents (assuming everyone is level – which is difficult on the significantly sloping parking lot).
   
4. With this cramped setup, I predict load in and load out will be total chaos as you cannot arrive and get your space assignment until 6AM Saturday morning.

What a dilemma for me. The one show that is the best financial opportunity for me is sponsored by the most poorly organized show promoter I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m not trying to grind an ax
here. Trust me, I could continue to write volumes if I chose to. I simply want to share what I know about the event. I will undoubtedly have more conversations over the coming weeks and months and will gladly share any new information as it becomes available.