Thank you to all who have joined this network. We founded it late in 2008 and were stunned by the response. This was in the days before Facebook was ubiquitous and the site was THE place to meet online and share show information and the travails of being an art fair artist.
Some of our founding members are Bonnie Blandford, Ginny Herzog, Kathleen Eaton, Marian Steen, Andrew Shea, Charles Gatewood, Jim Wilbat, Allan Teger, Jan Richardson, Michelle Levett and Jay McDougall, many of them longtime friends of mine. Our favorite show reviewer, Nels Johnson, didn't come in until #78, a few months after we launched the site.
Many of you have been dedicated writers here and everyone who visits this site appreciates your kindnesses and generosity in sharing your information.
- visits to Art Fair Insiders: 4,273,792
- biggest month May 2014 - 106,022 visits
- January 2020 visits: 14,763
- 16,023 members
- 6895 blog posts
- 7689 discussions
- 17,802 photos
- 7000 followers on our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/artfairinsiders/
- 83 podcasts at ArtFairRadio.com
A few highlighted blog posts:
- Any of Nels Johnson's blogs, including: I Saw a Naked Cowboy, Setting up in my Driveway and Making Lots of Moola
- Melanie Rolfes posts great art fair reviews like this that usually have good photos: Las Olas Part I. 2014 and some philosophical ones too: Breaking down fast or enjoy the ride
- One of my favorites from Marti McGinniss which distills great attitude for the art fair business: Don't Just Survive. Thrive!
- One of mine: Fear, Loathing and Life Online
A few popular discussions:
- Our most popular discussion with 36726 views: What's the worst question you've been asked at an art fair, from Jim Dalton
- Can you survive financially from your art fair income alone?
- 29705 visits: Winter Park Festival Artists to Discuss Fraud
I’m not doing this alone. Jacki Bilsborrow updates ArtFairCalendar.com and handles ArtShowReviews.com. Tina Towell welcomes new members, keeps up with advertisers and follow up. My sister Meg Mettler puts together our Wednesday emails, runs CallsforArtists.com, posts on AFI and on our Facebook page and sends out emails. Larry Berman vets all incoming members to AFI and gives up to date tech advice. I used to blog more and do show videos for YouTube and more podcasts, the things I like to do the
best, but I'm still running as fast as I can and maybe running low on gas.
Love to all of you every day in all your endeavors. Connie
P.S. Do you have a favorite thing you've found on this site?
Comments
Connie, Thumbs up! Know the feeling!
Oh, sweet, Judy. Glad you're still hanging in here. My husband and I stopped doing shows in 2006, but I am still dedicated to the art fair community. Great people, something new all the time, adventure and courage and craziness! This weekend is Coconut Grove and I'm there in spirit ... setting up in the dark on Bayshore.
Congrats to you, Connie and Crew! What a great resource you have built. I'm not doing shows anymore but still love being apart of this community. Best site ever for artists who need to find info about business and shows from people who actually do them. Kudos!!
Oh, thank you, Mark. That sense of community is what really helped build the site. You're working alone, you haven't been to any shows lately and it is a place to meet up with others in your situation. Even if there isn't something new that day to read, searching the archives will bring you comaraderie and help and some laughs too.
Congratulations Connie! 16,000+ is certainly something to celebrate.
By far, the best thing I have found here is this: there are other artists, aside from myself, facing the same 'business' issues as I. Which shows, what tent, customers, credit cards, all of it.
That sense of community, it is a great thing to have, especially after a 4 month stretch of working in my studio, by myself, packing up for the next show.
Thank you to you , and your co contributors