Charlotte Fine Arts Festival. First year show. Symphony Park, home of the Summer Pops series in south Charlotte is an amphitheater area located adjacent to Charlotte’s high end mall, SouthPark, as well in the same vicinity as some of the wealthier neighborhoods in the area. I think I’ve mentioned there is a dearth of solid art shows in the Charlotte area even though there are two thriving arts districts. I wasn’t sure that all of the advertising in the world would bring the fine folks of Charlotte out to buy. I was wrong.
This was my first show with a promoter. I almost bypassed it even though it was in my own back yard. Trepidation abounded. Wasn't sure what to expect... shouldn’t have worried. Bill was everywhere and making sure that all was well.
Setup/teardown was relatively easy. Some were able to pull in and unload. Others dollied in. None of it seemed to be a big deal…Saturday dawned bright and blustery…I was happy I took the plunge and invested in my Trimline. It was my second time out with it and it was a rock with the heavy vinyl sides protecting my glass from the wind…and the people started coming through shortly before the 10am start time and continued until the 6pm close.
And they bought. They were pleasantly surprised that it was a ‘real’ art show and not a craft show. They were pleased that someone was catering to their market. They were happy that it was all about the art and not a carnival. I had my first sale 20 minutes into the show and the trend continued all day when a gentleman who had stopped by earlier came back at closing time. He had coaxed his wife out of the mall to show her the piece he wanted to buy. Her response? “Honey, that costs more than the pair of shoes that I wanted to buy!” He bought his glass piece and I suspect that she’ll get her shoes as well… My sales were lower on Sunday but still contributed to an extremely nice profit for the weekend. Since I faced the entrance, I saw large pieces walking out as well as many small jewelry bags but can't speak to anyone else's sales but my own.
The advertising brought people in from the immediate area and from north and south of town. The excellent signage brought in people who were unaware of the show. The people came and they were hungry for us. And they want more.
Comments
Hugo I did that show the first or second year. It's well set up, great art, everything you would expect from Patty. But the crowd was very light and little money spent. Maybe this being her 5th year, it will have a more established audience. Plus the economy is much better in Charlotte now. It was very easy, convenient set up, a nice venue, and well advertised. If it cost less to be in, I would apply. As it was, I made booth fee and that was better than many other participants. I wonder if anyone else here can tell us if it had a bigger crowd last year. Charlotte needs shows like this and losing the ACC was sad. It's close to home, so it's booth fee for me, and no other expenses except 'time' so I've been watching that show closely and wondering if it's gaining momentum. Would love to know.
Hi Hugo! This particular review was for a Paragon show. I didn't review this show for this year but it ended up being my 2nd best show of the year for 2012 and I highly recommend it. It took place on 10/27 & 10/28 in a wealthy, multi-use shopping/living neighborhood just north of Charlotte. This show has legs and will only grow. http://www.paragonartevents.com/
I walked the Hotworks show that you're referring to a couple of years ago and determined it wasn't a good fit for my work plus the entry fee v. my average show revenue ratio doesn't make it a good risk for me. I have friends in the Charlotte area who mourned the ACC show leaving Charlotte and do feel that this show has the same quality of work.
Is this the same show / promoter for the upcoming Charlotte Fine Art Show - May 10-12, 2013 - 5th Annual Presented by HotWorks.org?? If not, then what is the website for this November show (perhaps they organize other shows too).
Also, regarding the May Hotworks show, if it is not the same then do you have any reviews / opinions on this upcoming May 10-12 show?
One wee bit of advice that I left out...don't forget the shims...since it's an amphitheater, it slopes...in my particular location, I ended up building up the back of my display by about 4 inches to get level with the front part...not all areas looked to be that extreme though...but since I got to sit in the sun all weekend, it was a nice tradeoff...
We sold two large pieces and many smaller ones- and the buyers were younger- in their forties- so go figure....
THanks for the review Kathy and I'm so glad to hear of a well run show with a buying crowd!
Sean, you're right, no matter how many buyers are out there at a show, if they're not your market they're not going to buy your art!
His shows sound like they are well set up. I considered doing this particular show, but since it was Charlotte, I didn't do it. Seems to me the price was a bit up there too and that makes it even more risky. Nice to know what this market is though and that is helpful.
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