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  Nurit & Mick Vagner March 27, 2010 at 12:14am

  These are the good news: after one e-mail to the director, and a phone call,
  to the bigger boss of the show, we received an e-mail today
  that they were able to find us a spot, in the show, and we are in !!!!
  
  The other show that played that with us (After sending us a booth no# and a contract to sign) and we also got in after a phone call... was KPFA in San Francisco.
  It is a nice show but was very slow in 2009.
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  Bill Ronay March 26, 2010 at 11:00pm

  In thirteen years and over 300 events, being "un-accepted" after receiving an "acceptance" was not an experience with which we were faced. And I see by the several comments on this thread, this is indeed a rare occurrence. Yours is indeed an exception to have happened twice in six months.
  
  In deference to Laurie Tietjen's comment, a binding contract exists when an offer is tendered with an acceptance in the form of a signed agreement and money requested has been tendered...in any amount. Several applications are worded, "signing this agreement is a commitment to...". The dollar amount is nebulous.
  
  Fighting this in a court of law would be futile, however...and not worth the time or effort.
  
  I definitely agree that any event with this occurring in its time line is certainly one with management (or lack thereof) problems... It would be interesting to know which shows these are. Not that this would be any comfort to those already affected.
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  Kathy Laga March 25, 2010 at 6:00pm

  Wow! That has never happened to us and I have to say that if it did, we would not be applying to that show the next year. That is just not acceptable.
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  Walt Bennett March 25, 2010 at 3:22pm

  We've never had this happen to us - usually it's that my wife's hand made hats aren't really made by her, or aren't art (they're wearable!). Or that we have to have separate booths (we have one company and one merchant account so that's really difficult).
  
  From last year through this one though it's been a very different story. Many managers can't get enough folks like us to pay them money for their shows, so we've been getting hints of discounts and help for previous vendors, etc. I think if you're accepted today, you're really in - especially once they cash the check or hit your CC.
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  KAY RICE March 25, 2010 at 3:00pm

  that is SO not OK!! It is like someone better came along. I am not sure I would reapply to that show.
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  Alice Hunt March 25, 2010 at 2:48pm

  Speaking of knowing which shows are or aren't managed well, do we have a listing or chart that easily shows the ratings of shows on certain topics????? Our own "sunshine" list?????
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  Connie Mettler March 25, 2010 at 2:42pm

  As a person who has been on both sides of this (the "accepted" and the "acceptor") I am pretty amazed at your story. This is not "acceptable!" How many times can this happen to one person? Either these organizations are very disorganized or there are too many people on the committee whose hands are getting the information back to you in an incoherent way.
  
  I know when we have sent out acceptances to any shows I've worked on that we go over the lists several times making sure the correct names are on each list - accepted, wait, not accepted. It is only common courtesy. Errors are made, but nothing like what you are talking about.
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  Laurie E. Tietjen March 25, 2010 at 1:27pm

  Unfortunately, a mere "acceptance" does not necessarily create a contract. Only when money passes hands (at least $500, I think is the Statute of Limitations amount). Contract law requires certain elements before it becomes a ligitimate contract. Definition, date, earnest money exchanged, are all critical elements that have to exist for a contract to have been formed. It's been a while since my Business Law classes, but I remember those things.
  With that said, it becomes an issue of professional management. This is where this forum is helpful. If we know those art fairs that aren't managed well, at least we understand better the risk if we sign up for them. Thanks for sharing!
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  dawn rasmussen March 25, 2010 at 11:53am

  That is certainly unnacceptable and as artists we are suffering from the supply and demand cycle and as jewelers in particular. I read the following post and even though it would be fun to boycott shows it isn't realistic. We could, collectively as artists, ask for a few things that help us make realistic and professional decisions. We could reasonably ask (demand) that shows post the number of applicants and the number accepted into each category from the previous year. Zapplication could require that shows provide the jury score that our work recieved and the scores that were neccesary to be accepted into the show. As it is now.. the concept of blind jury is carried too far. The entire process is so completely blind that it borders on a scam. Without the above information we cannot as artists make any kind of informed decision about which shows to apply for. If you go to the race tracks you get the odds... why not us?
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  Lee Hill March 25, 2010 at 11:49am

  A lawyer would be more knowledgeable about this than I am, but I should think once an artist receives an "acceptance" into a show, that is a form of contract. (How many applications do WE sign that state "acceptance is a commitment to show."?? Of course, if an "accepted" artist (later put on the wait list) makes a stink about it, he or she may grudgingly get a booth that year, but good luck on subsequent years. I'm starting my 37th year doing art shows, and I can tell you one thing of value I've learned over the years: I don't care how lucrative a show is for me; I've stopped "doing business" with jerks, no matter what sales their shows generate for me. I "vote" with my application dollars and when I see a show mis-treating artists, I no longer patronize those shows. I'm still making a living (I'm my sole support) and I sleep better at night knowing I do business only with people of integrity.