So, I added a few craft shows in November thinking Holiday sales would help. Well, I was mistaken. I participated in a craft fair this weekend and only had $235 in sales for a two day show. I think my photography (even though it is Lego minifigures) is still too high end for craft shows.
I am an original artist. I have no buy sell items in my booth. This show had a lot of exhibitors who were selling buy sell items. Maybe my prices were too high for a craft fair. But I had little traffic in my booth. People were buying, just not my art. It was a very frustrating weekend. But a learning experience nonetheless...
So, next year I vow not to participate in craft shows. They do not work for me. I earn much much more at art fairs. Is the clientele different for those who attend art fairs and those who attend craft shows? And why are there not a lot of holiday art fairs? I would like to finish out my year with a few nice shows in November and December here in the midwest (Michigan and Ohio primarily). I think my work does do well in the Holiday Season. My Etsy shop always sees a spike this time of year. I would like Holiday art fairs to finish out my year...
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Hi, I found these upcoming shows in my Michigan Art Guide 2013-2014...Nov.29-30 & Dec.5-6 Made in Michigan Holiday Market in downtown Hart (pop-up location)231.301.8449, Christmas Wish List Craft Show, Novenber 30, Jackson County Fairgrounds, Ludington Arts Center - Holiday Craft Show, 107 S. Harrison St. (10-4),MSU Winter Arts and Crafts Show-MSU Union, Sat. Dec.7, 9 to 6, Sun, Dec.8, 10 to 5, Holiday Artists Market, 1614 Vinecroft NW, Grand Rapids Sat. Dec.7, 9 to 5, Sat. Dec.14, 9 to 5. I don't know whether these are any good or not, but thought they might be worth checking out...
I know what you are saying about "Craft Festivals". I sell fine art high end sculpture and for 3 years I have been doing a craft show, along with many fine artists in my area. The first year I brought out some $100 pieces, knowing it was a craft show - they sold. The next year I brought out $150 pieces - they sold slowly. The last show (this year) I brought out $200 items - guess what, NO SALES. The only pieces that were selling were between $20 and $125 from other artists. The jewelers were doing well, as usual. The reason I stopped bringing out the lower priced items is that I don't want to be know for making lower priced items - so I stopped making them. Anyway, I also wish there were more fine art shows in my neck of the woods during the winter (Northern California).
This has answered a burning question for me. I've only started selling this year. I had to be told I'm an artist, not a craft maker. What I do is so unique it's a "shew-in" to be able to be judged as an artist at art shows! OK, now I see what I've been told is probably true! Thankfully I found all this out during my first year, and it's flexible enough to make a few designs between $5 and $8, so I can attend craft shows as well! Thanks for the discussion!
Connie, my cousin goes to that one and has described it pretty much the same way I did in my comment. She really likes it.
I try to stick to juried art shows, but there aren't many around here. So every once in while I break my rule and do a craft show. I always regret it. Even though I sell jewelry and try to have lots of lower priced items available, it still is too expensive for the craft shows.
A couple of weeks ago my church had a craft bazaar for the first time in 20 years. I thought, what the heck, since it was my church. I paid $35 for a table for several hours on a Saturday and didn't sell a single thing. So it seems every few years I have to do one of these and remind myself again why I don't do them!
Just really depends on the right price points for the event. Perhaps taking the higher priced items to the high end art fairs and getting a good range of open edition prints for the craft fairs. Have you tried comic cons? The Lego theme works perfectly there. I don't do Lego art, but I just did an extremely small comic con this past weekend and made comfortably more than twice the figure you just mentioned and paid just $75 for my table (no jury fees, either). Perhaps you could try a convention.
Kathleen, the Saline (MI) Craft Show, coming up this next weekend has a higher level of "craft" that may work for you. Scott you might attend it as it is near you to get the feeling for yourself to see if there is some adaptation you could do to make this work.
and on that note, Geri -- what do you know about the Lamb's Farm craft show in Rosemont, IL, I believe it is. I love OOAK, same date, but have a feeling that the clientele may be totally different.
I go to craft fairs at this time of year to find fun presents for neighbors and friends. My mindset is totally different. I expect to pay far less for things and things that would seem like a bargain at an art festival are high priced at these shows.
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