I'm having a bit of a quandary that I could use some help with. Like a lot of art fair artisans, I have an Etsy shop that I like to sell my work in online. And I have slowly (VERY slowly) been accumulating the necessary tools and accessories to start participating in fairs and festivals. I bought a good solid tent, I have some display mechanisms for inside it, and I even bought an iPad so I could get Square cheaply, and thus be independent and swipe my credit cards on my own.
Over the years (yes, it's now been years I've been preparing for this endeavor) I've created my body of work and accumulated stock. I've also slowly whittled away at that same collection as I sold pieces on Etsy, so it's been an interesting challenge to create new items and make them available for sale and at the same time accumulate enough work to be a viable vendor at a street fair experience. I don't think I'll ever have enough, quite frankly.
But my quandary comes with how I categorize my work when I'm considering applying to different art fairs and festivals. My work is already difficult to define as it's what I consider "wearable art", not a category that most traditional art festivals consider a viable or legitimate mode of expression. At least in the sense that they're looking for art that is hangable on a wall or displayable on a stand--paintings, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and mixed media. It's when an art festival starts cracking that hard shell and starts "allowing" wearable art in the door that things suddenly seem to start to get "crafty" and less "arty". Suddenly you have vendors with mass produced items from China saying, "Our stuff is wearable art, too!" and things degenerate rapidly...
Now, I understand that this is wrapped up in the debate around the definitions of Art and Craft, and that we won't solve that here. But it seems to me that most traditional art festivals that require an online application process don't really want wearable art in their festivals. I can understand why--it's a lot easier to define "Fine Art" and recognize it when it's following a set of traditional parameters that have always been used before. Clothing and jewelry are very utilitarian, an aspect that muddies the waters when it comes to determining whether it's "art" or not. How does one determine whether a piece of clothing is artistic or not? Is it in the execution or process? The end result? Its uniqueness? Its materials?
I've struggled with this for a long while. I consider my pieces wearable art, but others would look at them as simple costume pieces, not necessarily worthy of consideration in a more upscale art festival or fair that requires jurying. Even though each piece is individually hand made and one-of-a-kind with no duplications, they might consider my pieces too "crafty" in comparison to the paintings and photography that is the vast majority of what is submitted. I have boldly trudged forward, refusing to acknowledge a philosophical difference and stubbornly insisting that my work is not craft as much as it is art of a wearable nature. But just because I believe it's so doesn't make it so in the eyes of festival organizers, nor jurors considering applications.
As a consequence, I've considered making my work more "sculptural" in nature by supplying display mechanisms for the home that (in essence) help ground my pieces more as small sculptures for looking at rather than actually wearing. This puts them more into a soft sculpture category (like stuffed fabric birds, for example), and still provides an option for the purchaser to actually wear the piece if they desire.
So my question is (finally, after all this setup and rambling) is there really a "stratification" in the art festival world that doesn't allow wearable art or jewelry? I've attended my local ArtWalk here in San Diego, and they don't accept wearable art entries. And conversely I've been to the Carlsbad Village Street Faire (claiming to be the largest single-day street fair in the nation and making the statement that they are not an Arts and Crafts fair), and they pretty much accept anyone. I don't think my items can sell at a come-one-and-all street fair--my pieces are too "high end".
Are there differences between the terms "Art Festival" and "Street Fair" even though so many events seem to blur the line? For example, my local neighborhood event, The North Park Festival of the Arts, requires a jury application, but there's little difference in the event's end result than that of the Carlsbad Street Faire except scale.
How on earth do I find the right kinds of festivals and fairs for my work? Should I be looking for applications that specifically say "Craft Fair"? "Fiber Art"? "Wearable Art"? Should I expand my personal artistic expression into garments that are even more artistic and less utilitarian in order to be considered more traditional? Essentially creating paintings that happen to be on clothing?
Or is it just plain jitters on my part or a lack of hubris that compels me to think that my stuff is somehow an exception to the rules, and I must realize that my work is simply more appropriate to niche fairs and festivals that don't necessarily require online applications? That the higher end fairs are simply not for my kind of work, and I must make due with selling over-priced pieces (in comparison to everyone else) at venues that aren't focused on the kind of work I do?
Bit of an identity crisis here. I'd love some advice from those that have been around for a while in this industry. Ultimately, I don't want to embarrass myself by setting my work up in a venue that isn't appropriate.
Comments
Hi Corey - Beautiful work - what I see are two categories. One is clothing and the other appears more in the jewelry accessory line. You should be targeting the Fine Craft and Art shows under the "fiber/wearable" and "jewelry" categories. Alas they are separate jury submissions, you cannot jury into one category and bring both lines but if juried into both categories all is fine. Before you dip your toe into this pond you might want to visit some of these shows this year and see what being juried in. This doesn't mean your work won't be, but it will give you an idea of price points, maybe what the public in that area may be buying, etc. Where do you live? We can give you an idea of higher end shows.
martha
Hi Corey,
I am a fiber artist and my work consists of hand dyed fabric wall hangings and Shibori scarves. I have found that craft shows are not a good venue for fiber art and wearable art. The best shows are juries shows that advertise fine art and craft, or fine craft. There are usually several wearable art artists in the category of fiber arts in most of the shows I do. I hope this was helpful.
I think you're getting yourself all worked up into a tizzy. First of all I'd continue to follow your creative inclinations instead of creating for any particular show. Having said that, the shows I do exhibit wearables - they just sometimes categorize them under fiber arts instead (much like my pastels can be either paintings or drawings...its no big deal.) What you need to research is where your work fits in the market sphere. If you are selling to a higher end, you may want to apply to shows in good zip codes (In California we have plenty!) Also you need to determine if your work is indeed classisfied under specific show requirements that do show wearables and/or fiber because sometimes the criteria calls for hand dying, etc. With so many shows, you will find your niches. The first few years include some trial and error. You would benefit from a subscription to Art Fair Sourcebook to really analyze show criteria before launching your applications for next season. You also may very well be able to apply in more than one category and at different shows you may find different bodies of work are more appropriate for the buyers than others. So much to learn! Best of luck to you!
ok,I am small time but I am called Fiber Felter and that seems to open me to almost any textiles. On the applications I call my self a fiber artist. This lets me into many shows but I can show almost anything that I want, clothes, jewelery, my fiber collages, my felting. Anyway this seems to be a category that is open in the South. Try naming your work in a more open categories
That might help.
Gorgeous items, by the way! I particularly LOVE the one in lower right corner!
My little State is decidedly behind the times when it comes to all this, but we do have a Center for Arts & Craft now. They have sponsorship programs, Mentor programs, do seminars, have store locations for the Artists & Crafters, and scholarships. They help emerging Artists and Crafters. Does your area have anything like that that could help you define your Art? It might be beneficial for you to check into. They have even helped emerging Artists by providing Grants to help with Start up costs for show equipment, fees, etc.
From looking at the photos you have posted here, I see Fiber and Jewelry as two possible categories. Larry's suggestion sounds like a possibility also.
Good luck!
Corey - there are few wearable art festivals that I know of, including RAGS in Tacoma that I wrote a blog on less than a month ago. I've heard of one in Sante Fe that was a little further than we wanted to drive, I've also heard of a few others around the country, I've slowly been making a list so that if we ever get to the point where we are ready to become full time RVer's we know where to go for the wearable art shows. That being said, most art shows have a jewelry category as well as a fiber category. You may need to jury in both categories.
You could always shoot for the moon by applying to the Smithsonian Craft Show or the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show. If your work is hand made and unique, those type of craft shows could be your target. I don't know what part of the country you live in, but there are about a half dozen of those shows and you could attend one and check it out.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Corey, do you photograph your work? You have nice photos. Also, do you sew clothing?
Corey there were a lot of wearable art at the One of a Kind Chicago show and they were doing well! You might think about doing that show.
It's not as hopeless as you think. Many shows do take wearable art, and some have a category specifically for that. You will may be able to jury in the jewelry category or the fiber category, depending on which pieces you choose to jury with.
But generally, reading the application for the show will give you a clue as to whether or not you have a chance of acceptance at that particular show.
Street fairs are generally more of a free for all, with entertainment, stilt-walkers, junk in the booths, etc. The Fourth St. show in Tucson comes to mind. It has no pretensions. It is juried, but if you pay the money, you can pretty much get in. What a zoo. If, on the other hand, you want your work to be accepted as fine art, look for shows that take their juries seriously.
You can always call the shows you are interested in, as well, or just look at their site to get a feel for the tenor of the show.
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