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2021 (2)

Economic Impact of the Ann Arbor Art Fair - 2021

Posted by Connie Mettler on July 21, 2021 at 3:00pm

As focused as we all are on our businesses, selling our art at the art fairs, the events are even more important to the small business owners where the events are held, the business districts and commercial areas. Most events have been started not primarily to focus art but to bring buyers into areas that are looking to increase commerce in other ways. 

Here is a report from the store owners in Ann Arbor last week (hint: they were happy):

https://www.clickondetroit.com/all-about-ann-arbor/2021/07/20/it-was-just-terrific-business-owners-talk-ann-arbor-art-fair-successes/#//

We always made it a point to patronize the businesses near our booth during shows. One of my favorite purchases was at Cherry Creek some years ago. There was a cowboy boot store right behind our booth. Growing up I'd always wanted to be a cowgirl some day, so when our earnings were looking pretty good I bought cowboy boots! What about you?

Read more…

ArtFest Fort Myers Announces 2021 Festival and ArtFest@Home

Posted by Sharon McAllister on August 11, 2020 at 2:00pm
ArtFest Fort Myers is excited to announce two major aspects
of our overall plan for the 2021 art festival - Feb 6, & 7 2021.
There will be many more details to follow - this is just the beginning.
This information will also be on our website and ZAPP listing.
On-site Art Festival
We value the safety and success of all artists who participate in ArtFest Fort Myers. Multiple new safety protocols to maximize both safety and success for artists, attendees and volunteers/staff are being implemented. Our Site Plan is not yet finalized as we revise for CDC Guidance. Based on what we know at this time the Site Plan will have:
  • increased spacing between booths
  • reduced number of artists
  • crowd size control with emphasis on art buyers
  • multiple locations around the festival of hand sanitizer stations
  • continual cleaning of common area touch points.
Given the unknowns as COVID continues into the Fall and ArtFest Fort Myers' dedication to hosting the in-person art festival we are also reserving back-up dates. Those dates are in the process of being chosen to not conflict with other Florida art festivals that would create hard choices for artists accepted to ArtFest Fort Myers.
ArtFest@Home
This virtual event will not replace the in-person Festival. The in-person and virtual events will both exist alongside each other to create additional experiences and artwork sales for everyone.
A virtual component to art festivals is the way of the future. Certainly the virtual component will never replace the vibrant joy of the in-person festivals. We all love the in-person festival and are eagerly looking forward to ArtFest Fort Myers 2021 and beyond. Think of the virtual component as opening new markets for your artwork and reaching buyers for more time than just a weekend.
This is a quick look at ArtFest@Home
  • All artists accepted to ArtFest Fort Myers are also in ArtFest@Home.
  • No other artists will be in ArtFest@Home, only those accepted through the jury process.
  • There is no additional "booth fee" to be part of ArtFest@Home, it's a package deal with the in-person festival.
  • There will be plenty of tech support for artists, although if you can handle ZAPP or PayPal or your own eCommerce store you will love the ArtFest@Home interface.
ArtFest@Home is being built on the Eventeny platform and includes:
  • "Store" for each artist
  • Unlimited images per artist
  • Unlimited videos per artist
  • Bulk image upload avoiding that tedious one-at-at-time process
  • Live Chat with virtual attendees or they make an appointment to Chat with you (auto-powered by Zoom)
  • Artist Statement area; contact info; links to your YouTube, Facebook, etc.
  • Integrated Shopping Cart within ArtFest@Home. Think shopping experience on Amazon, buy many items and pay one time. Eventeny analytics show that 78% of virtual attendees buy from multiple artists in 1 transaction.
  • Orders/shipping, money, email database and sales tax info all sent automatically to each artist, privately of course. Money is processed through Stripe.
  • The Eventeny platform automatically adjusts for online traffic - surging bandwidth when needed to eliminate slow down or crashing of website. It is hosted on Amazon servers for state-of-the-art support.
  • Internal messaging service so artists can talk with each other within the ArtFest@Home site
  • ArtFest@Home will begin about a week before ArtFest Fort Myers (advance buying & shopping and VIP Club) and continue for a month or more after the in-person festival. The after-festival timing is still being determined in ways that maximize artist sales.
  • Maybe best of all, once you build your ArtFest@Home Store, then any other virtual art festival you participate in who uses Eventeny can automatically add your Store. Or if you have already participated in an art festival on Eventeny's platform then it rolls to ArtFest@Home. No work on your part - unless you want/need to edit your Store.
Promotion of ArtFest@Home
Just like the in-person art festival, ArtFest@Home will have extensive advertising and promotion. It will be included as an option in all festival advertising; on our website; on our Facebook & Instagram pages. And it will have its own high-budget paid Facebook Ad Campaign in widespread locations.
We will also supply artists with wording and images to promote ArtFest@Home through their social media channels and newsletters.
ArtFest@Home Demo - We Value Artist Input
We would love to talk with you as we share the framework for ArtFest@Home.
Join us on Zoom to see a demo and share your comments about what you want to see in ArtFest@Home - our dynamic virtual art festival.
Please select one of the following to join us - you will need to email Erin.Jackson@ArtFestFortMyers.com to receive the Zoom link.
August 12 @ 4:00PM ET
August 13 @10:00AM ET
August 14 @ 2:00PM ET
After the Zoom Demos the recording and presentation deck will be on-line at ArtFestFortMyers.com/artist-resources
Read more…

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