Please note: In the spirit of full disclosure ... I not only exhibited at this show, I organized it.
ArtWorks: Studio Clearance was organized for the first time this year. This is not your regular art show. I used the Kalamazoo Garage Sale show as a model for putting this show together. Here is the concept:
We all have those pieces in our studio: we're tired of looking at them; they're damaged, last year's "model", or old pieces; or we just never really liked them to begin with. We don't put them out to sell, but we don't want to throw them out either. So what do we do with them?
Studio Clearance is where a section of your display must have art pieces available at a reduced price. A minimum of 25% discount. This show is scheduled at a time of the year that is slower for artists and we need to give shoppers a reason to come out and view our work. This is a "meat and potato" style show. Nothing fancy. Just come in and sell some art.
There is NO expectation for your booth. You can bring a table and chair, and only discounted art to sell. Or bring your entire display and have a section of art at discounted prices. Your choice. The show's advertisement will state that ALL artists will have art on sale in their booths. Admission is $3 at the door. However, if shoppers bring 2 caned food items, they get into the show for FREE! All food items and any money collected at the front door will go to the The Food Pantry of Waukesha County, our non-profit partner. Parking is free.
So, here is what happend:
The show started out slow in the morning. The roads were a little slick. A few of the exhibitors were late in arriving, because of the roads. By 11:00 everyone was in the building. The first "wave of attendees" started about that some time. It was a steady trickle through most of the day, with a big surge around 2:00.
Most the exhibitors seems a little disappointed in the morning. But seem to recover in the afternoon. A couple of the exhibitors did not do very well. The majority of the artists seemed happy by 4:00 and were asking me to do the show again next year. With the promise of seeing the show grow.
Comments
Colin, can you tell us how many artists you had? And what the attendance was? I was considering it myself, but am really not in gear to go anywhere in January. Though clearing out my studio should be incentive enough. I saw it was juried. The kinds of things I want to get rid of are pieces I never took shots of: like the beadwork I used to do.
Good job, Colin. This kind of a show is very helpful for artists. Glad your first year went well.
The events I've attended of this type everything is on sale -- and the buyers come bargain hunting. They are planned so artists can get rid of overstock and earn some money from it. No one is trying to sell full price or 10% off -- discourages the buyers too.
@ Susan: From what I could tell, most of the exhibitors had a mix of sale and non-sale items. The attendees were looking for deals. But we sold 1 piece of art at full price. There were some artists that only brought sale pieces. The key was to have a really good deal in your booth. Cynthia had the right idea with the $5 & $10 table. That was impressive! I did see a couple of artists who had 10% off and were disappointed at the results. People were looking for the deals.
@ Susan: From what I could tell, most of the exhibitors had a mix of sale and non-sale items. The attendees were looking for deals. But we sold 1 piece of art at full price. There were some artists that only brought sale pieces. The key was to have a really good deal in your booth. Cynthia had the right idea with the $5 & $10 table. That was impressive! I did see a couple of artists who had 10% off and were disappointed at the results. People were looking for the deals.
I did well by marking down some very old stuff to $5 or $10, others at 25% to 50% off. I also put all the highly discounted pieces on a separate table...tacky, yes, but effective. After people looked through my booth and saw my typical prices they were delighted to get a bargain. For a first year show it went well and I think it can continue to grow. Weather in the midwest in January is always tricky so we're taking a chance that people will brave it and come out! Thanks for your hard work, Colin!
Good advice, Layl. I think this is the kind of event that can work -- nothing like word of mouth. Also, did you see the post I did yesterday about the recycle event with Habitat in Fargo -- seems like this would be a perfect tie in with this show. Of course, that all depends on how much work you want to do, Colin ;)
Colin, thank you for all your hard work on this. Quick question, since you gave your exhibitors a choice to bring just clearance or set their booths and have a set area for sale items, what percentages did you end up with on displays and what were your personal observations about the differences in the two?
Thanks Colin, the show I did that same day is moving to April 6, 2013, so I have your show on my radar.
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