Well, I have been quiet for a while , but, I am back.
Went to the Disney show last weekend--wish I had not.
Once upon a time in America, getting an invite to the Disney show was "Magical."
You knew you were going to make money, you were going to be treated like "special people" and it was just a fun show to do in the fall.
That all changed when Disney moved the show out of the market place to the West Side.
It was a deep slide, downward, down the mouses tail.
I really hate to "rat-out" a bad show--but Disney deserves it. Especially the way it treats the artists.
Yes, they do give those big "free tickets" to Mouse-land, they let you get hugged by Micky if you are an award winner, they give ya a free breakfest at awards morn, and a free lunch every day, plus free bottles of water, and oh yeah--you get to use those cool green carts to schlep your work into the show with.
Now, let us look at the down side of things.
First, their $400 booth fee is a blatent rip-off. Nearly 90-per-cent of the exhibitors there will barely gross $1500-$2000 for a three-day show in Mouseland. Many wont even break $1K (like me, a first, at this show).
They have their Mouseland tent called the Disney Artist Market right beside our tents. They have six Ryder Trucks in the parking lot, stocked to the hilt, bringing stuff in all day to replenish. The artists don't have a chance.
They have the world's worst layout for a flow of the show.
For example, coming in from the parking lots behind Circque, most people took the sidewalks behind the exhibitors booths, thus by-passing them entirely.
Then there was the circle of lost artists(ala the Naples show) which I was in over by Circque. Eighty per cent of the crowd zoomed by us like we were not there.
They had the emerging artists in two remote areas not even remotely connected to our show.
Photographer Bernie Bleckfeld and I had a running debate about who had the worst spot in the show him or me.
First off, he got in, off the rejected artist list. I got in off the prime invited artist list.
I was put so far remotely under the Circque tent you needed binoculars to see my booth. Bernie was on the grass where the first booths were located when coming in from the parking lot.
Frankly, Bernie missed the opportunity. He should have burned a few frames and photos and thrown some magic sparkles on the flames. He would have had kazillions over to his booth.
Hell, I was doing triple somersalts off the top of my canopy and couldn't attract a single customer.
I clearly had the worst booth. Shut up, Bernie!
The trouble with this show is this.
The people there, are mainly there for Mouseland. The Mouse rules and they bow down and give all their moola to any thing that resembles a mouse. We don't stand a chance.
Second. The crowd is ultra-conservative. So forget about Art. They don't know what it is and they don't want it.
A few exhibitors hit it big, one making a $10K-plus sale, but that was the rare exception.
There is not a volume of sales to be had at this show.
I bet more than 50 per cent of us who were there this year will never apply again.
Count me as one of them.
Comments
Well said Brian! And the surrounding neighborhood raises their prices accordingly!
Disney is very good at one thing making sure their guest spend their money in their stores ,hotels and parks .Figure the Disney World property like a casino once you're on their property they make sure you can't find your way out lol.
Sorry you are so thin-skinned Bob. I've had people walk into my studio, turn up their noses and walk out. I deal with people every day who don't like my style . The House of Blues having a separate art show is the point here. I run a gallery where artists have studios. I have a folk artist who paints disturbing, dark images on found objects. People love it. Is it my favorite? No. But there are hundreds of people every month for whom it is. Seems to me you are a little touchy about not being a "master." I'm glad you are happy doing what you do. That is the whole point of being an artist, isn't it? But many of us spent big bucks being at this festival, with no real return to show for it. That is where the "bitch bitch bitch" you mentioned comes in. If you are 19 years on the "circuit" it is likely that one no-sale show doesn't affect your bottom line. But many people are not on the circuit and are trying to choose shows based on returns. That is what the bitching is about.
I say boycott Disney and everything Disney related...this being said, I have a new six-month old grandson (my first), so this may change in the coming years but I will stand firm for as long as I can...
Let me start by stating that I visited a lot of the artists at the Festival of the Masters this year and for the past five years. Lots of GREAT down to earth people there, and this entry is not about you. I've made purchases from artists at the FOM 4 of the 6 past years, including this year. So, if you are someone who knows and has met me, know that I still love what you do and am grateful that you are there as an artist.
Now, I begin ...
UNBELIEVABLE !!!!! Bitch, Bitch, Bitch. Now I know why some of you were in the Festival of the Masters ... YOU ARE ALL ABOUT YOURSELVES ... THE GREAT MASTERS !!!! And then you blame everything on everyone else because there is no way it could be about YOU, your prices, your product, or maybe even your attitude (never that last one). After all, you are one of the MASTERS !!!!! The blame for everything wrong is because the Mouse was there selling his stuff, or there were only old people there not interested in art, or then there were families there with kids dressed in character not there to buy art, or everyone wanted Disney items for big bucks, or whatever other reason about Disney and the location. I do think it is a shame that Disney would invite a bunch of artists to do a show, charge you $400, then have Disney artists there as competition. The Disney artists can be there every day and should not be there to spoil your weekend.
Some of the comments that are in this blog go even farther than placing the blame on people and situations caused by the Disney group. The one most appalling to me comes from Carol Joy Shannon. How can one artist say something so demeaning and belittling about another artists (ANY ARTIST IN FACT) work as she has said, and I quote, "that questionable section of "folk art" surrounding House of Blues is not fair. I agree that people are not there for art." ... PEOPLE ARE NOT THERE FOR ART ????? SOMEONE IS DEFINITELY INTO THEMSELVES, CAROL (is there a mirror handy right now?).
If I've learned one thing from doing art shows for the past 19 years, it is that I am not the one to be judging what is art and what is not art. There are just too many individual subjective criteria to make me the one to make that decision about what is and is not art. Just to make sure I'm open about this, I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE HOUSE OF BLUES ART SHOW FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS AS A QUESTIONABLE ARTIST AND HAVE HAD FUN EVERY YEAR. Yea, I'm one of those "questionable folk artists". It is a great bunch of questionable artists who actually enjoy what they are doing. It is a fun place to be. We enjoy each others questionable art and actually make questionable trades and questionable purchases sometimes and go home with other people's questionable ART. My home is full of questionable art that is fun, makes me smile, and brings back memories of some of these questionable people I've had the pleasure of sitting next to at questionable art shows.
And finally, like most of the people who are interested in this MASTERS blog, I too have met all of the criteria to apply to the Maters. Only one best of show in the past three years, but several best in category awards during that time. I just don't want my head to swell, so I just stay with the questionable artists who quite frankly are thankful every time they are honored by an invitation to a show. I only sold 18 pieces this year at the show, down from 22 pieces last year. Guess it's because of the Mouse.
By the way, Mickey, I appreciate you letting me share my art with the world at your wonderful location. I don't agree with the Disney artists being there, but I don't think anyone who wants Micky on their wall would have purchased my piece anyway.
Yes, Connie, you are right that location seemed to make no difference at all. And yes, the log-in melt-down contributed to a lot of dissatisfied exhibitors. (I had another artist tell me she had tried to get my space but I already had it; she was nice about it, but I was clearly one of the few people who had any luck doing the "first-come" booth choice method.) I absolutely agree with Paul's comment about the folks who don't blink at spending hundreds on MM memorabilia but can't buy a $30 print. The only thing I really got out of it is the 4 tix to Disney World I can give my grandbabies! AND they are only for ONE day each, so they've got to choose wisely!!
What is interesting to me is that people in good areas and people in isolated areas did not do well, although sounds like a few did (there are always some of them) -- so when Nels was isolated it didn't mean that Carol Joy was going to be the winner.
From what I can gather about this event is that whoever runs it doesn't have a clue about an art fair. Do they do a different event in this location regularly? If so, the show simply keeps their calendar full and their pay checks secure. When it was reported that people could even choose their own booth space, believe there was some log-in link for that, that really said to me loudly, these are strictly "event" people with no vested interest in the success of the artists. What show director doesn't want to do the layout to showcase the great work to its best advantage?
Going forward, Paul, I'm going to quote you: Never have so many people bought so little.
For several years, over the past ten years, I did the smaller HOB folk art festival that was held in conjunction w/the Masters. Even before the bust, it was amazing how many people could buy so little. The truth is this show encapsulates the artists' dilemma.These festivals are the only place where the mouse doesn't have has hand deep in tourists' pockets. I mean if you really look at it the venue it is a mall with a concert venue and a circus... The artists are there to draw a crowd. The cigar store, the chain restaurants i.e. Wolfgang Puck, are there to make the money. Much the same as festivals where hot dog vendors do the land office business.
The crowd "flew" in. They are not locals nor real monied collectors. They are just out looking at something for "free." Disney off-sets the humility by playing up to the artists' egos with banquets, etc.
The truth is the show sucks and should be shut down. We have got to stop participating in these spectacles. Folks at the Masters wouldn't think twice about dropping a couple hundred $ on an embroidered MM jacket, yet blanch at a piece of art. Thanks for the report. I hope folks note it.
Nels, I was there too. You have it described perfectly. I had a "good spot" -- in front of "Bongo's" Cafe, where the crowds coming over the bridge from the Market are funneled into a narrower field. Even so, I didn't come close to making expenses. I queried folks in this group and in another online group and everyone advised against doing it. However, another segment said it is worth doing once, and I decided to take that line. It looks good on the resume to have been invited, but I will never go back. The amenities were as you described, but here's the thing: why is there any booth fee at all?! The Mouse is rolling in dough. They've already narrowed the field by requiring an award before you can apply. Jury that group and invite us and charge a fee if you default, but don't charge anything to those who show up. Do they really need $400 from all of us? You are right about the crowds, too, and I find the whole Mousemaniac thing a bit disturbing - couples in their 50s and 60s with no grandchildren in tow, garbed in Mouse gear from head to toe. BUT, here is what I am going to take away from it -- despite the overpriced EVERYTHING in the surrounding area, the ridiculous traffic and the lack of sales -- there is nowhere in America where a larger cross-section of the world is going to see your work. I went through two boxes of business cards and a box of postcards and I've already had post show sales. I agree that competing with the Disney artists and that questionable section of "folk art" surrounding House of Blues is not fair. I agree that people are not there for art. But the sculptor next to me is probably the $10K guy you mentioned....he sold out of everything except two $9K pieces, which he brought more for impact than an expectation of sales. Mind you, his work was very narrative, and very Tim Burtonesque, so there was certainly a good connection to Disney-philes, but my work represents cities all over the world and does well throughout the US, so there should have been some interest. I purposely brought small, packable pieces - and sold nothing but prints. We had fun, but it was a very expensive weekend that we won't repeat!
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