I just returned from a festival I have vended for 5 years. It's run pretty simple, the expectations are the same as elsewhere - behave - act like an adult - take care of yourself/your booth/your product/your customer - and keep out of other vendors booths etc.
What I don't understand and could really use some guidance here are the vendors who come barreling in during set-up/tear down and during the show with the attitude that it is "ALL" about them. They totally block the entrances with their vehicles, and sometimes more than one entrance if they are pulling a trailer (I am talking about not being able to slide thru on the sides with a dolly, nadda) they spread out all over the place when setting up so no one can get past their booth area, and to make matters worse - this past weekend, they were get this - parking UNDER my motorhome canopy, and up to within inches of the other side although I was parked in a clearly defined spot I paid for.
If you go to the show organizer - then you are labeled a complainer.
I spoke to the one blocking 2 entrances and asked her to move and she acted like I was suppose to bow down and kiss her feet first. And I thought...huh? There were 10 of us setting up with all of our vehicles parked a good 30 plus feet away so we could all use the entrances equally and she just came barreling up with the look out I am here and it's ALL about me attitude.
The ones parking so close to my motorhome - due to the length of road access in front of the motorhome, I would have never been able to pull out, they were blocked too close to me there was absolutely no swing room, and I had already paid for the camping spot which happens to be on the back side of one of the 5 buildings - they are assigned to those of us with rigs, and there was designated parking.
This tends to go on at many shows. Typically, my business partner and I break down everything, and carry it out so that others with smaller vehicles can get in and out, and we politely wait and are more times than not the last ones out, however, this constant rudeness just blows me away.
How do you handle this?
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I've struck this occasionally but thankfully I haven't struck a real diva - I firmly but politely tell them they are blocking the way, parking in my booth area etc and they usually apologise and get ready to move. Whereupon I watch them until they do. (I think they get unnerved at my obvious waiting pose and evil eye look LOL).
Really, the promoters should be on top of this if this sort of thing goes on all the time - you've paid just as much as the diva to be there, so shouldn't the promoter protect your rights!?
Barry - you are so right! We were both responding at the same time.
I have done some major growing up this past year, very very painful as I always used to try to get along with everyone and then it would eat at me....because I couldn't understand why others wouldn't treat me with the same kindness
It has taken me 57 years...and my backbone is getting straighter and straighter every single day. Those who have walked all over me are falling by the wayside as I continue to take care of me first...and I am sleeping so much better at night. By everyone responding with their opinions and experiences you are each helping me be even better - thank you. Carol
Great input as we all have different ways of handling things...and if we don't discuss it, how can I learn to be better or vice versa (hopefully I will have some contributions). I do laugh about the people who feel they can put their stuff in someone else's space while they set up. It reminds me of one of our upcoming historical shows where there is plenty of space and yet still the human (not sure what her name is) next to us doesn't speak to a single other vendor including us throughout the ENTIRE event.
It is the strangest behavior I have witnessed in regards to communicating. I mean...that is a LOT of work not to talk to a fellow exhibitor, show coordinator, etc - only someone with money willing to throw it at her.
The first time we were moved next to her - I couldn't figure out why she was getting so upset when I introduced myself and asked her where she was from. Then the show coordinator told me she doesn't speak to anyone that is perceived competition.
Can you imagine not even saying good morning to someone less than 18" away from you? So here it is year 3 of her silent treatment - debb and I start unloading and there are strange items in our booth we have no idea who they belong to...remember - the vendor (she is ONLY a reseller) next to us sets up without saying a word to anyone outside of her family....so...we pick up the very long large items and roll them back up front a good 250 feet away. Turns out the silent treatment owned them. As we watched her go up and retrieve her items at the entrance. debb and I were laughing over that one the rest of the weekend.
I mean...come on....she couldn't even say - hey those are mine? We certainly were not going to ask her if they were hers since she doesn't respond to questions...
This was a fun thread to read. There are going to be inconsiderate people at every show, so, being the first one there to set up is a requirement. That avoids the extra wide vehicle and person who takes up all the space. Get my stuff in and get out before the masses get there. As far as booth etiquette goes, if someone is encroaching on my space, first I ask them to move there stuff and then I tell them to move it. A little crankiness sends the message. They may not act on it, but, you let them know how you feel. As far as parking in your paid space, you have to get on them to move and keep it up. Threaten to have them towed. If they get annoyed and hit you, that's an assault and they can get arrested. I have a personal pet peeve which is going to anger some of you, but, I don't care. To me, it's unprofessional to hang stuff on the outside of your tent. There's enough space on the inside of the tent for your work. Too many pieces just confuses them. Besides, if there is room between booths, half of that space is mine that I paid for and it's also a security issue because it is easier for them to get into the back of the booth. Would you let people into your stock room if you had a gallery? I casually mention to the offender that they should be prepared to pay for anything that their customer breaks while backing up into my space. That gets the message across.
Last summer we were at an event where the booths were very tightly packed. Very little breathing room back or sides. We have tables full of pottery that go across the back of the tent, but we leave a little space for some clearance. At this one fair, the booth behind us was not only spilling out of the back of their tent, as they moved around the junk they heaped back there, they were constantly pushing into the back panel well into our tent space, often far enough in to be bumping our back tables quite soundly. We asked them for caution more than once, that they were almost knocking down our pottery. We were met with a lot of attitude each time. They still kept leaning into our space. From what we could gather, the neighbors on either side were having issues with them, too. But karma was satisfied. Near the end of the day, a fast windy thunderstorm whipped up out of nowhere. Everybody scrambled to pull down and pack up their stuff and assist neighbors where they could -- all except the problem children. They had a booth full of loose hand-printed paper goods, a lot of which went with the wind. Their tent, which was not even weighted, almost took flight, too. They were on their own. No one lifted a finger to help, almost like we had all planned it. I swear we didn't, but the evil glares we got as we all scurried about our own stuff and helping the nice neighbors, you could almost feel the daggers.
We almost always put the back panel up. Just makes a cleaner display. Especially warmer days, we like to keep the sides off if we can. Also, the sides of our tent are lined with 6 foot tall shelves that show pretty well from the outside as well as inside. We will always look at our neighbors to see what kind of displays they have. If they have their side down and it looks to us leaving out at least the front half of our panel or even the entire full side would work, we ask our neighbor if they mind if we do that. Usually everyone is OK with it, but we do ask rather than just assume it's OK to have the neighbor's goods viewable.
It's all a matter of common sense and common courtesy. Unfortunately, two things that aren't really as common as you would hope.
At one show where artists were back to back with a few feet between booths I set up the day before. When I arrived the morning of the show, the back neighbor had taken all the space behind our booth and his. I proceeded to ask him(not a diva) if we could share the space as I could use a ittle sitting area for the two of us. He proceeded to assault me with words I will not repeat. So I zipped my back of tent down and we squeezed in where we remained cramped all weekend never to speak to him again! Other times, I have had painters fill the spaces between our tents with their boxes, stuffing them in so they are leaning on my shelves and panels, and taking up the 1 foot of air space my booth was allowed. By the way, it doesn't look so nice from the customers veiwpoint as they walk by the front of our booths. Fortunately, most artists go out of there way to share these spaces between booths. Once on a street, the diva next to me parked her truck and trailer in front of three booth spaces and unloaded it into my booth space. We parked down the street and carried everything to the sidewalk behind our booth. Then we had to wait while she set up because all her stuff was in our booth space. If a neighbor artist is there when I set up, I ask if they plan to open a side? Then we can use that extra two feet we each have and share that open side. It usually works quite well for both of us. I must say I have met some fabulous people (artists) doing shows and great friendships. It's a good thing that there are only a few of these jerks out there.
Carol, I have also had the misfortune of allowing "air space" on one or more sides of my booth space only to have it taken by a neighbor. It always ticks me off, because I usually don't notice they've done it until it's too late. But reading your post gave me an idea -- what about filling the air space with something (your chair, stacks of product, whatever) that is placed just inside the the line between booths. Then leave it there until the booths around you have been set up. Might work.
I'm a potter by passion. I'm an exhibitor and an organizer.
A fellow potter friend and I team up do the tent and tables bit at fairs and festivals in the region (NJ/DE/PA). As an exhibitor, I find the divas to be a major pain-in-the-choose-your-body-part(s). But fortunately, they are usually few and far between from my experience. I'm just too old and tired to deal with it, so if someone wants to act the a-hole, I let them. I can wait. Sooner or later, they'll come up against someone else more willing to knuckle it up with them. Now, if the goon is doing something totally wrong or dangerous, I will speak up, and if they blow it off, then it's on to find than organizer. Even for a potter, I travel light (all fits in/on a 4-door Jeep Wrangler), so I have no issues of getting a rep as a tattler. I can still squeeze in and out where I need to be, even off-road if I have to. In fact, I find a reputation of speaking up when it is called for can sometimes keep the a-holes at bay. ("Be careful around that one.....") And if it gives me a bad name with the organizers and effects my application to future events, so be it. If they want to be petty like that, then it really isn't the caliber of people I want to benefit from representing me and my art.
On the other (dark?) side, I do also understand the organizer world first hand. I and a ceramic jewelry and tile maker friend run an art event twice a year. It happens in my home (yes, I'm nuts like that) and we host 12-20 artists, depending on time of year (outdoor space versus frostbite). In fact, we just had our latest 3-day event this past weekend. So I get to see it from both ends. Smaller scale than the bigger shows right now, but I have a good taste of it -- which is partly why I have trouble abiding by organizers who will not show interest in exhibitor input/observations/complaints. And we do consider comments and complaints about artist behavior, as well as our own observations of trouble candidates. I'm the artist wrangler of the team, so I get to deal with the divas, the airheads, and the rogues. I do have the ultimate advantage of being able to literally say, "My house, my rules."
We do have past artists that, if they apply again for future events, they will not be invited to join. Not because of their art or its sell-ability, but their lack of fit into the event's community. If any have the gumption to ask why they were passed over, I have no qualms of telling them.
Hang in there, Carol. No matter what you do or where you go problem people can be found. Steer clear of them as best you can. A soft answer will usually keep those people from going bizerk but the promoter needs to take care of it. Artists have lots to do at set up and shouldn't have to do battle with divas. Good luck to you.
You are right - this business.....lol
And then I think about the time I thought I would join the rat race and did for 11 years....it almost killed me.
I enjoy creating, and I enjoy those who stop by and enjoy my work and that's why I continue to do it. My online shop took my almost 5 years as I had a hard time with the not being able to truly see and feel my work. Turns out, all the people I had been meeting over the years were waiting for me to finally make the leap so they could continue to get my work through the year...doh. But the management of online inventory is another whole issue in regards to "show" inventory. I am still working out those logistics.
When I wake up in the morning I start about 9am seriously and quit around 11 at night. So, I guess I am doing what I love.
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