It was 1998, metro Detroit, Jon Witz was encouraged by Brooks Patterson, the Oakland County Executive to challenge Ann Arbor by bringing traffic to the gallery and restaurant district in Pontiac, MI. How about a new concept: art, music and food? Arts, Beats & Eats was born. The first year we rounded up 95 risk taking artists who listened to our pitch that promised large crowds brought in with excellent PR.
(Sonny Dalton sells a big sculpture to a customer - ABE 2009)
In subsequent years Arts, Beats & Eats' successes rolled with the economy. Over 800 applications for the 2000 show. As the years went by the application would go out in late January and by the end of February Lisa Konikow, my art fair director partner, would be wailing that no one was applying. I would say "wait until the last week before you start despairing." In the last few days the mail bags would be full and we'd be swamped with paperwork. Every year she would call in February, March and early April and be worried, then the mail would roll in.
(Painter Bruce Holwerda, happy in Pontiac)
Then bad things happened to the Michigan economy and subsequently to the rest of the nation. Detroit was especially hard hit and the applications were hard to come by. One year we had hardly enough to fill the show (unless you wanted to have 85 jewelers in a 150 booth show, that is.) We both watched the dribble of applications heading our way. We just had about hit rock bottom, so many artists saying they wouldn't be back to Michigan for a long time. We lost our Chrysler sponsorship, heck, we almost lost Chrysler. We got through 2009, barely. Many thanks to the artists who stayed with us.
In late 2009 the city of Pontiac was asking for much more than the event could afford to hold the event on its streets. Then a white knight came to the rescue. The upscale trendy hip suburb of Royal Oak was willing to pay to have the event come there. Can you believe artists held back and didn't apply last year? I mean more than the year before, yes. Who didn't believe in this event to bring in the people, people who love events, people who live in one of the wealthiest counties in the country?
I told my friends to apply. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the ticket. Then Ford showed up to sponsor. Bills could be paid, staff could hang in another year. Did anyone come to the 2010 Renaissance of Arts, Beats & Eats? Well, yes! On Sunday it was so crowded that twice we had to close the gates and make people wait until some people left. Did any artists make any money? Like everywhere some didn't make booth fee, some made a little, some were happy and some more were really happy. Lisa and I received love letters.
(Dave Piper regales Linda & Rick Bachman in Pontiac 2008)
A couple of reasons why this event can work in the midst of food, a carnival, huge crowds and lots of stages is that it is held in an affluent area where people have always loved the art fairs and have good jobs. Add to the aficionados people who don't give a lick about art but come for the top bands and the fine restaurant food, but as long as they are here they'll look at the art, they find something they love and they buy it. So it is an audience building event. It converts new people to being buyers.
Then this winter the Art Fair Sourcebook published its top 2010 shows. In 2009 ABE was ranked #321, or something really bad like that, in 2010 we were ranked #4. What??
So we go back to the drawing board.What does this mean? Between the word-of-mouth (the most reliable information) and this rating surely we would have more applications than last year. "Thousands," says Lisa. "800," says Connie.
(Detroit area clients love Allan Teger and his Bodyscapes))
Cut to the chase. Application online with Juried Art Services in early February. By the end of February we had around 100 applications. Lisa is in despair. What do I say? "Wait until the last week." End of March we have around 150 applications. Last week we had crossed the 300 mark. Still, don't you always hear shows get thousands of applications? Listen, Virginia, there is no such show that gets thousands. Since we are all insiders here, let me tell you, even the very BEST show tops out around 1500. Most shows are well under 1000 and even under 500. Heck, you can put on a very classy show with 500 applications, as long as 400 of them aren't jewelry and photography. (not dissing those categories, I'm sure you know).
(Don't even try to be in a hurry to get through this scene, relax and enjoy the ambiance)
So we are heading to tomorrow night's deadline (looks like I have the wrong deadline on the front of this site) April 12 - midnight. Have we gotten any more applications? Well, yes. In fact 25 on Saturday, 32 on Sunday and today it is going mighty strong. So the next time any of you see Lisa, please tell her to be patient. No matter what you do the artists wait until the last minute.
Many, many thanks to the artist community who have participated in this show. Will we make 1000? please ... 800? nope, not even near. Enough to have a fabulous show? You bet!
Excuse me now while I refresh my browser...
Comments
I almost didn't apply this year since I was one of the artists that supported the event in it's final year in Pontiac only to be rejected the next year, when we all knew it would take off in Royal Oak. Talking to Lisa after I got my rejection I was led to believe that the street jury and award winners filled all the spots in the photography category, so why did I waste my $25 application fee?
I also didn't like the fact that the deadline to apply was extended last year and then the notification date kept getting pushed back.
After all that, I still decided to apply on this year's deadline since I have such a large collector base in the Royal Oak area. Now I see the deadline has been extended.........
I think the notification date will be pushed back again this year.......................
I think I will not get accepted into the show again this year.........................
I would like to know how many spots are actually up for grabs in the photography category once the street jury invites and award winners are invited?
Linda;
it's especially overwhelming when 300 of the 800 are probably jewelers and photographers vying for 15 of those spots. Acckk!
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next