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Those of you who have participated in the popular art fairs in Birmingham, MI, will find this article interesting. Even if you haven't been there it should be of interest to all artists who wonder why art fairs are set up the way they are, why the booths have to face a certain way, where is my booth fee going, are the art fair organizers earning their money?

Did you have any idea of the behind the scenes work that the shows entail working with municipalities, park districts and merchant associations? This is very informative and gives good background on making an art fair site work for the good of all:

http://birmingham.patch.com/articles/commission-approves-final-layouts-of-2011-art-festivals

I debated for two days whether to report on this show or not.  

My New Year's resolution was to report on a show only if I could say good things about it, Cape Coral is kinda in a grey area.  Hopefully, the good Rotarians down there will take this in a kind light in case I wish to apply again.  I did get an award this year.

First off, this is 300-plus exhibitor show that is juried.  Off course that means, the painted bottle art, the painted signs with sayings like "Drink now, barf later" and we will paint your name on it, the tepee people, the bottle stopper people, they were all juried in.  It is a fund-raiser for the Rotary.  Which brings one important thing to mind.

Holly, how the heck did you manage to get juried out of this show?  Did you mistakenly submit your third grade fingerpainting slides instead of your current work.  It takes a lot to get juried out of this show.

That said, a lot of people made money at this show, many with work priced well under $40, but about 10 per cent of the artists sold more expensive items in the $200-$500 range.

My neighbor Ron Lemoine fashions whimsical fish driving cars out of copper and metal.  He sold numerous pieces in the $200 range all show.  He even popped a few big ones.  So there were buyers for higher end.  For me, the show sucked, I couldn't even sell one $150 framed piece.

If you have  work that sells under $40  you can probably do very well at this show.  If you have creative art from the heart, you better pass on this one.

One note about the setup.  Everybody queques up Friday nite in the parking lot and they let you in for setup around 8 pm.  Me, I showed upand got my spot assignment, then I went home (To Lou and Terr's across the bridge) and showed up next morn at 6am.  All the booths were set up around me.  I parked right in front and set up in two hours, then went and had a leisurely breakfest at Perkins, walked the show and was ready by 10 am to do business.  To me, this is a much more civilized way to do the show rather than scurrying about late on Friday nite.  Try it out.

There, I said it all.  Think the Rotarians will let me in again?  Cheez Louse if I ever see Holly, she will probably bash me in the head with that new Witches Broom I sent her from LL Bean last year when she was ill.  Oh well, the chances we take being artists on the street.

Congratulations to these members of ArtFairInsiders.com who make this online community the "Facebook" for art fair artists! Your votes from the blogs and private emails to me have been counted and the winners are: 

• Member of the year:  Larry Berman

• Personality of the year: Nels Johnson

• Author of the year: tie - Nels Johnson & Michele Sholund

• Funniest member: the team of Munks & Holly Olinger

• Best comment: Munks
  
• Newcomer: Melanie Rolfes
  

• Special Recognition: Geri Wegner
  

Read additional notes on these nominations from my emails: MemberAwards.rtf

Best blog posts:

1. Munks: "Bad Things Happen When You're Not Where You're Supposed to Be"
2. Nels Johnson: Here is my Tequila/Elvis/What is the Meaning of Life at Art Shows, Report
   
3. Barry Bernstein: Gasparilla Review--The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
4. Bill Sargent: Kumquat Festival, 2010 (we didn't have a category for most amazing art fair photos, but his post definitely would be in the running for the best ones)
5. Phil Crone: Coconut Grove 2010 - the Fobots' Perspective
   

Read additional notes on these nominations from my emails: BestBlogPosts.rtf

Honorable Mention:
David Hipwell, Bert Herrera, Joe Clifton, Merri Pattinian, Jim Parker, Heather Jordan, Martha Bennington, Richard Rothbard, Michael Wommack and Robert Louallen.

Amazon.com gift cards will be in the winners mailboxes soon.

Many thanks to all of you who have made this community flourish, not only those listed above but to all of you who taken the time to care, comment and share with one another. We are looking forward to what will happen here in this ever evolving group. Thanks for all your support to one another in this exciting art fair business. Community is what makes us strong.

May 2011 bring you all the blessings you deserve. See you at the show! Connie

Comments welcome below

I'll keep one a little shorter than usual, since I've reviewed previous editions of this show.

Produced by Patty Narozny's Hotworks LLC, this was billed as the "seventh biennial" edition--it made a quick return following the successful November 2010 event.  It was blessed with beautiful weather and solid, if not spectacular crowds.  Even better, folks on Saturday were BUYING.  Sunday visitors were a bit more in "browse mode" but there were still patrons with packages walking around.  I was a bit disappointed with my Sunday totals, but only in comparison to a near record-breaking (for Florida) day on opening day. 

The show is moderately sized, with 130 artists and a nice mix of media.  Although this is nominally an upscale area, it's still been heavily dinged by the recession.  So it's smart to have multiple price points available, no matter what your medium.  As often seems to be the case down in these parts, many of the 2-D artists I spoke with who sell only high-priced originals reported slow sales (or even zeroes) for the weekend.  Those who had quality reproductions, or whose originals were more modestly priced, seemed to fare better.  The jewelry I saw was exceptionally high quality, and this category was not over-represented.  Those I had a chance to spoke with seemed pretty pleased with their results. 

Although awards were offered, I can't report on the results since I didn't win one, and I didn't see the judge while he/she was in my booth because I was swamped with customers.  I'll take that over a chance to chat up a judge any day. 

Artist amenities were available: water and fruit anytime; muffins and Starbuck's in the morning (no decaf: another sign that Narozny knows her audience ;-)  ) .  Booth-sitters were availble, too, and the artist packet included lots of coupons for mall discounts.  Which came in handy if you didn't pack your own lunch: wishing to encourage the crowds to visit the mall's restaurants, mall management didn't allow any food vendors (save for a lemonade concession) at the show.  Live acoustic music was featured all weekend, but it wasn't so loud to be a problem while you were chatting up your customers. 

Two "dings" worth noting:  Mall management addressed parking and traffic issues of shows past by banishing the artists to a far-distant parking lot on the other side of the sprawling mall.  It took me 10 minutes exactly to make the trek, and I was hoofing it without any encumbrances (dolly, bags, etc.).  Since I'm a runner with two good knees--so far--your results may vary! Although the organizers pointed out to each artist at checkin that you could park closer if you had a handicapped sticker, there was lots of grumbling about this...and many artists disregarded the instruction on Saturday, prompting mall security to crack down on Day 2.  And one artist near me discovered at tear-down that vandals had broken a lock on his RV and stolen a GPS unit and other valuables.

Speaking of tear-down: The traffic flowed 'way too early, at 5 PM sharp, when a number of artists' vans drove to their tents while some customers were still browsing the show.  This is a personal pet peeve of mine. For one thing, nothing kills a potential last minute sale faster than carbon monoxide wafting into the tent.  Moreover, it's a safety issue: A woman finished browsing my photos at about 5:02, took a step outside, and nearly got nailed by an RV that was passing by--and none too slowly--inches from my entrance.  I get it, folks--you maybe didn't have a great show, and you want to get home ASAP. But use a little common sense, willya?

Overall, though, the weekend was a fun one.  This is a strong show with a growing reputation, and getting stronger.  It's one worth keeping in mind as you plan your next Florida excursion. 

Here is blatant promotion for a telesummit in which I am participating next week.

On January 13, 1:30-3:00 pm (EST) I'll be part of a MasterMind panel of 13 leading art career authorities, and successful artists. On January 19, 2:15-3:15 pm (EST) with my own keynote presentation "More Patrons Than You Ever Dreamed Of - Learn The Secrets Of Being Successful At The Nation's Juried Fine Art Fairs". I am honored to have been chosen to join this telesummit as the representative of the art fair industry.

This telesummit arranged by Ariane Goodwin has a strong history of helping artists with the "art of the art business". It should be especially helpful to all of you are wondering where to go next with your career and helpful to the experienced who need fresh ideas.

---------------------------------------

From Ariane: 

...have you budgeted dimes for your art career?

Of course you need art supplies, that’s No.1 priority. Only, imagine if someone waved a wand and all your art supplies disappeared? How difficult would it be (impossible actually) to make art?

Yet, if you are being gut honest, isn’t this what happens on the art career side of things?

Isn’t it completely obvious that it’s not just difficult, but completely impossible to move your career forward without investing in it?

Investing in your art career is the very cornerstone of sustainability.

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One cornerstone coming up, click here > http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-live/

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And listen, my lovely artists, I practice what I preach. I’ve been working with a special career and marketing coach every month for the past 3 years!

Sure, I could talk myself out of the expense (still paying off graduate student loans–not to mention car repairs, you know the drill...). But, oh the results! I have learned so much that being coached is now part of my business expenses, like electricity or broadband access, or toothbrushes (sneaky deduction trick I’m not sharing!).

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My personal favorite:

One tax deduction coming up, click here:
http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-live/

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And, oh the results artists have gotten from the past 4 smARTist Telesummits!

How do I know? Because, already, 50% of participants this year are returning alumni!

These artists tell me about: increased confidence, more collectors, new work, landing the perfect gallery, higher productivity, selling more artwork, making connections that are paying off... the list is way too long for one email, but you get the point.

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The Point> Come.

Click here > http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-live/

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For 7 days it’s all about you. 7 days where you immerse yourself in the newest, best ways to sell your art in 2011. (Confession: I want this for you so badly it hurts. I want you to be successful and fill our world with your glorious, creative visions.)

Praying (yes, praying...) for your success in and out of the studio,

Ariane

A. Goodwin, Ed.D.
Founder, Organizer, & Host
of the http://smARTist-Telesummit.com
The only professional Art Career Conference online or off!

-> Subscribe: http://www.smARTistCareerBlog.com       
-> Books: http://www.writingtheartiststatement.com
               http://smartist-telesummit.com/exclusives/dazzling-photos/
-> Follow: http://ArianeOnTwitter.com
-> Friend: http://ArianeOnFacebook.com


P.S. Did you hear this call with me and Barney Davey—who was spectacular, in large part because he is this deeply genuine person who also loves artists.

Barney’s been in the art world for years and has things to say about the Big Vision that no artist should miss.

Check it out:
http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-2/barney-ariane-recording/

P.S.S. Listen to one of your fellow artists: “I have enjoyed all the sessions; several introduced new fields to me that I had paid little attention to in the past. I also appreciate the gentle approach and kind attitude throughout the seven days. Thank you for your professional, outstanding Telesummit. The target lectures are all relevant and useful.” ~ Mary Hrbacek

Want relevant and useful? Click here >http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-live/

There is a job opportunity that someone might like to take advantage of.  It is for an Executive Director for the Americana 4th of July Festival held in Centerville, Ohio.  It is a paid part time position, to direct one of the area's largest  4^th of July celebrations.   Duties include working with over 35 volunteers in the following activities: Street Fair, Car Show, Parade, Children’s Activities, Entertainment, Publicity, 5K Run, Food, Reception, Administration, etc.   If you live near the area you might like to look into this job opening.   This sounds like a great opportunity for someone who would like to would like to try their hand at organizing an event or art and craft show.    Information can be found in the following link.

Last year you either got soaked on Saturday or frozen out on Sunday.  This year, the weather could not have been more gorgeous.  It was as if Mother Nature was making up for last year.  

The knock on this festival was that in the past several years, they had expanded too much and had sacrificed quality.  Two years ago they said they were going to tighten up their jurying.  It was noticeable last year but I thought it was really obvious this year.  I've been going to this festival since we got here in 2003 so I saw it when it was good, as it declined and I am now seeing it improve.  The layout was changed this year to get more booths off the grass and that was the only problem.  The new layout was very confusing and I am still not sure that I saw everyone.  

The 2D art was beautiful.  That isn't an area I pay as much attention to as I am a pottery/glass person.  I saw more gorgeous paintings than usual.  The photography ranged from beautiful to whimsical.  (whatever that particular photographer was smoking, I want some)  The glass at this show was very good.  There was a wide variety of styles and techniques.  Pottery, as it has been for a lot of years, was lacking.  In a total departure for me, I couldn't tell you much of anything about the jewelry.  

Crowds were plentiful, didn't see a lot of packages but as Ray Mosteller told me, that isn't always an indication of buying as he was delivering a large piece that Saturday night.  

There were several AFInsiders there so I will let them tell you about load in/out, amenities,  and sales.  

It was a wonderful start to the new year, I have the lighter wallet to prove it.  I hope the artists have heavier pockets.

July 23 & 24
Geneva, Illinois
175 Artists
Application Deadline: February 1

Geneva, a chic and charming historic town located on the Fox River, will celebrate it's tenth annual Fine Arts Fair in 2011.

Presented by the Chamber of Commerce, the show is tucked along shady streets among 100+ specialty shops located in Victorian-style homes and century-old buildings.  A "hands on" kids art area, awards for emerging and seasoned artists along with warm small-town hospitality, offer a picture-postcard setting for this juried art celebration.

Note: Prints, photography, digital art and computer generated art: Prints must be produced by traditional printmaking techniques.  The only medium where Giclee (ink jet) prints are allowed is digital photography and computer generated art work.  All artists applying to either print, photography or computer generated art must submit a brief description of creative process from start to finish.

Emerging artists are required to fill out and abide by the same rules as professional artists.  However the jury fee is waived and if accepted the emerging artists space fee is $100.  Please note: emerging artists are considered those artists who have never paid for a booth space at a fine art or craft fair.  Each accepted emerging artist will receive one "wall" to display artwork on that is approximately 6 foot high by 8 foot long.  3-d artists will need to supply their own pedestals.  A limited number of photography spaces are available.

Festival Facts:
     Jury Fee: $20
     Booth Fee: $280
     Checks payable to: Geneva Chamber of Commerce
     No prints allowed
     Ribbon Awards: $4,000
     Attendance: 20,000

For additional information please contact: Erin Melloy - 630-536-8416

emelloy@emevents.com or visit www.emevents.com
Please mail application and checks to:
EM Events Ilc, P.O. Box 4332, Naperville, IL 60567

What: 35th Annual Spring Art Fair at Queeny Park sponsored 
by the Greater St. Louis Art Association
Where: Queeny Park in West St. Louis County
When:
     April 8th through 10th, 2011
     Friday,    April 8th, 6PM -9PM
     Saturday,    April 9th, 10AM - 7PM
     Sunday,    April 10th, 11AM - 4PM
 Artist's entry deadline:  January 15, 2011 (postmarked)


For more than thirty five years the Greater St. Louis Art Association (http://www.gslaa.org) has been providing opportunities for the public to see and purchase original works of fine art and fine craft directly from the artists who create them.

The Art fair at Queeny Park is presented in the indoor, air-conditioned setting of the Greensfelder Recreation Complex at Queeny Park in west St. Louis County. Food and refreshments are available on site, parking for the public and artists is free.  Live music playing during wine tasting and peek attendance.  During Sunday afternoon, an interactive children's art education program encourages families with youngsters to meet and talk with artists and learn about their work.

Every year we produce two juried art shows (Spring and Labor Day Weekend).  Artists in all media are encouraged to apply. These shows feature juried local, regional and national artists' original work. From the pool of artists applying, about 110 artists from all over the US and Canada are invited to exhibit. These artists are selected by a professional jury process in eleven distinct media categories.

Highlights:

• Our 35th Annual Spring Art fair     
• Limited to approximately 110 artists     
• This is an AIR-CONDITIONED INDOOR ART FAIR. You don't need to worry about the weather, tents or security    
• Jury/Booth Fees ($25/$200; (FREE ELECTRICITY available for every booth at no additional charge)      
• Cash awards totaling $4,500     
• Booth sitters, 24-HOUR SECURITY. Rest easy knowing your booth is safely locked up at night. 
  
• Excellent marketing campaign, including newspaper, magazine and radio advertising, internet and e-mail promotion
• Promotional postcards, business cards and coupons provided free to exhibiting artists
• Live music throughout the art fair
• Wine Tasting Friday and Saturday Evenings
• Interactive art program on Sunday afternoon to encourage families with youngsters to meet the artists.

Important dates:

Artist's entry deadline: January 15, 2011 (postmarked)
Notification date: February 20, 2011
Booth Fee Due: February 28, 2011

Detailed information and to apply at: http://www.gslaa.org/GSL_festivals.htm

You may also contact:
Vic Barr, GSLAA President
314 997-1181
vicbarr@sbcglobal.net

April 29 & May 1
Kansas City, Missouri
190 Artists
Deadline: January 10

The Brookside Art Annual, presented by Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, is celebrating its 26th year on April 29, May 1 and 2, 2011.

Located in a vibrant neighborhood in the center of Kansas City, Brookside is just minutes from downtown, the Plaza and the southern suburbs. This is the first art show of the year and draws more than 70,000 people from the entire region. The focus of the show is on ART! This community loves art shows and it consistently ranks in the top 25 shows according to Art Fair Sourcebook.

Art Fair Sourcebook says, "This is a very pleasant, national caliber event attracting an affluent, enthusiastic and knowledgeable clientele." 

The Brookside Art Annual is produced by the Brookside Business Association. It is a non-profit organization of merchants working to promote and improve the community in the heart of Kansas City.

Dominated by quaint neighborhoods, the Brookside neighborhood becomes the center of the Midwest art community each May. The Brookside Art Annual is known for its festive atmosphere, hospitality, convenience, and has become a must-attend event for artists and art seekers alike. 

The location for the show is at 63rd and Brookside between Main St. and Wornall.


 2011 Calendar:
    Jan. 10, 2011: Application deadline on Zapplication.org
    Jan. 29, 2011 : Jury Notification- sent via email, your ZAPP
 account and website: Brooksidekc.org
     March 1, 2011: Contracts & Booth fee due from invited
 artists
     Late March : Booth Assignments and information to artists


Show Hours:
   April 29,  Friday 5pm-9 pm

   April 30, Saturday 10am-9     pm

   May 1,    Sunday 
11 am-5 pm


Artist Amenities:
    •    Art Show Not a Festival!
    •    Awards
    •    24 Hour Security
    •    Booth Sitters
    •    Artist's Lounge
    •    Saturday Night: Dinner with wine
         delivered to your booth
    •    Sunday Continental Breakfast
    •    Artist set-up starts on Thursday
         afternoon
    •    Advertised to entire metropolitan area;
          i.e., radio, e blasts, television coverage, newspapers and direct mail
    •    Volunteers that want to make your happy! 

    •    Electricity included in booth fee 


For more information contact Donna Potts at dpotts223@gmail.com or 913-362-9668                 

                   Apply today: www.zapplication.org

If you like this blog post don't miss our call for artists website where you can find more art fairs looking for you:  www.CallsforArtists.com

Recently I received the following email from Linda Post, who along with her husband Geoffrey, runs the well-regarded Paradise City Art Festivals on the East Coast. There had been some glowing reports on this site about their fall shows and I had written to congratulate her. I have her permission to reprint the following reply:

It does feel like the economy is slowly turning around. Both of our shows this fall (Northampton in October and Marlborough in November) were UP in attendance over last fall, and the majority of the exhibiting artists reported good sales. A number of our regular exhibitors reported their very best Paradise City show ever (this happened at both shows).  We are encouraged by both sales reports and gate numbers. For the most part, the show attendance has been holding its own during the past two years. But I must admit that as an organization we have had to be especially proactive to make this happen, spending much more time and money marketing and promoting the shows and being more innovative in attracting new attendees. I think this is true throughout the industry - if you (artists AND show promoters) keep on doing the same thing, you'll see a decline in show attendance and artist sales figures. Many of the artists who do best nowadays are those who introduce fresh new work on a regular basis, or are new to the show.

The reason I am printing this here is that we rarely learn what the show organizers are doing to combat the economic downturn. Not only, of course, are the shows costing the artists more money, they are also costing the promoters more money and work hours. 

Have you noticed any other events that are making new efforts to build their audience?

We just had an interesting email from the Cape Coral Festival of the Arts. in Cape Coral, Florida.

Here it is