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Not your typical Amdur show

Posted by geri a. wegner on September 26, 2010 at 9:54pm

Amy's final outdoor show of the Chicago season was this past weekend. It was the Last Call Art Show in Highwood, Illinois.

Highwood has always been the poor stepchild in a string of suburbs in the north shore suburbs of Chicago. It is surrounded by upper class suburbs and for years was known for its wonderful restaurants. It was also the only town that in the area that was 'wet', apparently ignoring the Women's Christian Temperance Union which I believe originated in Evanston, a few suburbs south.

As a result, people are used to traveling to Highwood from the other suburbs.

This show advertises itself as a chance for artists to sell end of season, extras, miscellaneous and even broken art at discount prices. Some booths had discounts but most were 10% or 20%. Others didn't indicate any discounts at all and one had discounts of 50% on most of their merchandise. I don't know if the 130 advertised artists were actually there as I was told by an artist at another festival this weekend that Amy had been sending out emails to artists all over the Chicago area saying if you wanted in at Highwood, you could get in. About 1/3 of the artists there were regular Amdur show participants. The overall quality was not as high as a regular Amdur show but there were a lot of fine artists there.

This isn't a starving artist's show with a price ceiling and it wasn't a 2nds show. I also did not see the usual newspaper advertising that Amy usually has before a show.

There were not a lot of people there but if they all bought as much as I did, the artists should have been happy.

What are they up to in Kansas City?

Posted by Connie Mettler on September 26, 2010 at 9:30pm

Here are 156 photos from the Kansas City Star online...it will give anyone who hasn't been there a nice look at the crowd that attends, the entertainment and a little bit of the art. The Plaza is Kansas Citians version of a "coming out party." http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/24/2248951/plaza-art-fair-2010.html

And here is a little "street theatre" from the Plaza...http://guideforthearts.tv/?p=14777

Here is a wrap-up piece from the Star, a little more local flavor: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/26/2253126/plaza-art-fair-wraps-up-its-three.html

We did this art fair for many years and it was always a decent event, so many good artists, it was fun to hang out with the other artists. One of my favorite stories is that one year our neighbor was Emerson, a photographer, who always draws a nice crowd and is a great guy. This particular Saturday afternoon there was a movie he wanted to see so he just left his booth and asked us to tell people he'd be back later if they inquired. Then he went off to the movie!

Atlanta Arts Festival at Piedmont Park 2010

Posted by Robert Bruce Vail on September 26, 2010 at 9:06am

Hi, All: I'm new here and like what I've seen. I think it's a great resource for artists.

My topic, The Atlanta Arts Festival at Piedmont Park 2010 in Atlanta, GA, is my personal experience. It may not reflect the experiences of all attending artists or even most of them.

This was my first Atlanta show and I had great expectations. My wife and I had heard that the set-up take-down procedures could be difficult due to the one-way, tight layout at Piedmont. Thus, we were prepared for a hassle. However, the folks who were responsible for set-up were well organized. Artists were given specific sign-in times on specific days. We reported to a parking lot about one mile from the park. There, we were given our packets and very specific instructions about how to set-up. We left at a designated time and drove out of the parking lot with a police escort. Hats off to the Atlanta PD as they shut down traffic on the road leading into the park and whisked us off to set-up. That part went super smoothly. When we arrived at out booth location, the area was a little tight but it didn't matter since there was no other traffic. We had 90 minutes max to set-up. With both of us working frantically, we finished just as a motorcycle cop showed up to tell us we needed to move our vehicle. Lucky for us. Most artists had not finished set-up and had to come back later to get finished. Everyone left as we had entered, in a caravan. We were given designated parking areas. Ours was the "coaches" parking lot adjacent to a school. From there, we had a 1/2 mile walk back to our booth. Since we were finished, that wasn't really a problem.

The show location at Piedmont was great. Beautiful, with abundant large shade trees made for an inviting site. We were lucky to have dense shade all morning. However, by 1 o'clock, we were cooking in the sunlight. Thankfully, dire warnings about keeping off the grass were not enforced. We were able to place all extra art work and gear behind our booth. Since it was shady there in the PM, we moved behind the booth for relief and rolled up the back wall of the booth so we could see what was going on and folks attending could see us.

The crowds varied. I'm not certain, but my guess would be that the entire distance around the park road where artists were displaying comprised 1/2 mile, perhaps more. Since it was so stretched out, the crowd was sometimes sparse and sometimes heavy. Many people seemed more out for a stroll than anything else.

Artist amenities, IMO, were ho-hum. The awards ceremony was outdoors in the heat and flies. Adjacent to the awards ceremony tent, was a rock band blaring so loudly as to deafen anyone nearby. Luckily, I am already deaf and wear hearing aids. I just turned off the aids for relief. The rest of the artists got their eardrums over worked. Evening food was pretty good.

Typically, I make $2,000+ on a weekend. At this show, I didn't sell a single piece of my work! I was flabbergasted. Since the area is near the affluent enclave of Buckhead, I was sure there would be lots of buyers. Guess this sort of misplaced optimism is why I've never won the lotto either.

Take down was, as usual, a bit of a rush. We were told to break everything down, place it curb-side and when ready to load, get a pass from one of the people monitoring different sections of the show. Luckily, we broke down fast (we also started early at 5:30 rather than at 6:00 as told) and were ready early. I got our pass and jogged the 1/2 mile back to the parking lot, got back , stuffed the truck full and got out when the first cop came through to escort artists who might have finished. Our escorted "caravan" consisted of me and one other artist.... :)

I won't be going back to Atlanta to either this festival or the Dogwood, held at the same location. It would have been better for us had we stayed home. Frankly, I don't know if this is typical for Atlanta or if the economy has smothered serious buying. It would be my suggestion to charge a gate fee. Yes, the crowd might be smaller but it would limit the number of people out for a stroll and those who did pay would likely be more serious about buying artwork. Of course, given what happened to me, if a fee was charged, maybe no one would show up.

Neptune Arts Festival Virginia Beach, VA

Posted by Kathy Rose on September 25, 2010 at 9:38pm

Writing to report on the Neptune Festival for Fri and Sat .... although there is still one more day to go.

We've had record heat - in the mid to upper 90's with humidity..... so it's been a bit brutal for the artists. Friday was a miserable sales day for me (I have mixed media art). It was the lowest sales day I've ever had. Many of the artists said the same thing - although I did have two booths near me who did really well. I haven't had much help for this show - so I've been stuck at my booth and unable to talk to as many other artists as I'd like.

Today was a better day for sales - but still really low for me. I don't think this is the show for my type of art. What I did sell was low end $30 pieces. Only one piece over $100.

Move in was great - very organized and full of friendly volunteers. I have no complaints at all with the organization or the support people involved with the show. Just the normal problems with an oceanfront show.... expensive parking and streets blocked off for the parade and a marathon.

I did this show last year and did really well. Big, big change this year. I'm so happy I'm local and don't have a hotel charge. At this point, I'm not losing money - and I'm counting on a good day tomorrow (should be about 15 degrees cooler). I have noticed that there are not as many out-of-town people attending. Last year that's where all my big sales came from.... not from the locals. This year it seems like just locals who are really hurting for money. I actually had someone ask for a better deal on a $28 piece - that really should have been priced at $40.

One other thing... I was soooo disappointed in the judge this year. Honestly, she didn't even slow down to look at my work. Just breezed on by. As she passed, I heard her criticize the work in the booth next to me.... ouch! The only slow down was by the woman with her who put the little dot on my name placard. In my book - it would be nice if the judge at least pretended that she actually looked at the work displayed.

At this point, I'm thinking I won't apply next year. Booth fee is too expensive for the return. We'll see about tomorrow. Got my fingers crossed.

I'll write tomorrow with the wrap up. Gotta have some wine and hydrate.

Kathy Rose

Riverfront Art Festival in Columbus, Ohio

Posted by Robert Wallis on September 25, 2010 at 6:02pm

This was the second time I've done this show. Last year was okay, sales were a bit low, but there was still money left over after paying for booth fee, lodging and meals, gas and so on. It had nice crowds, and the show maker was selling a group of Alaska images to a family that went there and didn't know their camera wasn't working. This was a critical factor I overlooked when doing the show this year.

I got in off the wait list this year and was happy to do the show. It's laid out well, easy set up with unloading in front of the booth space, and has a good distribution of media. The organizer is a nice guy who appears to work his butt off.

I can't say the Friday afternoon and evening hours are worthwhile doing as nothing seemed to be selling and I didn't see much of anything being carried around. What started sounding an alarm bell was the low crowd turnout on Friday night. Most artists reported almost nothing on Friday night sales last year, but the crowds were good sized back then.

Saturday rolled around and the crowds were sparse the entire day which ran from noon to 10:00 PM. The night crowd wasn't nearly as heavy as the previous year. I sold very little on Saturday, and others around me were in the same boat. There were also few returning artists from the previous year. Sunday picked up a bit, but all it did was get the booth fee back and enough extra to pay for one night's hotel fee. I wound up losing about $300 doing the show.

The family that made the large purchase last year is what I should have factored out of the equation to return. Counting on a single big sale is overly optimistic, and a mistake I don't plan to do again. My sales were about the same minus the one big sale from last year. As much as the organizer is a genuinely nice guy and the setting is nice, if the crowds can't be delivered it would be foolish to return. The potter next to me managed to make a small profit selling mostly $13 mugs and no large pieces, and won't be returning. A jeweler across from us was doing miserably, and likewise won't return. Another photographer was next to me, luckily there was no similarity at all between our work, and he was counting the pennies to get his investment back. He won't return either.

There were other shows going on that weekend and it was a home game Saturday for Ohio State on Saturday, but the other two days were still problematic. I won't be back to the show.

Call for Artists: Artisphere

Posted by Connie Mettler on September 24, 2010 at 8:07pm

May 13-15

Greenville, South Carolina
West End Historic District
120 Artists
Deadline: October 7 - paper applications
October 21 - online applications

Greenville is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northwest corner of South Carolina, halfway between Atlanta and Charlotte. Is is one of those lucky U.S. cities impacted positively by high tech development where industries such as BMW, General Electric and Fluor are flourishing.

What to expect:

Since 2005 the Purchase Awards Program provided an average of an additional $17,500 in art sales
An extensive advertising and publicity effort that publicizes the festival throughout the state and the Southeast region with media sponsors in print, radio, television and billboards. The festival will also be marketed through direct mail, social media and paid advertisements in tourist publications
$10,000 in prize money
a well-educated audience who have good jobs
great time of the year for pleasant Spring days

Artisphere is the centerpiece of Greenville's Arts Weekend whose mission is to provide a

high-quality event that attracts, entertains, educates, inspires and enriches a diverse audience, and thus brings the community together through the arts. This is an event definitely "gets" the connection between the arts and economic development.

Proceeds are used to produce the annual arts festival and are also distributed back to local non-profit arts organizations as part of Artisphere's Volunteer Arts Partnership Program.

On the fence about applying? Visit their website for a good overview: www.Artisphere.us

For a prospectus and more info, contact Liz Rundorff, Program Director/Artisphere, 864-271-9355, or liz@greenvillearts.com.
Download the application: www.artisphere.us

************

Find more art fairs looking for artists:
www.callsforartists.com

Disasters in ATL

Posted by Paul Flack on September 24, 2010 at 9:30am

Atlanta Art Festival last weekend was a complete disaster and the line up for this weekend at the Atlanta Midtown Festival seems the same. A folk art show has been added for next year. Please, stay away if you value your entry fees. They are dogs, or rather dawgs. Too many shows means money for organizers and less for artists. Beware

ARTS, BEATS AND EATS

Posted by Michael Stephens on September 24, 2010 at 5:27am

MOVE OVER ANN ARBOR, MOVE OVER CHERRY CREEK, MOVE OVER PLAZA, MOVE OVER COCONUT GROVE -- THE REAL SHERIFF -- ARTS, BEATS AND EATS IS BACK IN TOWN!

Wow is one of the few words that can describe the 2010 ABE show. This one was the show to be in for the 2010 season. The show at the Pontiac site had been slipping for the last several years due to who knows what factors -- certainly not the work and efforts of the directors and staff -- they are some of the best in the nation. Chrysler dropped its sponsorship in 2009 and Ford picked it up and they moved the show to Royal Oak. Any move can cripple a show for the first year or so. Not ABE! It exploded this year and produced my best show sales ever. I heard the same from two photographers, a wildlife pencil artist (that consistently exhibits in top shows) and a glass artist. I do jewelry. Understandably, some artists did not have a good show as is always the case at any show. However, I will exhibit at 30+ shows this year, some of them ranked in the top ten in the nation, and this show had more buying energy from all age and income levels of any show I've been in for 5 years.
The crowds of people were huge -- it was reported that security even limited the people coming into the show for a time because there were so many people in the street it had reached a danger level. And the people were buying in the depressed Michigan economy. Go figure. Sure, many came for the food, beer and entertainment. But buyers were scattered through the crowds every day and at every hour. Staff was working hard just to get the buyers out of the booths on Monday evening so they could get the show closed down. When did you last experience that?
One thing is certain -- give a hand to John, Lisa and Connie for their work behind the scenes. The show was heavily publicized and promoted. They worked hard to get the really good sponsors and it all come together. Thanks John -- Thanks Connie -- Thanks Lisa -- Thanks to every other staffer who helped make this one happen. It was an honor to be juried into your show.

ATLANTA- PIEDMONT ARTS FESTIVAL

Posted by Bill and Jon Slade on September 23, 2010 at 6:27pm

WHY OH WHY would anyone schedule an Art Fest on Yom Kippur/ this is like having a show on Christmas Day. Nancy and her crew did a great job in getting everyone in,(I escaped quickly); they kept us nurished in the heat, and were very attentive to artists needs. They deal with what the city hands them, dates included. Even though this is the 4th year for this resureccted show(???)- THE QUALITY OF THE ARTISTS WAS OUTSTANDING// FROM ALL OVER THE U.S.

Now the bad- a previous post sited $50 to 100 sales-- this was so true in my case also- my total sales were awful // and I am way too old for practice: A wood artist neighbor sold great tables-$2500-500 and alot // I saw some 2-d that came from the same source // I really stayed close to the nest trying to make something happen // my 2-d neighbors didn't seem busy although one sold 2 nice photos-at the end on Sun. to save the weekend.A few nice wood ,and glass sales, but NOT kicking at all. Many that I spoke to were way unhappy with meager sales, and small crowds. especially as I busted my ass // boogied// to get my vehicle across this 55-60 acre park// somehow. THIS LOCATION NEEDS TO BE MOVED.

The SET_UP, layout is back of booth to the curb/ car to the LEFT CURB// there is NO ROOM TO DOLLY PAST AT ALL// Cops couldn't get by-and we heard about it-Car Doors are open--CRAZY CRAZY-/once one car stops and takes 1-2 hours it was all over/ no matter how they have it staged- we unloaded in 40 minutes- waited 2 hours in a HOT lot to be staged into the park after driving 6 hours from JAX.- and then waited 1 hour till the artists were ready to move;;What a Hassle. NOT ARTIST FRIENDLY--crossing a park, tired, at night, dark, A PERFECT SET-UP

AND WE WERE ROBBED FOR A PIECE OF GLASS OFF OUR DISPLAY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS THAT ANYONE HAS EVER SWIPED A PIECE//// I EVEN LET PEOPLE TAKE PIECES AND SEND ME A CHECK;;; A $450 dollar piece--unreal-

The crowds were small/ and I have heard that they are required to maintain a certain level of attendence in the park???/ hence LITTLE ADVERTIZING// and this showw has a long way to go to attrack a knowledgeable; buying crowd. THANKS BUT NO THANKS

yom Kipper

3 bits of news: Save the Date, a Cool Job, a Music Festival

Posted by Connie Mettler on September 23, 2010 at 3:53pm

1. SAVE THE DATE! The Omaha Summer Arts Festival is pleased to announce new dates for

2011. The 37th annual festival will be held June 10, 11 and 12 on Farnam Street in downtown Omaha. The move is being made to accommodate the opening of the new TD Ameritrade Park. With the College World Series relocating in 2011, Farnam Street will provide direct access to westbound travel out of the downtown area. As a result, the Festival was asked to change its dates to avoid traffic congestion.

Ordinarily this event is held on the last weekend of June. The festival layout features artists' booths interspersed with sidewalk cares and local gallery markets, enabling festival-goers to shop while they enjoy artist demonstrations and a sampling of wonderful food.

2. HELP WANTED! ARTIST COORDINATOR - ANN ARBOR STREET ART FAIR
Is this the opportunity you have been waiting for? What a cool job!

The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair has an opening for an Artist Coordinator beginning mid October.

The Artist Coordinator position is a year-round part-time position reporting to the Executive Director. The primary focus of this position is to serve as the point person for all aspects of the organization that directly relate to the participation of artists in the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair. Hours are flexible around specific deadlines and prescribed timeframes, increasing as the Art Fair approaches each July: August – January, approximately 10-15 hours/week; February – March, approximately 15-20 hours/week; April – June, approximately 20-30 hours/week; July, full-time with overtime during the Art Fair.

Send resume and cover letter to mriley@artfair.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

3. MUSIC FESTIVAL IN MID-TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 24-26

Our old artist friend Jack Stoddart is up to it again: Jammin' at Hippie Jack's
Twice a year, the Stoddart farm, nestled on the banks of the Obey River between Nashville and Knoxville becomes the 3 day home for the Jammin at Hippie Jack's Americana Music Mark your calendar for the upcoming Fall Festival September 24, 25, and 26th. Campers day: people and music lovers from across the country will be treated to incredible live performances and can experience the filming of original singer songwriters of Americana, Bluegrass, Blues and Folk music for future episodes of the Jammin at Hippie Jack's public television series. The upcoming fall festival will feature recordings of Doug & Telisha Williams, Gary Nicolson, Whitey Johnson, Seth Walker, The SteelDrivers, Scrapomatic and Larry Cordel. Since January 2009, the series has been available to a national public television audience. The Jammin at Hippie Jack's music...here's the rest

Plaza Art Fair Integrity

Posted by Bob Stewart on September 23, 2010 at 1:30pm

I just joined Art Fair Insiders and frankly it was for this very purpose. Something has bothered me for a long time, and I have tried to deal with it in a variety of ways... none of which has been effective. Even politely worded editorials to the newspaper have been ignored. I have exchanged emails with the director of the Plaza Art Fair for several years now, and at one point I was assured that the injustice which was (and is) taking place would change... but it has not. And now my email this year was not answered. I think the director is just hoping that I will give up this cause. But I refuse to do that.

I submitted entries to the Plaza show several times in the past, but finally saw the futility of such and have not and will not enter again. I was a participant in one of the very early Plaza Art Fairs many years ago when I first got out of college, and before becoming so involved in commercial art that I no longer had the time for fine art events until I retired a few years ago. Since that retirement I have participated in art fairs across the country. Not to brag, but a few of those shows are more highly ranked than the Plaza, and artists I know who are from other areas proclaim that their hometown “biggies” are impossible to get into, and they say we are probably passing each other on the highway as we go to participate in the other guy's big show! I think there is a lot of truth to that.

Without further goings-on... this is what I am so upset about: There are seven or eight local artists who are never (never) juried out of this show. They are not invited because of some award and the situation is not explained in any open manner... but their participation from year to year is never in doubt. I could write down the names on a piece of paper weeks before the participants are announced or the jurying even takes place, and my list would be 100% accurate and correct. Here is the point... if you, like me, have experienced entering and participating in art fairs of this caliber, you know how difficult it is to get accepted to a show like this on occasion, and that to be in a show like this frequently is an astonishing accomplishment... but to exceed ten or twelve years without tripping up even one time is, well... hard to believe! (FYI: I have the programs going back some ten years which confirm the claims which I am making.)

If this jurying is not taking place in an honest and impartial manner as is implied, promised and expected, then young, new artists are actually being cheated out of entry fees year after year as they aspire to participate in this great event.

Following is exactly what I emailed to the director of the show this year... word for word except for those artist's names...

Director Name,

We had email conversations about this several years ago and you told me that the unethical (by my standards) policy of jurying which was allowing people to secure a permanent pass around the jurying of the show was going to be addressed and changed.

I am not going to bother at this time to be precise about who is and who isn't a part of this mess as I see it. But off the top of my head right now, the names Name 1, Name 2, Name 3, Name 4, Name 5, Name 6 and Name 7 come to mind and are ALWAYS in the show. As I have said before in various ways, accomplishing that is just not possible under normal circumstances. Different people jurying, different work, times, etc. You as a director and I as an artist who has done hundreds of shows across the country for years know that it is next to impossible to be “perfect” in your applications to the Plaza Art Fair, supposedly one of such stature, etc. – 100% PERFECT!

As I have said before, because young artists pay money to be juried, I believe that what is taking place is criminal and certainly dishonest. And SHOULD be dealt with.

I am simply not going to let this pass. I have tried, and it just eats on me.

Sincerely,

Bob Stewart

In conclusion, I do want to say that if any of these artists has actually entered the Plaza Art Fair year after year and been fairly and honestly invited by each jury, each year, then he or she has my sincerest apology for any implication I have made here or anywhere else. And that person would in fact be an absolute champion of champions in my eyes. I am sure any of us would like to be that good!

Atlanta Art Festival

Posted by lori kay on September 23, 2010 at 8:30am

This past weekend I exhibited at the Atlanta Arts Festival in Piedmont Park. Nancy and her volunteer staff could not have run a more organized event. What could have been a very hectic setup was tightly controlled by the staff and went very smoothly. The artist hospitality tent was kept manned and stocked at all times, booth sitting was available (they were quick to show up), the judges were visible and interactive. At most times the crowds were large but my neighbor said they were off from previous years. Only two negatives, artist parking was a bit of a haul but if you were savy you could find alternate parking, and the heat(10 degrees above normal) not really much the staff could do about that.
Now the meat and potatos, sales. I'm a jeweler (metalsmith) $20 to 500 price points and my sales were 15 times booth fee (you figure it out). Average sales were in the 50 to 100 range so if you didn't have something to offer in that range you perhaps didn't fair as well. My neighbors, a potter and a printer were not happy with their sales.
Overall a very well run show that I will definately do again if they will have me.

Des Moines Arts Festival -- Best Overall Festival in the World

Posted by Connie Mettler on September 22, 2010 at 11:00am

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Baker, Downtown Community Alliance

(515) 286-4919 or (515) 577-7495

For Immediate Release

Des Moines Arts Festival is Recognized as
Best Overall Festival and Event in the World

DOWNTOWN DES MOINES – The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) paid tribute to the Des Moines Arts Festival® with 21 awards in the prestigious IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards competition on Sept.15, 2010 at the IFEA’s 55^th Annual Convention & Expo in Saint Louis.

The highlight of ceremony was the Des Moines Arts Festival winning the Gold Grand Pinnacle Award. The Gold Grand Pinnacle is IFEA’s highest award, reflecting the best overall festival and event in the world.

“We would like to congratulate the Des Moines Arts Festival for their outstanding
entries into this year’s competition,” said IFEA President & CEO, Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE. “The IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards represents the hallmark of excellence in the festivals and events industry. Entries in every budget category, from every corner of the globe, allow us to recognize the best in our business while raising the standards and quality of media promotions and events across the board.”

In addition to winning the Gold Grand Pinnacle, the Des Moines Arts Festival also brought home 20 other awards including:

Eight Gold Awards
Best Commemorative Poster – Jodi Perry’s Summer Daydream; Best Single Magazine Display Ad; Best Event Invitation; Best Sponsor Follow-up Report; Best Environmental Program – Hy-Vee Green Arts Program; Best Community Outreach Program – Prairie Meadows Community Outreach Program; Best Children's Programming; and Best Press/Media Kit.

Eight Silver Awards
Best Outdoor Billboard; Best Sponsor Solicitation Package; Best Single New Sponsorship Program – Hy-Vee Green Arts Program.; Best Sponsorship Program for Individual Sponsor – Prairie Meadows; Best New Promotion – Best Event (within an existing festival); Interrobang Film Festival presented by Nationwide; Best T-Shirt Design; and Best Overall Merchandising Program.

Four Bronze Awards

Best Newspaper Insert/Supplement; Best Single Newspaper Display Ad; Best Sponsor – Principal Financial Group; and Best Hat.

Sponsored by industry leader Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, the professional competition draws entries from among the world’s top festivals and events. Winning entries came from organizations as diverse as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Denver, CO; Borderfest Association, Festival of Lights, Hidalgo, TX; Shows Etc.-Idaho State Capital Building Rededication Celebration, Boise, ID; Kentucky Derby Festival, Louisville, KY; Saint Louis Art Fair, Saint Louis, MO; and the International VSA Festival, Washington DC. International contenders included such diverse event organizations as Baekje Cultural Festival, South Korea; Ludwig Van Beethoven Easter Festival, Krakow, Poland; Rotterdam Festivals, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Festival Lent, Slovenia and Sentosa Development Corporation, Sentosa, Singapore.

The Des Moines Arts Festival is produced by the Downtown Events Group, a division of the Downtown Community Alliance.

###

The Des Moines Arts Festival ^® is presented by The Des Moines Register, founded by the Des Moines Art Center and produced by Downtown Events Group. The Festival is sponsored by Prairie Meadows, Principal Financial Group®, Aviva, BRAVO Greater Des Moines, Bank of the West, Des Moines Radio Group, GuideOne Insurance, Hy-Vee, Iowa Public Radio, Meredith Corporation, ME&V, Nationwide, U.S. Cellular®, and WHO-HD 13. For more information on the Des Moines Arts Festival visit www.desmoinesartsfestival.org.

International Festivals & Events Association

Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) is The Premiere Association Supporting and Enabling Festival & Event Professionals Worldwide. In partnership with global affiliates under the umbrellas of IFEA A6frica, IFEA Asia, IFEA Australia, IFEA Europe, IFEA Latin America, IFEA Middle East, and IFEA North America the organization's common vision is for A Globally United Industry that Touches Lives in a Positive Way through Celebration," The Association offers the most complete source of ideas, resources, information, education and networking for festival and event professionals worldwide. For a complete list of winners and more information on the IFEA, go to www.ifea.com.

Estes Park CO Fine Arts Guild show Sept 18-10

Posted by Gary Haynes on September 21, 2010 at 11:18pm

This was my second show of substance this year. Here's my experience.

Setup was pretty easy but the parking around the park in the center of town is a challenge. Being new at this it is very much a group effort. Surprised that folks would not simply pull up, get their stuff unloaded and then go park elsewhere so that the next person could do the same. Many pulled in and then setup their booth. Worked much better at teardown on Sunday.

Weather was perfect for the mountains. A bit breezy in the early afternoon and the town doesn't let you drive stakes into the ground so bring weights. As a side note there was show over Labor day that was shut down by the Fire department when winds were in excess of 50MPH. Heard some booths were damaged but everyone at that show helped each other quickly tear down.

The folks that run this did a great job. Usually about every hour or so someone would come by asking if I needed a break. Water was available at the 'office' tent.

Sales, well this was a mixed bag. I am doing canvas wrap prints. I had a moderate Saturday and zeroed on Sunday. Crowds were solid all day Saturday and probably half to 1/3 on Sunday. Impression is that many were tourists (very true) and makes me wonder that large canvas prints are kind of tough to take home :)

In talking with other folks the feeling I got was that sales were off from 2009 by 50-70% for photographers. One glass artist zeroed and other had sales Sunday but nothing on Saturday. A stained glass artist I heard did very well. So it was a mixed bag.

Estes Park is a great venue. Fall is wonderful if the weather works. I'm looking forward to next year and will tweak my product mix.

$449,000 in Prizes - ArtPrize - Grand Rapids, MI

Posted by Connie Mettler on September 21, 2010 at 5:30pm

No art fair me this weekend, September 24-26. I'm heading to Grand Rapids with my friends for the

coolest art event in the Midwest. Can you make it too? You will not be disappointed. The art takes over three square miles in the downtown and everyone comes to enjoy it. I attended last year's inaugural event, one of the highlights of my year.

sculpture from 2009

At least three members of this site are exhibiting: sculptor Jerry Berta, artist Sara Youngman and digital artist John Leben.

The opening is tomorrow night with parties throughout the downtown. I have invitations to three!

Here's the story:

ArtPrize, a radically open, city-wide art competition will take over Grand Rapids, Michigan from September 22 to October 10, 2010.

ArtPrize awards the world's largest cash prize for an art competition: $250,000 for first place, and $449,000 in total prize money. The event exists as a catalyst for a deeper relationship between art and the public. There is no central jury or curator and the prize is awarded by public vote. Artists and venues connect directly with one another through ArtPrize.org. Venues range from professionally curated art institutions and public parks, to businesses and unused spaces.

ArtPrize began in 2009, with 200,000 people debating and voting on over 1,200 works of art. This year promises to be even bigger, with 1,713 entries filling 192 venues throughout downtown Grand Rapids.

Visitors must register to vote in person at the event at one of the Exhibition Center venues, or at ArtPrize headquarters, known as The Hub. Attending the event and registering to vote is FREE.

Voting takes place in two rounds:

Round One: September 22 - September 29. Visitors can vote up or down for as many entries as they'd like.

Round Two: September 30 - October 6. The top ten are announced. Visitors can vote up for only one of the finalists. The winner is announced October 7. All the artwork stays on view through October 10.

There's a lot to see, and a lot to do!

See the ArtPrize Calendar for a full list of events. Here are a few highlights:

Concerts! - Performing are top acts Natasha Bedingfield, David Archuleta, indie-rock band Surfer Blood and other musical acts.

Neighborhood Parties! - The ArtPrize district is divided into five neighborhoods, each with a fantastic party during the first week. You can watch West Side Story on the Westside, challenge an artist to Pictionary on the North end, get inspired and paint a canvas with the whole family, and much, much more.

Lectures! - ArtPrize features a phenomenal lecture series. Speakers include Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, co-director and curator of the Athens Biennale; Paul Ha, director of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis; Jeff Speck, city planner and architectural designer and former director of design at the National Endowment for the Arts, and more.

Are you participating? Let us know so we can find you and vote for you!

Art Westport and Hidden Glenn two Kansas City Shows

Posted by S. Michelle Babcock on September 21, 2010 at 4:33pm

I just finished The Hidden Glenn Art show and the week before Art Westport in Kansas City. Westport started out rough because we left our sides to the tent at home so my husband had to return home to get them. I stated to set up my jewelry cases and then the rain came and was blowing into the tent so instead of setting up I was stacking every thing in the middle to keep things as dry as possible. So that delayed my set up by three hours causing me to be still setting up when the show began. People streamed by looking at my nearly empty jewelry cases and I tried humor while franticly setting things out. I'm sure I lost some sales that night since in the past Friday night has always been a good beginning.

The rest of the show had a good crowd, but sales were way down from the past. The artist next to me has done the show for 30 years and he told me this was the worst he's ever done for this show. We both agreed however, that we've never given out so many cards. It was hot and humid also, but it has been much hotter in the past. As long as I have a fan the heat doesn't bother me and the patrons enjoy the breeze when they step in.

The show is now being run by a group rather then just one person, so they were learning, but I think they made great effort. And for the most part things ran smoothly. Ray W. ran the show in the past by himself and it seemed for the last couple of years it was becoming harder for him to keep up with all the deadlines he had posted. He's done a great job and I glad he pasted on the torch. It's a hard job running a show by ones self and I'm glad he's getting a break.

This last weekend was Hidden Glennis in the Cedar Creek housing development just outside the city. It is an affluent community, but for some hard to find. One woman came into my tent Saturday afternoon and told me that she started out for the show that morning drove around for a couple of hours, couldn't find it, went for lunch and some shopping and then decided to try again.

I give kudos for how the promoters try to take care of us, but there is just not enough people coming to really support the artists. And it was hot, hot and humid. No electricity, no fan. There was a total of 75 artists and in that mix 16 jewelers, that is not good for me. Not good for the other jewelers. Hidden Glenn is a beautiful setting, but just not profitable. It is also right between the weekends of Art Westport and The Plaza Art Fair. So the timing maybe questionable

I'm writing this with a major migraine that I've had for two days caused by the heat from the show. So hopefully this is coming out fairly. I believe it is a fair assessment of both shows.

Backwoods Festival, Thornville, OH 9/17-19/10

Posted by Genmarie Stiber on September 21, 2010 at 2:21pm

Just back from the Backwoods Festival in Thornville, Ohio. Another wonderful weekend at this festival. The weather was absolutely fantastic and that helped tremendously. The attendance was up again this year. The food and entertainment is really good and festival-like.

The promoter Gene & Cathy Lauder really work very hard at keeping exhibitors happy - an almost impossible task at best. They take care of the ground year round as well as everyday during the show. The are true promoters and it shows.

I'll be back next year.

Studio is Open and Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival Draws Near

Posted by Terri Drake on September 21, 2010 at 8:30am

Finally got my studio open and all renovations are completed. Did have one shelving unit in an armoire decide it wasn't going to stay up and that had to be redone. Fabric and such are all put away and now I can take my time organizing it the way I want it to be instead of just unpacking 48 5-gallon tubs! Will be starting to work on some project very soon.Just a reminder to any and all who may be in the Alpena, Michigan area that the 15th Annual Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival will be held on October 7 - 10, 2010 in Alpena, Michigan at the Thunder Bay Recreation Center, 701 Woodward Avenue, Alpena, Michigan. Doors open Friday with admission at $2.50, children 12 and under are free. There will be music - Carl Behrend, The Blue Water Ramblers and Russ Franzen, crafters, authors and artists will be selling their wares. Additionally, there will be live auctions, silent auctions, two concerts, guest speakers, boat trips, helicopter rides and plane rides. Come join the fun.I will be there with a booth AND I am their official photographer this year. Please do come by and say howdy. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to the GLLF to help preserve and restore our an integral part of our nation's history - our lighthouses.

Creative Arts Guild Festival 2010 in Dalton, GA

Posted by Bill Moore on September 20, 2010 at 7:24pm

This past weekend we did the Creative Arts Guild's FESTIVAL for the third year  in a row in Dalton GA.  There were probably forty vendors there and we had good sales. The entrance fee the 2-day outdoor (under cover) show is only $65.00. The sponsors certainly take care of the vendors and we're very much appreciated....breakfast both Saturday and Sunday mornings, soft drinks and snacks all day and booth sitters.  For $25.00 there is also a month-long juried indoor exhibit, in which artists may show up to 3 pieces of art.  The culmination to this is a wonderful catered and well attended dinner Friday night for patron's ($50.00)and those artists (free)who chose to exhibit in the indoor exhibit,in which patrons may purchase the displayed art.  The crowds for the Saturday and Sunday outdoor show aren't big but folks do come spend money!  It's great for us since it's only thirty minutes from home.


Dalton is a small town about 30 minutes south of Chattanooga, TN, on 75 and nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains; it is known as the "Carpet Capital of the World."  I imagine the population to be about 35,000.  That might  currently be disputed since the carpet business has been greatly affected by the housing downturn.  Unemployment is currently just a tad over 10%. I don't know how much the folks (Terry Tomasello and Leanne Lawson) at CAG want it to grow, but it might be worth checking out.  We have a "good thing" and are most appreciative.

Bill Moore

Centerfest in Durham NC

Posted by Gordon Ekback on September 20, 2010 at 9:58am

This was our first time showing here so we talked with several other artists who could give a fair comparison from past events.
Setup..For the most it was a Saturday morning setup. The food vendors came in on Friday night but they did let the artists setup after 9:00pm when the food guys are done. That was a big help. We knew that the weather was going to be in the 90's the next day.
Organization. Flawless! They had "block captains" with radios. So, if you needed anything, you didn't have to wait it was taken care of immediately. They had an army of volunteers to help with information, parking, keeping the area clean, booth sitters and everything you could imagine.
Weather..Hot and Hotter!
Artist parking.. Very close and plenty of it.
Layout.. It is held in a huge parking lot with entertainment at one end and food vendors and a sitting area. We were at the other end so we didn't have to deal with any of that to which I'm very glad. At times the music was loud even for us.
Attendance.. Very light. With the comments from artists who have been there before, they said it was way off from last year. But, there was a Duke home football game and some other events in town that they had to deal with.
Sales..Some did ok, a lot didn't. We zeroed on Saturday but pulled it out with 4 big sales within an hour on Sunday afternoon. We did not see many packages; but, again I'm sure a few did well. The crowd was mixed - young families with children to a lot of college age. There were the visitors for the the ball game. It was an educated group but not a real buying crowd.
Overall, it was our best show this year in sales but I think it was our turn to have a little luck. I will have to think hard about returning next year.
Let me repeat one thing... the staff for the show was the best! They knew what they were doing.

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Note: this page contains paid content.