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• Work must be original and completely created by artist
• Each artist must apply individually
• Work must be in medium & style accepted
• Work must be in proportion to photos.
  

Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute

Returns to South Florida

A series of full-day sessions to be offered on four Saturdays,

starting June 5, 2010 at ArtServe Inc., 1350 East Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Broward Cultural Division, The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC) and ArtServe, Inc. announce The Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute (AEI) for South Florida artists to be presented on four Saturdays in June 2010 at ArtServe, Inc., 1350 East Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale.

The AEI is an artist-focused course of study designed to assist individual artists of all disciplines (visual arts, musicians, writers, media arts, theater, performing arts) by cultivating and advancing their business skills, and is designed at strengthening their operating infrastructure and expanding their businesses. To date, 190 South Florida artists have graduated from the Institute. AEI will be offered as 18 classes convening during full-day sessions (9:00 am – 6:00 pm) on June 5, 12 & 19, and a Business Plan Clinic and Workshop on June 26, 2010 (9:00 am – 2:00 pm).

Registrants will receive an AEI course book, an indispensable resource for artists. Developed by CPAC, the course book features exercises and readings to prepare for each session, and is tailored to the specific needs of artist entrepreneurs.

The Business Plan Clinic guides participants through preparation of a simple business plan, an essential tool. In addition, participants will learn how to work effectively with lenders to obtain financial support through the Artist Micro Credit Program, a community-based revolving loan program, designed to assist resident Broward County practicing professional and emerging artists.

Designed to help artists operate in the marketplace more successfully, the AEI course curriculum covers all aspects of developing an artistic business. It helps artists identify and develop their personal brand, develop strategies for communicating with target markets, raise capital and identify a variety of tools for protecting one’s work legally. AEI is led by a premier faculty composed of leading business practitioners and artists familiar with arts and culture from the South Florida region. Faculty members instruct artists through a series of lectures, panels and discussions.

“Art works….Artists are entrepreneurs, small business owners all, great placemakers and community builders. Bring artists into the center of town and that town changes profoundly. We know now that people do not migrate to businesses, it is the other way around. Businesses look for a skilled, motivated, educated workforce, and will move to where that is. And what does that workforce look for? In survey after survey, the answer is education and culture…” Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landesman.

Participation costs $100 and includes light refreshments and free parking.

Register online at www.broward.org/arts and click on ‘Workshops’ or contact Broward Cultural Division’s Grants Administrator James Shermer at 954-357-7502; E-mail: jshermer@broward.org.

I am sure those of you reading this are either a Gen X or Y or knowsomeone who is through family relation, friends or workingrelationships. Most don't understand Gen X and Y's or have a hardtime relating to them. There is no denying though, they are a forceto be reckoned with when it comes to shopping. I have been reading agreat book called Gen Y Buy and it is a most fascinating read. Ifyou are curious about what direction today's society is heading,especially when it comes to retail and shopping, do check out thebook. This leads to Question 15 and want to touch on it because GenX and Y's do have a huge influence on how art fairs are run and howwe can learn from them when it comes to managing our own artbusinesses.

Question 15 – How have Gen X and Y's affect how people shop at art fairs?(How can we capture their attention too?)

Instead of going into depth about the “nature and behavior” of Gen X andY's, as I am a Gen X myself, I am going to highlight some key pointsthat I feel best answers Question 15.

1. Full Steam Ahead. We can thank the today's generation for pushingartists to create new pieces of art. With Gen X and Y's drive forseeking new and improved stuff, this carries over to their parentsand even grandparents especially when it comes to technology, homeimprovement, and decorating one's apartment or home, or evenvacation home. It isn't enough to offer one size 2D art, but postcards, note cards, even coffee table books are just one of ahundreds of examples that can be attributed to today's youngergeneration need for variety.

2. Credit Cards. If it weren't for credit cards our sales at art fairsconsiderably lower than what they are today. It is not the norm anymore to carry cash with a few exceptions. When it comes to artfairs, it is now more important that ever to accept credit cardsbecause show patrons expect it. The benefits of bringing in moresales far outweighs the minimal monthly fees or possibility ofrunning into a declined card.

3. Computers and The World Wide Web. Computers are here to stay and since theybecame mainstream, it has opened many doors for artists. Someexamples range from digital art mediums, email – an instant formof communication, social networks to keep in touch with customers orpromote ourselves at upcoming art shows, software for trackingsales, access to better raw material suppliers, to the NEW businesscard – personal art business websites. The value computers haveis immeasurable and if you don't agree, try living without one for24 hours, on a work day.

4. Word of Mouth. Granted word of mouth advertising is nothing new.However, Gen X's and Y's have taken it to an all new level. All ittakes is one Gen Yer to fall in love with something that they haveto take a photo of it and show their friends or blog about it.Within minutes that thing the Gen Y loves is now apart of a viralword of mouth advertising campaign to her friends and family. Themore art fairs and artists harness this power of free advertisingthrough social networks and other word of mouth advertising, theeasier it is to attract new customers and art fair patrons.

5. Developing Personal Relationships. There is a strong desire for those whoappreciate art, with the help of Gen X and Ys, to want to learneverything they can about art. Due to art funding in schools havingbeen cut and combining that the desire of being connected topeople, there is more of a push for artists to be more willing toeducated and entertain show patrons. Don't confuse this withcarnival type of entertainment. What I am merely saying is thepressure is now on for artists to shine revealing theirhumble/personal side, through humor or through demonstrations, aswell as uncovering the veil of what it is like to be an artist. Theone on one experience can be long lasting and turn a looker into abuyer once they learn more about you, and vice versa, and your art.

6. Charity and Causes. Charities such as breast cancer awareness, HurricaneKatrina Relief organizations and the local Humane Society are alwayslooking for donations and volunteers. Helping those who seekassistance makes us feel good about ourselves, and this plays a bigpart in building Gen X and Y's self esteem, often being the drivingforce behind these organizations. Their desire spills onto theirfriends and family members trickling into the art fair world. Thishas crept into art fairs because patrons are more likely to attend ashow knowing if there is a discount off admission if a personbrings in canned goods to support a food drive, for example. Someartists are even support their own choice of charitable organizationby donating part of their sales to that organization. This is a winwin for everyone.

I can go on and on about this topic, but to keep these blog posts “quick”I don't have all day. While there are issues artists have when itcomes to hiring Gen X and Ys and how to make items that appeal moreto them, I am hoping towards the end of this blog series I can tacklethis questions. If any of this interests you there is moreinformation in books, magazines, and other resources. Did I missanything you think is worth sharing – let us know and use thecomment button. Next I will be review the past 15 questions and thentackle the question, what does it mean when a customers says “___”? Have a great weekend !

- Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com. Check out my craft business' website –www.bythebaybotanicals.com.

June 5 & 6
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM
Sunday 11 AM - 6 PM
Application deadline: April 9

New Bigger Location + New Date!

• an opening reception, wine/beer tent
• hands-on art activities for kids
• high quality entertainment
• food from some of our wonderful area restaurants.

Come join us for the premier year of the NEW Art on the Grand, located right on Grand River Avenue in downtown Farmington. We are known as the artist-friendly fair, where you are treated with respect. Despite economic woes, this great fair has experienced an overwhelmingly positive response from
participating artists, visitors and the City government. One of our
artists who has returned every year, told us 2009 was his best year for sales, even though it took place during the Ann Arbor Art Fair. And...our new date will eliminate that major competition!

Farmington is a beautiful town located in the richest county in Michigan (Oakland) surrounded by the larger City of Farmington Hills. This art fair is for you: with one of the nation's highest SEV's, Farmington and Farmington
Hills vigorously support the arts, and welcome you to our community.

The committee does everything they can to treat you right:

The committee says, "the artists have told us how much they enjoy this fair, as opposed to a massive, impersonal fair setting, where they get lost in the crowd of exhibitors. They love the special attention they receive both from us and the crowd that attends, calling this a
"gem of an art fair".

Art on the Grand is a juried show, accepting applications in any artistic medium, provided it is

At stake is a $500 "Best of Show" prize, as well as two honorary Mayor's Choice awards from the mayors of Farmington Hills and Farmington, plus, of course, whatever sales you make! Cost for a 11 X 11 booth is only $250.

• Move in is in 3 sessions to clear the way for vehicles. Parking isn't too far away.
• Artists are given sales books which you must use. Receipts for the art are collected at the gate. These receipts are reconciled later on.
• At the end of the show, you must reconcile sales with the organizer and pay 10% commission on your sales. You know this going in, so it's not a surprise. You cannot exit the grounds without an exit pass from the organizer after you've paid your bill.
• It helps to have 2 people - one to get the car while you pack the booth, and one to pay the bill while finishing up the packing. We were out the door in an hour and a half... not bad.

Just got back from the Chincoteague Island Decoy and Wildlife Art Show. The show is held every year on the Friday and Saturday before Easter. This year had a great selection of Artists, and the crowds were pretty good, too. It was a nice weekend to visit the Island, with warm weather and good sunshine. Chincoteague has a lot of “summer” cottages owned by people in the Mid-Atlantic area, and they all come to the Island on nice weekend. It’s also a popular vacation spot, and day trip destination. This all helps bring people into the show. A lot of them are repeat visitors, looking forward to the show every year.

The variety of Artists was good, with a mix of local talent and out of town talent, and also a good mix of decoy carvers and 2-D artists. Some of the carvers were really great. One specialized in hummingbirds, with a carved flower and the hummingbird beak in the flower. Nothing was holding the bird up except the finely carved beak! There was not an over abundance of jewelers, and the one’s there were all a little different.

The show is held in the Chincoteague Island “Combined” School cafeteria and gymnasium, and is put on by the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce. Friday is from 12 to 6PM, and Saturday is 9AM to 5PM, with an auction at 7:30PM. I didn’t make it back for the auction as I was trying to get a good sunset shot, but I understand the picture I donated of a wild pony went for a lot more that I’d have sold it for in my booth! For those not familiar with Chincoteague Island, it’s a old fishing village on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and adjacent to the Assateague Island National Seashore Park.

For me the sales were not that great. Saturday was OK, but I sold very little on Friday. There were also too many Photographers and they all specialized in wildlife. It wouldn’t have been too many Photogs, if we all had different specialties. My personal opinion, also, is that the show should be one day only, with longer hours (until after the auction). The out of town folks have to spend an extra night in a motel with very low sales on Friday.

The new site not only continues the separation of the art from the food and stages that we instituted a few years ago, it also places it in a downtown full of unique stores, popular restaurants and theatres, a favorite destination for young professionals, families and residents
of the nearby cities of Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Troy and Huntington Woods.

Our promotion is considered among the best of art festivals nationwide. You cannot be in the metropolitan Detroit area on Labor Day weekend without seeing specials about the arts activities on television, hearing artists' interviews on numerous radio stations and seeing comprehensive feature articles in the press, directed solely to the juried fine arts show.

300,000 peopleprojected over the 4-day weekend, based on last year's attendance, promotional media, event programming, reasonably good weather, and our wonderful new
site in downtown Royal Oak.

Artist Amenities:

• Onsite and overnight security provided
• Vehicle unloading and loading at booth
• Individual artist electricity (included in booth fee)
• $7500 in artist awards

Have you ever wondered what customers want when it comes to customerservice? Of course! Aside from the many questions artists have onthis subject, one of the most asked is “is it something I said ordid that prevented someone from buying from me?” I have somethoughts on this topic.

Question 14 What kind of service do customers want?

1. Respect. Customers want to be treated with respect like a friend or familymember. Respect can easily be achieved through welcoming customerswarmly or recognizing them as a repeat customer and always lettingthem know you are available if they have any questions.

2. Trust. Patrons don't want to feel like a criminal, they want to betrusted. Letting customers know you trust them – “Sure, Iaccept checks” or “Feel free to try this on, I trust you.”goes a long way. The worst thing a craft artist can do is hover,guard your booth like a gargoyle, or follow a person around thebooth pushing them into purchasing something.

3. Be left alone. If you polled anyone what kind of customer service theylike, they'll most likely say – just leave me alone so I can shop.I say this each time I go into a shop at a mall. Before I put onefoot in the store I get accosted by 2-3 clerks asking, “Can I helpyou find something?” I recommend quick greeting those who walkinto your booth, and go about doing some simple chores letting themknow you are available to answer any questions when they are ready.This shows customers you trust them by giving him/her the power tocontrol the sale. This is very pleasing, don't you think? Also,don't interrupt customers while they are shopping they don't careand is a turn off to most. Only when a customer asks you a questionabout an item you make/sell, then is the time to win them overmentioning interesting facts about your work or testimonials (I justsold that very piece to a gal who loves the color blue too, let meshow you some other blue pieces I have over here...).

4. Don't ignore me. A big turn off customers have is being ignored. Far toooften at shows I see craft artists chat with their neighbors orco-worker, chat on their cellphone, or take too much time talking toone customer and ignoring those who very well might be ready topurchase something. This is rude. A solution might includeinterrupting the current conversation (say “hold that thought –let me assist a customer and I'll be right back) or simply makingeye contact with those who come in your booth to show you see themand will be right with them.

5. Be friendly. Customers are less likely to ask for help or buy from youopenly are having a bad day. Customers rarely buy from craft artistsif they over hear you complaining about a shows attendance or badsales as well as exhibiting negative body language (for instancesitting during, reading, or frowning or looking as though you areagitated say by a customer who rustled your feathers or whatever).One thing I learned back in my drama club days is “act” like youare having a good day even if you really aren't. Be kind and politeas well as jovial and enthusiastic about your work and being at theshow. People who are passionate about their work creates a positiveshopping environment which attracts even more customers.

Hopefully this helps to identify what customers want regarding customer serviceand how to achieve these results. Do you have a suggestion orexperience you want to share regarding this topic, do tell by using the comment button. Our next question will cover how GenX and Yr's affect how people shop especially at art and craft shows –this will be a fun topic! Happy Easter everyone!

Michelle, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com

I have been juried into Manayunk or Corn Hill Art Festivals? I am wondering if I should do them after hearing from one artist that they are not that great. This will be my first year going up north. I will be up there for several shows in a row. I also applied to SoNo and Mystic Art Festivals. My medium is abstract nature photography. Any thoughts on these shows would be great.

Brett Miley