If you’ve been considering diving into the world of art festivals, here’s some background on what you can expect based on personal experience. Be warned, this is not an easy path.
I remember my first art festival. It is in my hometown. I applied and got accepted a few months in advance, which is the norm, and suddenly realized that I needed a lot of things to happen pretty quickly to show my work there. I needed a roof, walls to display my work, more prints, and a way to get it all down to the park on festival day.
Canopy I picked up on Craigslist. It’s a bit older and heavier than the newer models but should work fine for the next few years. The display walls are another matter. I quickly discovered that the beauties I had seen in other stores were quite expensive to buy, so I started making my own out of wood and indoor-outdoor rugs from Home Depot. They don’t look half bad in the end.
On set-up day, I borrowed a trailer from a friend to take my pavilion roof and wall down to the park. It wasn’t a sealed trailer, thankfully, the Colorado sun was shining through, and I wasn’t concerned about the rain. All my art is piled up in the back of my car.
Looking back, there were so many things that I did differently now. The canopy works well but is difficult to install, and my work is a collection of different things that I have printed and shown in galleries and cafes over the years with a few pieces. newly added. But I learned a lot and by my standards at the time, sold quite a bit. My work was worth about $1,500, certainly more than I had earned in any art gallery or coffee shop up to that point.
I went and ran, or so I thought. So, having invested money and effort to get the necessary ingredients together, and made some money to boot, I thought to myself why not do some more shows this season. that summer. I haven’t applied to any others up until that point, so I had to quickly find a few others I could put myself in. This is where I learned my first big lesson.
Not all festivals are created equal
The next show is a real return to earth moment. It’s in an affluent community nearby, and I thought it would make the perfect market. Sadly, it was a hot July weekend, and the show was held in a paved parking lot with temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, and on top of that, there were no customers around. . I think I might have sold an enamelware and a card all weekend.
I have learned from experience that most of the better art festivals have a registration and acceptance process months in advance. The performances I was able to get into at the last minute were probably not all great. Of course there are exceptions, such as last-minute cancellations. I also know of an advertiser who kept the registration process open until close to the start date. But for the most part, you have to plan in the spring to apply for the summer.
The only real positive that came out of that gig was meeting other artists who sold their work that way, one of whom became a friend I could rely on for advice. advice on art festivals in general.
To build a relationship
That’s another lesson I learned from that first summer. Building relationships and connections with other artists has helped me find better shows to do, receive opinions and feedback on my work and display, and make my life more enjoyable. My journey became a lot more interesting. They also provided valuable input on what to do and what to avoid. And at the worst shows, they gave me someone to talk to when there were no customers around.
My friend from that second gig helped me know that there are some promoters that he avoids. Just because the festival isn’t a good venue doesn’t mean it’s well organized or doing a good job of advertising. He also avoids performances during their first year or without a steady track record. Even though he works in a different medium, his advice remains invaluable.
Ready to start small
I think one thing I could have done differently is that I started over and started with smaller shows, like a one-day farmers market, etc. I did a few shows. small to start with, but I’ve also jumped into some larger shows that might have been a bit out of my reach to begin with.
Over time, my work and monitors continue to get better and more refined, and as such, I have seen my average sales increase and become more stable, although the next point is something I always have to keep in mind.
No guarantee
It can be frustrating when the people around you are selling their work and you are not. But I find that sometimes I have to remember, it’s not my day or my weekend. I can go to a show in a great place and I’ve done well in the past and still have a good day or weekend. If I do enough gigs during the summer, on average they all work out. And scammers are averaged with unexpected hits. It is quite similar to gambling in a way. You spend your money on space and take your chances. There’s no guarantee someone will stop by and buy your stuff.
There will be a lot of competition
One thing I quickly discovered was that the world of art festivals can be competitive. Larger programs can be difficult to get into. And even if you do, there might be another photographer across from you or down the aisle a booth filled with huge, beautiful paintings. I’ve learned not to let that bother me too much. I try to keep the attitude that if my work is different enough, I will find my client. But it’s been a constant challenge to make my work the best it can be and to develop my style.
Your luck can change in an instant
I don’t know how many times it happened. I’ll be sitting there mid-afternoon on a day or weekend where I haven’t done very well. Just when I got frustrated and started thinking that I would just have to lick my own wounds after this stage and move on to the next show, someone defied it and made a big purchase, and all day or all. the set of shows is filmed around. You just never know.
So there you have it, some of my experiences and observations from the last decade selling my work at art shows. If this is what you’re thinking, I wish you the best of luck in the world. And maybe I’ll see you out there.
