Question about art fairs
Daryl Hunter
exhibiting in art fairs? I've been to a number of them as a viewer/purchaser
and am wondering how I would go about exhibiting in one? I have many years
experience managing trade show participation for my company, but art fairs
seem to be a bit different in some respects.
I have an awful lot of questions but rather than taking up major bandwidth,
perhaps someone would be able to talk with me directly via email. Or if the
group would prefer, I could toss out my questions for a round table
discussion.
Please remove the "x" to reply.
Keith Clark
are.
Keith
CHIP5FALL
with photography). You get in by applying before the deadline however you are
supposed to apply for a specific fair--usually with an application form, a
certain mix of required photos for jurying, and an application fee. The
variations on this theme are endless.
Just a couple of ways of starting into what is involved would be the lists of
arts and crafts fairs on Yahoo or the Sunshine Artist web site. Some fairs are
even putting applications on their web sites. Another thing to do is visit as
many fairs as you can to see which ones might be worth a try. Most of all,
artists and crafters doing fairs talk endlessly with one another about various
shows, promoters, business methods, dollar potential of various fairs,
attendance at fairs, displays, scheduling, and so forth. Do you know any show
people?
Carl May
Daryl Hunter
>Let's keep this public. I think a lot of people are wondering the same thing
> you
>are.
>
OK. Here goes.....
1) At all of the shows I've attended, the booths are so much the same that
I've thought the show sponsor provided them. 10 x 10 white, flaps in front &
back, skylight in ceiling, etc. Where do you buy them? How much? Where can
you find used ones? I'm more used to booths like you would see at Comdex
(computer show) or Seybold and none of my vendors stock the arts & crafts type
booths.
2) I don't have experience with "selling" shows. All the ones I've done have
been more informational rather than trading dollars for products. I would
assume that you figure out your pricing based on what everyone else at the
show is charging for similar work. Would that be correct? I'll bet it would
be severely frowned on if someone tried to undercut everyone else at a show.
3) Do most photographers who do the show circuit make a decent living solely
from shows or is that usually only one part of their entire marketing program?
Would it be possible to earn an adequate living that way or would it
basically just cover your travel expenses? Assuming of course some degree of
photographic competence, but certainly not up to the Art Wolf level.
4) Some of you probably have gone the art fair route and have gone on to other
things. Could you comment on your experiences both pro and con?
5) I've noticed that it may not be possible to make financial generalizations
broad enough to cover all types of photography. Some photographers exhibit
work that may be very good but doesn't have a very broad appeal, so they might
have a rough go of it at art fairs. But what about within the more popular
genre of realistic landscapes and wildlife?
Thats all I can think of right now.........more to come later, maybe.
Daryl
Remove the "x" to reply
Two23
at the
show is charging for similar work. Would that be correct? >>
even for the day, including their time. One said these were the prices charged
in his studio, and he didn't want to undercut himself.
<<Do most photographers who do the show circuit make a decent living solely
from shows or is that usually only one part of their entire marketing program?
>>
While it is possible to make four or five thousand (gross) in a day at the
better shows, remember how few days you work! Jim Brandenburg rents booths at
the better shows in my area (his hometown), but obviously doesn't rely on these
sales for much income as he hires people to do the show for him. He charges
the same as his gallery nearby.
<<Would it be possible to earn an adequate living that way or would it
basically just cover your travel expenses?>>
From the people I've talked, this is highly doubtful. It can pay for your
camera gear etc. These shows only go for part of a week, and generally only in
the Summer at that! It's not a deal for someone with small kids.
<<But what about within the more popular
genre of realistic landscapes and wildlife?>>
From what I've observed & heard, these are more difficult to make any money
selling. There are SO many people doing this! Look at it this way: about 95%
of all photo's people pay for (their own at Walmart, pro portraits,) have
people in them. People like to buy photo's with people or their things in
them. The photographers doing the best business at the fairs I attend were
selling shots of either people, or nostalgia. Nostalgia photo's were typically
those of old tractors, lighthouses, old gas stations, etc. Lawyers,
pharmacists, etc. are good customers for photo's of old law offices,
drugstores, etc.
With only one exception, color ALWAYS outsells black & white. The one
exception I saw was a guy from KS who had some excellent B&W photo's of country
churches, wash hanging on a line, farmhouses, etc. He had handcolored certain
elements of these photo's, so they had an old timey look. They were really
good; he sold out $8,000 worth in one day. This points out something
else--what sells at art shows seems almost idiosyncratic. Certain things seem
to click and get sold. Next year, the same thing goes cold.
I've been interested in trying one of the bigger shows, and have done my
homework. I know what type of stuff is likely to sell in my area and have
plenty of those kinds of photo's. I know where to have quality prints made at
a good price, and where to have some custom mattes made. There are places I
could rent the tent, or maybe split costs with another vendor I've met at
previous shows (nonphoto.) I am a salesrep and completely understand marketing
and how to sell (marketing is more important than the actual photo's, I think.)
I've decided to put the whole idea on hold though, as it is a LOT of work, and
I would just as likely end up with a garage full of unsold matted photo's. To
come near breaking even, I would have to do many shows over the summer, and I
would rather spend the time with my family.
Kent in SD
CHIP5FALL
distributors. 10X10 is a standard space size in many shows, so many canopies
are that; but there are others. Get a white one if you buy--some shows don't
allow colors. One quick place to see them advertised is Sunshine Artist
Magazine. In the West, the Crafts Fair Guide is another place with some ads,
but not nearly as many. Haven't tried, but you might look for web sites for
some of the manufacturers like EZ Up and Light Dome. (I'm doing this off the
top of my head at work--I could get more specifics if you need them.) Yes you
can rent, though they can be beat up and dirty in my experience--artists who
fly to shows sometimes do this. Suppliers for outdoor parties and events are
usually the place to go for rentals.
2) Pricing. There is no formula for shows, but I can guarantee you serious
artists don't price for breakeven. There are a number of ways of looking at
show profitability, but a simple one is that at the end of the show, the fee
you pay to the promoter (flat fee for space or fee plus commission) should come
to *no more* than 10-20 percent of your gross for the show. Most artists
include the expenses associated with doing a particular show--mileage, food,
lodging, etc.--and try to have the total add up to *no more* than 15-25
percent. (The percentages will vary according to expectations and needs of a
particular artist.)
Having people walk by and say nice things about your photos without buying
means nothing. You can get a feel for framed and unframed (but matted) prices
by going to the booths of comparable kinds of photos by experienced exhibitors
at shows. Once in the show game, it is like any other business: you raise
prices when things sell too quickly and lower them for slow sellers. You will
notice that many photographers have different prices for different images of
the same size and materials, though others have prices strictly by size and
clear out the slow sellers in bins of specials.
3) Income potential. Some do, but very few photographers make a living solely
from shows. One certainly should not plan to pay all bills from a full-time
effort right from the start. It takes time to get established in the show
routine. You won't get into all, or even very many, of the best shows you apply
to at first--there are only so many slots in a combined show for photographers
and an overabundance of applications for the best shows. In many good shows
returnees get preference or invitations, so a new photographer is trying for
very few openings in the bigger-selling art fairs. It ain't just photographic
competence that sells--it's knowing what sells at art fairs for walls in homes
and businesses.
4) Experience. As some of the above answers indicate, you pay your dues. Even
some of the most established fair photographers do it on a part-time basis,
working maybe a dozen of the best fairs each year, because of the chance
involved, because of the intrusion of the fair routine into all aspects of
life, and because there are other ways to sell that provide a mix with a more
balanced and secure income. Unless you are spectacular and truly different from
anything around, I'd strongly advise against jumping into art fairs full time.
After five full seasons, my sweetheart is going to be able to cut back on the
number of shows next year because she is now set in some better-paying shows.
We'll go from 26-27 down to 20-22. The show days, themselves, are tiring, and
most full-time show artists look forward to being able to cut back while
maintaining income.
5) Type of photos. Landscapes and wildlife are two of the most common
categories of photos at shows. This means lots of competition trying to get
into shows as promoters try to maintain variety. Also lots of competition
within bigger shows. In addition to general art fairs, there are a few shows
for wildlife art where some photographers have success. Color dominates over
b/w, perhaps 10 to 1, but there are a few successful b/w photographers.
Carl May
Lisa Horton
>
> Lets say someone would gross $3000 at a show (10 large photos @ $300 ea,
> including frame, glass, mat).
I've been kind of studying the photographers at the shows I've been to
in the last year or two. I look at what they're showing, how they have
it packaged, and the relative price of their various options. And most
of all, what people are buying.
What I see selling the most are mounted and matted prints in the 5x7 to
8x10/12 range, followed next by the same thing in 11x14 size. The
people who seem to sell the most price the 5x7's in an 8x10 mat for at
just under $20 and the 8x10's for about $30. These are the booths where
I see customer after customer with one or more prints clutched in their
hands waving 20's. Even at the more upscale fairs this same pattern
seems to hold.
Lisa
Daryl Hunter
>1) Canopies. There are a number of manufacturers, and some have a number of
>distributors. 10X10 is a standard space size in many shows, so many canopies
>are that; but there are others.
Thank you Carl, your post was tremendously helpful. After doing the math, I'm
not too sure why anyone exhibits at shows unless they just do it for fun.
Lets say someone would gross $3000 at a show (10 large photos @ $300 ea,
including frame, glass, mat). Back out 15% for "the fee you pay the
promoter", another 15% for travel, hotels, food and you're down to $2100.
Then take out the cost of the frames, glass, mats, photos themselves (or paper
& chemistry if you print your own). Then you also have to figure some kind of
depreciation percentage on your equipment and your booth or else you won't be
able to afford to replace it when you need to. Then you pull out perhape 25%
to pay Uncle Sam and depending on where you live, another 5 - 10% to pay his
state buddies. There's not a whole lot left at this point and that's assuming
you gross $3000. I'll bet lots of photographers don't gross that much from a
show. So it sounds to me like the only reason to do shows would be if you
happen to like the environment, or think they're fun, or some such. Am I
being too cynical?
Daryl
CHIP5FALL
show. So it sounds to me like the only reason to do shows would be if you
happen to like the environment, or think they're fun, or some such. Am I
being too cynical?"
Daryl,
You are being more realistic than most in considering all the factors involved.
My opinion is that this is good--that you are being businesslike in your
approach.
Look at the things you mention, and you will see several obvious points of
attack for street artists. The 15% for food, lodging, etc., is one. In
populated areas with lots of shows, such as the S.F. Bay Area, one can drive to
and from many shows each day. Once you are in with the show crowd, you get
offers to stay with locals when you are out of town, and you reciprocate when
they are in your area. Many artists sleep in vans or RV's. Many cook at least
some of their meals on their own and bring their lunches and beverages to
shows.
With materials, you can standardize sizes, frame styles, mat color, etc., to
buy in larger quantities and shop sales when they come up. Outside printing can
be done in larger quantities if you go that route. Economies of scale.
A few days at a few of the nicer shows for whatever your lifestyle is can be
"fun," but shows are work for the most part. Long days in many kinds of
weather.
If it was not possible to make a go of it, no photographers would be doing it
over many years. But some do. Some even figure out how to do it part-time,
working maybe 10 shows per year in addition to other sources of income. I'd
advise the analytical track you are on, figuring out the capital needed to
start and keep going for a couple of years under various scenarios. And check
out as many shows, promoters, and fellow artists as you can before getting wet.
The self-supporting, full-time show people (of all kinds) I know here in CA are
largely in the $20-$35K per year area in net income. Only part-timers could
continue on less. Some few photographers do much better, but I don't know their
figures.
Carl May
CHIP5FALL
8x10/12 range, followed next by the same thing in 11x14 size. The
people who seem to sell the most price the 5x7's in an 8x10 mat for at
just under $20 and the 8x10's for about $30. These are the booths where
I see customer after customer with one or more prints clutched in their
hands waving 20's. Even at the more upscale fairs this same pattern
seems to hold."
Lisa,
I'd have to agree with you. Though an occasional show works out otherwise, it's
almost a given at public street fairs that "lower end" brings in more than
"higher end." Several successful photographers at the shows we do even have a
rack or two of greeting cards with small prints mounted on them in their booths
when the rules allow such a thing. During the last half of the year, a lot of
gift buying goes on at the fairs, and people give far more smaller gifts than
larger ones.
Carl May
Two23
just under $20 and the 8x10's for about $30. These are the booths where I see
customer after customer with one or more prints clutched in their hands waving
20's.>>
A couple of years ago I took a couple of dozen of my misc. rural photo's
with me to the largest art fair in the region to show a photographer I'd met
the previous year and see if he thought they might sell. He thought some of
them would sell very well (the nostalgic ones,) and others probably would go
slow (wildlife) despite being pretty good. I thanked him and repaid him for
his time by giving him a few location tips for neat old barns and schoolhouses.
Last year I saw him again, and I noticed he was selling a few photo's very
very similar to the ones I had shown him. He had a series of photo's of
abandoned farmyard outhouses that were deadringers for mine, and they were
being snapped up three and four at a time in the framed 5x7 size. The buyers
were all women who were going to hang them in their bathrooms. He was glad to
see me, and started pumping me for more ideas. Unfortunately for him, the well
had just gone dry.
Kent in SD