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TAKING THAT FIRST STEP –
DOING ART SHOWS
By Christy Nicholas
Aka Green Dragon,
Artist
www.greendragonartist.com
So, you are an artist. You
have some stuff on consignment at a couple local shops, you have a website,
and perhaps you have even had a private showing at a friend’s house. But what if you want to get into that
crazy world of Art Shows?
Scared? Of course you
are. It’s a big step – and a complex
one. There are many things to
consider first, and many preparations to make. I’m here to help defray your anxiety – at
least a bit.
I’m not an expert, but I have been doing shows since 2004, and
have learned a lot by trial. I’ve
also gotten some wonderful help and advice from older, more experienced
artists, as well as from several magazines such as Sunshine Artist and
Where The Shows Are.
It takes a lot of hard work to do art shows – don’t let anyone
ever tell you otherwise. Besides all
the preparation and costs before you do the first show, there is the
back-breaking labor of setting up, tearing down, keeping up with stock
demands, advertising, schmoozing, keeping records, doing taxes – oh, and
making art. Almost forgot about that
part!
I’ll break this article into three parts. The first part is preparing for the show;
what to buy, what stock to have, etc.
The second part will concentrate on the show itself – setting up,
selling, breaking down. The third
part is the tedious stuff – the record keeping, paperwork, etc. Each part is, of course, essential to
success. However, you will not be
successful if you don’t enjoy the process.
PART I – PREPARING FOR THE
FIRST SHOW
Where to begin? Well, let’s start by figuring out how you want
to display your art, as that will dictate a lot of the rest.
TENT: In order to do art shows, you must have a
tent. Many shows require it to be a
white tent (unless you are going to do renaissance festivals), and the
stronger the better. However, most
of us start out simple, and get an EZup tent, hoping to upgrade to a
Flourish or Craft Hut later. This is
fine – as long as you take certain precautions on your EZup. The reason they are cheap ($200 or less)
is because they are not strong, and can blow away in 15mph winds. But not many artists just starting out
can afford a $700 investment in a Craft Hut, plus the Propanels to go with
it.
If you do buy an EZup, try to get one of the sturdier
models. I purchased an Encore II at
Sam’s Club in 2004 for $130, and it included four zippered/Velcro
walls. It’s done well by me, though
the roof is starting to droop a little.
I got concrete weights to put on each leg, and weigh down the tent
by attaching everything to the frame.
Eventually I will upgrade, but since I often set up alone, EZup is a
useful and practical option for me.
DISPLAY
WALLS: If you sell 2D art,
such as paintings or photographs, you will want walls for your tent to hang
them on. If you sell 3D art, such as
pottery or jewelry, you will want tables, stands, or other display
items. I sell both 2D and 3D, so I
have both to worry about!
I started out with gridwalls, which you can buy at display
stores, and cost around $20 a piece (plus shipping!). Gridwalls are sturdy, but heavy, and
aren’t as professional looking as Propanels… but they won’t break the bank
either, and can weigh down that tent nicely, especially after hanging
framed prints on them. I still have
some gridwalls, but I have lighter aluminum ones with thinner metal grids. For the sides of my tent, I have
graduated to mesh walls, which are a wonderful mid-range option. These are walls made of strong mesh, easy
to hang on your tent (they attach to the frame) and have a stabilization
bar at the bottom. They are easily transported
as they fold in half and roll up.
They are expensive though - $600 for three of them, retail. Check artist groups online, as many
people upgrade to Propanels and sell off their old mesh panels at a
discount. That’s how I got mine – 2
walls for $150 including shipping.
TABLES: If you have 3D art, or browsing bins for
your 2D art, you may want tables. I
love the plastic durable folding tables you can get at Sam’s or Costco – they
are virtually indestructible, and MUCH lighter than those wooden
monstrosities. However, you will
want matching table cloths for your display – trust me, it looks so much
more professional, with the fabric coming to the ground and hiding all
those storage boxes.
DÉCOR: Yes, décor. An art booth at an art show is competing
with 200 other artists, and you want the patrons to be welcomed into your
booth, and enjoy their stay. Better
yet, remember their stay and come back when they are ready to purchase. If it is memorable (in a good way!) then
you have an advantage. This can be
achieved in a color scheme (my booth is all green and white), a theme (one
lady had everything like a desert bazaar), or just simple and elegant. One lady had her jewelry all displayed on
the necks of glass vases, with black and white stones in all the
vases. One man had his nautical
themed paintings on walls decorated with fake coral and fishing nets.
Be creative in this, but it must look nice, professional, and
not distracting. Try to stay away
from colored ceilings or tent tops – it will distort your work in something
other than white light.
SETUP: Now that you have a tent, display
furniture and a décor, how to set things up? I would suggest having things at several
‘viewpoints’, i.e., something at eye level, something at table level, and
something in between. This will make
the best use of the limited space available. Finding a good solution to this has as
many results as there are artists. I
use collapsible wire mesh boxes (got them at Bed Bath and Beyond) that can
be constructed on site, deconstructed afterwards, and carried in one small
bag in the meantime. They not only
give me a second level on my tables, but offer sheltered cube for displays
that are easily blown down by wind.
Some folks simply use carrying boxes covered in attractive (and
matching!) cloths, while other build shelves for each show. Remember that a display should have
several features – be useful, attractive, easy to set up, and easily transported. It is even better if it doubles as a
carrying container, so there is no wasted space in your van.
If you have items hanging on the walls, you will want them to
look nice. Similar color and size
frames put together helps, as does a straight line of images across. While some artists are good at making
attractive ‘clumps’ of paintings, it often comes off as just jumbled
together. Use your judgment, and ask
opinions of others – sometimes you are too close to the project by this
time.
INVENTORY: OK, now what do we put IN this wonderful,
lovely looking setup? Well, I have
noticed that putting one spectacular piece out front – I use a beaded shirt
I made – brings people to the tent in droves. What brings them all the way in is
another spectacular piece at the back center of the tent. In between is the affordable stuff, the
items they actually purchase. I
usually have one each of my matted prints, though I bring 3-4 of my best
sellers, and replenish when they sell.
If people are flipping through bins, and see lots of repeats, they
usually stop flipping. If they
realize there is only one of each image, they often want to see each
one. You may want to consider
whether you will frame/unframe on request at the show, and bring equipment
accordingly. I am often asked to
remat my prints with a different color mat – easily done if I have another
piece with the desired mat, I just switch them out. Some shows have rules against framing or
building stuff at a show. My jewelry
is an easier inventory solution – I just bring everything, and put most of
it out. Each piece is unique, so
someone might like this one, but in that color. Oh, I’ve got that right here!
Another inventory piece of advice: Have something at several price
points. You don’t want to only have
items that cost $100. You will
likely never sell anything at many shows.
I have handmade beads that sell for $1 each, gift cards at $3.50,
all the way up to necklaces for $100, $200, and some items at over
$1000. Something for everyone, so everyone
buys something.
PRICING: The eternal question! No one has a true answer to this, but I
have some ideas to pass on. I’m a
tax accountant as well, and the formula SHOULD be as follows. For anything you sell, take your costs of
making it, your own hourly wage for creating it (times the number of hours
spent on the project) and then add your overhead. Double this for your wholesale price,
double THAT for your retail price.
In real life, this isn’t always easy to figure out.
First, what hourly wage should I choose? That’s up to you. What would you be comfortable making,
doing this for a living? $10? $30?
$50? I find I charge less for
items I do less ‘creating’ on.
Second, what’s overhead?
That’s the costs that aren’t directly related to creating your
pieces of art. It includes the cost
of traveling to shows, the jury and art show fees, the cost of the tent and
tables, your meals while at the show, advertising, business cards, website
fees, etc. It’s very difficult to
figure out, especially when you are first starting out. After the first year, you can add up all
those expenses, and divide by the total hours you spent making art – and
that is your hourly overhead fee.
During the first year, however, you need to estimate it in some way.
For instance, say you spent $600 on your setup (tent, tables,
cloths, etc.). Then you spent
another $300 on framing prints, matting, making gift cards, and all your
stock. You plan on applying on 4
shows this year, and each one will cost $100 in fees, and $50 in traveling
expenses and meals. You spent $50 on
business cards, and $50 in website fees.
So, your inventory cost is $300, and you kept track of what
item cost what, so you don’t have to ‘apply’ a percentage. Item A cost $10 and you spent 10 hours on
it (at, say, $20 an hour), Item B cost $50 (and 20 hours @$20 an hour).
Your overhead is a total of $600+(100+50)*4+50+50 =
$1300. You estimate that you will
spent about 500 hours making the art you currently have in stock, so your
overhead cost per hour is $2.60.
Item A has the following costs: Item B has the following
costs:
Direct Cost $10 $50
Direct Labor 10X$20
= $200 20X$20
= $400
Overhead 10X$2.60
= $26 20X$2.60
= $52
Total Cost $236 $502
Wholesale $472 $1004
Retail $944 $2008
These are guidelines, of course, not set in stone. They reflect absolutes and estimates, not
the real world. You also have to
look at your market, your competition, the economy in your area, and your
cash flow. If someone next door to
you is selling the same item for 30% less, you won’t sell much.
OTHER
STUFF: Oh, there are lots of
other things to do to get ready for a show.
You will need many of the following items – get them ahead of time,
and save yourself some worry. This list
is not comprehensive, but it should cover most bases.
Price lists or price tags
Credit card machine/knucklebuster/credit card receipts/MC Visa
signs
Cash box
Receipt book
Business cards
Bags
Calculator
Pens (one will always go dry on you during a show, bring
several)
Dolly
Chair
Flip bins
Hooks for hanging (I use curtain hooks and S hooks)
Business card holder
Sign with your name on it
Bungee cords
Tarp
Weights (concrete, water jugs, etc.)
Side walls (to close up at night)
Umbrella (you may be sitting outside the booth, either in the
back area or up front, and the sun can be hot and fierce)
Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Imodium (few things are worse than getting the runs while
having to sit at an art show booth all day!)
A fan – this could be a paper fan to fan yourself, or a
battery operated job. Some shows are
HOT.
Lantern (for after dusk or pre-dawn setups)
Hand towel (setup can get sweaty)
Mirror (you want to look nice after that sweaty setup)
Water
Snacks
Cooler
Change box and change (very important!)
Project to work on while the customers browse (reading a book
makes you look uninterested)
Guest list for mailing and email addresses
Good attitude, smile, and sense of humor!
I highly recommend thinking about taking credit cards. My sales have doubled since I have done
so, and using a low-end service like www.propay.com
means there is no investment in equipment.
I pay $60 per year and a transaction fee per sale, and use a $5 knucklebuster
for my sales (I got that and the credit card slips on Ebay).
APPLYING: OK, you are all ready for the shows,
let’s apply to one! Which one? That’s the hard part. There are several magazines and websites
that list shows by area. Sunshine
Artist and Where the Shows Are are both good sources. I also search the web for events in my
area, and ask other artists. I’ve
found some gems by word-of-mouth.
There are promoter shows (such as Howard Alan or Amy Amdur) that
have fairly high display standards, but they spend a lot of money getting
people to the show.
I have learned a couple things. More people at the show don’t necessarily
mean more sales, but if no one shows up, no one will buy. I have had light attendance shows that
did well, and then the same promoter had another show where there were NO
patrons – and no sales. I’ve also
learned that the more things there are going on at a show, the fewer art
dollars are spent. So if the show
has a carnival, a seafood festival, a concert, a car show, a pet show, and
an art show, very few people will be there to buy art.
Also, local is best for several reasons. First, people are always more willing to
buy from a local artist, and second, you have less travel expense if you
don’t have to stay overnight in a hotel, or spend a lot in gas. Starting out, I’d recommend only doing
those shows you can stay at home for.
In my third year, I am just branching out to overnighters – but then
I am blessed with many good local shows.
Most shows require that you apply several months in
advance. I apply for my fall shows
in the spring, and vice versa. They
also require slides or photos of your work – and your tent. Set up in your backyard on an overcast
day (no harsh shadows). Take the
glass out of your frames (no glare), do a simple setup (not cluttered) and
as professional as it can be. Send
that in with your application, and it should be fine. There is a great debate over whether
juries want a ‘real’ booth, or a ‘staged’ booth photo, but I believe in being
honest, and each jury will have a different preference.
There is also an option in some shows to apply electronically,
such as Zapplication or Juried Art Services. These are easier once they are set up,
and don’t require slides to be missing for months at a time.
Once you’ve applied, you will have to wait for a response,
usually several months. You either
get a rejection or an acceptance letter.
The acceptance letter is sometimes accompanied by a vendor packet,
telling you where to go to check in, etc.
So now, we graduate to Part II:
PART II – THE SHOW ITSELF
BEFORE
THE SHOW: I collect data that is
useful for each show. Not just how
many people attend, or how many artists are setting up, but also whether I
will need to dolly in my stuff, if I can set up Friday night, what the
hours of the show are both days, what the sales tax rate is, and if there
are prizes and booth-sitting services available.
I keep that data in my database, and have it available for
next year, when deciding whether I liked that show enough that dollying
wasn’t too bad. For instance, I just
had a show in DeLand where I had to dolly my whole setup (by myself) and it
took twice as long as normal.
However, sales were great and I won a prize – definitely a good
show!
GETTING
THERE: Next question will be
– how do I get my stuff to and from the show? Well, if you have a van already, you are
set. If not, you may want to rent
one for your first try. What if you
hate doing this? No need to sink
$20,000 into a van and then regret it!
Another option, if you have a heavy-duty car or truck, is to rent or
purchase a trailer, and put all your stuff in there. This has advantages and
disadvantages. Driving with a
trailer is difficult, and more so in tight spaces (like setting up at the
show). However, you can disconnect
the trailer and drive around town each evening without it, and you won’t
have to unpack between shows.
SETTING
UP: Let’s say you had or
have rented a van. Pack up the night
before, and head on out Friday evening, hopefully. The shows that have Friday night setup
are higher in my book than those that don’t, as I don’t care for waking up
at 4am to do all that setup myself.
In addition, my husband will help me set up the night before, but
not if he has to wake up and go with me in the morning. J An additional consideration is, if you
are doing the show by yourself, you will be hot, sweaty and stinky by the
time you're done setting up. Being able
to go home Friday night and shower before Saturday morning is a great
advantage.
You arrive to your show, find the check in booth, get your
spot assignment and go. Do everyone
a favor – unload everything first, go park your vehicle, and then come back
and set up. Ask a neighbor to watch
your stuff while you do so. Most
will be glad to, as it will cut down on traffic and congestion within the
show, which is chaos at this point anyhow.
I usually set up tent first, then walls, then framed prints,
then tables (so I don’t have to lean over tables to hang prints),
tablecloths, and mesh boxes on the tables.
This I do Friday night, if possible, close up my booth with the
white walls, and come back the next morning. I roll up the side walls (makes it easier
to take down again Saturday night), set up my matted prints, my jewelry, my
sales area, and I’m ready to go.
Without help, it takes me about 3 hours start to finish.
Another debated point is how much to leave in your tent
overnight. Most shows have some sort
of security, but some do not, and even with security, your stuff is not
guaranteed. On the other hand, it is
a lot of work to set up your stock each morning. I compromise – I usually leave the framed
prints on the wall, and take home my matted prints (easy to pack) and my
jewelry (too easy to walk off with).
If security sees someone walking away with a framed
20"X30" photograph, they'll notice. If not, printing is not very expensive to
redo. If there is inclement weather
predicted, though, I'll take them in – rain and photographs don't mix.
Also, if you do leave some stock in the tent, it may be a good
idea to put a tarp or a floor covering down, or cover the stock. Dew and condensation can do a lot of
damage, and most of that will be countered by covering things up.
SHOWTIME!: It’s 10am, the patrons are starting to
filter in. One by one, they look at
your booth – they see the spectacular piece out front, ask you how many
hours it took, stand amazed at your beautiful pieces, tell you they should
be in a museum… and then walk out without buying anything. It is very frustrating, and all artists
go through this. Do not
despair! Do not take their
unwillingness to buy to heart – someone will buy your stuff. Just this weekend, a patron loved a
necklace, but didn’t buy it. Next
Wednesday they emailed me, asked if it was still available, they wanted it
shipped to them. It happens! Having a website is a good backup tool,
as well – I hand out my card as they leave, saying ‘most of my stuff is available
on my website’. I’ve gotten several
after-show sales this way.
I also get commissions after the fact, and have had last
minute sales while breaking down.
One gentleman came in to my booth at 5:15pm. Show had ended at 5, most vendors had started
breaking down earlier (a local race pulled all the crowds away at 4). He came in, asked how much a piece was,
and bought the $200 piece on the spot.
Can we say last minute birthday gift? (It was a necklace).
The most important part of the show is talking to the
customers, smiling, enjoying your conversations, learning things about
people. To me, this is my shining
social hour, and I love it. I’m not
a hard-seller, but I give information about pieces people are looking at,
such as ‘that piece is based on an old Russian beading technique’, or ‘I
took that photo this summer in Ireland’. It gives them a chance to continue the
conversation without having to start it.
It also indicates that I, indeed, am the artist, and not just a
clerk. People like talking to the
artist themselves, and I've had many comments of "you did all
this?" as if amazed. If they
are interested, they may ask more questions, if not, they will nod and keep
looking.
If you are shy, this isn’t easy, but having something to talk
about may help a lot. Talk up your
work – mention that the prints are on archival paper, or on canvas, or that
you created that work for a Breast Cancer Charity Event. ‘Let me know if you have any questions on
a piece, I’ll be happy to answer them’; ‘If you wish to try a piece on,
I’ve a mirror over here’; ‘Are you looking for something in
particular?’ I never used to ask
this, but this weekend I sold three pieces just by asking that. The first said he was an O’Brien, and I
realized I had a photo of a castle that was his ancestral seat; he bought
it right there. Another lady said
she collected dragons – I directed her to one of my dragon drawings, and it
sold. A third couple had stayed at a
cottage in Ireland
near where one of my photos was taken – they bought the framed copy right
away. Information is powerful, and a
great way to get your customers talking.
While you sell items, make sure to keep records of what you
sell, as well as the sales tax charged (very important!). I keep a running tab of my sales for the
day, so I know where I stand at any point.
Most artists are cagey about letting other artists know their sales,
but I have no problem saying that, five years into the business, I was
averaging about $900 a show. Some
folks who do higher-end stuff aren’t happy with a show under $2000, but
then again, they are frequently traveling more than I am. I say 'was' because I just moved to a new
location in 2009 – West Virginia.
The sales up here (compared to Florida) are higher, as I've got
Pittsburgh shows to do. My first
show up here was a $3700 show, and I was ecstatic. We'll see if this holds true, but I'm
crossing my fingers.
Saturday night, I usually take my little items (jewelry) that
are more expensive, and box up my matted prints (to keep them from getting
damaged by dew or rain), and leave the framed ones up on my walls. I put my walls down and close up the
booth, but it would add another hour to setup the next morning to take down
the framed items – and with photos, none are originals. If they are stolen or damaged, I can
reprint them. It’s a matter of cost
vs. benefit, and usually I err on the side of laziness.
Sunday morning, since I lived in the Bible belt, shows usually
didn’t get swinging until after noon, as that's when church let out. However, I find a lot of patrons wait
until the second day to make their purchases, so it makes up for early
light activity.
PRACTICAL
MATTERS: If you are doing the
show with a friend, spouse, or partner, these matters may not be as
difficult, but what if you are alone?
I usually am, and things like eating, going to the bathroom, and
getting my vehicle are items which require assistance. I usually ask a neighbor if they would
mind watching my booth for me while I run to do whatever – most are
helpful. You may return the favor
for them in an hour, after all. Some
shows have booth sitters, but you usually have to sign up ahead of time for
them. Sometimes I see a friend at a
show, and ask them to grab me some lunch.
There are several solutions to these matters, be creative.
LODGING: So you’ve gone and done a show that’s 2
hours away from your house. Do you
drive back or do you rent a hotel?
Well, think of the price of gas.
With your van, does it cost more to drive back and forth each night
than a $50 hotel room will cost?
Usually. And the time lost,
and the fatigue while driving after setup and a day’s work will cost, as
well. So, I usually use the 2 hour
mark as my guideline – anything more than that, and I stay overnight. I search online for basic, cheap
accommodation. For instance, I found
a Suburban Extended Stay room in Daytona last weekend for $45 a night –
about 20 minutes from my show site.
Score!
There are other options for the adventurous. You might have a bed/mattress in the van,
or bring a tent to camp out, or have an RV.
However, I prefer to bring less and sleep more. And air conditioning may be a factor as
well, especially for hot summer nights.
BREAKING
DOWN: No, I don’t mean a
nervous breakdown, though you may be ready for it! I mean breaking down the tent after the
show ends. I caution highly against
breaking down early, even if the crowds are light. Not only is it usually against the show
rules, but I’ve had many last-minute sales over the years. Often it is because I am one of the few
tents still open. Yes, it is very
tempting when the crowds have gone for the day, but resist the temptation
if you can.
When you have packed up all your stuff, then go and get your
vehicle – again, this cuts down on traffic and congestion in the street or
park. My breakdown (alone) is
usually only about 1.5 hours, much less than setup, as I have a system of
what items go in what boxes, and have them labeled. The prints go in here, the framed items
go in those, the jewelry on those T-bars goes in this box, etc. Everything to its place, and it goes
quickly and efficiently. Then you go
home, relax, and procrastinate your unpacking.
And now, on to Part III:
PART III: PAPERWORK AND AFTERMATH
AFTER THE
SHOW: You’ve done your
first show, yay! Now you are
exhausted, but hopefully you’ve made some profit. Remember, a no-sale show is not necessarily
a wash – you can make a lot of contacts, get your name out there, and start
getting an artistic reputation in the area.
And you learn something each show; my display changes a bit each
show, as I think of better or different ways of doing things, packing
things, displaying things.
As soon as I get back home, I do the following things;
1.
Enter my credit card sales online (faster
done, faster paid)
2.
Go through my cash, take out the amount
over my ‘bank’ of $100, leave the rest for next show
3.
Take out any checks for deposit the next
day with the excess cash
4.
Enter my sales (and sales tax) into my sales
spreadsheet, including keeping track of my inventory
5.
Replenish my inventory for sold prints
I usually unpack the next day, after I’ve recovered a bit
physically from the show, the packing, and the drive home. Of course, if you have a trailer, that step
isn’t necessary – just park the trailer, unhook, and you're done.
TAXES: Oh, that dreaded word! There are a couple to pay attention to,
though. Sales tax needs to be paid
in, either quarterly or monthly, and income taxes. If you are making a profit (and you will
know that if you are keeping good records!) then you may need to make
quarterly income tax payments to avoid penalties at year end.
So, now that you’ve come through the roller-coaster, did you
enjoy it? Sure, it was hard work,
but was it fun? I personally truly
enjoy the chance to meet people, share my visions and artwork, and make
some cash as well. I started out
doing 3 shows my first year, and have done 15 in the last 12 months. I haven’t quit my day job, but I am
definitely making enough money to start thinking about those estimated tax
payments, and it’s still early days.
I hope my ruminations have helped you on your own path towards
art shows. Remember, it’s not for
everyone, but if it is for you, go for it and have a wonderful time!
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