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 Peer
Session Groups
Fairs, and Festivals
Topics for Discussion:
► Michigan Film
Festival
► Discussion of
training for artisans
► Experience to
improve Cumberland
► How to help small
world community festivals
► Other prospects
on festivals
► Folk life
festival in September
► Craft fairs since
60’s looking for new trends
► Need ideas to
start “Taste of Pennsylvania”
► Common health of
different fairs - wholesale vs. resale.
Artists tend to do more retail but sales
there are down.
After 35 years of craft fairs, buyers have
changed so artists switched to wholesale. Retail requires much cash and
travel.
Artist need to offer the public a more
personal experience and make them want to come back.
Fairs are growing in Ohio.
► Kentucky
Guild’s two shows per year have seen decreasing attendance because it
was the same artists every year and nothing was unique. Artists need to
produce new work.
The May and October Guild Fairs are
declining vs. the July fair which has been a big variety and better
attendance as opposed.
► Some
people in crafts businesses are not willing to make a change and tell
their story.
Events that cater to kids sell a lot. There
need to be an event at each fair for children. People come for the
experience.
The State of Penn College Fair sells the
same things every year and nothing changes. There is a lack of
originality.
Create atmosphere with music and different
activities. Artists show new products at wholesale so dealer has first
option.
Consumers are more educated because they
visit galleries and customers need to think they are getting something
no one has.
► Juries
pick the artists that are more unique and people come back because they
can’t find the artist.
The Craft Fair movement is out of control
because of the cost of entry/booth fees. Seventy-five percent of an
event’s success depends on the person in the event and buyers are being
decisive. When the jury is not educated enough to tell the difference
between good and low quality work, a problem develops.
The fault is with people who aren’t
experienced enough. They jury in more people for the money and they
don’t have any funding. The craft events need to be cleaned up and can
be done by the artists they choose.
► There
are often too many craft shows in one area in 1 year.
Fairs should introduce art of new state
artists.
Fairs should work to motivate home artist
and bring variety back to local fairs.
The complaint with many fairs is that the
same artists have the same work year after year.
You need to get new artists and motivate
artists to do new work.
Often an artist will stick to best sellers
while smart artists make new.
Festivals could have a different theme every
year.
Give artist awards.
Designer showcases work to create a new look
at fairs.
People see ads that appear boring and need
something specific to get focused. Fairs must market the event and
attract people to come through the gate.
Fairs could feature different artists from
different states not from neighboring states.
Find most respected person for that reason.
Market is over saturated.
Smaller festivals dying.
Sarasota, FL has 15 craft shows.
Creating an event with a craft show as a
feature brings a lot of people.
Art sales are higher with fewer people when
you focus on art.
► America’s
craft artists need a new language. Younger crafts people aren’t
educated about craft.
Fundraiser for educational reasons.
There is a need to promote artists in order
to keep the community informed about their successes. We should
continue to use TV and press to introduce new artists to the public, but
the internet has become a major force in this type of communication.
Organizations can feature artists on their
main web page and use several links to guide the public to relevant
information concerning the artists and their communities.
Buy billboards on delivery trucks and
trucks.
Multiple discipline Juries encouraged. Two
systems:
Jury Art Services – Smithsonian
NAIA – WESTAF Jurying Services (cost effective)
Digital services are available.
Need to find better places to have fairs to
increase attendance. Use good graphic design,
Fairs are being held during same time period
as competition and are competing for space.
Crafts people get more sophisticated and
buyers are already seeing work.
People are traveling less. Buyers are going
to 1 national show.
See increase in sales but fewer people.
There are fewer buyers at shows.
Galleries have lowered and artists stick to
best sellers and best customers.
Artists are making smaller things for
production.
Some artists are deceitful.
Make artists demonstrate. |
