Local Art Fairs and Shows – A Guide for New Artists
Local Art Shows and Fairs- A Guide for New Artists
Most artists find exhibiting at local shows and fairs to be a really rewarding experience, and they offer an excellent way to gain exposure, share your latest pieces, connect with a new audience and network with other artists and small businesses.
This blog post will explore the ins and outs of attending a local event, with the aim of helping new artists who are keen to try an event but are not sure where to start!
Choosing the Right Shows
There are many local events, fairs and shows to choose from and it’s important to do your research. It’s probably a good idea to visit as many as you can to get a feel for the ones you would like to apply for; you can talk to exhibitors and take a look at how they set their stands up. You will see a great deal of variation and creativity, but it helps to get different ideas and inspiration.
It’s worth thinking about your target audience; perhaps you can exhibit at an agricultural show if you are an artist specialising in farm animals, or perhaps a Christmas shopping event if you offer art merchandise such as prints, coasters and tea towels for example.
The reputation of the show is also worth considering, which is why it’s helpful to reach out and connect with fellow artists; they’ll let you know their favourites – and the ones to avoid!
Preparation
The quality of your work is important, and key to a successful show. Ensure your artwork is well presented in good quality frames; choosing a neutral colour and all the same can be quite effective in presenting a cohesive body of work. Prints should be mounted and available for customers to easily browse
Designing Your Display
You may need to get creative when designing your booth or stall. Often you will be dealing with flimsy walls – such as a shell scheme- or sometimes no walls at all! You will need to think carefully how you can best display your artwork and make it as visually appealing as possible.
Think about using the available space to enable customers to easily browse and use signage and lights to attract attention.
You will also need to ensure you complete a risk assessment to ensure the safety of yourself and visitors to the show; most organisers will expect to see your risk assessment as a prerequisite to exhibiting.
Engaging with Visitors
Most visitors to your stand will be keen to interact with you and they will often ask you about your inspiration, background, or what techniques you have applied. Talking about your work with interested viewers is one of the best parts of being at a show!
Make sure you are approachable and share insights into your work which will help visitors connect with your work.
It’s also worth mentioning that not every visitor to the show will be enchanted by your work and may walk by without so much as a glance, and that’s okay! It is not possible for your work to appeal to every taste.
Promote The Event
Participating in a fair or show is a great opportunity to update your social media followers and email subscribers. They will be really excited for you, and the event organisers will also be delighted when you help share news about their event and attract more visitors.
Capture New Leads
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to collect details from future connections. Have a sign up sheet where visitors to your stall can sign-up for your newsletter and you can keep them updated regarding future events, latest works and art-related news.
An incentive to sign up can be useful, such as a print giveaway, with one lucky winner randomly selected following the event.
Pricing your Artwork
It can be challenging to work out the right prices when you are just starting out. Try and consider how much you have invested in materials and framing, and don’t forget your time in creating the piece.
It is worth having a range of price points, and perhaps some non-wall art items such as greeting cards, mugs, coasters, or tea towels. These are perfect for people looking for small gifts or for customers who love your art and are not looking to buy wall art just at the moment.
If you are not sure where to start, then do some research online and see what other artists at the same level charge for similar work.
Ensure you are consistent with your pricing and consider raising your prices when your sales start to increase and there is demand for your work.
Follow-up After the Event
Make sure you follow up with any customers who expressed an interest in your work and complete the prize draw if you had a print giveaway.
You can post again on your social media to let your followers know how the event turned out and let them know when and where you will be exhibiting next.
Also, remember to thank the organisers and provide them with feedback on the event via their evaluation form.
Conclusion
Exhibiting at an art fair or show can be so much fun and is very rewarding. With careful planning prior to the event, you should have a positive experience and you will make new connections with potential customers in addition to making new artist friends.
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