My niece is applying to her first art/craft show this summer and her mom asked if I had any advice or tips for her. I sat down and this is what vomited out of my brain. I thought I’d post it here too for anyone who’d like to read it. Please note that I am not the most experienced show goer out there, in fact, I keep a light schedule compared to many artists. I think these tips are helpful though so here goes.

Good resources:

https://www.facebook.com/artfairinsiders/ – love this site for seeing if a show has good reviews
http://bermangraphics.com/contents.htm – fantastic wise advice for jury photos and booth shots as well as general show advice
http://www.artsbusinessinstitute.org – lots of good advice, geared directly to working artists

The quality of shows is directly related to the quality of the customers. A cheap $25 show at a school raffle or a church bazaar is going to have people who may spend $25. (If you make 1000 $5 earrings, this show may be a big hit for you.) A high quality Art in the Park juried show that costs $500 will (hopefully) have customers ready to spend $500+. Your results may (and will) vary, but you have a much better shot at making money at a quality show than at a cheap one. I’ve been in some very expensive shows that were absolute duds. Look for reviews of the shows you’re interested in, and make your decisions based on that. If it’s been a dud for several years, then maybe skip it. You never know though — I had a GREAT show that my neighbor sold next to nothing, so sadly, it’s very fickle. But quality shows do beget quality buyers.
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