Tips & Strategies for Success at Arts Fairs & Festivals
from Carriage Barn member artists and others
Join us on zoom August 1st at 6pm for a live Q&A with artist Tom Kretsch and others who will share strategies for art fest participation.
Also learn more about the Waveny Park Arts Fest on October 6 if you are thinking about applying and participating.
From photographer, Zili Zhang
- Less is more
- Try your best to build a cohesive look. Unify the sizes and framing. Give space around your work to give them room to breath.
- A print rack at the most convenient place
- Many customers tend to flip through the prints before even looking at the display.
- Invest in a good hanging system
- A good hanging system makes it easier to level and line up your works.
- Learn from your neighbors
- The best way to learn is to study how the others did it. Take some time to browse around and try to find out something you can learn from.
From Jewelry Maker and artist, Emmy Starr
Be prepared for weather issues- Have a solid tent with sides and plenty of weights on each leg. Sandbags, jugs of water, weight plates, cement blocks… Be creative as long as they are heavy
- Rechargeable fan during summer months can be a lifesaver
- Have champs, pins and duck tape handy on windy days to secure products if possible
Have options for payment
- Cash
- Square reader (and make sure it’s charged and up to date before leaving your house). Update with the Tap and Pay option in case the reader loses charge.
- Venmo for business. And a QR code for ease and speed
- And don’t freak out if WiFi is sketchy. You can usually take payments and have them processed when back in range. Take the customer’s name and number just in case.
- Bring a portable charger for phone/Square
Display
- If very new to shows, do a set up dry run before the show. It will help you visualize how you want your booth to look and allow you to realize what you may be missing
- Make your booth warm and inviting: stick with a color scheme/vibe that works with your art/work. Use risers and varying heights if applicable. Raise tables if possible.
- Rechargeable LED lights are a must for inside shows and dark days
- Banner or table banner with business info/photos of products if applicable.
Comfort- -Don’t forget: a chair, water, snacks, and lunch if it’s a long day with no food options
- Ask friends to visit to give you a bathroom break and maybe allow you to walk around the fair yourself
- Make a show kit with: scissors, pens, notebook, paper towels, wipes, chargers, business cards, Square Reader, extra price tags, sales book with duplicate receipts if using, etc.
Most importantly, have fun! Every event is different. Some great, some not and it’s hard to predict.
Keep calm and a sense of humor if issues arise. Most customers are patient and understanding and are there to support the world of artists and artis
Keep calm and a sense of humor if issues arise. Most customers are patient and understanding and are there to support the world of artists and artis
From photographer, Jay Wilson
- Accepting digital payments is critical to success. Over 90% of my sales at shows like Waveny are transacted via credit card or Venmo. Nobody carries cash anymore, so it’s critical to set up a Square account (or other credit card payment processor) and a Venmo account. I’m at the point where I’m selling via Venmo as much as credit cards. Print out your Venmo QR code and have it placed in one or more parts of your booth. Make sure that you have good cell reception in Waveny prior to the event. Square and other credit card processors will accept “offline” payments, but take a larger percentage of the sale. I’ve always been happy with Square – the transaction fees are reasonable and the money is deposited into your linked account the next business day. I do still bring $100 worth of change – tens and fives – to any show I do.
- Artists are notoriously poor salespeople and marketers. I say this as a professional marketer who also happens to be an artist – I’m not as good as I should be about marketing and sales for my own art. Sales, in particular, is something I struggle with, even though I’ve done sales professionally in the past. Now, some artists are the exception to the rule, and if that’s you, great. Otherwise I tend to take a “soft” approach to sales conversations at these shows. I always try to balance striking up a conversation with simply allowing the potential customer to browse at her leisure. Eventually I will strike up a conversation, but it’s just as often about something unrelated to my art – “are you local?” – “how did you hear about the show?” – “Love your shoes” which gets them to open up, and hopefully makes them more inclined to purchase, once we’ve built a rapport. Remember the old adage – people buy from people they like.
From artist, Alissa Leigh
- Don’t wait until the day of the fair to set-up your tent! Do a practice run and hang all of your art so you know which layout works best and take photos so you don’t forget.
- Make sure to bring some packing materials to wrap what you sell (bubble wrap, corners, etc).
- Offer art at a variety of price points and sizes so there’s something for every budget.