Art Fair Artists Success Show

With each passing day of the pandemic more attention is paid to avoiding risk in our personal lives and also at the events we plan where you can expect thousands of people in attendance. This session is directed at show directors to help them prepare for their events. Chris Van Leeuwen, Vice President for Business Development for Veracity Insurance, joins the podcast to answer your questions about liability, property damage, loss and accident insurance that protects you against third-party claims that arise out of your business operations. His company offers the targeted insurance policies developed to insure events and shows, Artists, Craftsmen and Tradesmen Insurance, popularly known as ACT. This is a call in show specifically for promotors share their concerns about being protected.

Hopefully by this time we have all settled into the Covid-19 lifestyle that has so disrupted our lives and you've adapted to the new normal life of an art who used to participate in art fairs. It may be time to assess the business part of your life as an artist. Do you sell your art online for the world to find? Or are you selling at shows and galleries throughout the year? No matter the case, Artists, Crafters, and Tradesmen Insurance, also known as ACT, can help ease the burden of finding the right insurance for your needs.  Chris Van Leeuwen, Vice President of Business Development for Veracity Insurance, joins the podcast to answer your questions about  liability, property damage, loss and accident insurance that protects you against third-party claims that arise out of your business operations. This is an artist question and answer episode. We answer your questions about protecting your business.      

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Listen as we draw the names for the prizes in the "Just $2" fundraising.  In place of our annual Pledge Drive this year we are figuratively "passing the collection plate", asking for support for our art fair websites, ArtFairCalendar.com, ArtFairInsiders.com, ArtShowReviews.com, CallsforArtists.com and ArtFairRadio.com.  Some of our friends have donated prizes. Using Random.org we'll draw the names of the winners. The prizes are:  from Flourish Displays, a $300 gift certificatePhotographer & all round good guy who has helped so many of us Larry Berman is donating $200 worth of special expertise and his photography servicesFranklin Piuck of Cyberhenge.com is donating four 15 minute private website review Zoom sessions. You remember Frank, he did two website podcasts with me and a Zoom meeting to help artists get those websites working.    

Part V: Marketing Art Through Social Media/Pinterest The Pinterest social media platform with over 335 million users could just be the missing piece of your social media marketing plan. Using its tools it will help you can hone your sales strategy to build a following. 28 Pinterest Statistics Marketers Should Know in 2020: There are more than 2 billion searches on Pinterest every month. 600 million of Pinterest's monthly searches are visual High-income households are twice as likely to use Pinterest than low-income households.  Our guest Brian Reagan: "Pinterest is a gateway to my website that I can't duplicate with any other social media outlet. Before I kicked up Pinterest, I really didn't have a national audience.  I was limited to the individuals that we have met doing events in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. I am getting eyeballs that would never have found my website." More about Brian and his business:  Website: bhpltdohio.com  | NEW Pinterest: bhpltdohio0107 | Facebook: bhpltdohio | Instagram: brickhouse.partners.ltd  |

Part IV -  Marketing Art Through Social Media: Instagram Instagram is a photo and video-sharing networking service owned by Facebook. The app allows users to upload media and the posts can be shared publicly or with pre-approved followers. Users browse other users' content by tags and locations, and view trending content. Users can like photos and follow other users to add their content to a feed."  It has over a billion users. Because Instagram is all images and videos it is a perfect tool for artists to showcase their work and develop followers.  OUr guests: Catherine Freshley is an  painter from Portland, OR. She is dedicated to disproving the starving artist stereotype. Her Instagram followers appreciate her candid approach to talking about the business side of being an artist besides appreciating her art.Jay McDougall is a contemporary wood sculptor from Minnesota with a long history of exhibiting at the nation's best art festivals. In recent months in order to continue to earn his living with his art he has spent a lot of time online working on his own online skills and partnering with friends to builid an Instagram empire. Dawn Wilson, a photographer and writer from Estes Park, CO, who integrates her website, Facebook and Instagram to manage her sales and serve as president-elect of the North American Nature Photography Association.Christina Michie, silversmith and jeweler from Suffern, NY, who found her way from Etsy to Instagram and found it the perfect platform for sharing her work.Renzo Iglesias, a jeweler from Florida  

Part III: Using Facebook to Sell Art Facebook is an online social media and social networking service with with more than 2 billion users worldwide. Wow! Bigger than any art fair I've ever attended, but what can it do for you as a business tool? Can you turn all those members into customers. Or, how about .1% of them. Would that work? This is an artist driven podcast with input from three artists who have experience on the platform: Richard Sullivan from Naples, FL, who says he has "literally been to Facebook College. I know it sounds crazy but they have spent countless hours working with me."Erik Jensen from Utah, who uses his very tech savvy skills to sell his art, created from computer keys, from his website and interconnected Facebook and Instagram accountsDawn Wilson, a high altitude and high latitude photographer and writer from Estes Park, CO, who integrates her website, Facebook and Instagram to manage her sales and serve as president-elect of the North American Nature Photography Association.  With all of that expertise you will be inspired to finally use all these free tools to grow your art career. Questions and answers the second half of the show.  

Part II: Using social Media to Sell Art/Etsy Etsy is an e-commerce website focused on handmade or vintage items and craft supplies founded in 2005. It is a global online marketplace, where people come together to make, sell, buy, and collect unique items and supports independent creators. Will it work for you? Successful Etsy sellers share their information to help you decide whether or not Etsy is the place for you.  David Klenk is a custom furniture maker who has increased visits to his Etsy page by linking it to my product photo pins on Pinterest. He has not done a craft show or trade show since 2016. My first online sale was in 2006. I sell between $40,000 and $70,000 per year online. Jackie Kaufman selling on Etsy since 2008 has two shops, a long established jewelry business and a newer shop with prints. She  successfully uses her social media posts on both Facebook and Instagram to bring customers to her Etsy Shops to be able to sell worldwide." Callers and comments explore the why/why not to use Etsy as a marketing tool.   

Can a website bring you sales of your fine art or craft? Six artists join in a roundtable talk about their experiences. Their work ranges from small items (hand made soaps and associated products to $5000+ oil paintings.) Your work undoubtedly will fit into this continuum. Some of our guests:  Kathleen Eaton, www.eatonart.comCat Tesla, www.artbycat.comStephanie Wheat, www.rebellionbags.comBarbara Bloom, https://imagesinbloom.comLucy Kelly, www.belmonili.com Expect questions from the audience.

Part IV of a series -- building that website and making it work for you. Scott Fox, a financial and self-help author, specializing in entrepreneurship and startup company advice joins us to answer questions about SEO (search engine optimization) and why it makes a difference to you and your website. He is the author of 3 best-selling books, including Click Millionaires: Work Less, Live More with an Internet Lifestyle Business You Love, full of easy to follow direction on how you can use the Internet to build a sustainable business.         

A solidly functional website can change your life. It is the art fair that never closes. It can reconnect you with a former collector of your work and expose it to a worldwide audience. It opens the door very wide to new opportunities and has the potential to change your life. Did you hire a designer to create your site and now it is complete? Or maybe you did it yourself and it is nagging at you for attention again. Facing the fact that a website is never finished is one of the less pleasant facts of life. If you want your site to do its job (market/sell your art) then that requires regular refinements and updates, and sometimes a drastic overhaul. This podcast focuses on examining your existing website. Some of the topics: Is your site up to date?   What are the standards you need to meet?Should you modify it to match the current design style?Does your site fit your marketing plan? Is it geared to your target customers?How big should it be?Should it be a store?How often should you update?How often should you revise it?Are you collecting email addresses? Getting Traffic What you need to know about Google Using Social MediaQ & A Our guest is veteran web designer Franklin Piuck, Cyberhenge.com, Web Design for the Arts and Small Business. Frank's own interests and contacts have caused him to develop a customer base largely involved in fine arts, designer crafts, and specialized antiques and collectibles. 

Part 1 of 2 episodes: Time is up. Get online or get out. We find ourselves comfortable right where we are. We’d rather suffer a little less than try new things.  This happened to me today (4/21/20):  there is an artist's work that I've always loved and decided to go shopping today to check it out and perhaps buy a piece. Yes, there was a website, but not updated since 2018, and no way to make that purchase.  Is this you? Is it time to finally get this done?  If you have never built a site before, there are things that matter that you won't have any reason to think about.  This podcast will get you started with the basics and will sort out the options that have been holding you back.  Our guest is veteran web designer Franklin Piuck, Cyberhenge.com, Web Design for the Arts and Small Business. His own interests and contacts have caused him to develop a customer base largely involved in fine arts, designer crafts, and specialized antiques and collectibles. We'll start with the basics: Social Media, Websites or both?Where to start Weebly, Squarespace, Wix, WordpressMinimum adequate content to start withShould you try to do it yourself, or get help?Managing a websiteGetting Traffic What you need to know about GoogleSocial MediaQ & A

Part 3: Let's apply for unemployment. A panel of artists share their experiences on the application process.  The CARES Act expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for workers impacted by the pandemic, including workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment benefits.To receive unemployment insurance benefits, you need to file a claim with the unemployment insurance program in the state where you worked. Depending on the state, claims may be filed in person, by telephone, or online. You should contact your state's unemployment insurance program as soon as possibleGenerally, you should file your claim with the state where you worked. When you file a claim, you will be asked for information, such as addresses and dates of your former employment. To make sure your claim is not delayed, be sure to give complete and correct information.Find the contact information for your state's unemployment office to start your claim. Guests are Carroll Swayze (FL), Lula Castillo (NY), Jane Pellicciotto (OR), Jay McDougall (WI), Nels Johnson (FL) Jodie Brown (CO), Diana Ferguson (AZ), Maura Cronin (RI) & Wade Flemmer (C). Learn more: https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus/unemployment-insurance  

Let's do this together - apply for the PPP The CARES Act offers several programs to help small business people. The Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Loans are intended for small businesses to use to maintain payroll and cover other business expenses during the COVID crisis. All or part of the loan will be forgivable. These loans are available to sole proprietors and self-employed workers. Helping us out is Elaine Grogan Luttrull, Minerva Financial Arts, an accredited CPA in Columbus, OH. Elaine is a financial counselor whose mission is educating artists in their businesses. PPP Applications are made through a bank.  Applications opened on April 10 for independent contractors. These may be “first come, first serve” although it is possible that additional funds will be appropriated in other bills. How to prepare to participate in the podcast: go online to your bank to see if they are a participants. (Mine is and it is a small bank in southern Michigan, so chances are yours is also). download the application and have it ready to fill out so at the end yours will be ready to filehave your most recent completed tax forms nearby for reference Here is the application: https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2020-04/PPP%20Borrower%20Application%20Form.pdf Learn more about the PPP: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-

Are you eligible for disaster loan asssitance? Probably? Maybe? Together we'll find out. Host Connie Mettler from Art Fair Calendar/Art Fair Insiders and "volunteers from the audience" (Art Fair Insiders Admin, Meg Mettler, and artist Stephanie Wheat of Rebellion Bags in Chicago) log into the Small Business Administration site to apply: (https://covid19relief.sba.gov/#/) We invite you to not only listen to the podcast, but to click that SBA link also and fill out the form as we go through it. This will definitely qualify as social distancing. Later we'll share the results. Ready?    

ArtFest Fort Myers under Executive Director Sharon McAllister's leadership, has initiated a plan to act as a clearinghouse to help artists interpret and access the financial services established under the new CARES Act. The law is meant to address the economic fallout of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States. Sharon is joined by professional accountant John Brodie of Comprehensive Accounting in metro Detroit. The CARES act includes SBA Economic Disaster loans and grants, a payroll protection plan and access to unemployment benefits to small businesses and individuals.  Some of its individual facets are SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans, a Payroll Protection Plan and unemployment benefits. What you will learn: how the act supports small businesseshow and where to apply for the various programswho is eligible and what determines that eligibility We know that artists are receiving information from many sources. This is a fluid situation and we intend to share information with you that we receive and think may be useful. Our current concern is providing whatever supportive assistance we can to artists. Find quick answers to your concerns on the ArtFest Fort Myers website.   NOTE: none of us are giving legal; tax; accounting; unemployment or similar advice. Contact your accountant and banker for your own situation. The final regulations have not yet been written and banks & unemployment offices are scrambling to get new benefits implemented. Patience will be needed. Sobering: 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment last week.

Of course it isn't a job, nor a vocation, its in your bones and defines who you are. Luckily we live in a country where there is room to change and the legal means of doing so. Start out as an engineer, a pot dealer, a social worker, a biologist and one day you're standing in a tent in a park in Alabama and people are not only handing you compliments on your work but money too. Many people in this business say "I don't know how to do anything else, no one would hire me." Meet Jack Stoddart known these days as someone who is one of the "wrong people doing the right thing." Hippie Jack traveled (with his family) to art fairs for many years. Presenty he is a music festival producer on his central Tennessee farm. The Stoddart kids are selling work at art fairs themselves these days. Just like everyone else their lives have been upended by Covid-19. No concerts, no art fairs. What happens next? We talk about when things come crashing down and tell stories about what he believes are the important things, including serving the under-served people of Appalachia with fairness, dignity, and compassion. Ideas for the long run. Artists call in with their stories and we try to find some answers. 

How are you feeling? I am totally enervated and concerned about the future of art festivals, not only in the short term but in the long run. I'm hearing from artists and reading comments on ArtFairInsiders.com about "what next?" and I have to take some action. This exhaustion leads down a dire path. My answer: let's talk. Art show directors come together to discuss cancellations, refunds, rescheduling and the disruption to our business and what they are doing to keep their events and artists income alive for another day. The first responders to our call for a panel, you'll hear from: Karen Delhey, Executive Director, The Guild of Artists & Artisans (Ann Arbor); Anne Curran, Executive Director, Armonk Outdoor Art Show (Armonk, NY); Jean Hungiville, President/CEO, Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce (FL); Amy Amdur, CEO and President Amdur Productions (Chicago area) and Mark Loeb of Integrity Shows (metro Detroit).  The jumping off point: "I live in Massachusetts and do shows throughout the northeast, from Vermont to South Jersey, NY and the coast line of NJ, Ct, RI, NY etc. shows are start to cancel. Some are right on target with refunding the booth fees, some wasn't to reschedule (& we all know that's the kiss of death to shows) and some, are unscrupulously not refunding any money. I would love to hear from those promoters who are choosing to refund, reschedule, & run as to their thoughts."

The two most important things about earning a living in the art fair business: Getting into the eventHaving work that people will buy once you're there  Co-host, Cindy Lerick, joins Connie Mettler for a nuts and bolts discussion about the jury process for art festivals. Cindy is one of the only show directors who has managed 4 major shows, Uptown in Minneapolis, Main Street in Fort Worth, the Saint Louis Art Fair and the Sausalito Arts Festivals. In addition for many years she has traveled to event's juries for ZAPP to be a Tech help. There are many variables from show to show. Most show directors don’t know how others shows run their jury. Some have plenty of discussion, some have none, some have no directions given to the jurors. Scoring systems, projection, length of time, selection of jurors, there is no standard. We'll explore some of these variances. A few topics we'll address: What is the difference between a projection jury and monitor jury?How the jury ties into the show's lookWho is the competition?Are the jurors the same from year to year?Do show directors jury their own show? We'll take questions from you.   

  ArtFairCalendar.com has tallied all the votes in our 2019 Best Art Fair survey (8th Annual). We had a record number of participants reporting in the favorites. The goal of the survey is to encourage "art fair tourism", bringing art lovers "52 Weeks of Art Fairs", coast to coast.  There were many changes in the Top Ten this year with new events entering the ranks. Please listen as we speak with the art fair directors from those events (it's a secret who they are at the moment) and ask them this question: "What is special about your event that would bring people to travel to attend? Give up a day or more to be on the streets of your city?" Then -- we'll announce the Top Ten. This will be informative and upbeat especially as we all need good news!  ArtFairCalendar.com's mission is to promote the American tradition of art fairs by showcasing events where art collectors find hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind fine work and encourage the interaction of client and creator. 

Part III of a series to understand the operations of creating a new art show. Artists and Charities Hand in Hand will host its inaugural event on November 2 and 3, 2019, at the Palm Beach Convention Center in W. Palm Beach, Florida. One of the biggest challenges of promoting a new event is finding exhibitors who will take a chance that it will be successful and lead on to year 2. Two artists who will be participating:  Amy Reshefsky, from Florida and Quebec, who works in multiple media who has worked with the show organizer, Ingrid Robinson, at several other events and is well known in the Palm Beach vicinity.  H. Allen Benowitz, a self-educated photographer from North Carolina. Invited by the Sheik to photo journal an international festival in Morocco/ His work has appeared in many Florida publications and he participated in Art Basel and many Florida art festivals.   Then you have to make the event's name known in the community and get publicity. Rickie Leiter, of the RickieReport.com, a blogger and podcaster on the art scene who reports to the South Florida Community of Artists and Patrons will tell about her role in connecting with the art patrons.  Lastly, you need to connect directly with establihed art institutions to show your credibility. Jeanne Martin of the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, will share why her historic art center is joining in as a charity partner for this new event.   

Part II of a series to understand the operations of creating a new art show. Artists and Charities Hand in Hand will host its inaugural event on November 2 and 3, 2019, at the Palm Beach Convention Center in W. Palm Beach, Florida. How does a new art fair get started? What are all the steps involved, and for heaven's sake, where does the money come from and where does it go? The show organizer, Ingrid Robinson, spells it all out, from the initial concept to opening and then closing the doors at the Convention Center.  Finding a destination venueFinding partners and sponsorsFinding exhibitorsMarketingPaying the bills  This is a tutorial about starting an event from scratch, networking with a local community to build a "must attend" show that benefits all involved, the artists, the charities and the philanthropic goals of patrons. The show: Artists and Charities, November 2 & 3, West Palm Beach FL, at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.  Learn more: ArtistsandCharities.com              

Can Florida use another art festival? Does Palm Beach need an indoor art fair, during "the season?" Ingrid Robinson thinks so. Listen and learn how Ingrid gathers resources to host a show that will attract snowbirds to attend a new event. Joining her is Julie Mullen, co-founder of the award winning women-owned public relations firm The Buzz Agency, that is supporting Ingrid's plan.  Developing an idea that shows success potentialChoosing the venueFinding sponsorsChoosing the tech team and marketing teamPartnering with local charities This is a tutorial about starting an event from scratch, networking with a local community to build a "must attend" show that benefits all involved, the artists, the charities and the philanthropic goals of patrons.  The show: Artists and Charities, November 2 & 3, West Palm Beach, FL, at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Learn more: ArtistsandCharities.com

You support our websites with your donations and we really appreciate it. We couldn't do it without you. Listen as Connie Mettler, host of ArtFairRadio.com and ArtFairCalendar.com and her co hosts, Sara Shambarger, former Art Director of the Krasl Art Fair in St. Joseph, MI and NAIA board member, and Trudi Van Dyke, veteran art fair juror, art curator and art consultant will join me as we draw the names for the winners in the 2019 Pledge Drive. We'll give away nearly $9000 in prizes to our patrons. If you sent us $$ during the Pledge Drive there is a very good chance you will win one of our 63 prizes!

Building an art fair career and maintaining it through market changes, bad weather, rejections, social media challenges and personal needs takes focus, adaptability, good timing and some luck. Our entrepreneurial guests share their stories:  Stephanie Wheat is a self taught handbag designer specializing in handmade leather accessories. Manufacturing her brand REBELLION in Chicago and selling throughout the country, fine craft shows such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art  Craft Show and the One of a Kind Show, pop up events and strong social media marketing. She has recently been invited to Paris Fashion Week. Kathy Ross, has been a full time self-employed artist since 1978.  She has pursued many materials (99% sculptural) and is currently working in these areas:  map/book-collaged and bejewelled figures and clothing pieces (which look wearable, but aren’t). The basic method: make a frameworkfound tea/cookie tins (cut up and soldered) to make sculptures like the tin figures, heads, vehicles, houses, globes. The challenge of making something flat behave like something 3-dimensional. Kathy's website: http://kathyross3d.com Kathleen Teach has supported herself at art shows, entirely, for 20 years, starting out with nothing."I look back on it now with wonderful memories and some pride. My independence and sense of adventure was the envy of all my friends." Traveling with her trailer alone for at least 160,000 miles, loving seeing America. Her work is one of a kind meditative zen oil lamps. We listen to their stories and are inspired. 

Participating in the nation's art fairs is not for the faint-heared or the penniless. So much overhead! We won't go into all of those costs, but a serious contender for the diversity of options and costs is lodging on the road. Some artists opt to stay near home so they can sleep in their own beds, thus limiting many opportunities, and at the other extreme some go for the full-fledged "its a write off" and stay in quality lodgings.  How about you? What do you do when planning a trip to an art fair? Sleep in your van? Air BnB? VRBO?  tent camp? RV? frequent flyer points at specific chain hotels? Show lodging? stay with friends? We talk about all these options and more, To get it started our panel will include Fletcher Dean, a photographer from Michigan who prefers Air BnB and Don Hart, mixed media from Connecticut who travels with a camping trailer. This is a call in show with input from many artists.           

There are thousands of artists in the U.S. who participate in art fairs for years and years. There are many who drop out after a few years (it's a lot of work!). Then there are those who take their art fair experience to build their own business, leaving the street behind. A fair number have become show organizers: Jim Delutes in Colorado, Bonnie Blandford in Michigan, Donna Beaubien in Michigan, Bill Kinney in the East and Carla Fox in Oregon. We'll be hearing from these entrepreneurs: Carolyn Edlund, founder of Artsy Shark, a top ten art blog, who spent 20 years running a production studio making and selling jewelry, and now writes and consults on business topics for artistsDrew Hendrix, President of Red River Paper, founded in 1997 with over 40 years experience in fine papers that are integral to many art fair artistsLuke Block, a veteran of art fairs as a potter, who is part of the team at FlourishDisplays.comJeff Abele, GrandStandApps.com, a software developer focused on the art fair business who has developed a state-of-the-art app to enable artists and art fairs to connect with their audiencesMarissa Wagley of US Weight, a company that works with artist/inventor Jim Eaton to market the weights he designed for his art fair booth Learn how each of them took their life experiences and extended them to a new business.  

Part II - Using Facebook to connect with your buyers Our guest, artist Dave Emmons has over 85,000 followers on Facebook and has cut his show schedule from over 30 a year to only 4. Will Dave's tips work for you? We highlight how Facebook works and why it is powerful, containing step by step tips that are solid and time-tested. Expect an overall marketing plan that goes beyond the free FB tutorials and details how to utilize them to strategically impact your sales. learn how to use FB tools to identify the exact demographics of your potential fans using the analytics and stats from FB to refine and target your advertising  learn how to use your FB page to bring buyers to your art fair booth Learn how to use the tools so you can start today to take advantage of the huge Facebook platform of 2 billion monthly active users who use Facebook each and every month. Click here for a video that illustrates the lessons taught on this podcast: https://player.vimeo.com/external/ Dave's website: https://www.vermontnaturecreations.com/ His Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hangingwatergardens/        

The high overhead of doing 30 shows a year exhausting you? What if you only did 20? or 10? When I first started my websites I thought if I only I could earn an extra $500 a month that would be great. Now nearly 15 years later I'm no longer putting up a tent and traveling to events. Social media, learning its ins and outs, made the difference for me. Dave Emmons shares some of the same background I do. He has participated in art fairs for 27 years. A whle back he thought there "might be a better way" to sell his work, he was starting to hate what he was doing. Whether you are new to this business of art fairs and are intrigued with having more freedom in your life or you are a long time veteran and just want to slow down, Dave's and my premise is "let's get online." Your customers ARE online, an international audience, online 24/7. You have (or should have) mailing lists. You probably have a website. You're probably on Facebook, maybe even a FB business page. Can you put it to work to improve your life? Dave is an artist who also coaches other artists on the skills needed to sell their work online. If you're saying, "I've tried that"; "I'm too busy", "It's too complicated" or a myriad other reasons, give a listen to this podcast. I think it might help you. Get started with Dav's free online masterclass. To register visit www.ArtistMarketingFormula.com. Learn more about Dave Emmons and his ideas: https://www.daveemmons.com/p/step-by-step-success-with-facebook-marketing-for-the-artist-and-craftsperson            

The St. James Court Art Show (Oct. 5-7, 2018) began five decades ago as a small open air art show taking up only a small corner of Old Louisville's St. James Court. It has since become the second largest event held in Louisville each year (second to the Kentucky Derby Festival). It hosts 700 artists in 4 neighborhoods in this historic part of the city.  On September 3, 2018, the Kentucky Historical Society will dedicate a Kentucky Historical Marker to Malcolm Bird, and his friends, not only for founding the Art Show, but also for starting the renovations and revitalization of St. James Court in the 1950s. The work by these urban pioneers, led to the designation of the area as an Historic Preservation District in 1974 .... Old Louisville was born .... or maybe reborn.  Our guests who will walk through the history with me are: Mark Bird, who, with Sonny Whittle, created the first St. James Court Art Show poster, and is Malcolm's nephew and subsequently with Sonny produced if for the following 6 years, 1981-1987new executive director of the St. James Court Art Show, Howard Rosenberglong time participant in the show photographer and now music producer Hippie Jack StoddartPrintmaker Mary Lou Hess, who has participated in the show since the beginning If you love art fairs, and particularly this one, this will be a fact-filled and fun listen as we learn what makes an art festival a success. Fun fact: this show is so popular in Louisville that they even close the schools on the Friday of the show so everyone can enjoy it.

You support our websites with your donations and we really appreciate it. We couldn't do it without you. Listen as Connie Mettler, host of ArtFairRadio.com and ArtFairCalendar.com and Larry Berman, well known throughout the art fair community as the "go to" guy on photo imaging in all aspects of the art festival busines will join me as we draw the names for the winners in the 2018 Pledge Drive. We'll give away nearly $9000 in prizes to our patrons. If you sent us $$ during the Pledge Drive there is a very good chance you will win one of our 40 prizes!      

How did it go? that first art fair?  In the beginning art fairs were created and artists and art buyers flocked to attend. You were one of them. Your mother and your friends thought your work was wonderful and maybe they were right, so off you went to the marketplace. How did it go? Was it a triumph or a humbling experience? A panel of beginner and experienced artists from various media discuss their "first time." What you will learn: how they preparedwhere they were, big or small fairshow it impacted their livestheir biggest disappointments and their biggest surpriseslearning from their own mistakes vs learning from other's mistakeswhat they wish they had known then and how they used that informationthe good, the bad and the really uglyhow to do three shows in three days and other extreme adventurestheir #1 tip for a first time show Guests: Ly Montells, Anita Feng, Haley Yurkow and Jerry Scavezze

Found on the forum on ArtFairInsiders.com: "I would imagine any shows scheduled for this fall are being cut. It will take months for Florida's infrastructure to come back."  Do you agree? Are you cancelling art festivals along the Gulf Coast? Wait a minute. Before you do that listen to these show directors as they sort out the impact of the storms on their festivals. Joining the podcast are: Carrie Clevenger, Bayou City Art Festival (show dates are October 14 & 15)Sharon McAllister, ArtFest Fort Myers (show dates are February 2 & 3) Katrina Delgado, Coconut Grove Arts Festival (show dates are February 17-19)

You support our websites with your donations and we really appreciate it. Listen as Connie Mettler, host of ArtFairRadio.com and ArtFairCalendar.com and Kena Berthiaume, Crafts Coordinator at the New Orleans Jazz Fest, draw the names for the winners in the 2017 Pledge Drive. We'll give away nearly $5000 in prizes to our patrons.  Prizes courtesy of Flourish.com, ProPanels.com, RedRiverPaper.com, Amazon.com, CanopyWeights.com, CanopyBanners.com, ACTinsurance.com, BermanGraphics.com  and many more.   

Veteran travelers (and cheapskates) share their secrets for traveling and scoring lodgings frugally. This podcast has useful information for all of us who travel a lot or whose goal is to be on the road.    Artists Melanie Rolfes, jeweler Margaret Aden and photographer Evan Reinheimer tell how they really score. Learn their insider secrets of leveraging Air BnB, VRBO, Hilton Honors Points, KOA, couch surfing, Corporate Lodging cards, Ebates, loyalty rewards programs and so many more tips to save you money and have more fun on the road!    There is a mother lode of information and places to get deals: Priceline.com, Trivago, Booking.com, kayak.com, HotelTonight, Hotwire -- getting kickbacks along the way to fund the next trip is one of the favorites.   We'll do a Part 2 to this podcast about RV's and camping. I've found there is just too much to cover in this one program.

Time for some nuts and bolts. Getting to and from the art fairs is essential to an artist. Reliable transportation is a must. We talk with artists and learn their tricks for buying, loading, unloading, maintenance and what is the best vehicle on the road. Michael Zavison drives a truck that holds all the equipment for a double booth and large artwork. He, and his partner Melanie Rolfes, travel from Georgia to Florida to Texas and Colorado and up to the Midwest in the summer.   What is the best vehicle on the road. Ford vs Chevy, Sprinter or Cargo Van, truck or trailer, that is the question. And -- how do you pack the van?    

The guests: Samantha Saturn is reviving a popular Nashville, TN, art fair: American Artisan, June 16-18. The event was started in 1971 by her mother, Nancy, a retailer and pioneer in the contemporary craft movement. In its day it was "THE" show to do in Tennessee. It was restricted to 3D crafts and the 2D people were jealous they could not participate. It will be held in historic Centennial Park. Samantha grew up in the business booth sitting, checking in artists and managing the show. Louis Nunnelly, an artist and businessman with deep roots in our business and in the Louisville community, has spent the last three years perfecting a new event along the Ohio River to host the Big 4 Bridge Arts Festival in Louisville on Sept. 9 & 10. Making it attractive to quality artists and patrons is his goal. A popular location, ample parking and trolley service are a few of thse components. Exposure on the City's website and local partnerships are part of the marketing. Let's rethink that old idea "I never do first year shows." Maybe Sam and Lou can change your mind. 

The premise: As a "new" artist attempting to earn a living at the nation's art fairs I often think about the business side of things. People are suprised that I even attempt the notion of doing it full time... without a pension!  We speak with art fair artists who actually pay the bills and make a living, BUT they do so without a pension or some other significant source of income. In other words, these are people who figured out how to be profitable at art fairs! Are there people like that? This is a very practical nuts and bolts discussion of entrepreneurship. Creating art and earning a living with it are two separate endeavors. Our guests are long timers and new people just starting to hit the road, they include Joe Zinn, a photographer, Loc Tran who is a t-shirt designer and owner of Dog N Frog, painter Margaret Luttrell, http://margeluttrell.com and painter Jill McGannon, www.jillmcgannon.com. We'll also be taking calls from you.    

The fastest way to earn money with your art is to participate in art fairs. The buyer enters your booth, loves the work, hands you the payment and your work has found a new home. It's not always that easy of course, but it has worked for years for thousands of artists.     Many artists have multiple streams of income including gallery representation, selling work online, image licensing, hosting studio tours, participating in small boutique events and being in gallery shows. How about your own gallery? The nearby empty storefront beckens you. Today's show includes digital artist John Leben, supporting himself for over 40 years in the arts who is contemplating opening a gallery. This will be a 365 day commitment. John wants to know: should he do it? Joining the discussion is artist Sandhi Schimmel Gold, the "Queen of Junk Mail Art." About a year ago she posted Towel ... Throwing ... in on ArtFairInsiders.com where she announced she was opening a gallery. Sandhi will share her adventures in moving from the streets to her own art gallery. Terri Belford is a business consultant. She started her first business in her 20's and has developed numerous others since then.  Her last business was a gallery of fine art and contemporary craft that continues to thrive under the direction of a new owner. She blogs at craftbizblog.com. Should John open a gallery? Sandhi and Terri give him some answers.

Congratulations, you are ready to go at one of "the biggies." Now the tension builds as the judges approach your booth. Will you win an award? Will you be reinvited (the biggest award of all)? Building continuity at one of the top shows is one of the secrets of success in the art fair business. We discuss how judges are chosen for the application jury and if those same jurors are the "street jury." Are the identities of the judges published in advance?What directions are these street jurors given in choosing the winners?Do they jury secretly? Do they introduce themselves to the artists?What happens when the weather or crowds interferes with the judges viewing?Should a show rotate the award winners from one year to the next? Our guests will be Sharon McAllister, Executive Director of ArtFest Fort Myers in Florida, Rick Bryant, Executive Director of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and Les Slesnick an art fair industry advocate and former art fair exhibitor.

(If this show does not play, please click this link: http://mygoldenwords.com/interview-with-connie-mettler-of-art-fair-insiders/) Mckenna Hallett, a professional trainer and consultant for small business, shares strategic tips from her 25 year career that has covers the entire spectrum of earning a living as an artist: developing a jewelry line, selling one-of-a-kind work to fine art and craft galleries, servicing wholesale accounts (including Neiman Marcus) and selling at a weekly retail show near her home in Maui.  During this time she has always mentored other artists including teaching seminars on how to sell art. Mckenna has developed a selling system, the E's of Sellling. We talk about what she has learned and share her very solid selling advice. This is not about selling online, but rather how to make more sales in your face-to-face engagements at your shows. Ever hear, "I'll think about it? " Gain confidence and learn what to DO and SAY when they say they need to think about it! Did you know you are a already a perfect "salesperson" when you are recommending a good book or a restaurant?  You share good things naturally, until it's YOUR art you are recommending. We're not talking about being salesy or “closing deals”. Listen to find out what to do next including solid tips to take to your next show.

Emily Peklo, senior event project coordinator for the Omaha Summer Arts Festival and its fall sister-festival ARTsarben in Omaha, Nebraska, joins Connie to draw the names of 40 contributors to the 7th Annual Pledge Drive. Did you pledge? Will you be a winner? With nearly 70 prizes donated by friends around the country everyone who pledged has at least a 1 in 3 chance of being chosen. Thank you to everyone who has built our business, who attends art fairs and buys art, to the show organizers who bring these cool cultural events to their community and to the artists who take risks every day with financial ups and downs, economic woes, election and vagaries of the weather.        

The guests: Scott Fox, author and e-biz strategist who focuses on online marketing, e- commerce, using the Internet to build businesses and finally doing the work you were born to do. His popular books include Click Millionaires, Work Less, Live More with an Internet Business You Love. Larry Berman is the recognized authority on "all things photography" involved with the art fair business. Larry's extensive technical knowledge makes him the answer man for creating digital images that get you into the shows. He consults with art fairs and blogs about the business at BermanGraphics.com. Connie Mettler is the host at ArtFairInsiders.com and creator of ArtFairCalendar.com, ArtShowReviews.com, CallsforArtists.com and ArtFairRadio.com. She has worked in all facets of the art fair business for over 30 years, as an artist's partner (participating in over 400 shows), show director, juror and consultant to events. Do you have questions about using the Internet to further your career or better position your art fair online? Anything Internet, Scott can answer and point you in the right direction. Concerned about your jury imaging, booth design, visual appeal, digital help? Larry is the expert. All things art fair: marketing your show, connecting with customers, making the sale, travel tips, organizing your schedule, Connie can help.      

How do you earn a living as an artist? Let's talk about the pleasures and the pitfalls of choosing to be an artist in the U.S. This episode will either have you running to apply to the art festivals all across the country or running the other way, fast! Our guests are Floridians Toni and Jay Mann who have been creating fun and functional claywork and selling it at art festivals for a long time (20 or 30 years, I'd guess).  If they haven't had a lifetime of adventures in the art fair business and been in every town east of the Mississippi I don't know who has. Also joining us are Craig and Sara Roderick, photographers from Alabama. Their desire to find a market for their work, American Road Trip Photography, brought them to the shows just a year ago. It should be fun to hear the contrast between the stories of the veterans and those new to the business. What is the best part? What is the worst? and OMG what did that patron just say about your work and what did its dog do to your booth? We want to hear from you. Call in because we want to hear your stories also.             

  It is application season! Anyone active in the art fair business is deep into preparing applications for jurying into the nation's art fairs. What are the odds you'll make the cut and get into your most desired festival? Our guests are long time professionals from the business including Cindy Lerick, executive director of the Saint Louis Art Fair, Christine Berthiaume, Crafts Manager for the New Orleans Jazz Festival and Marguerite Esrock, executive director of the St. James Court Art Show. We'll talk about: As an intro we'll hear how each show prepares their jurors for jurying and the process of showing the jurors the applications10 worst things you can do to sabotage your chances of "getting in" Have paper and pencil ready. This one is sure to bring you useful information applicable to your finding success exhibiting at art fairs large and small.  

ArtFairCalendar.com has just finished its 3rd annual "America's Best Art Fairs" survey and we announce the winners. Our survey is the only national online look at the country's juried art fairs and craft shows, designed to reward the festivals that create opportunities connecting artists and communities. We asked our mailing list of over 50,000 art fair patrons what was the best art fair in the country and had an amazing nationwide response. Nearly 90% of the respondents completed the lengthy 25 question survey and the answers were both expected and intriguing.  Listen to find out what the Top 50 shows in the country are as voted on by the people who attend them. Discover their choices for the best regional fairs, best urban fair, best small market show and the best cities for art fairs. We'll share the survey answers on: what makes a show "Best"why people say they attend an art fairwhy they don't attend shows they used to lovesuggestions for show organizers Lynn Smith, vice chair of the Old Town Art Fair in Chicago, will give her insights on how the fair garners so much enthusiasm throughout the greater metropolitan area, making it a "must attend" event. Art buyers from Florida and Ohio will also join us to tell us why they attend art fairs and buy art. ArtFairCalendar.com's mission is to promote the American tradition of art fairs by showcasing events where art collectors find hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind fine work and encourage the interaction of client and creator.   

The interested parties have come to your party: that Art Festival you have been planning and marketing for 364 days. How do you make sure they love the show, bring their friends, buy art, spread the word about what they found there and can't wait for next year? Sharon McAllister, Executive Director of ArtFest Fort Myers (FL) and Jenny Wright, Festival Director of The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival (TX) join the conversation and share their best tips for building a memorable experience for their patrons. We'll learn about their decisions on: public relationsmarketingcommunity relationssponsor buildingartist relationshipsplus what works and even more interestingly what they've done that doesn't work! Connie Mettler presents results from her 2014 Best Art Fair Survey of art fair buyers where she gathered data about what makes them come to a festival and why ... plus ... why there are formerly favorite shows that they no longer attend. Both of these events were chosen as Top 50 Events in the survey. Learn more about ArtFest Fort Myers. Learn more about The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival.                      

When a city's largest employers pull out and the population begins to decline what do you do? Find new corporations, preserve the downtown, improve the quality of life by improving the schools, rebuild neighborhoods and focus on becoming one of the "Top 100 Arts Small Towns in the United States."    Enter Artisphere, now in its 12th year and awarded Top 20 event out of the "100 Best" Art Shows in the country by Sunshine Artist Magazine, a Top 10 Fine Arts and Fine Craft festival by the Art Fair Sourcebook, and #3 out of 20 finalists in USA Today's 10 Best Reader's Choice Award for Best Art Festival and listed in ArtFairCalendar.com's Best Art Fairs in America. Kerry Murphy, Executive Director of Artisphere and Liz Smith, Program Director,  join us to share their experiences. We'll talk about how a city in the rural South, half way between Atlanta and Charlotte, attracts the nation's top artists and why those artists apply again and again to be part of the event. How a fine art event is "sold" to the town and how they attract buyers.The organizational structure of the event, recruiting working board members who expand the reach of the festival.                    

Connie Mettler, publisher of ArtFairCalendar.com and moderator at ArtFairInsiders.com is joined by Internet marketing expert Scott Fox to celebrate ArtFairCalendar'com's 11th anniversary online and the 6th for ArtFairInsiders.com. They'll be drawing names for over 50 prizes donated by artists, art suppliers, show organizers and art equipment manufacturers around the country -- plus art lessons in San Francisco and music festival passes in Tennessee! And just for fun they've got great stories from the art fair business that make this worth a listen.  

  Our guest will be graphic artist Carroll Swayze. Carroll has a great story about how working smarter, not harder, has put more money in her pocket and enabled her to do more of the things she loves besides creating her work. A lifelong artist, after much trial and error she has found that balance we all crave.  Carroll is a great storyteller with many adventures under her belt.  Doubt that she has been able to do this? Take a look at her schedule on her website, her passion for fishing is evident, and for music and the blues: http://www.carrollswayze.com/schedule.html  We'll be drawing names for the first 10 winners in our 6th anniversary Pledge Drive. Hope it will be you. Pledge now. Your odds of winning are mighty good. This is not the powerball lottery folks, with millions participating, just a few lucky folks who make this website and our other online endeavors possible. Click here to do it now: http://www.artfaircalendar.com/art_fair/pledgedrive.html  

Connie Mettler talks with Marcy Boroff, from Renaissance Craftables, one of the east coast’s premier craft show promotion companies partnering with downtown areas and non-profits. Marcy Boroff had worked with her mother, Barbara, on shows for years and took over the business in 2010.   As a craft show promoter, Marcy feels very strongly that it is a partnership between the artists, the downtown areas or non-profits she is partnering with, and the community of festival-goers.   How did this company get from mall shows to the streets of some of the best shopping areas in the East? We talk about: the role of the show promoter and why they do itchoosing a location to host a show and starting a new showbuilding and implementing a marketing planthe good part of being a show promoterthe bad part and the worst partbuilding relationships with the shopping areas where they host their eventsbuilding relationships with artiststhe future of craft shows and their economic impact Learn more: Renaissance Craftables General Guidelines for Artists