So, it's been a while, huh?  I know in my last post, I said I would continue with Part II of how I became a jewelry designer, but today I want to write about something else....

We participated in our last art show, for this year, over the weekend.  What a disappointment!!  Our sales, and even shopper traffic were so slow.  And it wasn't just us -- truly, almost all of the vendors I spoke with expressed the same disappointment.  Art and craft shows, while a lot of fun (you meet the nicest people/vendors at these events), can be hard work.  There are so many things to do in order to prep for an upcoming show. But, I'll talk about that another time.  Right now, I want to offer some un-asked for advice with regard to participating in arts and crafts shows.

The show that we participated in this past weekend advertised itself as a "craft" show.  When I see the word "craft", I assume it refers to a product that is handmade -- handcrafted.  Unfortunately, the organizers of the show and I don't have the same definition for the word "craft".  This particular show allowed anyone and everyone who was willing to pay the booth fee.  While this was good for the organizers, it spelled disaster for those of us who created genuine, handmade items.  Every shopper knows that mass produced, machine made products can be produced, and therefore sold, at a lower price than a unique, usually one-of-a-kind, handcrafted item.  Now let me say, I don't have a problem with competition.  Personally, I believe competition is healthy and good for everyone....when the playing field is even.  Machine made products vs. handcrafted products do not make for an even playing field and are extremely difficult with which to compete for any vendor.  

Anyway, after all the shows we have participated in this year, I've finally learned I must ask questions of the organizerbefore I send in the booth fee. (And yes, on occasion, I have been accused of being a slow learner!)

1.  What is the usual/expected/average attendance for the art show?

2.  What percentage of the vendors sell jewelry (or whatever your particular product is)?

3.  Is there a limit on the number of vendors selling jewelry?

4.  Will vendors of machine made/mass produced jewelry be allowed to participate in the show?  (For me, this is a biggie!)

5.  If vendors of machine made/mass produced jewelry are allowed, will the number of these vendors be limited?

And just one more thought:

Consider the demographics of the area in which the art show is conducted.  This can make a huge difference in your sales volume.  Be sure to choose a venue that will carry the most interest/desire for your particular product.