Discrimination at Art Fairs

[Michele Rushworth]

I've just been notified that I can't have a booth at the biggest art fair in our state (where I showed for the last two years) because I don't complete my sales actually at the show, but afterwards, on commission. The same is true of the second biggest art fair in the area.

Linda Nelson rightly pointed out that this seems unfairly discriminatory, especially if the fair receives funding from the state arts commission.

I know that some art shows in the midwest don't have this rule. I'd like to gather further information on other art shows where commissioned portrait artists have participated, and present this data to the organizers of our local fairs. Can those of you who have had booths at other art fairs let me know the names and cities (and websites if available) where you have shown?

Thanks!

[Steven Sweeney]

What's the rationale for this? Do art fairs take a cut of the action on top of a "booth fee", and thus feel that they're missing out on some commissions themselves?

Or have the doily, bead, and wooden-letter folks formed a PAC?

Somehow, somewhere, I suspect that the motivation is: $$

[Michele Rushworth]

Yes, they do get a cut on top of the booth fee, but it seems odd that some would allow commissioned artists and some wouldn't. I'd like to get the names of some fairs that do allow it so I can talk to the local organizers.

[Julie Deane]

Michelle -

Could you offer pencil sketches or some other quick art to sell at the show, but also have your paintings displayed, with brochures? Would that satisfy them?

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Julie Deane

Michelle -

Could you offer pencil sketches or some other quick art to sell at the show, but also have your paintings displayed, with brochures? Would that satisfy them?

Michele, I think Julie's idea is a good one, but I'm not sure if you do the quick sketches.

Maybe you could have some other paintings for sale, some landscapes or still lifes in your booth? Of course you still need to display your portraits, that's the whole point of being there. But could you have some portraits that are labeled 'not for sale', or heck, put high price tags on them. What are the chances of someone buying a portrait of somebody's else's child? Anyway, maybe some combination of this will work for you and appease the fair people.

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

Thanks for the suggestions about sketches and landcapes but I really don't want to dilute my message with other types of work.

I think if I submitted my current portrait samples as "figurative works for sale" that I wouldn't be accepted into the show. I don't think they're the type of paintings that anyone would buy, other than the people commissioning them. There's sometimes a fine line between figurative and portraits but I think my samples (as you can see on my website) fall very clearly in the area of commissioned portraiture.

[Steven Sweeney]

Originally Posted by Michele Rushworth

Yes, they do get a cut on top of the booth fee

Sounds like that's the crux. They provide the band shell, they call the tunes. It's not exactly State Fair protocol, but I suppose the "take" on the art fairs is factored into the decision on booth/space rental.

I suspect that the real rub is a comparison between the rate of return on ceramic soap dishes and multi-hundred/thousand dollar portraits -- the latter of which the promoters apparently believe they're missing out on.

Good luck on negotiations, but we're in Bottom-Line Times, and they are a changin'.