Our own Bob Unke addressed fellow members at our November 26, 2024 meeting with great tips and tricks on “How to be an Art Show Star!” Bob is a favorite speaker as his presentations are always well-received, topical and informative.
While we passed around copies of Bob’s outlined presentation (he is also very prepared!), Bob started in discussing how to find an art fair to participate in. He directed artists to several resources, like wide-reaching festival.net, community websites, and of course our own Guild-sponsored events. Discern whether you fit into the art showing at the event. Another important factor is whether it’s held indoors or outdoors.
An outdoor event requires the artist to own and set up their own tent. Tents were a big part of Bob’s presentation with many aspects to consider: size, cost, quality, weights, and inside display options for your artwork. Transporting your work to and from your car to the exhibit tent is often overlooked. Bob recommended a collapsible wagon and packing up the night before the show vs. morning of.
At the show, Bob has found many items good to have for “just in case.” Gaffers tap, zip ties, a scissors and portable phone charger were top picks. Promote your booth with a sign and business cards for those who may want to find you later.
Engage passersby to make your sales. Bob uses a Square device for processing payments and gave it a good review. Other experienced members mentioned using banking apps like Zelle or Venmo. Personal checks are also easy to process with mobile depositing, and always, cash is king!
Deciding to show at an art fair is a big commitment, and it was wonderful to see the exchange of information and suggestions between members. This is what being part of the Guild is about.
