The Show Application Mystery, part 2

NOTE: this post was supposed to magically appear on Wednesday but there were technical difficulties. Here it is!

One thing that everyone agrees on is the importance of the application.
You don't want to mess this up.

Get your application RIGHT:

Take GREAT photos. 
No ifs, ands or buts. You have to have really, really good photos. Half-good won't help you and it will hurt you. Blurry? nope. Dark? nope. Too busy with a million props and bad models? Nope. You may also want to have some photos tailored to the specific show. Lori Flanders of LORiOLA suggests that will help the jury see your work in the way that they want to see it. Props, lighting and background can all be adjusted to fit the aesthetic of a specific show.  Consider a collage unless that is specifically prohibited in the application rules; it will allow the jurors to get a feel for the theme of your work. Edit those photos with piknik.com or another photo editing software.

Fill out your application COMPLETELY. 
Seriously, don't leave any blanks. There are many shows that will automatically disqualify you for a blank question here or there. If you haven't done any shows, write 'None' and don't leave a blank space.
Fill out your application legibly all in one color of ink. Reserve the cutsy margin art for your sketchbook or customizable Toms shoes. They don't want to try to decipher your handwriting or be distracted (annoyed!) by your doodles. Obviously, this is moot if the application is on-line.

Be serious.
Don't answer the questions with questions, or philosophical drivel, or rambling MFA-thesis statements. Know your own work and be able to write about it, consisely and clearly.

Don't lie. They just might check to see if you participated in those three prestigious shows you listed on your application. Don't list shows that haven't announced vendors yet, either. It looks like you are psychic OR like you are lying.

Pay the fee with a smile and crossed fingers..
Most good shows won't accept your application without a small fee of some kind. This fee keeps the show organizers from being overwhelmed with semi-pro applicants who are turned off by paying $20-50 to apply. It also allows them to recoup some of the costs of paying (or at the very least feeding) their show jury. Don't sweat this fee if you don't get in. Consider it a cost of business and just roll on down the road.

Don't take it personally.
If your work is not chosen it was not because the jury committee sat in a dimly-lit room and talked trash about your application, your work and your personal hygiene while drinking vodka and mocking your taste in music.

Really, they didn't choose your work because they didn't think it would fit into the show. It doesn't fit their aesthetic. Reasons I have heard for voting down good work include:

• This artist has never done a show this big (meaning we don't think they are ready)
• This work is too vintage/street/modern/steampunk/retro/whatever (meaning it's not the 'look' we want)
• This work is too pricey (meaning we don't think it will sell at our show)
• This work is too cheap (meaning we think this artist is a beginner and may have quality issues)
• This work is too familiar/too much like someone else's (meaning we already have all the work like this we want in our show) 

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
Do tray again to get into a show. Don't use the same photos year after year. Don't submit the exact same work. Do rewrite the application and adjust it to bring it up to date. 

If at third you don't succeed, then move on.
That's right, three strikes and they are out of luck. Find another show. Your work does not appeal to that jury. It's okay. It's not about you, it's all about them.


Thanks to members of the Richmond Craft Mafia, the Raleigh Handmaidens and Lori Flanders of LORiOLA beads for insight into this topic. Thanks to the Handmaidens for the photo collage at the top of this blog post.

Tomorrow: Act RIGHT when you are in the show, or how to get invited back!

Try It Tuesday with Super Loop Leather Hoops

Our project this week features leather and waxed linen.  Bet you never thought to use them this way!  These earrings are bright, light, and super cute!

The Show Application Mystery, continued…

Today: how do you know what show IS the right show?

Juried VS. Unjuried     

Unjuried shows are pay-and-play events. 

Pay your booth registration and you’re in. 

Benefit: you’ll gain valuable experience and may even make some sales. 

The Down Side: because the shows are unjuried there may be a guy selling collectible, imported Bobble-Heads right next door to you. 

If you are a beginner at shows you may want to try doing some unjuried shows first.

Juried Shows are more selective. 

The juries try very hard to create a cohesive, appealing show for their customers and they do that by saying no to some applicants. 

Juried shows require you to submit images of your work, a listing of previous shows and often a small, non-refundable fee.

the RIGHT show

So-how do you know the show is right for you? It takes a lot of research and thinking.

·        Research-what is the feel of the show? Study the show website, talk to other artists, and visit the show if possible. Does it feel well-run, happy and busy or disorganized?

·        Research-how many artists return to the show each time? Is the show 100% rejuried? Are vendors allowed to return if they wish and the only juried spaces go to the empty spots? Does the show have very few returning vendors?

·        Research the location. If the show is a six-hour drive from your house, you must consider travel time and cost of gas. If you can't stay with a friend you'll have to find a hotel you can afford or consider couchsurfing.org or other alternatives. 

·        Think-how will my work look next to the other artists who were in the previous edition of this show? If the show is filled with quirky, moderne housewares with humorous designs and bright colors it just might not be the place for your dark, steampunk-style goggle collection. Likewise, if your traditional Swarovski crystal-and-sterling designs don't sell well at a show with a very edgy, gothic look you would not be surprised. The very best artists know their customer and know what their customer wants. They don't waste their time applying to shows where their work wouldn’t sell.

·        Think-how many designers are already selling in my category in this show? If you mostly make jewelry (and I am guessing you do) realize that the show may have so many jewelers applying that your work will really have to stand out to be accepted.

·        Think-am I really ready for a show? You need a cohesive body of work with a strong viewpoint and a ‘look’. If the first five terms you’d use to describe your work are ‘eclectic’, ‘assorted’, ‘mixed-bag’, ‘something-for-everyone’ and ‘hodge-podge’ then you, my dear, are not really ready for a show.

You are having fun.

You are making a lot of things.

You are being creative.

You are not in business. Yet. Get back into your studio and create a cohesive body of work. Maryellen Kim of Twist Style and a regular juror with the Richmond Craft Mafia is talking to you when she says ‘PLEASE do not list yourself as a "boutique" or "assorted" vendor!'

Thanks to members of the Richmond Craft Mafia and Raleigh’s Handmaidens for insight into today’s article. 

Stop back on Wednesday and find out how to get your application RIGHT!

The show application mystery...

I recently taught another Crafting For Money class at Ornamentea and I had a great group of crafty folks. The class is always a mix of information from me and questions from my students. Sometimes the class has a better flow and we really can get into the business end of the business quite quickly.

One of the things that was a big topic that night (and in my student's follow-up emails) was Craft Shows. Which ones, how, when and where to apply, and what to bring took up a lot of our conversation that night.

I know why,

Applying to shows is like a mix of sorority rush and meeting your new in-laws. You never know what to wear and there is a good chance you'll think they are talking about your hairdo or your shoes as soon as you leave the room. Every artist feels this way but really, you shouldn't. At least, I think you shouldn't.

I decided to contact some friends who get to sit on craft show juries and ask their opinions. I chatted (via email!) with members of the Richmond Craft Mafia and Raleigh's Handmaidens. They generously shared their opinions about the three RIGHT things to do if you want to participate in the Craft Show Rodeo. They also generously shared some funny/odd/what the heck examples of things that have happened in their own shows.

Their stories boiled down to three basic points:

Choose the RIGHT show
Get your application RIGHT
Act RIGHT when you get there

These seem like three simple rules to follow but somehow, they don't always get followed. I'll be posting the details for each rule this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Check back!

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