Well, hello! I am so excited to announce my participation in this year’s Magic City Art Connection at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, AL. This will be my first art fest in two years and I’m eager for everyone to see all the new work I’ve created since then.
My first time doing an art festival like this, I was woefully ill-equipped. So many mistakes. My tent was dark blue, essentially keeping my work in the shadows the whole time. I didn’t have proper tent sides for it, so I had to duct tape ugly gray tarp around it to protect everything from the elements. I didn’t have a portable charger and was constantly in danger of my phone dying and losing sales because all I had was cash. I didn’t understand sales tax.
Fast forward to today. I invested in a proper tent with zip-up sides and weights. I have a well-organized point of sale and record-keeping system. I even won Best in Show out of hundreds of artists in 2021’s Magic City Art Connection and was invited to be the Featured Artist for 2022!
So if you’re an artist considering doing a market or festival and you’re not sure what to bring or how things are gonna go, I’d love to help!
Below is my checklist to ensure your most successful market. I’m sure I’m forgetting something, so if you have any follow-up questions or suggestions, please comment away!
The Basics:
-your beautiful artwork, of course! Try to keep the work cohesive in style and color if possible. This draws the eye to your booth and entices folks to come a little closer! Be sure you've added hooks and/or hanging wire to your pieces. Price tags, too. People are more likely to purchase if they see the prices up front and don’t have to ask, plus it saves your voice :)
-your own tent (preferably white) complete with tent sides and weights
-hanging apparatus such as peg board, hanging grids, etc. I hang peg board from the tent and have free-standing metal hanging grids to hang paintings from.
-hooks and/or zip ties to make sure the work stays securely in place
-a table for smaller works, prints, and other merch. Don't forget a tablecloth!
-a chair
-a point of sale system with a card reader like Square. Venmo, Cashapp, or Paypal for alternate payment options. Cash, too! Keep a record of each sale as you go and remember to charge sales tax.
-Most fests collect sales taxes at the end, so bring checks with you to make those payments
Other Essentials:
-packing material and shopping bags
-signage with your artist statement, link to your website and socials
-a portable charger for your phone and especially your point of sale system
-snacks and water!
-scissors and tape
-a notebook or some kind of digital spreadsheet to record sales
-secure packing tubs for transporting your work
Helpful Extras:
-a foldable wagon to transport things to and from your vehicle. This becomes especially helpful at de-install time when everyone is trying to pull up beside their booths at the same time
-business cards, but let's face it. Most people just take them and they end up in a drawer somewhere. You can just have them snap a photo of a QR code with links to your web pages
-if you have a newsletter or mailing list, a way for visitors to sign up to join
-comfy clothes and shoes
-a good book to read in case things get slow
-an umbrella in case it rains, plus plenty of plastic sheeting to protect your art from the elements
And that’s it! Again, please feel free to reach out if you have additional questions or if I’m missing anything :)
Love,
Chloe