90 Artists Magazine October 2019
Outfit BUSINESS OF ART
p
articipating in an art fair
offers opportunities to show
and sell your work to a new
audience. Although unveiling
your work the first time may feel
intimidating or downright terrify-
ing, the experience also brings new
insights, friends and excitement to
your practice.WHERE TO START
The first step is to consider whether
you feel sufficiently satisfied with
your finished works to show themFair Day Ahead
Preparation is key to successfully marketing
your work at art fairs.
by C.J. KentPHOTO BY JOHN H. BURROWnot a bad reason, with ever more fairs
available locally, convenience isn’t the
best reason for participation. Learn
what you can about the fair. Study its
website, read comments from chat
groups and, if possible, speak directly
to attendees. Don’t be unduly swayed
by complainers, but do read between
the lines to identify how well the fair
is run, what questions you should ask
the organizers and how high to set
your expectations. Try to find a fair
that attracts artists like you or that’s
based on a theme suitable to your
work. Make sure the price range of
your artwork fits within the scale of
the fair. If you confirm that the fair is
a good match to your practice, you’ll
have a better experience.CONSIDER THE COSTS
Expenses for participation in an art
fair vary tremendously. Registration
fees are based on audience size andto a wider world. If you’re using
a fair as a deadline for creating
new work, ask yourself whether
you’re prepared to work rigorously.
Will you be satisfied with the final
product or find yourself rushing
unhappily—potentially undermining
your efforts? An art fair is a public
performance. When visitors stop by
your booth, you want to feel excited,
capable of drawing attention to your
work and engaging in conversation
with an enthusiastic smile.
Often people start with a local fair
for convenience sake. Although that’sJohn H. Burrow Fine Art booth
at the Arizona Fine Art Expo,
in Scottsdale , Ariz.