~ Choosing The Right Show ~

Art and Craft Shows can be one of the best marketing tools available to artisans. The show provides you with a direct selling access to the purchasing customer. Show costs vary widely depending upon region, the attendance records, and advertising support provided.

Bazaar/Flea Market : This type of show is usually sponsored by churches, schools, clubs or organizations as a fund-raiser for their group. Included with this group are open air markets, antique-craft shows and theme events like car shows, bake sales, sporting events, air shows, etc.. While the cost to enter is usually very low, the return in sales is usually not worth the 2 or 3 days of your time.

Our survey has found this type of show usually attracts more browsers than buyers . The merchandise offered that does sell is usually low-end, from $1.00 to $15.00. Unless this is the type of merchandise you specialize in, or it is a special holiday show with a good reputation, you can usually spend your time and money more profitably than at these shows.

This is a forum for hobby/craft sellers who makes only a few things all year and want to sell some items to support their hobby or group. Another thing to consider is that whenever "flea market" is attached to the name of the event, the customer it attracts is a bargain hunter looking for the super low-low price and not a serious art or craft buyer.

Festivals and Fairs: This type of show is usually sponsored by civic groups, merchant or neighborhood associations, or towns/cities, etc. The show is usually put on by a professional promoter and is well organized, well advertised and well attended.

The deciding factor here is to understand the content of the event. If it is advertised as an art & craft show be sure that your presence will be a dominant factor in promoting the show. Make sure that the arts & crafts are mixed well with the entertainment and food, not isolated into a remote area. If that happens you will not benefit from the mainstream of traffic attending the event. Attendance is usually good. Many of these shows have a solid reputation for many years. Our survey finds that arts and crafts do well at these events as long as the show promotion features arts & crafts. On average the best selling price is up to $50.

Selling prices vary depending on the region of the country and rural versus city. Develop a competitive price range for your merchandise based on your target market and selling area.

Arts & Craft Shows : Here we will lump all organized professionally produced shows that are for the specific purpose of promoting the sales of handcrafted art or craft items. The show can be inside/outside, at convention centers or shopping malls, or buildings, etc. They are usually broken into categories by type; Fine Art; Fine Craft; Traditional Art & Craft.

Some shows allow a mix of fine and traditional work, while others have specific definitions of what they allow. This is usually determined by their application information and jury process. Here I also want to note wholesale trade shows. A wholesale show will provide you with access to buyers for retail outlets for your work, if you are interested in expanding into the wholesale market.

 New England & Northeast Art & Craft Shows, Fairs