Melbourne Arts Festival 2005

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="05bfd5a3.jpg"> <div> <B>2005  Melbourne Arts Festival</B></div> <div> <B>347-LOVE-ART  (347-568-3278)   Toll Free 1-877-512-3333</B><B>    Email: </B><A HREF="mailto:mike@mikealbin.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:mike@mikealbin.com"><U><B>mike@mikealbin.com</B></U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="05cd2043.jpg"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mike Albin.Com "><U>Mike Albin.Com </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="wd.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web design"><U>Web design</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="ma.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Marketing Articles"><U>Marketing Articles</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="sr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Show Reviews"><U>Show Reviews</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="mt.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Marketing Tools"><U>Marketing Tools</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="l.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#777777" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> April 23-24, 21st Annual Melbourne Arts Festival.  Contact: P.O. Box 611, Melbourne, Fl. 32902.  321.722.1964 www.melbournearts.org   Space sizes 10x12, $265.00 booth fee, 250 spaces. $25,000.00 in Awards</div> <div> This show is along a main street and several side streets in Downtown Melbourne.  We had heard from several artists that if you get put on a side street don’t bother going.  Sales and traffic are much better on the main street.  Artists cannot find out their booth location till Friday nights check in.  Our location was on a side street!  I requested a change of location and was told by the Chair that traffic down my particular side street would be heavy because one of the main parking lots was not far away.  People will be coming and going right down your street.  I figured I’d give it a try and not be a whiney artist.  After setting up Friday I went to talk with other artists on my street to see if they had done the show before and if this in fact was a good location.  I found several new artists and several that had done the show before and requested to be back on this side street so I felt a little better.  </div> <div> The big topic among artists at this years show was how would the two hurricanes that slammed this area last year affect sales at the show.  Most artists that have been doing this show for awhile say this is usually a well above average show for them.  It was our first year for doing the show so we were excited.  </div> <div> Set-up and break down were easy for us being at the end of the street.  It was a bit tighter for those in the middle and on the main street, bring a good dolly just in case.  </div> <div> The weather was perfect both days, not too hot and lots of sun.  There were huge crowds both days, sales ran the gamut, most artists I spoke with that had done the show before said this year sales were down and blamed the hurricanes’ effect.  Our work received lots of attention but only two sales all weekend.  It was disappointing but we will probably try again next year.  We had heard such great things about this show.  Two photographers I spoke with said they had well above average shows.  Two digital artists had different results, one had a good show, saved by one good sale.  The other had a well below average show.  One acrylic painter had a well below average show, had done well there last year but very disappointed with sales this year.  A water colorist had a well below average show and a jeweler said they were very happy with their above average sales.  A pencil artist had about an average show, saved by a big sale late on Sunday and a glass artist said sales were down about 50% from previous years.  </div> <div> Every artists I spoke with said they will return if given the chance.  This is a tough show to jury into year after year.  Booth assignments are given out based on when your application is received and artists wanting their same spots are encouraged to pay for next years space at this years show.  This way if you do get in you have your choice of which space you want.  Paying early does not guarantee you will get past next years jury.  </div> <div> The staff here is friendly and very well organized.  Treatment of artists is top notch with an awards dinner on Saturday night, breakfast both mornings, booth sitters and patron awards in the $100,000.00 range.  </div> <div>  </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>