Ocala Arts Festival

<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>Ocala Arts Festival</B></div> <div> <B>6260 N.W. 19 Street, Sunrise, Fl. 33313 Toll Free 1-877-512-3333    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"> <div> 2003 Ocala Arts Festival</div> <div> Ocala Arts Festival, October 25-26.  McPherson Government Complex, Ocala, Florida. Contact: Fine Arts For Ocala, P.O. Box 6229, Ocala, Fl. 34478. 352-867-4788.</div> <div> This was our third year in a row for doing this show.  This year set-up and tear down was a breeze and the layout was the best we've seen at any show.  I wish all shows we did were laid out like this one.  Each booth had a corner space with lots of room behind for storage and chairs.  The best spots at this show are the ones under sprawling oak trees with lots of shade. The treatment by the staff here is top notch and includes Friday set-up, dinner/party Saturday night, $20,000.00 in award money, booth sitters and the list goes on.  </div> <bR> <div> Each year our sales totals have gone down and this year they finally reached unacceptable levels.  We send newsletters to people in the area that have seen our work or bought from us in the past so usually when we go back to a show we tend to do better.  For whatever reason at this show it just was not happening for us.  The first two years here we had heard a lot of other artists saying sales here were not that great for them and some of those artists were not here this year.  For us the first year was a better than average show, the second year was about half of that, (a well below average show), and this year we did less than half of last year.  </div> <bR> <div> Everyone I spoke with had high marks for set-up, lay out and organization of the show.  A photographer I spoke with, (also 3-year veteran), said this year he barely made expenses and would probably not be back.  A pencil artist said total sales for him was about $400.00 and he would not be back.  A potter I spoke with did not make expenses this year and would not return.  I spoke with two painters who both barely made expenses with one saying she would probably give the show a second try.    </div> <bR> <div> I did speak with one of the show's board members and she told me several that artists she had spoken with were having better sales there this year than in the past.  I personally spoke with 15-20 different artists there and not one of them made over $1000.00.  </div> <bR> <div> At what point should you give up on a show?  I know sometimes we probably do give up too soon, you really cannot predict what is going to happen from year to year.  Or is it insanity to go back to a show where few artists are doing well and think that next year will be better?  It's hard on our egos as well as our pocket books when we don't make what we think we should at a show.  If you did well there in the past, were you just lucky and will your luck ever return for that show.  I know when we do well at a show we really look forward to going back the following year, it's such a disappointment when sales are way down.  There are certainly no guarantees when trying a new show.    </div> <bR> <div> Should we go back to a show like this again or is it time to seek our fortunes elsewhere?  I'd like to hear comments from other artists about your feelings on this subject, please e-mail them to me at mike@albinarts.com. </div> </td> </tr></table></body>