Camille's Events2000 Blog
Meriwhether County is astride GA 85, rambling in the route between Atlanta and Columbus, Georgia. In the early 20th Century, it was thriving with the Cotton Trade. Wagons and trucks met the trains along the corridor, one of the southern-most points was Gay, established by the ancestors of William "Bill" Gay...now deceased...former Mayor, Postmaster, Councilman and all-around great guy!
Bill and his wife Joanne, established the regionally prosperous, economically beneficial Cotton Pickin' Fair in the early 1970s, held semi-annually in downtown Gay, drawing tens of thousands through its gates for nearly four decades. This event and two other events occur simultaneously and make the town come alive during the first weekends in May and October every year.
During the rest of the year you can usually walk down the center line of the highway for short distances without too much fear of being hit by an errant automobile or logging truck.
The nation's current economic atmosphere has taken its toll on the Festivals Industry in a rather large scale. This is quite evident in Gay...but not so much as you would say the town is going to fold up any time soon.
The current Mayor has turned to the only reliable source of revenue she knows and is tacking on fees and requirements which I feel are not in the spirit of the events being created. Don't mean to be sounding too bit glib and opinionated here...but I feel that I'm having the correct reaction to what I have learned. With more than three decades in the industry, these are very reliable instincts.
The three events each charge a fee for its exhibitors to participate. About five years ago, the Town of Gay decided to require a permit to be a "temporary vendor" in any of the events or activities taking place during what amounts to five days being present in the county. A legal caveat allows an exemption for non-profit groups.
So the tax-donkey has become the two other events. In addition to the requirement for an Occupation/Business Tax Application to be completed...and $5 collected...there now is an Affidavit Verifying Status for City Public Benefit Application. Presented as a "requirement" under the Immigration and Nationalization Act along with applicable State of Georgia statutes, this declaration of citizenship and/or permanent residency is being held as a necessary requisite in order to apply for the aforementioned permit.
And it has to be Notarized...for a fee.
So the fee for the permit, the fee for the license, the fee for the Notary to verify you are who you say you are...all are being placed in the hands of the show directors by the Town of Gay, Merewether County. My personal thoughts tell me that the Town of Gay should administer any and all collection of fees for permits and affidavits, etc.
That the completion of a "citizenship" and "residency" verification is not the business of the event as they are neither agents nor employed by the city, county or State of Georgia; that the collection of fees and the swearing of oaths on behalf of a state or local agency in order for those individuals to be compliant toward being a part of an activity...all of this...is not the duty or the obligation of festival or event management.
Granted, the fees aren't much...but to place $5 from here, $5 from there, $20-$30 from elsewhere just to be there and conduct business is a "taxation" which these mules are not going to carry for any length of time...if at all.
The Economic Engine of Meriwherther County is suffering right along with similar efforts elsewhere. However, levying fees on those who can least afford to pay or who are not required to do so at other competing events in other locations, counties, cities, etc...will serve to activate a huge "sucking" noise.
This would be the emptiness of the town as the wind whips through the empty streets and down GA 85 as folks walk down the middle of the road on the four days a year the festivals and events would have taken place.
Not being a lawyer, I do not know the in's and out's of the legal system. But I do feel that the Mayor of Gay, Georgia is creating an untenable situation of a less-than-pleasant result for the economy and future of this once King Of Cotton Community.
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Camille's Events2000 Blog
One of my favorite e-zines is from Molly Gordon, author of The Way of the Accidental Entrepreneur. In her last issue (Vol. 11 No. 36), she discusses pricing one's work. Please read her article titled Why lowering your prices doesn't work and how to resist the urge. It has many interesting points.
"When you sell art on the street you have left the cathedral for the carnival. It's no surprise people expect to pay less", and "...there is always a path, but until you take charge of the landscaping and maintenance, the path is likely to lead your customers into the wilderness instead of into and ongoing relationship with your work" are thought provoking statements.
Doing festivals - even if you only do one or two a year - is often a good way to network, to show your body of work, to see what's going on, and to make a little money. Choosing the best events to accomplish whatever goal(s) you have, however, is very important.
First, you've got to decide whether you need "the cathedral" or "the carnival". If you sell originals priced in the thousands of dollars, it is wise to exhibit where others are also selling originals; and, attendees expect to buy art. If you are selling handmade holiday decorations, two for twenty dollars, look for people with disposable income who don't mind spending some of it for something really nice. Choosing the best shows for your work is taking "charge of the landscaping".
Often the most important take-away from a festival is the people who bought - or were very interested in buying - your work. Cultivating an "ongoing relationship with your work" is vital to your business. It is easier to sell to a previous buyer than it is to find a new client. They already told you that your work is valuable to them. When you get home from the festival, send them a hand-written thank you note for their purchase. Put them on your e-broadcast list. Ask them to Fan or Friend you on Facebook. Regularly, tell them about what you are working on. Post images of your latest work on your website and your Facebook page. Tell them where your work will be shown. Invite them to your Open House. Keep your name and your work in their minds. Ask for referrals.
I know, I know... and I hear you even while you are reading this... "I don't have time to write thank you notes." "I don't want to get involved with Facebook. It takes too much time." "I don't want people tromping through my home-based studio." You are in business. Marketing yourself is of utmost importance.
Write those thank you notes. A note will really, really impress your buyer. Sign up for a Facebook profile or page. It is free, and easy enough to set up. If I can do it, YOU can do it.
There are many Open House tours around the southeast. Find out where one is around you. If you don't want people coming to your studio, ask a studio owner who does open his doors if you can have some space in his Open House. Take the time to nurture your business.
With all that is happening, to be successful, it is more important than ever to act thoughtfully.
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Camille's Events2000 Blog
Events2000.com has been broadcasting E-blasts, event announcements and reminders, for over five years. Nearly eight hundred events have participated in this eye-catching marketing partnership...resulting in hundreds of thousands of emails each year.
The growing list of Events2000.com members, subscribers and readers look forward to the frequent announcements for fairs, festivals and special events across the Southeast.
Just thought I would share the most recent comment:
On 9/9/09 11:42 PM, "Deborah Karwisch" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it > wrote:
"A great big THANK YOU to Events2000 for the e-blasts. That was definitely money well spent by the (Mable House, Mableton, Georgia) Christmas House Committee.
Out of about 72 applications, 29 of them were brand new and many of very high quality. We had so many jewelers, we had to decline about six of them. Applicants were from Missouri, South Carolina, New Jersey, and further out around Atlanta like Macon, Alpharetta, Lawrenceville, Rockmart, etc.
The jurors were able to be much more strict this year..."
The growing list of Events2000.com members, subscribers and readers look forward to the frequent announcements for fairs, festivals and special events across the Southeast.
Just thought I would share the most recent comment:
On 9/9/09 11:42 PM, "Deborah Karwisch" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it > wrote:
"A great big THANK YOU to Events2000 for the e-blasts. That was definitely money well spent by the (Mable House, Mableton, Georgia) Christmas House Committee.
Out of about 72 applications, 29 of them were brand new and many of very high quality. We had so many jewelers, we had to decline about six of them. Applicants were from Missouri, South Carolina, New Jersey, and further out around Atlanta like Macon, Alpharetta, Lawrenceville, Rockmart, etc.
The jurors were able to be much more strict this year..."
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Camille's Events2000 Blog
Tuesday, 08 September 2009 00:00
Stealing Concession Trailers is a Common Activity
Written by Camille Ronay
A very sad story about a local man who seemed a pillar of the community had embedded in it a lesson for exhibitors.
As Howard Sills, Putnam County's Sheriff puts it, "Those types of trailers (referring to concession trailers)are the highest theft items in the State of Georgia. I know it seems strange, but this kind of theft is as common as the rain."
I've been in the festival industry for 30+ years and was not aware that concession trailer theft was even an issue. If you use a concession trailer in your business, please beware! Keep the insurance commiserate with both the trailer and contents. And do your best to make stealing the trailer very, very difficult.
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Camille's Events2000 Blog
Sarah Kuhn, Jaimie Painter Young and Dany Margolies posted a blog entry at Backstage, the Actor's Resource that hit it to the bleachers with me. I've taken their 10 Ways to Advance Your Career and adjusted them to Events2000 blog readers' concerns:
1) Have an advocate. Who's willing to be in your corner and pitch for you? Who's looking at the big picture, constantly readjusting your long range vision, selling your talent?
2) Find a Supportive Environment. Where is it that you can go and people understand what you are trying to do? Some creative types belong to artscentric organizations, or have their studio in a co-op or center with other working artists. Do you know who's in your area? Do you have a group you can throw ideas off of? Look around. Find some support, even if it's your best friend.
3) Offer your talents to projects in the schools. Project-based creative programming is becoming more popular as schools find less time to teach art. Teachers of various subjects - shop, technology, science, math - are collaborating with area artists to enhance the creativity of their students in projects. Call the principal of your middle school; see if she knows of such activities for the coming school year.
4) Create something different. Have you been thinking of trying video? or carving? or textiles? Go wild. See what comes out of your hands when your heart is leading the way.
5) Take a look at the way you present yourself and your work. Is your work well coordinated so that one piece easily draws the viewer into the next? Do you have a good story that people can repeat to others as they are showing off their latest purchase from you? Do you keep your collectors informed about what you are doing?
6) Give the Business Side of your work some time. Are your festival applications getting to the shows BEFORE the deadlines? Are you caught up with your monthly sales and expenditures recaps? What does your collateral (business cards, brochures, etc) look like?
7) Promote yourself as if you are selling your personality. Because you are. Years ago, we knew a quirky guy who lived in a different world than most folks. I found him on Facebook recently; and, the guy is still quirky, living in a different world. But that's how he sells his work. He's still writing, drawing, and telling stories. And his FB profile seems to indicate he's doing well. He always understood his personality was a part of his work. And it sold/still sells it.
8) Find where you belong. Do you thrive doing festivals? Is teaching what you look most forward to? Is design what excites you? Whatever it is that makes you most happy is where you belong. And nobody can find that niche but you.
9) Learn how to network. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, networking is the most important task you have every day, week, and month. Do people in your neighborhood, county and area know what you do? Are you a member of local or regional groups like the chamber or a tourism committee or arts boards of directors? Experts disagree as to how much networking a businessperson needs to do. It goes from 20% to 80% of your time on the job. Whatever the percentage, it's a wildly important part of entrepreneurship.
Fortunately, some networking can be done at your desk in your ratty tshirt and shorts. Facebook, newsletters to your peeps, phone calls just checking in, are often as important as public face-to-face meetings.
10) Shut the door on your business and do something totally unrelated. Go see the Braves play ball. Take a camping trip. Ask your six best girlfriends over and have potluck and a gab session. There should be time regularly that you take off and just have fun. Work shouldn't be your whole life! And after some time away, work often is welcoming and brings you back into the rhythm of your life.
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Camille's Events2000 Blog
We just got back from the July 18-19: Uncle Dave Macon Days, held in Murfreesboro, TN. The setting was almost idyllic, a historic district full of prior effort... A 1800s era town, complete with town hall, church, mill, blacksmithy, school and numerous other facilities, most of them functional. The show wound around the central town park, and was almost inundated with groups of blue grass and gospel musicians practicing their art. It was a remarkable backdrop for any show.
Attendance was strong, but sales were lackluster for such a large and well-publicized gathering (ours were about half what we earned the week before at the similar but smaller and less ambitious Smithville Fiddler's Jamboree). Given that the event was front page news in the local paper, and Murfreesboro (a suburb of Nashville) is a much larger city than Smithville, this was all the more problematic.
Weather was near-ideal for July, so another variable that could have weighed on results was neutralized.
Some notes I made while trying to figure out the show's odd lack of productivity for its arts and crafts vendors...
The local civic and religious organizations were notably sparse. The food court was largely populated with the professional vendors one usually sees at these events. Local groups should be key supporters of any such endeavor. Well-heeled festival visitors were simply not there - a structural problem for whoever is planning the event's advertising and promotion.
After some discussion, we have decided to try it again next year, just to see if this was a fluke, since we both really like the venue and the wonderful historic setting. <Ed note... it wasn't a fluke. Uncle Dave Macon Days has always been MUSIC oriented.>
July 25-26: Save the Music, LaFollette, TN. CANCELLED two weeks before it was scheduled to happen!!!
OK, some strong words for these folks. We JUST received a single page letter by mail that this show has been cancelled! Given that we held a lengthy phone conversation with them 10 days ago, this was both surprising and financially costly for us. We made binding hotel reservations as a RESULT of that telephone conversation, during which the representative gave no warning whatsoever that the festival may/may not be held. Everyone be advised, this show HAS been cancelled. Do NOT make any plans if you have not yet received your very tardy notification.
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Updating my May 25, 2009 blog entry, FireRaine Studios has now completed the following shows:
June 6-7: Arts & Crafts Festival, Hiawassee, GA - This was a show set in the extensive Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds there, so each exhibitor had a fairly weather-tight rustic shed to sell from (no canopies needed).
The Fairgrounds is spacious and very interesting. When in full use, it features a LOT of permanent structures for various local civic groups, churches and clubs to sell food and other products. Of particular note is the extensive Frontier Village, which includes historic structures donated to the Lions Club (which owns and operates the facility). It's fantastic when all the authentic village functions spring into action, the blacksmith, the cotton gin, the various grinding and milling operations...
But unfortunately for us, NONE of these things were active during our event.
The primary draw was the list of professional performers appearing at the large music hall located on the property, many of whom were names known to me - folks with real musical talent...
But unfortunately for us, THEIR event schedule (which cost about $40 for the 2 evening slate) and ours rarely overlapped. The music STARTED Friday 1.5 hours after the advertised end of the arts and crafts show, and there was only about 3 hours overlap Saturday with the two events' schedules...
And NO music on Sunday.
Predictably, sales and attendance was awful Friday and Sunday, and spotty Saturday.
June 13: Cave Spring (GA) Festival - This is a really lovely setting for a show, in a park featuring the signature Cave Spring and on the grounds of the historic school. The show was well-attended but not huge, and rather loosely juried, but sales were good and it was a worthy effort by all concerned. The hard-working members of the local Historic Society did their best to bring an old-fashioned southern welcome to the vendors. I like the small town atmosphere and the show.
June 20: Stone Mountain (GA) Village Arts & Crafts Festival - This is one of those historic district renovations that just has not "taken". Having participated in a similar effort in Roswell, I feel for the few remaining merchants striving to keep the flame burning, but the show simply has too many strikes against it. Attendance is lacking and though cut down to 1 day from 2 last year, it is still best characterized as "struggling". With the focus on the BBQ activities dominating all, it was a physically taxing event - hot and humid, with smoke and fumes from the adjacent mega-cookers and smokers at times choking the air. Many of the visitors came expecting a "Taste of Atlanta" event, with sampling of BBQ or at least a wide assortment for sale - when in fact, the professionals were there to earn points from the judges, and rebuffed the questions of the festival's attendees.
July 3-4: Smithville (TN) Fiddler's Jamboree - This is a wonderful show for lovers of classic bluegrass music. Weather this year was particularly fine (cooler than usual, and with enough cloud cover to keep the sun at bay). The music was, as always, plentiful and amazingly good...
But the crowds were down even further from 2008, which was by all accounts a pretty down year. We made good sales, and we are returning next year, but its obvious that even a high quality, FREE show like the Jamboree is struggling with the local economy and heavy festival competition on the key 4th of July weekend.
Coming up next:
July 18-19: Uncle Dave Macon Days, Murfreesboro, TN
July 25-26: Save the Music, LaFollette, TN.
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It was hot and the sunflowers weren't at their best due to severe lack of rain, but the Rutledge Georgia Sunflower Farm Festival was in high gear when I visited yesterday. But something happened there that I need to comment about...
I had barely walked into a booth when the owner came over to me and said "Anything that you see here, just ask me the price of. They are marked for what I sell them through a gallery. I have to pay a big commission there. Here, I don't. So I can do better on anything at all!"
The booth owner knew nothing about my interest level. She didn't know if I were a festival visitor, a gallery owner or a fellow exhibitor. But she freely imparted disturbing information on any level... She'd give me a better price? She'd undercut her "gallery"? Why didn't she tear off the masking tape price tags and put up the prices she wanted to sell the pieces for?
Festivals are NOT garage sales. And, if you have work in shops and galleries, do not undercut yourself.
This new economy is a different market from the past. FREE is a good thing. What about offering something (a sunflower, a cold bottle of water, a sample of your newest product) when someone makes a purchase? Added Value is a good thing. Cutting your price without provocation isn't. It never has been, though.
Another exhibitor at the Festival had a better idea. She offered a huge range of prices - $1 postcards to a $1200 original acrylic painting. Coincidentally, she is a gallery owner. Imagine her surprise when she popped into the other exhibitor's booth and was told all prices were subject to change!
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Camille's Events2000 Blog
Which blogs do you follow? I follow a number of them and learn several things every day. These are my recommendations... Just click over to each one and sign up for the ones that hit it to the bleachers for you:
www.artfairinsiders.com (click on the Blog link)
www.smARTistCareerBlog.com (Ariane Goodwin has a FABULOUS telesummit annually that is invaluable for your art business.)
GeorgiaMadeGeorgiaGrown.com/index.php/blog.html
barbarabrabec.com/announcementlist.htm
Search for blogs in your interest range. For FREE, you can connect and enjoy learning about what others in your medium are doing.
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Camille's Events2000 Blog
How do you make money selling your art, craft, performance or concessions? Early Spring was wretched at most festivals - rain, cold, wind seemed determined to do them in. Later in April & some weekends in May, the weather was better, but those few weekends didn't always bring in the money exhibitors & performers lost earlier. So most entrepreneurs who depended solely on shows just weren't coming up winners.
Do you market your products other ways? Through galleries or gift shops? Open Studio tours? On the internet?
I'm always tickled when exhibitors tell me they can't afford to wholesale. What do they think gambling on a show, traveling, staying overnight, buying and always upgrading display materials, investing in websites and collateral is? I counter those odd statements with "You can't afford NOT to wholesale!"
In the past month, I've been pleased to participate in several Open Studio tours. A brand new Art Stroll in Washington Georgia was a great start to what can develop into a strong stream of income. Galleries, workshops and individual artists' studios/homes opened to the public. A few hundred visitors attended, enjoyed meeting and talking to the artists, having locally-prepared snacks and wine, and often, buying artworks. And several of the artists picked up workshop/classes patrons.
The internet has dozens of sales venues, even if you do not want to do your own Online Store. Etsy.com , RedBubble.com , www.handmadecatalog.com , www.fineartamerica.com and www.gmgg.org are a few sites offering low cost/no cost, easy setup.
I just read a Grand Re-Opening ad from Cabot Lodge in Ridgeland MS... "Please join us for guided tours, fantastic hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and craft demonstrations from some of Mississippi's finest artisans." Could an activity like this turn into a Stream of Income? Perhaps... Look at the possibilities.
Management from Cabot Lodge HQ, the architect, the developers, the builders will be meeting and greeting; chamber/CVB reps will be on hand. Other attendees may include restaurant and other local business owners, and your friends and neighbors. The occasion may be excellent for NETWORKING. The old saw "It's not who YOU know, it's WHO KNOWS YOU" is right on the money. What better way to make sure your product is in the minds of leaders and buyers than to participate in a gathering...
Most exhibitors go slowly in the hot Southern summers. Take some time to think about and develop other streams of income.
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