How To Be In An Art Fair: 5 Lessons From My First Fair

In October, I participated in my first artist-centered art fair, and whoa, was it an eye-opening experience. Mostly positive, and definitely a learning opportunity. 

First, let me give you a little background on art fairs. Art Fairs have existed in the art world for decades. The famous ones being Venice Biennale, Miami Basel, etc. They bring the elite sellers and buyers of the art world together in one location. The art is stunning, the money is flowing.

Recently, as with all other markets, the art world is seeing a push toward the direct-to-consumer interface. Artists can use the internet and social media to connect directly to buyers. And yes, even art fairs have embraced the direct to consumer trend. Some examples of art fairs where artists represent and sell on behalf of themselves include The Other Art Fair by Saatchi Art or stARTup Art Fair. 

I was showing at stARTup Art Fair, which is unique because it takes place in a hotel, and all of the artists are given rooms in which to set up, display, and sell their artwork. You can move furniture around, decorate, etc. 

So, here are my major takeaways from my experience and tips I have for you if you are interested in how to be in an art fair. 

1. Visit the fair before you participate to determine if it is the right fit for you. 

I was given this advice from Jodi Walsh, a Houston ceramicist, and I think it’s brilliant. If you are going to consider spending big money on rental fees and shipping/travel, then you want to make sure that the fair is going to attract the audience and numbers that you are searching for.

2. Shit happens.

For our room in the hotel, we were advised to hang with non-damaging strips. Well, we had a terrible time getting the work to stick on the walls. Most of the art fairs allow you to use nails or appropriate picture hangers, but if for some reason they don’t, then I highly suggest you bring an alternative hanging system. I saw some elegant ones where artists used ladders or false walls. Some of our artwork was damaged because it fell. This was so frustrating.

When talking to the organizers, I found out that this happens to at least one artist in every fair. Shit happens. Traveling with your art increases the likelihood that you’ll experience this, but hopefully, you find that the benefits outweigh the cost of some damage or other bad luck. 

3. Get creative with the cost-benefit analysis.

“So…have you sold anything?” This question was asked by all artists that came through the room. We were all curious to know if the others were making sales. When you spend $2000 for a booth/room and still have all of the supply/packing/travel fees, the pressure to make your money back is high. But, the answer is complicated.

Most of the artists I talked to did not make their money back in a clear sales to spend ratio. However, many of them had conversations with likely follow-up sales, made a connection with a curator/gallerist that seemed hopeful, or saw sales from their existing fans based on being at the fair (you can read more about this “for sale” phenomenon in my post about hosting an open studio sale). The promotion of being at the fair, being featured online, and showing as an active artist, are all non-quantitative aspects that you may find valuable. 

That said, the cost of doing business in this way is incredibly expensive, so don’t spend money you can’t afford to lose. For clarity, I shared my room with three other local artists, and we were sponsored by a local non-profit arts organization. Our room fees were covered, but we did pay for supplies and other expenses. You should also factor in the cost of your time.

4. Consider sponsorships or other ways to make your money back.

To that end, I have some thoughts about sponsorships that may help an artist make an opportunity like this financially viable. I think it would be interesting to see artists create and sell merchandise to help pay for their booths. Artists could also look to be sponsored by a brand or company where you sell that company’s merchandise and/or present their name as your title sponsor. 

Most original artwork is selling for hundreds or thousands of dollars, and your Average Jane doesn’t come strolling through a fair expecting to spend that kind of money. Make sure you have some small, affordable artwork or prints for sale so that Jane can take something home for $50 or less. 

5. Bring help or partner up.

After this fair, I will never set up to do something like this alone if I can help it. When I was preparing for the event, I had all these great thoughts about networking with other artists and meeting new people. In reality, I hardly ever left the room. Most artists seem to feel pressure to be present to represent their artwork and be there in case that special person walks through. Thank goodness I was sharing a room with other artists so that we could take turns covering our space while the others got a chance to look around, meet other artists, and generally take a break or eat our meals!