Art Show Display Ideas & Inspiration

As you know, I've attended many an art event in Austin and anywhere else I happen to find them. While I'm there for the artists and the work, one thing that always sticks in my mind are the truly creative displays that many participants come up with. Displays have two main functions:

1. On the more practical side, your displays need to show off your work so shoppers can see what you make and easily pick up on the options for buying.
2. On the more subjective side, your displays have the opportunity to catch people's eyes and entice them to buy in how you arrange and stage your work.

There are so many directions you can take with both the functional and aesthetics of a booth, and there's nothing wrong with switching things up every now and then as you come up with new ideas. As long as you keep in mind a few rules of thumb and get creative, you're sure to hit on a winning concept.

What to Do & Not to Do at Art Events

You may have noticed a theme in my recent blog posts … Tips for Art Show Success. With lots of awesome fall and winter events on the horizon, I want to be sure you are all armed with best practices to make the most of your opportunities. We've talked about applying and preparing once accepted. The next step is putting on your salesperson hat. I know many of you drive the most sales during the holiday season because handmade goods make the best gifts! So how do we ensure that this year is even better than the last? Through many years of attending events, working with artists, participating in a few myself and research because I'm a bit of a nerd, I've seen what to do and what not to do when selling at shows. I hope this compilation of tips helps you rock your next festival!

Shoppers & Artists at Blue Genie during WEST

Preparing for Art Events Like a Pro

You gathered all of your photos, wrote out an artist statement, submitted the application in time, wowed the jury, and now you're in! So what's next? How do you make sure you are ready for the art fair or festival that you've committed to without stressing about all that goes into success? If this is your first event, your head may be swimming with an ever mounting to do list, but I'm here to offer a simple set of considerations to prepare. If you're already an art show pro, let me know what other tips help you knock each event out of the park. Art festivals give you the chance to get exposure, meet art lovers and other creative business owners and hopefully make sales to support further efforts. If you get all of your creative ducks in a row, you don't have to stress, and I want to see you killing it at more events!

Willow Tree Works / Smitten Designs / Black Black Moon / The Silver Acorn