How to Sell at an Art Fair
Selling your photography, paintings and other creative works at an art fair offers a way to earn money from your artistic endeavor. It also offers you a valuable experience as an artist. Many cities and towns have local art fairs where you can sell your prints, paintings and other pieces of art. Some artists can make thousands of dollars at one fair, and other unlucky artists only make a few hundred dollars. Selling at an art fair is time-consuming, and even though the monetary reward may not always reap you the rewards that you want, art fairs still allow you to connect with your public. You can learn what sells and doesn't sell, and what customers are looking for. Selling at art fairs requires plenty of research, planning and standing on your feet for hours upon hours. You also have to plaster a smile on your face or else customers will turn away. It is not for every artist, but it is still a good opportunity for many artists.
Instructions
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Research art fairs in your area. A number of websites can help you find out what art fairs are coming to your town. Art Fair Calendar is one of these websites. Search for art fairs based on the cities near you. Other ways to find out what art fairs are coming to your town is by word of mouth. Talk to other artists in your city and get the inside scoop from them. In many large cities, one (or more) art fairs take place on a yearly basis. When researching, find out the dates for the art fair and the registration information.
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Attend an art fair. Before you sign up to sell at an art fair, walk around an art fair in your city or a nearby area and see what pieces of art people are selling. Even if you think your art is wonderful, the general public may not agree. Checking out art fairs will give you an idea of whether your work is good enough to sell. Art fairs also give you an opportunity to meet other artists. If you ask politely, most artists will give you their opinion and advice about selling at an art fair.
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Find out if the art fair is worth your time and money. Space at some art shows is reasonable, costing $200 or $300 for a booth. Others are more expensive. Before you register to sell at an art fair, calculate whether you can afford the financial investment to sell at an art fair. Think about travel costs, the price of transporting your art to the fair and material costs. Think about whether you can earn back your investment in the art fair.
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Bring a credit card machine or invest in attachments for your smart phone that allow you to run credit cards. Although some customers at art shows will carry cash or a checkbook with them, don't bank on it. Set up your credit card acceptance procedures and merchant account before you go to the art fair. This will allow you to charge more for your art, and you don't run the risk of getting a bad check from a stranger whom you can't contact after the show. You can also set up a Paypal Virtual Terminal to take credit card orders. All you need is a laptop and Internet access. You will log into your Paypal account and enter the customer's credit card information to take the transaction.
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Register for the art fair. Most art fairs and shows will have a website where you can go to register. If the art fair you want to attend does not have a website, find the phone number and address of the individuals on the art show committee. Contact these people individually.
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Set up your booth. Be sure to bring art pieces in different sizes: small items, medium-sized art pieces and larger works of art. Bring more than you think you will need; you don't want to run out of inventory before the end of the fair. Your merchandise should also range in price. Make sure that you have plenty of lower priced items available for customers. If you only offer higher priced pieces of art, this may deter some buyers who cannot afford to pay hundreds of dollars for art.
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Carefully arrange your merchandise. Keep everything organized. Display your pieces of art at one station, and keep the cash register and your business information (business cards and guest book) at another station. Bring lots of business cards with your phone number and website. If you have brochures displaying your work, lay that near your business cards. Some people may not be interested in buying your work right away, but they may be interested at a later date.
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References
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