Tempe Festival of the Arts (Spring) Reviews..

Medium: Metal
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show:
2016
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $501-$2000
Price Range of your Work: $35.00 - 100.00
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 10+ times!
Number of Years You have been doing Art Fairs overall: Forever...
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 2
Location: 4
Facilities: 5
Ease of Participating: 4
Sales: 4
Overall: 4
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Good
Estimated Attendance: 50,001+ people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Set-up was better this year, split vehicles on both sides of the street, Hospitality tent was good, enough snacks, even sandwiches from the artist dinner on sat night, facilities were plentiful, Security was excellent, Typical crowds on Sat.

Teardown easy depending on where you were located

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
Weather did not cooperate this year. Question the jury process for the different categories, Can not be judged if they do not come into booth to look at work.

Although I am not doing the show to be juried. I am in show for my customers, to put my art out there to be bought.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
The show is not cheap, also if you have one or more products that you make jury all of them in.

If you have buy/sell stay away, you will be removed.

Come prepared for all types of weather. It rained this year, which kept the crowds down.

When setting up be patient.

The URL of your profile on ArtFairInsiders.com. http://boltpeople.com

Posted by: Steve Appel | 04/15/2016 at 11:23 AM

Medium: Metal
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show:
2015
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $5001-$10,000
Price Range of your Work: 20-250
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show:
3-5 times
Number of Years You have been doing Art Fairs overall: 5-10 years
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 4
Location: 4
Facilities: 4
Ease of Participating: 4
Sales: 5
Overall: 4
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Great
Estimated Attendance: 50,001+ people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Well-attended, nice volunteers, generally decent weather. You can drive to your booth for set-up. The awards dinner on Saturday is nice. It's very casual and held in the beer garden area of the festival.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
Can be quite weather dependent. For instance, it was in the mid 90's and people seemed subdued.

You have to remember that the spring show attracts a lot of tourists (many of whom are in town for Spring Training) and they can't handle the heat, nor are they buying large art items to take back to Idaho.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
I would suggest setting up late Thursday night or early Friday morning. Everybody else (and this is a large show) is trying to set up as early as possible on Thursday night and it can be difficult to get to your booth

Additional Commentary on this Show:
I happened to do well, but most of the folks I know were not happy with their sales. I think the difference is that I sell practical garden items and people are thinking about that at this time of year. Also most of my pieces will fit into a suitcase.

It looks like they are going to be making some changes with this show. The city has hired a new show director, and they had several people going through and making people remove items from their booths.

It mostly seemed like they were really looking at jewelry as they were the only artists I heard about having to take anything down. (beaded/assembled jewelry or items they didn't jury in with such as someone who is metal who just happened to have a couple of racks of jewelry in their booth)

Posted by: Nancy Biggins | 04/21/2015 at 05:03 PM

Does anyone know of other lots in the area that sell space? I have been trying to get into this show for the past three years but the old bag who does the judging doesn't like my younger crowd type clothing. Thanks for any information! I know shows like the 4th ave Street fair have a few side lots that are in the mix but the booth space is sold by whoever owns the lot

Posted by: darren | 01/13/2015 at 07:34 PM

Show Name: Tempe Festival of the Arts Spring
City and State: Tempe AZ
Your Medium: Jewelry
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2014
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $2001-$5000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 3-5 times
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 4
Location: 3
Facilities: 3
Ease of Participating: 3
Sales: 3
Overall: 3
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Okay
Estimated Attendance: 10,001-50,000 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Local Large Urban show that occurs during Spring Training

Draws really great artists to AZ

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
I think the show has too many artists and the money spent is cut in to very small slices for a lot of artists.

While AZ weather is spectacular in the Fall and Spring - it seems to be questionable at these shows. AZ people are fickle weather can keep them away. Shocking but true.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
I'm local and I can do this show with minimal expenses. I strongly recommend you consider your total expenses when doing this show. I wish I didn't have to say that!

Set up is late at night and tight. 10x10 no storage behind booths. Set up early Fri if you can.

Additional Commentary on this Show:
This show is taking a stance on buy sell violators, and while it's not perfect it seems to be better

Posted by: Kay Cummins | 05/01/2014 at 06:52 PM

Show Name: Tempe Festival of the Arts (spring 2014)
City and State: Tempe Arizona
Your Medium: Metal
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2014
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $2001-$5000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 10+ times!
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 5 (great)
Location: 5 (great)
Facilities: 4
Ease of Participating: 4
Sales: 4
Overall: 4
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Good
Estimated Attendance: 50,001+ people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Ease of setting up on thurs night, Porta Potties location good, tear down easy cause near parking lot and just rolled my work out without hassle of bringing van into show. A lot of people both Fri, Sat. & Sun. Crowd very receptive to what was in show Hospitality booth for artist convenient and had some healthy food. Coffee, and water brought around the artists in the show. Layout different than previous years. Looks like they cut down the amount of artists let into show which made for higher profits for some of us.

Seem to have cleaned up the show with not much buy/sell. Thought they did a good job of security, Police presence very visible.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
When giving out ribbons for best of show looked at only a small selection of booths. Although i do not go to show for a ribbon I go to make money.

Some buy/sell still sneaks into the show. Did have a mixup on thurs night with where artists were suppose to setup. Heard that some artists set up in wrong spaces but corrections made with help from Tempe staff.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
Take an umbrella for shade, take a lot of change, if get in follow the setup rules since there was a cop on motorcycle turning people away if got in line before 8 pm. Take weights could be rather windy.
Come with patience.

Additional Commentary on this Show:
Thought setup was the best it has been in years. Parking for vendors was also good, Everyone was looking out the others. Weather this year was perfect.

Posted by: Steve Appel | 04/03/2014 at 08:27 AM

Show Name: Tempe Fall Festival of Arts
City and State: Tempe, AZ
Your Medium: Jewelry
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2013
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $2001-$5000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 1st time
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 4
Location: 3
Facilities: 4
Ease of Participating: 3
Sales: 2
Overall: 3
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: 50,001+ people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Large crowds, high quality artists, good artist support with booth sitters, coffee, water, etc.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
Very high booth fee for the sales, large show without a continuous flow for the attendees. The show is spreadout on 5 different streets and with the booths being back to back down the middle of some streets vs. set up on opposite sides of the streets seemed to cause confusion for the attendees.

Heard about several break-ins overnight with theft and malicious destruction. Show provides security but it's hard to secure a site this large.

Artist parking was sold out by the time we checked in, parking for the weekend was very expensive.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
Due to the Pac 12 championship game this year, the Saturday attendees, especially in the afternoon were there for the game, not the art show.
Load in for this show starts at 9 PM, we had a 9:30 time slot, didn't get to our booth until about 10:15 so it made a very late night with little sleep before getting back to the site on Saturday.

Posted by: Ruth Finkenbiner | 12/11/2013 at 04:04 PM

Show Name: Tempe Fall Festival of the Arts
City and State: Tempe, AZ
Your Medium: Photography
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2013
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $501-$2000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 3-5 times
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 3
Location: 5 (great)
Facilities: 5 (great)
Ease of Participating: 5 (great)
Sales: 1 (poor)
Overall: 4
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: 501-10,000 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Staff is always helpful. The coffee and water cart comes by at least one time per day. There are snacks and drinks at the artist hospitality booth. This year (2013) they had a nice reception for the artists on Sat. night with beer/wine and hors d'oeuvres. The show makes an active effort to screen out and catch B/S.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
Load-in is late on Thurs night and was even later this year for some unknown reason. The weather was COLD this year. PAC 12 ASU vs Stanford was this year on Sat and that pinched the sales. Sales were unseen on Sunday and barely seen on Fri. Quality of the art was wide. There seemed to be a lot of production studio stuff this year.

Posted by: S Brian Berkun | 12/11/2013 at 09:57 AM

Show Name: Tempe Festival of the Arts
City and State: Tempe Arizona
Your Medium: Metal
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2013
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $501-$2000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 10+ times!
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 4
Location: 5 (great)
Facilities: 5 (great)
Ease of Participating: 5 (great)
Sales: 4
Overall: 4
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Good
Estimated Attendance: 50,001+ people

Good Things about this Art Fair: Hospitalilty tent convenient, bathroom clean, brought water to booths twice a day which helped since it was around 92 in Phx. Set fairly easy, except i think they forgot all the artists that were lined up since 5:30 pm on thurs night. Weather was perfect Crowds were big, Most of the art was well quality Security good, heard they did have a breakin but caught the culprit. Also removed a buy/sell booth from show.

Bad Things about this Art Fair: Still Allow buy/sell in the show. This year had to fend for ourselves to park all three days. They did announce all the sponsors and that it saved artists 200.00 for their booth space, But i wonder who would pay 800 for a booth in tempe. I think they would have a real hard time getting apps at 800.

Setup keeps getting later and later and this year no one came to get all of us who were lined up on the street waiting. Yes once in got to park close to your booth but not coming to let us in was a no no.

Posted by: Steve Appel | 04/21/2013 at 01:07 PM

Show Name: Tempe Arts and Crafts Festival Fall 2012
City and State: Tempe AZ
Your Medium: Metal
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2012
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $2001-$5000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 10+ times!
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 5 (great)
Location: 4
Facilities: 4
4Ease of Participating: 4
Sales: 4
Overall: 5 (great)
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Good
Estimated Attendance: 50,001+ people

Good Things about this Art Fair: Set- not bad, let us in a little early, crowds were plentiful, weather was perfect, parking was ok (charge for lot across from show) no free parking unless got there real early and parked on street.
Coffee and pastries, and fruit in morning, came around with coffee in morning and water in afternoon

Bad Things about this Art Fair: There is still buy/sell in show although in their daily newsletter they say they want to clean the show up
(not likely) i think they are covering their uknowwhat) for legal issues. Tear down a bit of a hassle. Security not up to scuff, since my end of the show there were bar fights and my booth zipper was open when i got there on Sunday morning nothing was missing

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show: Come prepared for all types of weather, bring a knuckle buster if you have one. my cc machine was
extremely slow and sometimes did not work at all. If you can bring help do so.

Additional Commentary on this Show: Those weather things are back the things on a stick that inundated shows years ago. And buy/sell is still in this show.

Posted by: Steve Appel | 02/09/2013 at 09:30 PM

Show Name: Tempe Festival
City and State: Tempe AZ
Your Medium: Glass
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2012
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $2001-$5000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 5-10 times
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 5 (great)
Location: 5 (great)
Facilities: 4
Ease of Participating: 4
Sales: 4
Overall: 4
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Good
Estimated Attendance: 50,001+ people

Good Things about this Art Fair: well organized show...very professional and responsive

Bad Things about this Art Fair: sales were a little lower than past years

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show: make sure to get in and develop a set up plan and leave yourself enough time "just in case"...can be very busy

Posted by: Pauline Haas-Vaughn | 04/20/2012 at 12:42 PM

Show Name: Tempe Festival of the Arts
City and State: Tempe, AZ
Your Medium: Photography
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2011
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: < $500
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 2-3 times
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 5 (great)
Location: 5 (great)
Facilities: 5 (great)
Ease of Participating: 5 (great)
Sales: 1 (poor)
Overall: 3
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: 50,001+ people

Good Things about this Art Fair: The staff and organization around the fair is excellent. It is well organized and logistics make it fairly easy for load in/out. There is an artists hospitality booth with drinks and snacks throughout the day, and they come around with water later in the day. Parking ($25 for the three days) is within close proximity. People in large numbers show up despite the weather.

Bad Things about this Art Fair: Load in is late on Thursday night (after 9 pm). Show ends after 5 on Sunday and you are packing up in the dark. Although there are lots of people coming to see the art few were really making large purchases. There was a lot of popcorn and yard art walking around. The show is a mix of vendors, some low end crafts to high end finer art.

Additional Commentary on this Show (or about this form): Though not in the control of the organization weather was a factor in this show. A storm had come in from CA and really turned the temperature down for the weekend (50's). We were lucky it did not rain on the show though further north in the valley it poured, some people told us they did not turn out on Sat. thinking it was raining in Tempe.

Posted by: S Brian Berkun | 12/09/2011 at 12:14 AM

Show Name: Tempe Festival of the Arts
City and State: Tempe AZ
Your Medium: Photography
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2011
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: Rather not say
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 1st time
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 5 (great)
Location: 4
Facilities: 4
Ease of Participating: 4
Sales: 4
Overall: 4
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Okay
Estimated Attendance: 50,001-100,000 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Supportive staff. Well organized, willing to listen to artists and assist when possible.

Enthusiastic crowd. Quite a lot of buying.
Huge crowd, many tourists.
Great weather--it's March in Arizona!

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
Area still in economic slump.

Be aware that set up is after 10pm at night before opening--most artists set up in middle of night--after 10pm until about 1am--though area lit well enough by street lighting. Can set up in morning, but it gets pretty hectic.

Additional Commentary on this Show:
I will return next year, see if economy improves and helps sales.

Posted by: Bo Mackison | 04/15/2011 at 10:10 PM

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