Downtown Monroe Fine Art Fair Reviews.

Medium: Jewelry
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show:
2016
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $500
Price Range of your Work: $25-$450
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show:
2-3 times
Number of Years You have been doing Art Fairs overall: 3-5 years
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 2
Location: 4
Facilities: 4
Ease of Participating: 3
Sales: 1
Overall: 3
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Okay
Estimated Attendance: under 500 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
This is a fairly simple show, it doesn't require the immense set-ups that some other shows require. It's held in conjunction with the Jazz festival, and the on-site staff is very friendly. They have coffee and donuts every morning for the artists, and water service all day.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
Attendance has declined over the last several years, possibly due to the fact it's now the same weekend as a big show less than 40 miles away.

The information packet isn't always complete. The application process is a bit odd, with only one person doing jury as applications come in (so I've been told).

Clientele has increased in age and decreased in spend. This year we sold nothing over $30, and had several people exclaim our prices were too high ($40 for a bracelet). Jewelry makes up at least 40% of the show (40 vendors).

They allow buy-sell vendors (last year there were 3, this year one) and now re-enactors. The problem with the latter was their "display" involved loose hay that blew all over the show and made our booths look dirty.

Also show staff doesn't stop vendors from closing hours early. Actually, we couldn't find them 2 hours before the show closed the first day.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
Bring inexpensive stock. Don't expect to sell anything over $35 dollars at a time.

Understand it's a small show, and the attendance is VERY hit or miss.

However, it's a great show to new artists looking to get their feet wet!

Additional Commentary on this Show:
I'm not sure what's been going on behind the scenes for this show, but it appears to be declining. It makes me sad, because our first year was amazing! But I can no longer recommend this show to anyone serious. We will probably skip it next year, sadly.

Posted by: Michelle Martinez | 08/25/2016 at 11:28 AM

Show Name: Downtown Monroe Fine Art Fair
City and State: Monroe, MI
Your Medium: Jewelry
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2011
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) 5 (great)
Location: 5 (great)
Facilities: 5 (great)
Ease of Participating: 5 (great)
Sales: 5 (great)
Overall: 5 (great)
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Great
Estimated Attendance: 501-10,000 people

Good Things about this Art Fair: This is a very well run show. Everyone associated with it is friendly and easy to work with and very helpful. This has become one of our favorite shows.

Bad Things about this Art Fair: Can't think of a bad thing. We have had trouble with wind but that is not an issue for the committee, just our luck.

Posted by: Chris Rickner | 06/15/2012 at 03:18 AM

We have done this show for the past several years and really enjoy it. It is well run and well attended. Everyone is pleasant, security is good, any questions you might have are always answered.

Posted by: Chris Rickner | 04/09/2012 at 08:50 AM

Show Name: Downtown Monroe Fine Art Fair (Monroe Jazz Festival)
City and State: Monroe, Michigan
Your Medium: Jewelry
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2011
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $501-$2000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 2-3 times
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 4
Location: 5 (great)
Facilities: 4
Ease of Participating: 5 (great)
Sales: 4
Overall: 4
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Good
Estimated Attendance: 501-10,000 people

Good Things about this Art Fair: Monroe is a small town and everybody knows everybody. I've lived in this town all my life and it is fun to see people I know and have them see my craft. Local people like buying from a local artist. The show itself is well run. This is one of my favorite shows. Well attended, clean, they take good care of the artists. Fees are reasonable. People come from miles away for the great jazz artists.

Bad Things about this Art Fair: I'd like to see the art fair situated closer to the jazz festival, entertainment and food vendors. We are separated by one or two blocks. Would be much better if it were all were within the same vicinity. Some people come just for the jazz and don't get down to where the art fair is.

Posted by: Shirley Mathus | 01/19/2012 at 09:32 PM

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