American Craft Exposition Reviews.

Medium: Other
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show:
2016
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $2,001 - $5,000
Price Range of your Work: $25 - $3,500
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show:
2-3 times
Number of Years You have been doing Art Fairs overall: Forever...
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 2
Location: 3
Facilities: 4
Ease of Participating: 3
Sales: 2
Overall: 3
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: Not really sure

Good Things about this Art Fair:
The location is beautiful in the Chicago Botanic Gardens. The hosts are helpful and kind. People were nice and seemed to really like the work.

What could this Art Fair have done better?:
The location is also problematic. It is not an easy show to get to or to maneuver. The CBG charges cars $25 for parking and then the show charges $15 to enter.

The artists are spread out across a wide area of rooms and some rooms are easily missed. So between people feeling gauged before even getting there and feeling like there is only a spattering of people coming into our room, it was not the best for sales.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
I would consider being in the entry tent for this show. Although it is loud and more uncomfortable there it did seem to have the most crowds.

Additional Commentary on this Show:
I liked coming to Chicago for this show. It was a huge commitment and not really financially worthwhile. When the show was in a gym at Northwestern University it was easier for both the artists and the patrons.

Posted by: David Friedman | 10/05/2018 at 03:45 PM

Show Name: American Craft Expo Show and Sale
City and State: Evanston, IL
Your Medium: 2D mixed media
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2011
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) 5 (great)
Location: 5 (great)
Facilities: 5 (great)
Ease of Participating: 4
Sales: 5 (great)
Overall: 5 (great)
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Good
Estimated Attendance: 501-10,000 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Easy load in and out. Very organized staff and easy fast response to needs. Located in an affluent area outside of Chicago. Show cost $15 at the door and I found that those who were willing to pay that were there as serious art collectors ready to buy. My sales were steady throughout the show.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
While I live close enough to drive, the area may be short of hotels in the immediate vicinity for those who are traveling.
The booth fee only allows for 2 badges. Additional badges are $50 each. I needed a helper each day and to have a different person assist me in my booth each day, would require me to purchase two additional badges at another $100.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
This is a top notch show with a national reputation. From talking to many of the older established artists there, each artist must be juried in each year. If you are passed over one year keep trying. I attended in 2011 as an emerging artist, applied each year since and was accepted again this year (2014).

Posted by: Crystal Neubauer | 05/01/2014 at 08:51 PM

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