Bucktown Arts Fest Reviews.

Welcome to the Art Show reviews for Bucktown Arts Fest

Art Fair: Bucktown Arts Fest

Location:  Chicago, Illinois
Located across from Holstein Park in
Senior Citizens Park 

Dates: August 24 & 25, 2019

Presented By:   Bucktown Neighborhood Volunteers

Founded:  1984

Show Type:   Outdoor

Expected Attendance:   40,000 people

Exhibiting Artists:   200

Artist Application Deadline:  March 31, 2019

Jury Fee:   $35

Booth Fee:   $325 for all artists/$225 for seniors 60 & over

Web site:  www.bucktownartsfest.com

Is this show info out of date? Click here to email the show to ask them to update us!

Reviews of this Art Show are in the Comments below.

To discuss the Art Show business, visit the Art Fair Artists Forum at ArtFairInsiders.com here.

For a schedule of the best art fairs, please visit ArtFairCalendar.com.

Join our free email list for Art Fair artists here.

See more on this Art Show in the Blogs at ArtFairInsiders.com here.

Submit your review of this Art Show here.

Please support our free service by clicking to "Like" this page on Facebook?

 

Comments

[Monica Langowski]

Medium: Mixed
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show:
2014
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $500
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show:
1st time
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 3
Location: 3
Facilities: 1
Ease of Participating: 3
Sales: 1
Overall: 3
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: 501-10,000 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Well attended - which is both good and bad. Lots of interesting entertainment.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
It's just one hot mess. Load in is a total nightmare - you are just screwed if you are a first-timer - all preference to bending the load in rules goes to the old timers.

Lots of attendance, but it seemed that most were there for the array of entertainment and food, and less about the art.

I was told that parking was complimentary for artists at a nearby school - to be then told $20 charge for the parking.

The volunteers were snippy and rude. And my goodness.... these are 2 very very long days - the show runs from 11 to 7....

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
The crowd isn't really an art buying crowd - and I have heard this from other multi-year exhibitors that this is kind of turning into a social crafty/buy-sell/art show experiment gone awry.

For a $300 booth space, I expected a higher level of artwork.

Steer clear - there are tons of other shows that are less expensive, and more artist friendly.

[Steven Skinner]

Medium: Pottery
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2014
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $501-$2000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 1st time
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 3
Location: 4
Facilities: 3
Ease of Participating: 4
Sales: 3
Overall: 3
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Okay
Estimated Attendance: Not really sure.

Good Things about this Art Fair:
The art festival is located in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago - a location with charm, character, and diversity. Our booth was located on a tree lined street which helped with the heat of the day. Lots of help from volunteers when needed.

There's a diversity of age among artisans and I was glad to see so many in their 20s, and 30s as well as a few who have been there for 30 years.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
This is an art fair which more accurately should be called an experience -- there's lots of good music, entertainment, children's activities, and food and entrance is free. Does this help the artist sell work... it's arguable.

The crowd consists of young singles, young families, lots of dogs, and lots of children. Great for a happy picnic but not necessarily for an art fair. Is it the youthful age of the crowd that made them unable to afford artwork with higher price tags? Or is it simply that visitors are not primarily interested in the art because there's so much going on. Given the arty reputation of the neighborhood and festival I was disappointed in the lack of serious interest or curiosity of the crowd.

Although the set up was easy -- leisurely and staggered on Saturday morning, the breakdown on Sunday evening happens all at once. The 7PM end time makes for takedown extending into the nighttime, which seems to make it more complicated than it should be.

This is a highly rated show, which left me a little disappointed. I won't be going back.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
If you live in Chicago, its probably worth participating, however out of town artisans should carefully assess your expenses verses the payback of this show.