Denver Sloan's Lake Art & Music Festival Reviews.

Medium: Glass
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show:
2016
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $501-$2000
Price Range of your Work: $30 - $800
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show:
1st time
Number of Years You have been doing Art Fairs overall: 3-5 years
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 1
Location: 4
Facilities: 3
Ease of Participating: 4
Sales: 2
Overall: 1
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: 501-10,000 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
A nice park setting

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
Small show, less than 50 artists invited and 12 cancelled that morning.

Poor attendance, inadequate advertising, poor management - no packets, no artist parking, load-in was quite a distance from vehicle, poor lay-out, corporate vendors in the show, wrong show logo on booth signs which weren't even handed out till an hour after opening, no name tags, no packets, no survey sheets.

Required extra insurance coverage naming them over and above existing policy, music was really bad.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
Do not apply to the five shows produced by this promoter, Colorado Events and Festivals -- Denver Berkeley Park Art & Music Festival, Pikes Peak Art & Music Festival, Salida Riverside Fine Arts Festival, Denver Sloan's Lake Art & Music Festival, Parker Arts & Music Festival.

Additional Commentary on this Show:
This particular park has a lot of geese roaming around which meant there was a lot of goose-crap around. We had to pick up our rug and not use it for this show.

Posted by: Deborah Costello | 08/27/2016 at 09:52 PM

Medium: Printmaking
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show:
2015
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $500
Price Range of your Work: $50 - $200
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show:
1st time
Number of Years You have been doing Art Fairs overall: 2-3 years
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 1
Location: 1
Facilities: 2
Ease of Participating: 1
Sales: 1
Overall: 1
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: under 500 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
Honestly, not much. The only good thing was the other exhibitors kept a positive attitude throughout the week despite how bad the event was.

There were no people! You can't sell art if there are not people there.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
The list could go on for a long time, but my hope is along with all the other comments listed here, it will prevent others from participating in this event and that they will do their research before exhibiting at a future event hosted by Danna Tullis.

When it's clear that no one is coming to the event, as the producer of the event, you have to recognize that some of the responsibility lies on the event coordinator and Danna did not want to do that.

If you took a poll of all the artists, my guess is that all would agree the weekend was very sad.

Beyond the dismal traffic, Danna did not make herself present and in my opinion, was more focused on the music and other vendors vs. the artists, which were the people who paid to be there.

There were misprints of times in ads - some said it ended at one time on Sunday, while others said it ended at another time (that's a problem).

And, one additional note, just so it does not seem like I am coming here to just rant, but I did give Danna a chance to make good and take some responsibility.

I was required to pay an additional fee to share a booth with another artist - upping our overall expenses. I asked Danna if she would at least refund us this minimal amount (just the booth sharing extra expense) since we did not make our money back and her answer was no.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
Do your research - I learned my lesson and from now on, I will double and triple check things out before exhibiting at an event.

What prompted you to submit a review today?
Wanted to make sure this was posted in August.

Posted by: Jeff Russell | 09/01/2015 at 11:23 PM

Medium: Photography
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show:
2015
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $500
Price Range of your Work: 2.75-450.00
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show:
1st time
Number of Years You have been doing Art Fairs overall: 5-10 years
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 1
Location: 1
Facilities: 1
Ease of Participating: 1
Sales: 1
Overall: 1
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: under 500 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
I met some very interesting, creative and helpful artists.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
everything was BAD, organization, location, cost, management attitude, no advertising,
I even had to clean up the duck shit before I could put up my art booth!

We were lead to believe that this was a professional show, and it was not..

ATTENDANCE: A LITTLE OVER 200 IN BOTH DAYS!!
when I asked for my money back, Danna, the show organizer, became very very negative and unprofessional..

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
STAY AWAY FROM THIS OR ANY OF DANNA'S SHOWS, NOT WORTH IT.

I FEEL THAT I WAS TOTALLY MISREPRESENTED AND HAVE MY LAWYER LOOKING INTO LEGAL AVENUES TO GET MY MONEY BACK!!

See my blog on ArtFairInsiders.com for additional commentary on this Show:
Yes, please note that on my review

What prompted you to submit a review today?
I DON'T WANT OTHER ARTISTS TO BE RIPPED OFF BY DANNA AND HER FRAUDULANT ART SHOWS

Posted by: David Villegas | 08/18/2015 at 12:16 AM

Medium: Mixed
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show:
2015
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $500
Price Range of your Work: $5-200
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show:
1st time
Number of Years You have been doing Art Fairs overall: 1st year
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 1
Location: 1
Facilities: 2
Ease of Participating: 2
Sales: 1
Overall: 1
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: under 500 people

Good Things about this Art Fair: *
I learned to vet my shows before participating

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
The entire thing. Attendance, lack of art understanding of people who did come, full sun, sales were terrible.

It was very poorly organized, flyers in the neighborhood were considered the main form of advertising.

20 parking space lot for load out was a mess.

The organizers didn't take any suggestions or try to address concerns.

Many people surrounding me didn't make a single sale. I had as many sales in the full weekend as in a normal half day.

And we had to scoop goose poop out of our booths on set up.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show:
DO NOT DO IT! This show was a complete waste of time and money.

Additional Commentary on this Show:
Seriously have never participated in such a poorly organized and lead event in my life.

What prompted you to submit a review today?
I would really like to warn other artists away from having as terrible an experience as many of us did at this event.

Posted by: Sue Smith | 08/17/2015 at 11:55 PM

My company produced this show and we thank the artists who participated. We are confident we produced a quality show and cannot explain with any accuracy why the show had low attendance. Extensive advertising was paid for and we did as much free advertising as we could find and we hired a distribution service to walk 2500 fliers to the immediate vicinity homes and posters and counter cards to area businesses. We provided the artists with a list of advertising.
Denver Parks and Rec allows only one event to be held on the North side of the lake as the homeowners associations do not want any others, nor do they want that one. The booth fee was $400 not $450 and many discounts were given to artists who qualified. Musicans were paid for one hour of time. Artists pay for a booth to sell their art and in return are provided a quality venue, advertising (see below), security and amenities such as our continental breakfast and booth sitting - both days.
We have the uncomfortable responsibility of reminding artists of the Rules of Show that they agree to to do business with us; they are in place for the good of all the artists - and patrons. Anyone can verify the below list of advertising and get an idea of the cost for it which is added to the other costs: venue, required day and overnight security, sanitation, waste, insurance, staffing, graphic art design, website, staffing, administration, and costs associated with audience enhancing features such as live music and a kids station so that the show can be advertised as a festival, which the artists are aware of when they agree to participate.
Paid Advertising for Denver Arts Festival at Sloan’s Lake show:
WESTWORD MAGAZINE: call Nick Lloyd to verify 303-293-3579. Sloan’s lake is in the HEART of Denver’s Westword circulation. Readership in this area is high. Weekly promos reach 40,000 people. Westword print ads reach is approx. 180,000 weekly, 1/4 page ads.Ads for all 4 Colorado Event Design festivals were in Westword SUMMER GUIDE and 2x monthly May - August 6 and DINING Newsletter (17,000+ people). Westword Online - Exclusive e-blasts that goes out 8/3 to 9200 people.+ 30,000 Banner Ads for Sloan’s lake exclusively. Advertising reach is: Direct Email: 9200 subscribers. Approx 25% open rate (about 2300 people open email. Online banners: 30,000 impressions. (30,000 looks) Several newsletter ads. i.e. the editorial blast that goes out to 23,000 and the events blast that went out to 39,000. NORTH DENVER TRIBUNE: Ad date: 8/6/15; 14,000 FREE NEWSPAPERS are distributed each issue. 10,000 by DIRECT MAIL to homes and businesses, 4,000 through over 150 drop points: grocery stores, restaurants, retail shops. FACE BOOK: 4 Festival Cross Ads: Independent Magazine, Parker Lifestyle, Porch Link, Mountain Mail; Colorado Central Magazine; Castle Pines Connection.
PRESS RELEASE SERVICE: McKenzie Press Release: released 2x - 2 months prior - and 3 weeks prior to event. Local release includes 75-100 mile zip code radius (Print & Online Media Outlets), Sunday Newspapers, Daily Newspapers, Weekly newspapers, Regional Magazines, TV Stations, Free Lance Writers. Neighborhood Notification: Colorado Promotional Distributors Leif Hojem. 303-628-5432. #2500 invitation fliers to surrounding neighborhood homes and businesses, also counter cards and posters. CrossOver Ads: joint advertising with our 3 other festivals in Parker, Denver and Longmont - each festival had this verifiable amount of advertising. Paid Magazine crossover ads: Independent: call Yvonne Ramos 719-578-2802; Westword; call Nick Lloyd to verify 303-293-3579 Google Search Results: www.denver.org/things-to-do, www.coloradohomesmag.com, www.westword.com, www.denvergov.org/specialevents, www.5280.com, www.imfromdenver.com, www.thinkcolorado.com, www.denverpost.com, denver.cbslocal.com, www.artshowreviews.com, www.milehighonthecheap.com, www.frannymusic.com, www.artfaircalendar.com, edgewaterecho.com, www.denver.org, www.denver.com/guides/free-festivals-fairs-parades, https://twitter.com, girlysteel.com, denvergov.org/DenverDays, www.nostalgichomes.com, www.frontrangehandmade.com/2015-calendar-of-art-shows-and-festivals, www.claytonearlylearning.org, allevents.in

Posted by: Danna Tullis | 08/14/2015 at 07:46 AM

I did the show before Sloan Lake which was in Longmont CO. All I can say is ditto to the comments that were made about Sloan Lake. I did not make booth fee as was the case with most other vendors. The BBQ food vendor did not come back for the second day as did a couple of artist who packed it in on Sat night.
The entertainment was okay but they put the headline act on at 7:15 which was 15 minutes after the show closed! Needless to say nobody stuck around. Maybe putting him on at 1:00 so people could get something to eat, shop and still see the act would have been a better idea.
The lack of coordination with the chamber of commerce and arts council was evident, most locals had no idea that the show was here.
My biggest deal besides the poor attendance was that they rented spaces to two different window replacement companies, very tacky! This is an art show not a trade show.
Overall I would not recommend doing any shows promoted by these people, it's clear that they are poorly advertised and very poorly attended.

Posted by: Michael Hirsh | 08/13/2015 at 10:44 PM

I, too, did this show and had a very poor result. No advertising, poor location, poor attendance...the list goes on and on. I am no expert, but if the same comments get made about a promoter over and over again, then it would seem to me that they would DO something different. I suggested balloons to at least bring people over, but didn't get a response.

What I did get was flack regarding another jeweler leaving her booth to ask if I needed a potty break(they were herded back and treated like a child) and then I heard Danna go off on another vendor about leaving early--yelling in front of patrons. So unprofessional.
Hey...they paid for the show...if they wanted to leave early then they should have been able to go.

Several booths spaces were vacant, and all of the vendors I spoke with (egad! I left my booth) were frustrated and totally bitter about the show.

Posted by: Alita McManis | 08/11/2015 at 07:59 PM

I also did the show...one of the 'thousands' of jewelers there.( put a cap on the number of jewelry artists, please...give people a chance to make some money!!) Very poorly attended, no advertising, signage too small to read till you were right on it, AND Danna 'went off' on a vendor who was packing up to leave early--yelling in front of patrons...the whole thing was just sad.

I suggested balloons to bring in guests, but my suggestion was ignored. Barely made my booth rental...others did not make theirs at all.

I was not listed on the website for the event, tho I had paid, got to make my booth a corner space since the two vendors next to me didn't show.

Sorry, Danna and Clyde, but this show stank. If people keep saying the same things over and over, then CORRECT THE ERRORS! Don't just go on as if nothing was wrong.

Gorilla marketing may take a day or two, but asking to place a flier in a window gives you FREE advertising. Asking if a business would mind popping a few fliers in the customer-purchase bags is FREE advertising! Bulletin boards can be found in grocery stores, Panera, laundromats, drug stores...pop up a flier. Small town papers often offer free blurbs for events. Local artisan guilds will also push an event, especially when a call for artists goes out! Point made, I think.

Danna is nice, the hospitality tent was nice, the 'minions' were nice. But the attendance was not nice, the number of sales was not good, and the vendors were unhappy. When vendors are unhappy, they will not return to a show. And I will not be returning.

Posted by: Alita McManis | 08/10/2015 at 03:09 PM

Medium: Sculpture
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) 1
Location: 1
Facilities: 3
Ease of Participating: 3
Sales: 1
Overall: 1
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Poor
Estimated Attendance: under 500 people

Good Things about this Art Fair: *
Ummm... The level of art was really quite impressive, it was fairly well balanced too. Ummm... It wasn't too far from my home...? Honestly, it is hard to think of anything good about this show.

Bad Things about this Art Fair:
I feel the attendees should be quoted.

"Wow! What is this??? I woke up this morning and looked out my window and saw all these tents in the park! Is this a big garage sale?!"

"This is a really great idea but you guys should put up some signs or something so people know you are here."

"You guys would get a lot better sales if you were on the other side of the lake. You know where the rich people are. And maybe you should put up some signs over there too so those people know they can come over here."

This show was the worst attended show I have ever been to. The organizers were super nice when they handed out scoops and rakes so we could clean the goose poo out of our booth spaces. I barely made expenses and the people beside me made nothing.

I got to know my neighbors SUPER well because there were almost no customers. Last year was it's first year so maybe it will come up and become an awesome show but someone is going to have to invest in some advertising.

I got so many people who walked over from the houses across the street and they had no idea there was anything going on until they saw our tents.

Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show: Don't do it. Not at a $450 booth fee. I didn't meet a single artist who was happy. IF the booth fee was $150 I might consider it.

Additional Commentary on this Show:
I spent the majority of my alone time over the weekend realizing that running art fairs is really where the money is.

How is it that musicians get paid regardless, organizers get paid regardless and we the artists foot the bill... it seems like a system in need of reworking. Or I just need to get into the promoter side lol!

Posted by: Asha Barnes | 02/20/2015 at 12:44 PM

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