This one’s for you if you’re about to embark on any sort of art or craft fair journey… In May, I did my first art fair at the Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington. Before my memories of it become too much of a distant memory, I thought I’d share my top five tips for being an art fair newbie.
1. Invite your friends! I was pretty nervous about doing this first fair and the thought of inviting lots of friends almost made me more nervous - but I’m so glad I did. As with any event like this, the busy periods came and went, and when there was a quiet dip, my energy levels would start to drop - but then a friend’s face would appear around the corner and their energy would give me a real boost. I was lucky that I had friends drop by throughout the event, which was just lovely and great for my mood. Just remember not to block the view of your stand by chatting in front of it for too long.
2. Think about your event goals in advance - and don’t make them all about sales. Sales can be unpredictable, and with expensive items like art, people often don’t buy immediately but want to think about it before committing. I had a range of goals for the weekend, including making artist connections, getting ideas/advice from other artists about various topics, growing my social media following and mailing list, and getting more of a feel for my audience group. The balance of all of these things contributed to the success of the fair for me.
3. Which stand? When applying for the fair, I was asked if I had a preference on which stand I had. Aside from size, I didn’t really know how to pick. I ended up in the middle of an aisle, which was great for getting to know my neighbours artists but could get a little clustered at times. Next time, I think I’ll look for end of aisle or corner options, where there’s a bit more space to keep an eye on interested customers from a slight distance, rather than hovering on the edge the whole time for fear of missing custom.
4. Make the most of the artist community. I loved chatting to the other artists at the event and came away with feedback on other fairs, ideas for different places to exhibit, some great hanging advice, travel inspiration, technique and materials ideas, and recommendations for printers, framers and other suppliers. Meeting people in person makes Instagram feel like a much more connected community.
5. Plan some recovery time. Although the fair was only three days, the preparation was much longer. I definitely felt I deserved a celebration at the end and a recovery period afterwards! Take time to recognise the achievement and reflect on all the positives you gained from the experience.
If you’ve any questions about my experience, do get in touch and if I can answer them I will. Best of luck with your art fair adventures - let me know how you get on!
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