COVID-19 has changed the lives of artists all over the U.S. We asked our readers how they are going to change their businesses moving forward. We also asked if they would make any booth changes when they exhibit at shows. The readers have responded in force and their insight is below.
Debbie Van Gorp
All Tied Up Boutique
www.alltiedupboutique.com
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
I may institute a just-in-time delivery of inventory rather than purchase products I may need way in advance. Also, I will be reading the fine print on the contracts that I sign with promoters regarding cancellation policies.
Kyle Wilson
Left Behind, Photography by Kyle Wilson
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
Read the fine print about shows ability or willingness to offer refunds. I will also try to get to know show organizers more, on a personal level, so I can develop a relationship and history with her/him. I need to do more direct-mail marketing with the emails I have collected over the years.
Angel Lee
Twisted Sister Designs by Angel
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
There are unexpected things besides the weather that can affect our ability as artists to sell our wares. I will be concentrating more on getting into shops, boutiques, and galleries.
Colleen Graham
S&C Design Studios LLC
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
We’re fortunate to have safety nets and don’t rely on art fairs entirely. This is proof that we’ve made good decisions in diversifying our markets and sales venues, and that we need to do more of that to survive future interruptions.
Jacquie Vaux
Vaux Arts
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
I have heard from many art organizations, including some exhibitions. These groups are helping artists to show and sell their work online. I am optimizing my website for that, with a cart for sales. I am also featuring a page with some small originals on sale. I expect to participate in other opportunities for online sales with as many groups as I can.
Gregory Macdonald
Greg Macdonald Studios
Will you change your travel plans or exhibiting schedule for the rest of this show season? In what ways?
Biggest change right now will be that I will make sure of the show’s refund policy if the show’s cancel. Also, no more non-refundable hotel rooms. I’ll still apply as usual because we just don’t know.
Larry Drake
Boulder Park Gems
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
Being dependent on art and craft shows is not a good business model and we will put serious time and attention into broadening our bases for sales opportunities, both online and in wholesale/retail areas.
Amanda Preske
Circuit Breaker Labs
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
I’m experimenting with a new social media strategy that involves going live and speaking about things more personally. Since I can’t make these connections at shows currently, I recognize that people still want to interact with me so this would bridge that gap.
Alison Lynch
Ali Lynch Designs
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
I am glad that I try and run as lean as possible. However, it made me more aware of building up a larger emergency cash reserve than I already have, and paying for my raw materials in full, rather than credit. I deal with local suppliers and I am thankful for that.
Denise Wilz
Wilz Pottery
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
Sales were picking up for me until the March 10th of this year and now sales of my pottery are pretty much non-existent. I sell on my website, Etsy and at shows. Because each piece is unique, I am hesitant to add another online site because tracking inventory can be difficult. However, I may decide to add one more online site just to get out there. And I will be teaching more workshops offsite and at the studio as I expect the workshops will have less students due to the new economy.
Ann Taecker
Silks With Attitude!
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
Keep shoving everything you can into savings, live frugally so you can weather the storms. This practice has saved my bacon!
Natasha Papousek
Poppyfish Studio
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
I’ve learned the importance of savings. I can’t file for unemployment because I don’t have a regular job. That makes my savings account vital.
Jim Daut
JSD Barrel and Wood Creations
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
I have learned that I need to be more flexible and will need to find other ways to sell my products.
Ed Obermeyer
edobermeyer.com, LLC
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
Ramping up my online sales and contacts via social media big-time. Selling digital versions of my photography online via Dropbox so clients can edit themselves if they wish. I have increased shipping and made that more affordable. Reduced the prices of older original paintings and cost for shipping to increase sales volume for now.
Cathy Holt
Claymonster Pottery
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
I realized how lucky I am to have my business at home. I also moved my one employee to full time while she is unable to work her other jobs. Our studio is large enough for her to work 6′ away. I have always kept a good supply of what I need for my business, so we didn’t need to panic or run out of supplies. I wish everyone had the means and foresight to do the same.
Sonia Poehlein
Hook, Pen, & Needle
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
Do more online selling to make up for lost sales in-person. Find better balance between crafting and administrative duties in order to keep the business flowing during difficult times.
Francia Patti
Patrizio Knits
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
I’ve learned how vulnerable this business is, although I’ve always known my chosen career is akin to a game of Russian roulette. In my 42-year career there have been numerous ups and downs. I have always saved my money and lived frugally to get me through the lean times An artist’s life is an amusement park ride — a roller coaster — you just gotta hang on tight and roll with it.
Dale Lostracco
Handcrafted with Pride
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
I will make product all summer until shows startup again and will carry over inventory to next year. I have already bought my inventory of raw materials for this year so I will proceed with getting stock made.
Susan Isbell
Hang the Moon
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
Never assume, bankroll more, seriously consider small business loans when they come around in order to keep help, fund sub-contractors/vendors, and expand online selling.
Char Sharkey
Caravan Fiber Studio, LLC
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
Taking this time to put more automation for my business in place. Re-working my website, investigating and learning about eCRM programs and taking online courses (many of which are currently FREE).
How might your booth layout or strategies change after COVID-19?
Most-common responses.
- Have hand sanitizer readily available
- Use disinfecting wipes
- Wipe of tablet between patrons
- Wipe off products/tables
- Give patrons more space
- If available purchase bigger booth
- Offer a full range of products/price points
- More affordable products
- Utilize artistic collaborations
What the Promoters Had to Say
Promoters have learned hard lessons and had to make changes to the way they do business because of COVID-19. The decisions for the promoters to postpone or cancel were not done lightly and was a struggle for them. Here’s what they had to say.
Art Spectacular at the Carillon
Barb Walker
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
To help alleviate some of the worry and concern for our artists because of the coronavirus, Art Spectacular at the Carillon has set August 1, 2020, as the decision date to either go forward to September 12-13 or cancel the show. If it is cancelled, artists’ booth fee checks will be returned to them at that time. With all the uncertainty, all Late Fees are cancelled for late applications to Art Spectacular.
Holly Hill Arts Festival
Pat Abernathy
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
We had the saddest decision to make. We canceled the Holly Hill Arts Festival, which was scheduled for April 18-19, in Holly Hill, Florida, because we truly value our artists safety and the safety of the people in our community. We chose not to gamble with a new date and then cancel it again.
It was a hard call for us knowing the impact it has for our artists. But considering the variables, we made the only workable decision we could knowing the impending heavy expenses that were coming due three weeks before our festival and the thousands which had already been spent promoting the festival (to both artists and public).
The question of postponement verses cancellation was the challenge. The news media provided ongoing forecasts of increasing vulnerability to the public. We were concerned with how long ‘top-of-mind virus awareness’ would last, and just how long it would take the economy to recover. Dates for rescheduling in the summer are iffy due to high heat, humidity, and afternoon rains that predominate in Florida. Our sponsors were equally as skittish when the concerns of the virus came to be known. This show is put on by just the two of us and all our volunteering friends as a fundraiser for the arts and music departments for the two Holly Hill schools. No big money behind us, just big hearts!
4 Bridges Arts Festival
Sarah Moore
What have you learned and what will change moving forward?
We got wonderful feedback from our artists by being transparent and communicative with them. I sent out two emails per week with updates and news to keep them up-to-date with our decisions. When we made the decision to postpone, we offered them three options, including a full booth refund, and again got great feedback from the artists commending our flexibility. No one could have seen this crisis coming, so it’s in our best interest NOT to be stingy or inflexible.
Premier Promotions of WNY Inc
Dan Kaczynski
How might your booth layout or strategies change after COVID-19?
I think you have to acknowledge that a significant increase in spacing for patrons and exhibitors has to take place. This means fewer booths. This is only step one, though. Increasing event hours and days has to be considered as a crowd control mechanism, along with staggered or controlled entry for patrons. Ultimately, though, you want patrons and artisans to experience an environment that is safe and recognizes the current public health climate.
Integrity Shows
Mark Loeb
How might your booth layout or strategies change after COVID-19?
We will add sanitizer stations to our shows. We are adding a series of Artists Career Sessions online so that artists can #makethemost of their time.
