What Makes An Art Festival Right for You?

Preparing for your upcoming year: 9 key questions to guide your festival selection

As you plan for the upcoming year and select the right festivals for your art, it's essential to consider various factors to ensure a successful and rewarding experience. While there's no one-size-fits-all formula, here are nine key questions to help you narrow down your choices:

1. Community size and artist participation: Does the festival's community size align with the number of participating artists? A balanced ratio ensures a better chance of attracting a substantial art-buying crowd.
2. Art-buyer focus: Is the festival dedicated to attracting an art-buyer audience? Events that prioritize art buyers can significantly boost your chances of successful sales.
3. Community support for the Arts: Does the community consistently support the arts, visual and performing, throughout the year? A vibrant arts community often attracts enthusiastic patrons.
4. Comprehensive marketing plan: Does the event have a well-rounded marketing plan covering various media channels, such as print, radio, TV, website, and social platforms? Widespread marketing reaches a diverse range of potential buyers.
5. Artist advertising program: Is there an option for artists to participate in the event's advertising program to promote their work? Leveraging collective advertising efforts can increase exposure.
6. Scheduling and travel: Can you create a comfortable festival circuit with several weekend events aligning with your travel plans and preferences?
7. Artist gallery and medium balance: If available, check out the festival's "Artist Gallery" page. Assess whether there's a good balance of mediums among invited artists and if previous artists' work aligns with your style.
8. Artist amenities: Do the festival's artist amenities, such as layout, set-up arrangements, hotel rates, reserved parking, and hospitality, meet your specific needs?
9. Seek recommendations: Have you contacted your fellow artist friends for recommendations? First-hand experiences and insights from other artists can be invaluable in deciding.

While finding the perfect festival may take some trial and error, considering these crucial questions will help you make informed choices and increase your chances of finding the best venues to showcase your art.

Happy planning, and may the upcoming year be filled with successful and fulfilling artistic endeavors!