My Art Show Application Experience: Planning

February is not just the time to celebrate love, remember dead presidents and get very mad at a woodchuck. No, not if you are an artist who practices procrastination. Then February becomes a time to pound out art show applications in order to meet fast approaching deadlines.

Application time is not one of my favorite times of the year and I put it off like paying taxes. But it is extremely necessary in developing an art business. It gives me great anxiety when I think about being judged on a few slides and a short blurb about my work. Not only that, but every year I apply to higher level shows that have higher hurdles and I sit on more pins and needles waiting for the verdicts.

Last week, I identified five shows that would be the best fit for me at this time. I found some of them by visiting the Wisconsin Art & Craft Fair Directory produced by the Wisconsin Arts Board. I look for shows that seem to be the most selective and draw big crowds of my target market. I have the best luck with shows that have been recommended to me by other artists. As a relatively new kid on the block I love meeting seasoned artists at shows and learning from their successes (and mistakes).

I have already been accepted to a wearable art show in April and five more (if accepted) would give me one show per month until September. That is the most I can do this show season with two little kids, limited production time and a very limited application fee budget. I also plan to do two shows during the next holiday show season, but fortunately those applications won't be due until the summer and I can put them off for now!