Advice from Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival on the Bayou
The Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival on the Bayou, and Lucyanne Robinson is sharing some of the lessons this organization has learned through the years.
She said the three most important things they learned that improved the show are to:
- Listen to the artists about quality, buy/sell vendors, amenities, and everything.
- Communicate clearly and often.
- Use qualified jurors and judges from outside the sponsoring organization.
The most common mistake promoters make is “assuming artists have information,” Robinson said. Her advice for overcoming this mistake is to “communicate rules, expectations, and standards at every opportunity.”
When asked what was learned at a recent show that helped improve future shows, Robinson said it was that “high-quality artists will not return if they do not make sales.”
The 47th Annual Tarpon Springs Fine Arts Festival on the Bayou was held in March, and an artist who reviewed the show reported that sales were spectacular on the first day of the festival despite cold temperatures, wind, and rain.
The next day, people were at the entrance by 9 a.m., and the show opened at 10 a.m. Sales were great that day.
Next year’s festival is set for March 11 and 12, at Craig Park in Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Photo courtesy of Brenda Flynn