Obtain Success Advice for Finding Your Best Shows
To determine which shows would be the best fit, take the time to do some homework first. Carefully read all the information provided by the show organizer.
Visit the show’s website and social media. If information about the previous year’s artists is provided, reach out to artists and ask detailed questions about the show. Treat the show as you would an investment. Do your research before applying — not after.
The show promoter knows their product better than anyone else (or should!), so reach out to them to ask questions. Refer to publications, such as Sunshine Artist, to find out what percentage of artists return each year. That should be an indicator of not only which shows artists seem to prefer, but also the potential difficulty of being accepted into them.
Unless you have a good relationship with an artist of your same medium who could provide guidance, understand that speaking to an artist in your same medium may perceive you as competition for acceptance. If time allows, visit the show yourself and personally determine if it is a show in which you are interested.
Marietta Art in the Park posts pictures and website links to all artists who are in our show (artparkmarietta.com/2025-artists/). These links also give attendees the ability to contact artists before and after the show.
Sharing Feedback
While we do not limit who may apply, we are more than willing to share the jury notes related to artists who are not accepted into the show. Artists should use this as a learning opportunity to understand such things as whether their photos were of inferior quality, the photo of their booth looked thrown together, or if there were other artists in their category of higher quality. Photos are vitally important. They are your selling points!
Factors To Think About
When evaluating shows of interest, artists should weigh all the factors, not just the cost. They should consider how long the show has been in the same location and how long the promoter has been managing the show.
Artists should also look at the promoter’s mission, what percentage of artists return, and the number of artists. Another consideration should be whether the event has ranked in the top 200 shows and if so, for how long.
They should ask how important accessibility, amenities, booth location, and size of the show are — and if the artist market is the festival’s primary focus. Do your research in advance, and do not skimp on quality photos of your work and the booth shot.
We believe it is also important to evaluate who — and how the show — is managed. As artists will tell you, the level of personal involvement by the promoter during a show is also critical to the success of the artists themselves.
Is the promoter on-site during the entire show, and are any issues addressed promptly? We have personally been to shows where the promoter is not present on-site after setup is completed.
That causes us to ask if the show is really about the artists. Inquiring about ongoing marketing efforts to drive attendance should also be a consideration when evaluating shows.