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The 10 Reasons You Should Exhibit at the Fountain Hills Art Fairs

So, you are thinking about applying to be an artist at the Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts. If there is anything keeping you back from submitting your application, make sure to read the many reasons why the Fountain Festival is one of the best shows for artists in Arizona. Check it out!
  1. The History: The Fountain Festival of Arts & Crafts has been a Fountain Hills tradition for over 50 years. It started off as a show with only 60 vendors in Fountain Park, but over the decades it has  grown to nearly 500 of the best fine artists, crafters and vendors in Arizona!
  2. The Location: If you have never been to Fountain Hills, you are missing out! The Fountain Festival takes place in the beautiful town of Fountain Hills in Arizona. It is a suburb of Phoenix, just past Scottsdale, which gives it a unique home-town vibe. It is nestled in a pristine desert community, and has been made famous by the iconic fountain. It is the perfect place to host and art show such as the Fountain Festival.
  3. The People: As mentioned above, the Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts has an extensive history, and with history comes loyal fans! Each year, people who have been going to the festival come back to see their favorite long time artists, and to meet new ones. The Fountain Festival has become a beloved tradition for Fountain Hills residents and visitors alike, and each year grabs hold of people who will come back year after year.
  4. The Artist Community: The Fountain Festival has a great atmosphere for artists. During the day, it is all about the show, but on Saturday night, we host an “Artist Party” for those involved in the show so they can connect and make friendships with others. It is a time to have fun, eat a delicious dinner, and meet other artists of all different types. People have met long time friends by being a part of the Fountain Festival making, it a very special event for artists. It’s not just about business!
  5. The Weather: It’s not always 118 degrees in Arizona! Since the Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts is held in November, the weather is perfect for an art show. Temperatures typically fall within 73-80 degrees that time of year – what could be more ideal?! These conditions make it perfect to take a nice stroll down the Avenue of the Fountains looking at all of the beautiful art.
  6. The Variety: With over 15 different media categories, there is something for everyone to apply in! Artists can apply in up to three different categories, so your work is bound to fit into one or more. The Fountain Festival is truly a celebration of many different types of art and crafts.  This community festival allows for all budgets and styles making it a very diverse show that attracts a variety of buyers.
  7. The Atmosphere: Being in Fountain Hills is wonderful in itself, but being in Fountain Hills surrounded by amazing art, entertainment, food an more is better! In addition to showcasing hundreds of exquisite artists, the Fountain Festival also includes over 20 food options for attendees to enjoy. If the want to grab a cold one, there are also two beer gardens where they can enjoy a beer or glass of wine. Live music at different locations also adds to the overall atmosphere of the Fountain Festival making it a great place to spend the day. All of these combined attracts people from all over the state to come see what the Fountain Festival is all about!

ARTIST / VENDOR TIPS

The Four P's of Art Show Sucess

Being a vendor at an art show such as the Fountain Festival or Great Fair can be a big decision, especially if it is your first show. You might get caught up in the travel details, booth set up, or making sure you are drinking enough water (it is an Arizona art show after all). But, one thing you can always remember to help you have a success full show are the “4 P’s” of exhibiting.
A long-time seasoned artist of the Great Fair and Fountain Festival told us about what he calls the “4 P’s”, and how they can assist artists in taking their exhibiting to the net level.
To follow the 4 P’s you must remember product, price, presentation, personality. Let’s take a look at each to see just what this artist inside information is all about!
Product
This one is probably the most simple of the 4 P’s. Make sure you have a quality product that people would want to buy. If your product is badly made, does not work, or simply is not a quality piece, you might want to find a way to make it more desirable for people to buy. Maybe spend some more time on it, really make sure it is made correctly, or work on a few different versions of your pieces (if possible).
Price
The key with price is to know your customers. The Fountain Festival and Great Fair is proud to have a wide variety of people, backgrounds, walks of life, and of course, budgets. This means you must know exactly what people will pay for your work. We don’t want you to lower prices just to sell, but, you should know a fair and competitive price to draw people into reaching into their pocket books. Try offering a few levels of price, such as a low, medium, and high price point so you can increase the people who can buy your work.
Presentation
Even if  your art is amazing, but your booth presentation is not well executed, your booth might get overlooked by potential customers. Make sure your booth is visually appealing, unique, organized, and  professional looking. If your presentation is boring, sloppy, or all over the place, people will possibly move to the next booth. If your presentation is poor, you are doing your amazing work a disservice. You want your presentation of your pieces to show off your art!
Personality
This one can be considered the most important of the 4 P’s! In a time where a lot of people turn to the internet for shopping, make your art stand out by showing customers who you are. People are more likely to buy something if  you interact with them, talk about your work, and give them a glimpse into who you are as an artist. Stay away from sitting in a chair reading a book, being on your cell phone, or just watching people look through your work. Introduce yourself, be friendly, and let them know your art is more than a product to be bought.
Now that you know the 4 P’s of Art Shows, you are ready to take on the Fountain Festival and Great Fair!

How to Set Up a Great Art Booth

You know what they say: first impressions are important. Whether you are going to a job interview, on a first date, or even exhibiting at an art show, the way you first present yourself (and your art) is key.
Let’s focus on that last example of exhibiting at an art show. If you have found yourself on this blog, you might be finding yourself more familiar with the Fountain Festival of Arts and Crafts, as well as the Great Fair. Both of these art shows is a place where exhibiting artists can learn that presenting your art in a great way can positively impact your show’s success.
We have put together a few ways that you can make your booth at the Fountain Festival and the Great Fair huge crowd pleasers.
Leave the Art Gallery Feel at the Gallery
When people think of art, they might think of a typical gallery; minimal decorations, white walls, and a few art pieces scattered around. That is fine in a gallery, but sometimes it does not draw people to your booth at the Fountain Festival or Great Fair. Bring in some back drops, use table cloths, have decor pieces that show off your art in a way that makes your booth unique. People are more likely to be drawn to a booth that stands out!
Less is More
It might sound cliche, but it is true! By keeping your booth free of any clutter and things that are not necessarily needed can make your booth look clean, inviting, organized and chic. As i mentioned before, decorative pieces are great, but if there is more decor than there is art product, it might mean that you need to scale back on the festive decorations!
Use Your Space Wisely
While exhibiting at the Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts or the Great Fair, you might want to think outside the box – literally! Our shows offer booth spaces that have an extra four feet of space outside of a normal 10’ x 10’ tent, meaning you have some extra space to play with. You could have a small display outside of your booth to draw people in, or, you could even have a few art pieces slightly displayed in front of your booth. Make sure to put those extra 4 feet to use to benefit the look and feel of your display.
Show Who You Are
When attendees come to the information booth at the Fountain Festival or Great Fair, a lot of times they are looking for a specific vendor. And chances are, they walked right by their booth on the way to the info booth, simply because they couldn’t tell who was in a booth. We encourage everyone to bring a sign that has their name, or business name, so people can find  you, as well as recognize you from other art shows.
Stay Open
When we say, “Stay open”, we don’t mean you should hang a “Open for Business” sign outside your booth. We really mean to make your booth look open. This is as simple as making sure there is not anything blocking the main opening of your booth, essentially cutting people out and making them feel unwanted from entering. Make sure all shade covers do not block the entrance to your booth, as well as have a clear entry point for people to come in shop, fall in love with a piece, and want to take it home.
There you have it, a few simple ways to make sure your booth at the Fountain Festival of Arts and Crafts and Great Fair makes for a great weekend of exhibiting. We look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with this year!