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How To Earn A
Great Living as a
Craft Fair Artist

Ever walk through a craft fair and say, “I could
do that.” ?
Ever hear someone say “you should sell your stuff?”
Admit it – you wish that you could make a living
doing the thing that you love doing the most….your
craft. I understand exactly how you feel because I
used to feel exactly the same way.
I longed to make a living as an artist but I held
myself back. Fearful and intimated of putting
myself out there, I ignored my dreams. Fortunately,
someone pushed me right into my business. I
participated in a charity event as a favor to my
wife and her friends. During that event a woman
came up and invited me to participate in a craft
show which was going to take place just before the
holidays. Anxious to begin a business, I agreed.
Not long thereafter my dream of earning a living
as an artist came true. Let me share with you
some secrets that will make your next craft show a
success!
First, do your research. I recommend
purchasing a trade magazine called “Where the Shows
Are.” You will find all of the art and craft shows
listed in this publication. More importantly,
artists that attended the craft show in previous
years share their insights and reviews of the
previous year shows. These artists discuss the
types of items that sold well, what price point did
well, and rate if they would attend the show again.
Find the show that matches your work!
Next, determine the demographics of the show.
Who attends? Look at the location of the show.
The majority of people attending will come from that
area. Is the show located in a middle class
community? I recommend displaying work under the
$500.00 level. Is the show located in a very high
end or “ritzy” neighborhood? Make sure that you
display and price craft work that matches this
buyer. Avoid diminishing the worth of your craft
by selling it too cheap! Use the demographics to
understand the perception of the buyer. |