What's the reality of profitability doing art shows and fairs?

With experience and good show selection, you can be profitable at nearly every show. Out of 25-27 shows per year, you might have only one where you don’t break even - typically a new, untested show or when extreme weather hits. Success requires cutting less profitable shows over time; what seemed profitable five or ten years ago might not be worth doing now. At major shows, booth fees alone run $800-$1,200 for a double booth, plus travel expenses, so you need to sell several thousand dollars to make each show worthwhile. Start with smaller community shows and markets with $100 fees to learn the craft, then graduate to better-paying shows as your skills and confidence grow.

---

Asked by general teaching · Answered by John Kennington · art-marketing-podcast · 2024-11-22