General Question about promoters and shows

[artisansdjj]

Hi all... I won't get specific yet, but I have a general question about craft shows and "grandfathering" vendors.

I've had two experiences now with being rejected for the current year of a show I've done before.

1) Last year I was rejected for the entire line up of shows done by a promoter with whom I'd been working for the past 5 years. The only explanation I got was (and I had to email to ask) some photos of a jewelry maker's work that was COMPLETELY different from my style.

2) A new promoter has taken over the crafts portion of a show that I've done for the past 3 years. They are relatively large, and have a large number of shows and I assume a community of vendors that regularly work with them. I was just notified that I was "wait listed" for this year's show.

I'm angry. Especially about the 2nd case, since this show is one of my best shows all year and losing this business will hurt me.

There was nothing in the applications of either promoter for these shows to indicate that they would NOT grandfather past participants.

Is there a kind of unspoken agreement about grandfathering in the craft show community?

Look forward to hearing from some folks. Thanks
Donna

[mark]

Hi Donna,I to am jeweler....not to be confused ... as a beader...which i don't do....I get rejected alot and the only reason is they get way more applications for jewelry then they have spaces for.......some shows i do they don't limit and there might be 70 pecent jewelry which hurts everyone.
THe shows i do year after year i don't have a problem getting in<think i had one case where the promoter...rejected me after doing there show the year before
I know its really upsetting getting rejected.. when you really count on being in a certain show but its just a fact of life....... jewelry is the #1 category.......and the promoters can pick and choose.....

[bmermaid]

Hi Donna, welcome!

This has happened to me as well and it still irks me. Actually, I can recall being rejected by only 3 shows in 10 years... two of those were local shows I had done before, one I had done 7 yrs in a row.

I tend to take that personally, esp for a local show promoting local artists where I have grown a bit of a following. I have lived here a long time and I consider myself a real part of those shows, you know?

But the truth is, they make the call. Some shows give past vendors first dibs, some say it's new every year. I never assume anymore. Unfortunately, that's just the way of things.


I hope you keep posting, this is a cool little forum we have going...
-Bekki

[traveler]

I was "rejected" for 3 of the "fairs" I applied for this season, with a note saying "Apply again next year". Since many overlapped ones I "could have" applied for, but didn't, I lost out all around... Texas, which I heard outright that they had a 3 year wait, I was welcomed with open arms, so I think it might have something to do with the items you sell, and how many others have similar items. What is frusterating in some venues is when I was "Small towned" by people who had absolutely no idea what sort of set up I had, and just discounted me since they had someone "selling signs" in the venue. Come to find out, they passed me over for a guy that had a small box of mixed signs from one company that he set out along side his hand made furnitue (Therefore the signs weren't his only income to the show!)
Mermaid is right, many will allow old timers to get first chance, and even pay for the next year before they leave the last show, and others say it's first come, first serve, and/or based upon how well it fits into their theme for the year. I have given up on trying to figure it out!