Art Festival Tent

[Mississippi Hippie]

Just set up my first art festival tent in my backyard and took photos for applications. Any tips for setting up a tent or putting pictures up? as in hanging and displaying pictures. I only put 3 up to show i can hang them correctly. Is this good enough for tent application? There is a section to put photos of paintings. I got the tent from Walmart online. It is pretty cool. Comes with 4 sides, two with windows and two with zip up doors. Hoping to do festivals forever with it. Most fests call for a tent that has a white roof.. any talk about festivals especially the tent and display aspect is appreciated.

 

[JStarr]

When I've seen these kind of tents, people have used sandbags to hold them in place- staked lines create a trip hazard, and, if you think about it, a tent is just a box kite waiting on a lifting wind.

You'll likely also want to make sure the walls are taut, not just for aesthetics, but to help with the structural integrity.

I showed once at an art walk and used plastic "wooden-looking" trellis in a two-crossed-feet base (DH liked being able to use his router) and then used small clamps holding the work in place on the trellis "wall".

Peg board would likely work, too. If you knew it was going to be calm wind, you could use that ticky-tacky blue kneadable stuff- that was you could move pieces easily as needed.

Congratulations and good luck!

 

[Mississippi Hippie]

JStarr -
Much aprreciated tips on holding tent down and keeping walls taut. The tent could have been lifted a little higher my friend helping me set up noticed after taking pictures. The peg idea is great. I might put an outdoor carpet in it. The blue kneady stuff is a great idea, too. I’ve seen the trellis fence like hanging thing before for someone selling wreaths. I could use that. Right now the paintings are hung yawing extra large hooks. Thanks for the help, won’t go without securing bases!

 

[JStarr]

If there's not enough strap/velcro thingies to keep the walls and roof taut on the frame, get some *good* double-sided sticky tape (Lowes/HomeDepot/ACE- that kind of place) and make more with your own velcro- use the tape to stick the velcro onto the wall or roof and then wrap the velcro around the frame**. As I recall, unless you spend significant monies on these types of tents, they always need more/better attachments to the frame.

Practice putting it up a couple more times so you can see what kind of structural integrity it has, and then add attachments as needed.

**DON'T use the double sided tape to tape the wall/roof to the support because that stuff *works* and you will never get it apart again. Just use it to attach more velcro where needed, then use the velcro to wrap around and attach to the frame.

 

[ZenDruid]

With all kindness and respect, the tent you show in that picture looks loose as a goose. My wife did outdoor fairs and craftshows for 30 years with similar size tents. Count on wind and rain showing up. A strong wind will lift that up off the ground and sail it away. Plan on getting tent ropes, tent pegs and sandbags. A nuisance, but it's worth it for your peace of mind. If possible, before you set up for a show, go to another show and talk to some people with similar tent set ups that have been doing it for awhile, pick their brains.

 

[Mississippi Hippie]

With all kindness and respect, the tent you show in that picture looks loose as a goose. My wife did outdoor fairs and craftshows for 30 years with similar size tents. Count on wind and rain showing up. A strong wind will lift that up off the ground and sail it away. Plan on getting tent ropes, tent pegs and sandbags. A nuisance, but it's worth it for your peace of mind. If possible, before you set up for a show, go to another show and talk to some people with similar tent set ups that have been doing it for awhile, pick their brains.

i think i definitely could have set the tent up better. the tent should have been higher, and maybe i could have done the velcro differently to be more tight. i am definitely keeping in mine that the tent could fly away. definitely getting sandbags. it come with a few already now that ive noticed.

 

[ZenDruid]

i think i definitely could have set the tent up better. the tent should have been higher, and maybe i could have done the velcro differently to be more tight. i am definitely keeping in mine that the tent could fly away. definitely getting sandbags. it come with a few already now that ive noticed.

I think there should be brass grommets around the edge of the canvas for tying to the frame with closeline rope or bungee fasteners like these ...

View attachment 32828

 

[Mississippi Hippie]

I would have to check. The cords might be in there.

 

[Terri]

You're getting good advice on stability for your tent. Practice setting up a few times until you're satisfied - it will make load-in and load-out go a lot quicker, too.

Here are a few pics from my old setup. I have an old EZ Up style, with 4 walls. None with windows: everything can be pulled back and velcroed into place. Note the sandbags in front - often times, you may own the ground stakes, but be placed on sidewalks or other pavement, so sandbags are necessary. Plus, they're a better guarantee against high winds!

I think I had pegboard on the side for hanging the framed stuff. Sorry these images are small: I was amusing myself shooting an old Duoflex camera and these are just old negative scans.

We had a van back then, so it was easy to load up that oak table in the back that's holding the bins. If you plan on having some smaller pieces, you might want to slip some foam core or a piece of heavy cardstock into a plastic photo/art craft bag. Here's an example. They come in all sizes. If you're only interested in hanging your work, then this type of "matted & bagged" approach may not even be needed! I stacked mine up in old wooden wine crates.

You mentioned putting down an outdoor carpet: just beware of folks with strollers, canes, walkers, dogs, and other things that might cause needless tripping over a corner.

Another nice touch are copies of your bio, if you have one. If you want people to be able to contact you, inexpensive business cards with your contact or website info can be placed into cheap card holders around your tent.

Good luck - and have fun with it!

 

[Bongo]

bubble machine
zip ties

 

[Bongo]

 

[Artyczar]

What great advice here!

Wind is your enemy for sure. My artist neighbor does little fairs, in fact, she does one a year in the fall in front of her house. We live in the highlands where it CRAZY windy about half the time. Last year, she set up a huge tent. All her family members came to help the day before the event. Later that night, the wind ripped it apart to shreds. This was a tent she'd been using for years that was expensive and dependable. She had to go to Walmart the next morning and get several small ones. It was chaos. I felt so bad for her.

I have never done fairs, but I did make an art installation that included a different sort of tent and I had to set it up outside once. I bought sandbags from a photography shop. Good ones. They worked great! That tent wasn't going anywhere. I also reinforced it with extra ties and different grounding stakes. They were upside down 'Us' with super long sides so they went very deep into the ground. I hammered them into the dirt and made all the material super taught. Not so tight it would rip though. (This was a huge camping tent, not a canvas tent), but you get the idea.

 

[Mississippi Hippie]

What great advice here!

Wind is your enemy for sure. My artist neighbor does little fairs, in fact, she does one a year in the fall in front of her house. We live in the highlands where it CRAZY windy about half the time. Last year, she set up a huge tent. All her family members came to help the day before the event. Later that night, the wind ripped it apart to shreds. This was a tent she'd been using for years that was expensive and dependable. She had to go to Walmart the next morning and get several small ones. It was chaos. I felt so bad for her.

I have never done fairs, but I did make an art installation that included a different sort of tent and I had to set it up outside once. I bought sandbags from a photography shop. Good ones. They worked great! That tent wasn't going anywhere. I also reinforced it with extra ties and different grounding stakes. They were upside down 'Us' with super long sides so they went very deep into the ground. I hammered them into the dirt and made all the material super taught. Not so tight it would rip though. (This was a huge camping tent, not a canvas tent), but you get the idea.

your artist neighbour? how havent you before? your art is BRILLIANT. sorry if i sound off asking. thanks

 

[Artyczar]

your artist neighbour? how havent you before? your art is BRILLIANT. sorry if i sound off asking. thanks

You don't sound off at all, but I'm sorry that I don't understand the question. Are you asking why I haven't done fairs?

 

[Mississippi Hippie]

You don't sound off at all, but I'm sorry that I don't understand the question. Are you asking why I haven't done fairs?

yeah! why not?

 

[Artyczar]

I've been in different types of fairs--the big curated ones where galleries represent you. I have not done the self-made ones for a few reasons. It's a lot of work, for one thing. I've seen friends do it and it is a cost for the setup. And, my work is not marketable for the type of audiences that frequent those kinds of fairs/festivals. I probably have some work that would fit, but it's far too expensive for what's expected for those things. I would not get any sales unless I had prints or something like that and I don't do reproductions of my work. I've been doing open studios here in my area (there's about 100+ artists that are involved), and even then, the people that come through balk at me. They make insane comments about my prices and I cut them 50%! I still sell to the few that take me seriously, and that's enough for me, but sometimes it's not worth all the insults and putdowns after I've worked more than 30 years to work those prices up to where they are. It also would not be fair to all the collectors that have already invested in me at those higher prices. I can't just start selling my work for a hundred dollars. That's what most people expect.

 

[CaliAnn]

They make insane comments about my prices and I cut them 50%! I still sell to the few that take me seriously, and that's enough for me, but sometimes it's not worth all the insults and putdowns after I've worked more than 30 years to work those prices up to where they are. It also would not be fair to all the collectors that have already invested in me at those higher prices. I can't just start selling my work for a hundred dollars. That's what most people expect.

I can relate to what you are saying. Until Covid hit, I ran my own programming business. I had lots of businesses that would balk at the idea of my charging for scoping, research and discovery - which usually took way more time than the actual programming work - and that was at 50% of my programming rate. When I'd get those kind of comments, I used to say - "do you work for free? - Well, neither do I!"

 

[Terri]

I've been in different types of fairs--the big curated ones where galleries represent you. I have not done the self-made ones for a few reasons. It's a lot of work, for one thing. I've seen friends do it and it is a cost for the setup. And, my work is not marketable for the type of audiences that frequent those kinds of fairs/festivals. I probably have some work that would fit, but it's far too expensive for what's expected for those things. I would not get any sales unless I had prints or something like that and I don't do reproductions of my work. I've been doing open studios here in my area (there's about 100+ artists that are involved), and even then, the people that come through balk at me. They make insane comments about my prices and I cut them 50%! I still sell to the few that take me seriously, and that's enough for me, but sometimes it's not worth all the insults and putdowns after I've worked more than 30 years to work those prices up to where they are. It also would not be fair to all the collectors that have already invested in me at those higher prices. I can't just start selling my work for a hundred dollars. That's what most people expect.

You should never lower your prices - or your standards - to go sit at one of these art festivals.
They are indeed a lot of work (though frankly, once you have your tent and set-up process figured out, it all goes pretty smoothly). But most of these good folks aren't working professionally, or have gallery representation like you. It's a lot of very crafty people, making good stuff, that has started piling up. A lot of jewelry and pottery booths.

I was always happy to make enough to cover the registration fee and then some, plus move out some pieces, and talk to people who showed genuine interest in my alt-photo processes.

Pleasant experiences, for the most part. But no way to think about paying the rent!

 

[ZenDruid]

A lot of jewelry and pottery booths.

That was my wife's experience, she was making her own creations of silver and gemstone jewelry. Earrings, bracelets, keeping them in the range of $5 to $30. She would spend the winter watching TV and assembling jewelry. She made a lot of inventory and she did well, some weekends grossing $1000 and up when other crafters were doing squat. . She had unique designs and she had followers. Seems some women can't have enough earrings. Then a few others caught on to her business model and they started selling jewelry, but a lot of it was native american style turquoise knock-offs made in southeast asia. But it sold.

I expect there might be a similar trade in original looking but cheap paintings that come from off-shore.

Several years ago I went to a local native fair here in northern New York near the Mohawk reservation known as Akwesasne. It was cool, crafts, food (fry bread tacos), drumming and dancing performance in traditional costumes. Not exactly a western pow-wow, but close to it. There was one young Mohawk woman selling her own paintings. She had a style I found fascinating. One small painting I really liked, wanted to buy it - it was only $40 - but that day I didn't feel like I could spend that, and I didn't have a place to hang it. I'm so sorry today that I didn't buy it. I probably propped up her expectations of making a sale. That fair crowd did not have loose dollars to spend.

I'm saying all this to give you an idea of the give and take that I see between buyers and sellers at craft fairs, art fairs, food fairs, etc.

 

[Bongo]

She had a style I found fascinating. One small painting I really liked, wanted to buy it - it was only $40 - but that day I didn't feel like I could spend that, and I didn't have a place to hang it. I'm so sorry today that I didn't buy it. I probably propped up her expectations of making a sale. That fair crowd did not have loose dollars to spend.

I'm saying all this to give you an idea of the give and take that I see between buyers and sellers at craft fairs, art fairs, food fairs, etc.

I've done the same thing. Admiring someone's work, no doubt giving them expectations of making a sale. They are there primarily to make money, I'm there solely to have a relaxing day. There are many things I like, admire, even want, that I don't buy. For me the art fair is a "museum" for them it's a business. So there are cross purposes, and I think that is true of the vast majority of fair goers and booth operators.