There is something that has been going on at craft fairs and festivals all across the United States. It is a problem that stems most likely from the decline in the economy, but it is a problem that can be overcome with a little work from you. The problem is that fewer people are attending these festivals, and this drop in attendance is taking its toll on vendors everywhere. Whether the attendance problem is based on the economy or it has to do with how the show or festival is being promoted, it is a problem for everyone involved in the event.

For crafters and vendors who make their living offering their artwork at craft shows, fairs and festivals, there is much to be learned about trends and expectations each year in order to make the most of each event. By keeping aware of what is expected to be popular, both in handmade items and sales methods, you can make sure that your artwork has a step up over the competition.

As an artist or vendor, you will find that you need to attend craft shows and festivals of all types. If you are just beginning your career as an artist and a craft show vendor, you may be wondering which is better to take part in, the indoor or the outdoor craft show. To answer that question, we will need to compare each. Take a moment to consider each type of show and think of both the positives and the negatives of each. Once you have done this comparison, then you will be able to see your answer. Read on to learn more about both the indoor and the outdoor festival, fair or craft show.

When I started researching selling at craft shows, I was a little overwhelmed by all the information. There are just so many resources out there! I didn’t know if I could take my handmade pottery to shows and make a success of it, but I decided to try. I started out around December with a small arts and crafts show and charity benefit at a local school.

Choosing to accept credit card payments from your art show and craft festival customers can be a great move for your business. Many people don’t carry anything but plastic anymore. If lots of people without cash or checks on them come through your booth, you’re likely to lose their business by not taking credit cards. The process of actually taking credit cards during shows and festivals isn’t that hard, and it’s certainly worthwhile for your business.

There’s nothing more frustrating than spending months and months working to get ready to an art show or craft fair only to find that other booths are full of pre-made items. You work hard on your handmade crafts and art, and you spend a lot of time working on these things. It’s annoying when other people can undersell you with cheap items they’ve imported or bought from wholesalers. If you want to keep art festivals and craft shows handmade, there are some things you can do.

Many artists are under the misconceived impression that their work is solely about creating original works of art. However, the artist’s job is not solely about artistic creation. When the time comes to seek exposure and monetary remuneration for their artistic work the artists’ role becomes an amalgamated role that encompasses that of the lawyer, the artistic agent and the businessman.

One of the most nerve wracking parts of setting up for a craft fair or art show is just getting your handmade art to the show. You’ve worked hard on your paintings and sculptures, and you need them to arrive in perfect condition. Here are some tips to help you safely transport your art to the show.

Original work is protected under the Berne Convention, Article 2 (2), in any country that is a signatory to the convention. Only a few countries have a system of registering copyright. Although registering a copyright is not compulsory, there are some advantages. Copyright details are on public record and the author or creator has a certificate. In the US, if an author registers their work no more than five years after publication, it automatically qualifies as evidence in court. In the event of a successful court case, the author can get legal fees and statutory damages paid.

One of the best ways to expand your personal arts and crafts business is to sell your products online using various websites. There are many different ways that you can do this. Two of the best are selling on a collaborative website that gives you all the tools you need and setting up your own website. Here’s how each of these options could work for your needs.

Copyright laws safeguard the exclusive rights of the creator of “original works of authorship” that are created in a “tangible medium of expression”. The exclusive rights of the creator encompass the rights to reproduce, copy, amend and distribute the work.

The Poor Man’s Copyright is a bit of a myth in that it is not actually worth anything more than a false sense of security for the possessor of the material. Why do I say it is a false sense of security? Because if you were to try to actually prove that you had created a work using the poor man’s copyright, you would quickly learn that it is so unreliable that I know of no instances where it has ever been successfully used to prove copyright of any work. So, if you do desire to use the Poor Man’s Copyright, how do you do it?

From a FairsandFestivals.net member: ” I just hung ornaments on my tree that I made 30+ years ago. My mom was organized enough to save them all for me. Make these with your kids and save them, they will really appreciate it someday.”

One of the toughest parts for many crafters about selling their wares at craft fairs and festivals is setting up their displays. If you’re having trouble getting your display organized, here are some tips to help you do it.

In the United States, a copyright originally was in effect for the duration of the life of the original author, plus fifty years after the death of the author, or other person holding the copyright, as established by the Berne Convention. Cinematographic copyrights also lasted fifty years after the death of the original author, but photographic copyrights lasted twenty-five years after the death of the original creation of the work. There are several contributing factors that determine the length that a particular copyright will remain in effect, however.

Copyright is the form of intellectual property protection which applies to original works, such as digital art. A copyright gives you, the creator, the exclusive right to use your original digital artwork as you see fit.

A holiday gift basket, can accomplish two things for the craft vendor: move product volume and increase exposure to your products. Ever had a time when you received a gift basket only to eat all the water crackers and left the onion cheese spread?

The solution is simple: give yourself an edge that no retailer has by customizing gift baskets to each customer. Ask them what they want! As a result, you can put just the right collection of gifts together that will appeal to the recipient.

If you’re a food vendor at festivals and fairs, you might be in luck right now. Although many arts and crafts sellers are feeling the effects of the economy, some food vendors have been able to expand during these tough times. People are still going to craft fairs to browse, but they’re more likely to pick up a bite to eat than a luxury to take home with them. Wondering how you can crank up your business for festivals and fairs? Here are some tips to help you.

When you first sign up for a craft fair, you’ll probably see a spot on the form for booth size. You can probably opt for a single booth size or a double booth size. Which one should you choose? It might depend on your products, the volume of products you have ready for the sale, and the goals you have for a certain fair. Here are some considerations to make when you’re deciding between these options

Artists don’t just have a burning need to create, they also need to license their artwork in order to earn royalties and make a living. An artist selling a painting once can only earn so much; but by licensing their art work to a Manufacturer to be used on different products, or by licensing their paintings to a Printer to make editions, the quarterly royalties can really add up.

Copyright, patents, and trademarks are all considered intellectual property. There are significant differences. A copyright is granted to the author or creator of an original work and lasts for a certain period of time. This set of rights allows the author or creator the right to copy, distribute and adapt their work. A patent is granted by the state or national government to an inventor or their assignee in exchange for public disclosure of an invention for a limited period of time. Then a trademark is a distinctive sign or indicator to identify the products or services to consumers by individuals, business organizations or other legal entity to distinguish their products and services from others.

There are a number of shows still accepting last minute applications.  If you’re looking to fill out your calendar for the Holidays Season you can often find last minute listings..

A beauty product itself is not subject to copyright laws. However copyright laws are involved with beauty products, to a degree. A product creation itself requires a patent for the creator of the product to be protected from the product being reproduced and claimed by someone else. A patent for a product is obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. One must be careful to obtain the correct type of patent for the product. When an application for patent is submitted, it will be determined if the product is indeed a new product and deserving of a patent.

As a crafter, you may not be the most business-minded person in the world. However, if you’re going to succeed in the world of craft fairs and festivals, you’ve got to think like a business person! One of the ways you do that is by learning about sales tax before you hit an event. Here are the things you need to know about handling sales tax at fairs and festivals.

If you’re getting ready for some fall and winter craft festivals, you might want to rethink your booth design. Summer festivals have different design elements than those in the fall and winter, especially if you’re moving from outdoor festivals to indoor booths. Here are just five tips you might want to use when working on your booth this fall and winter.

There are a number of shows still accepting last minute applications.  If you’re looking to fill out your calendar for the the Fall and Holiday Season you can often find last minute listings..

The Creative Commons License was started by Lawrence Lessig. He wanted to reform copyright laws. He fought the 1998 extension enacted by the Bono Act, which gave an extension to the copyright law to 95 years. According to Lessig, he stole the concept for Creative Commons Licensing from the Free Software Foundation. He would give free copyright licenses. “Copyright,” he says, “is property, the law requires that you get permission before ‘use’ a copyrighted work, unless that use is ‘fair use’”. These copyrights have over fifty million link backs to their licenses.

Legislation to protect artists’ rights began in the 1600s when the printing press was discovered. Most Americans arrived from Europe/England and were aware of how the Stationer’s Guild had a monopoly on publishing and could censor any work.  The censorship by the government lessened in the 1690s and in 1710 the Statute of Anne was enacted.  The original copyright in the Constitution of the US was based on the Statute and held the same provisions of fourteen years of copyright; but once the work was purchased, the copyright holder no longer had control over his work.  The copyright law of the Constitution changed some aspects of the Statute.

A chill is in the air, the leaves are beginning to turn and the thoughts of everyone seem to be gearing up for Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving – it’s fall! That means it’s time for some amazing times at local fall festivals. What makes the best fall festivals for crafters? Where should you go and what should you do to ensure that you are able to maximize your chances of selling your craft products, no matter what they are?

Intellectual property can be anything from plant hybrids to cola recipes to the latest J. K. Rowling’s missive.  Any property that is made through intellectual efforts is intellectual property.  And, just as your intellectual property is subject to your control, it is also at risk of infringement by others.

If this is your first foray into promoting a craft show or you are looking for ways to make your shows more successful, you have come to the right place.  Understanding what vendors expect of you can be quite tricky.  While promoting a show can seem like a piece of cake, the truth is that vendors are going to look to you if there are few customers or if the show does not go as planned.  With so many expectations, it can be easy to forget how much fun a show can be.  What follows is a bit of a guide to what your vendors are really looking for.

If a picture paints a thousand words, then artists definitely need copyright protection.  Copyrights are designed to protect those new and original works of art that are in a fixed form.  Paintings, photographs, films, sketches, architectural designs, comic strips, cartoons, and sculptures are protected under copyright laws. As a result, artists need to consider various aspects of copyright protection and the circumstances around creating new works.

In the good old days networking meant meeting people.  Today, it still does, the only difference is that in 2010 you can virtually meet and network with hundreds of people in a day and millions in a year.  The internet has provided us with wonderful tools to make business connections, sales and even friends online.  Virtual networking is not just a fad it is an important business tool.

I’m an artist, crafter, festival promoter, food vendor, Why do I need to know about social marketing?  Bottom-line if you are in business and need to promote a product you need to be aware of social marketing and what it can and can’t do for you business.

If you’re the creative type like many of us, who finds the numbers side business a real pain in the patutie, you dread book keeping.  We’ve done some research on book-keeping programs to try and help.  These programs are low to no cost.  Let us know if you found these helpful or if you know of any others we can share with the rest of our visitors.

As artists how do we make sure our work is protected?  What do you do if someone photographs your work or designs and then replicates it?  How do you ensure you retain the rights to your creative property even though you’re selling a craft, painting, poem or photograph?  FairsandFestivals.net is partnering with Helium.com to sponsor a writing contest to help answer these questions more in-depth.  With the proliferation of the internet, and simple access to inexpensive manufacturing companies, the protection of artistic copyright has to potential to impact small producers.  Submit your stories and experiences and join us in the discussion hosted by Helium.com “Where Knowledge Rules” .

You’ve spent hours learning your craft and earning your expertise.  You are an expert in your business because you, alone know what you’ve done well and where you’ve made mistakes.  All of that experience is valuable…triumphs and failures.  Share what you know by writing about it.  Everyone wants to hear more from people with experience.  Share yours and gain credibility, exposure and business.

The festival food business is very competitive.  These days just to make it into the bigger shows you may find you need to bring in new food products that are innovative delicious and big sellers. Here’s a sample of what we’re hearing on the street for fair and festival foods 2010.

Nowadays, there are so many ways to get the word out about your business that some people may forget about the traditional press release. Although you no longer have to put your press release strictly in newspapers, this form of communication can be an excellent way to draw customers to the next fair or festival at which you’ll appear.

We often receive calls from people wanting to know more about how to start their business.  Many are flattered by friends who compliment their work and offer to pay them for their efforts.  We think its great when artists and crafters get the opportunity to turn their hobbies into a business, but we also know there is a BIG difference between working your art as a hobby and working it as a business.  This article includes a list of resources we recommend you review to help you consider all aspects that go into turning your art and craft hobby into a business.

If you do your returns by the calendar year, your 2009 tax year is less than 30 days from close.  Given the numerous changes that take place every year in the tax laws its always a good idea to do a quick check-in with your accountant before the end-of-the-year close to make sure there are no surprises come April 15.  Now is the last chance you’ll have to take any buying or selling steps that would entitle you to additional 2009 deductions or write-offs before the year closes out.

Some of the most common questions we're asked revolve around licensing, taxes and permits. Florida, like most states, is governed by a number of jurisdictions, thus there is no universal answer. Each county, city and event may have different inspection, licensing, tax and health/fire permit requirements. The only way to ensure you meet all the requirements for your Florida event is to check with your event promoter and the local government entity. The following article outlines these entities and important Florida food vending links.

The 2010 Festival and Craft Show season is coming fast.  Application deadlines are looming with many expiring even before the new year begins. In this article we’ve put together some ideas to help you search for the right events for you.

We’re constantly looking for information and resources to help our food vendor visitors and members.  This article describes some of the essential reading materials we’ve found.  We’d love to know your thoughts.  If you know of any material or websites that would be useful to our visitors we hope you’ll let us know.

Inventory sounds like such a simple and basic issue, but it is something that many new vendors forget to pay attention to until after a show.  Making sure your inventory systems and records are up-to-date and in order before you show is good practice for building a profitable craft and festival business.

Insurance for Artist and Crafters makes good business sense for work product, supplies, craft shows and festivals.

If you’re at all experienced in being a vendor for various festivals, fairs, and events, you probably know that there are certain health and safety regulations that you’ll be required to follow in order to even get into the fair. However, even if you’re given what looks like and extensive list, you’ll want to go to extremes to protect the health and safety of your employees and customers, as failing to do so could have some pretty severe consequences.

Insurance you never think about it until you need it, but in order to never need it you want to think about it.

We’re always looking for ways to keep on top of our business and want to help you do the same.  This article includes some excellent reading resources and weblinks for artists who want to make a living from their art.  We’d love to hear from you about more resources you’ve found helpful.

2010 will bring more eco-friendly changes to the craft show and festival scene.  Event organizers, vendors and festival goers are trying new methods to reduce their carbon foot print.