The COVID-19 pandemic has made an undeniable impact on the ability for others to gather and perform, making it more difficult for both artists and lovers of the arts to enjoy their passion. The good news? The development of multiple vaccines and their speedy distribution is making it so that many states feel safe gradually opening back up and inviting the public to return to some semblance of a normal day-to-day experience as we attempt to recover over time.

5 Ways to Engage Virtual Customers
Tips For Staying Safe at Events This Year
How to Set Up Your Booth For Social Distancing
Making Sales in a Changing World

It’s been a long time since we welcomed hordes of people to our tents at festivals & craft shows. In the time since Covid-19 burst on the scene, many things have changed.  We’re a lot more cautious now, as well we should be. And the thought of facing all those large groups of people again is exhilarating, but scary, too.

Are you hoping to get back into the festival scene in 2021? If so, there are some precautions you can take to stay safe.

Wear a mask yourself, and insist that anyone working your booth with you do the same. Make sure that anyone who works with you understands the proper wearing, removal, and care of masks. Do what you can leading up to the event to notify your public that masks will be required in your tent, so that they won’t be taken by surprise. The CDC recommends that masks are your best protection in large crowds where social distancing might not be possible.


Use Physical Markers to Enforce Distancing

Physical markers can serve to remind people to remain six feet apart. Space out any chairs for sitting, and put tape on the ground to show people where to stand when they’re viewing your exhibit or waiting in line. You can also use tape to indicate where the entrance and exit is to reduce overcrowding in these areas. Put up signs in visible locations to remind visitors about social distancing, handwashing, and masks. You might even consider putting up signs in large print or Braille so everyone can read them.


Wash your hands frequently.

Do what you can to encourage your visitors to wash their hands as frequently as possible. If it’s not possible for them to readily access a sink with soap and water for handwashing, make hand sanitizer available to them. Anyone who collects tickets or picks up garbage should wash their hands afterwards with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you need to use hand sanitizer instead, just make sure that it’s at least 60% alcohol and you rub your hands dry afterward.


Ensure proper ventilation and airflow.

Outdoor craft shows are less risky, because air is constantly moving, dispersing the airborne droplets that spread the virus. If you’re indoors, make sure the space has adequate ventilation. Outdoor air should be circulated as much as possible. If you’re using a fan, just make sure that it doesn’t blow directly from one person to another, as this can spread viruses. If you’re in a tent, put all the sides up if weather permits to maximize airflow.


Use touchless payments if possible.

Not only does this cut out the danger and inconvenience of handling cash, but it makes transactions quicker and lines shorter. And the encryption technology helps protect you from fraud. Check out Square or PayPal for contact-free payment options. You will find that most of your customers will be relieved to have this option for payment. Increasingly, consumers are rebelling against the idea of carrying cash around.

It’s a personal decision as to whether you’re ready to take on the craft show scene again. But rest assured that taking a few precautions can go a long way towards keeping you safe.

It’s that moment craft show participants everywhere have been waiting for.

At last, there’s a light at the end of the Covid-19 tunnel and it looks like we’ll get to display our work at craft shows and events again.

Of course, we’re still not entirely out of the woods.

If you’re worried about safety during the upcoming craft show season, there are ways you can set up your booth to keep everyone safe.

Here are a few simple recommendations for the socially distanced craft booth in a post-Covid world.

Require masks

While this may be difficult to enforce, asking visitors to wear masks can go a long way towards stopping the spread of Covid-19. The CDC still recommends the wearing of cloth masks as one of the simplest yet most effective ways to mingle in public safely. Even after the vaccine is distributed and for some time, wearing a mask is a visible sign that you are taking precautions and care about the safety of your guests.

Be sure to wear a mask yourself and politely encourage your visitors to wear one, too. This will make more of your vulnerable visitors (the elderly or immuno-compromised) feel more at ease when they come to your booth.

Set out individual pieces separately

It’s all part of the experience: large numbers of people putting their hands on items as they look at them. After all, touching and handling prospective purchases is part of the fun.

Unfortunately, it’s also a prime way to spread dangerous germs.

To minimize this, spread individual pieces out along your tables so that visitors can look at items without putting their hands all over everything. Ideally, invest in a case that can protect your items from handling unless requested.

Limit the number of items out for display.

For the same reasons mentioned above, keep just a few diverse, good-quality items out for display. Avoid overcrowding on your tables. This makes it possible for people to look through items while still maintaining a safe distance from one another.

Bring some extra merchandise to replenish empty spaces as items are purchased.

Make sure there’s adequate space between your booth and others

Work with other vendors to keep your booth a good distance away from those on either side of you.

This can help minimize any crowding as people move from one booth to another.

As this may not be entirely within your control, it’s worth it to contact the venue and find out what arrangements they are making for social distance between booths.

Use a plastic screen.

Shield your register with a plastic screen and stay behind when ringing up purchases and interacting with visitors.

As their name suggests, these “sneeze guards” protect you from flying particles when anyone sneezes, coughs, or even just talks.

Keep hand sanitizer on hand.

Make hand sanitizer readily available to visitors as they move through your booth and handle your merchandise.

Bring enough with you to ensure that you don’t run out.

And give your hands a rub as often as possible throughout the day to protect yourself and others as well.

Make your entrance display as compelling as possible.

You’ve always known that your success depended on an enticing display at the entrance of your booth, and that’s even more true now.

Visitors decide whether to enter or not based on your display, so make sure it’s an accurate representation of the goodies inside.

Also, if more of your merchandise can be seen from the entrance, it means a smaller crowd in the space within, making it safer for everyone.

Accept credit cards

If you don’t yet use Square, or some other app that allows you to accept credit cards, now’s the time.

Reducing the amount of cash that changes hands is one of the best ways to keep transactions germ-free.

Craft shows may never be quite the same in a post-Covid world. But with a few precautions, you can set up your booth in a way that’s profitable, enjoyable, and safe.

by Carolyn Edlund for Artsy Shark

Our industry has changed forever, and there is no going back to the old ways of doing business. Even traditional selling models will have to develop virtual components—or fail. Luckily, creative thinking is squarely in the wheelhouse of every artist and crafter. Are you using any of the following strategies?

Polish Your Artist Website

Your art website is the best place to showcase what you do, since you control content and presentation. Design it to display your art beautifully with stunning images and plenty of them. If your website isn’t ready for prime time, your sales will suffer. Does your About page share a compelling story? Do you provide information for shoppers about your art and how to purchase it, including terms and policies? Do you have prices listed and a shopping cart? If your answer to any of those questions is no, it is likely there is “friction” on your site that is preventing sales rather than encouraging them.

These past few months have brought an unprecedented challenge to maintain the constantly changing event information on FestivalNet. Promoters are in a very difficult position to make decisions far enough in advance to coordinate vendors and venues while trying to make a profit without endangering the public. Decisions can and often do, change overnight.

We are having to go back and double check the current 2020 events, which has put us behind on updating last year's event listings on our site. We are hopeful that we will be able to get more events updated as states are opening up and we are finding future 2020 and 2021 dates on the events websites.

We have always taken pride in keeping our listings as up-to-date and correct as possible so that we can help you all plan your schedule for the year. We are confident that we provide the most consolidated up to date event information on the web. Despite the obvious financial impact we have undergone, we have increased our staff in an attempt to continue to bring our members the most current event information possible. We apologize if some event listings have not been up to the standards that you have come to expect.

Please know that we will continue to work diligently to update listings and remove the ones that we know are not taking place. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.

Festival Vendors Struggle Through COVID-19

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 21, 2020

Julie Cochrane, Operations Manager

FestivalNet.com

800-200-3737  

Julie@FestivalNet.com

Festival Vendors in Search of Options

Almost 50% of vendors surveyed rely on events for all income

Raleigh, NC.  FestivalNet.com announces results of their May 2020 COVID-19 impact study. With more than 3,500 responded, the survey uncovered the challenges and creativity of being a festival vendor or performer.

Full survey results: https://festivalnet.com/blog/FestivalNet-Survey-Response-4196

Some quotes from our members:

“Unfortunately like many vendors, our products sell best when they can be seen in person, touched...tried on. I think online shows are going to be a big part of the new norm, but the in person are SO much better, especially the music festivals." - Craftsperson Lori Trafford, Montana

"I am a henna artist which requires me to be within 1 foot or less of a client in order to do my artwork on their body. With social distancing this is impossible, and I don't foresee people being comfortable sitting that close for at least 2 years..." - Lisa Paulger, Jacksonville Beach, Florida

About FestivalNet.com: Founded in 1996, FestivalNet serves festival vendors, artists, craftspeople, musicians, event promoters and visitors throughout North America. With more than 300,000 members, we provide detailed event information for more than 26,000 events and tools to help our community connect to make events successful. 



########

Since 1996, FestivalNet.com has maintained a database of North American fairs and festivals, offering extensive event details for the exhibiting artist, performer, and vendor. We pride ourselves with providing the most event information from coast to coast and serving our members year after year by meeting their event research needs. As COVID-19 raged, changing every aspect of life as we knew it, Festivalnet.com hoped to gain an understanding of the impact and reach of this global health crisis within our community by conducting a business impact survey.

We've read every single reply. To all those who participated, we hear you loud and clear. Something that stood out to us when reading your feedback is people have a desire to connect. Tell their story. Be heard. We hope our response helps move our community closer together than ever before. 

To make that hope a reality, we're exploring new and creative ways to serve you with the intention of helping our community survive this most challenging of times, even as our country struggles to find ways to safely allow group gatherings.  

For many, dealing with this pandemic unfolded in stages starting with denial and often culminating in some form of productivity and a plan. FestivalNet member Mark Taylor described his experience:
 

“We simply sat down and said to ourselves we can sit here and feel sorry for ourselves...or we can get our butts into the studio and figure out how to reinvent ourselves and at least survive this event." - IDEA Studio, Hilton Head, SC

While survey responses are still coming in and we might reevaluate our data again, at the time of exporting these results, 3,494 people across the United States and parts of Canada identify in the following ways:  

Finding Balance in Uncertain Times
...from all of us at FestivalNet.com to all of you.

It is our sincerest hope that you and your loved ones remain healthy as this pandemic rages and then runs its course. But health isn’t the only concern. Artists, crafters, food vendors and entertainers...our community...depend on groups and gatherings to make a living. And, these are the very things which are being cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19.

The combination of social distancing, self-quarantine, concern for loved ones and economic impact makes for extraordinary stress during these already difficult times. The Centers for Disease Control says how you respond to the pandemic can depend on your background, the things which make you different from other people, and the community you live in. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in both adults and children.

image: harli marten