[SuperCute! at the East Atlanta Strut, 2007]
So I’m considering not applying for the East Atlanta Strut this year, and I’m pretty bummed about it. There are some new rules in effect that are pretty discouraging. It almost feels like they’re saying “Crafters Need Not Apply.” From the official application information pdf:
First off, they specify that works must have “no commercially available parts.” I sort of worry that the lunchboxes and utensils that I include in my Lunch Kits would work against me here.
They are also pretty anti-jewelry, which is a problem for my boothmates (and therefore me), since both of them make gorgeous artisan jewelry:
Attn Jewelers: In order to create a well-balanced quality market, we will limit the amount of space for jewelry. If you have completed an application and specified a medium other than jewelry, but intend to show jewelry in your booth, no more than 5% of your booth can display jewelry and your booth photo must represent your jewelry display.
Five percent?? That is insane! Our booth is usually more like 20% – 30% jewelry, but I don’t think that qualifies us for the extremely competitive jewelry category! This alone makes me think it would almost be a waste of my nonrefundable application fee.
They’re also being more strict about booth sharing:
A booth can be shared by two artists ONLY (no groups, no co‐ops, sorry). Artists sharing a booth must be represented in the required booth image. EACH artist must submit an application and jury fee.
I understand that they want us to honestly represent what our booths will look like, and I even get the separate applications, but separate fees? We share a booth to save on cash. And two artists per booth basically means that the three of us can’t do the show together. We can’t afford two booth spaces for the three of us, and we don’t even need that much space.
This whole thing is a real bummer, because I love doing the Strut, and I love East Atlanta! Part of me wants to figure out a way to make this work, but part of me sees it as a sign that I should just pull it together and try to do Crafty Bastards in DC. I met a bunch of the folks behind this show at the Summit of Awesome, and I also sort of fell in love with DC, if it’s possible to fall in love with a city in 5 very busy days.
What do you guys think? Am I over-reacting to these new rules? I am having my first glass of wine in almost two weeks, so that is not outside the realm of possibility.
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I don’t think you are overreacting. I’m pretty bummed about it too. I emailed them for clarification since they only communicate by email according to their site, but I haven’t heard back. I worry that zippers, buttons, fabric and stuffing are all also commercial parts, even if many of them are vintage. How would they know they are vintage?
Yea, that part worries me, partly bc it’s so vague. Were there folks there in previous selling things made with kits or something, I wonder? A mystery!
Wow, I can’t believe they wrote those rules this year. They’ll probably receive a lot of backlash about it–given the general make-up of East Atlanta. No artist co-ops? Seriously? And only 5% jewelry? Don’t they know that people like to buy jewelry? Sigh. This sucks!
Wow, this is a bit disheartening. I was considering applying since I live here now! I would much rather see crafters at this thing than expensive art that I can’t afford- that’s no fun. I thought about making a booth for knitting stuff, but according to their rules, I can’t because yarn and fiber are commercially-made items! Bah.
Wow, that’s totally disappointing… how in the world can you craft without any commercially available objects? Supplies have to be bought somewhere! Plus that jewelery limitation is absurd.
I’ll be surprised if they have any artists with rules like that!
I think the 5% rule is only if you don’t want to be in the jewelry category. That said, I definitely don’t want to be in the jewelry category! I used to make jewelry and quit selling it, partly because that amount of competition is just way too stressful for me.
Oooh! Also – you might email them and ask about your components. I think that language might to be discourage folks from using kits, but I’d definitely check.
I’m almost worn out from commenting, but I am a local (EAV) artist who was denied (one of a few) from Strut this year. We have friends in common, and I heard about your situation just last week. It has turned out to be a pretty unfortunate situation.
Yea, it’s a bummer. :( I’m sorry to hear you were denied! What sort of crafts do you make?