Thrillho wrote: ↑Tue Apr 03, 2018 11:31 am
CONS
The art auction was very anemic, and I saw that some artist's submitted works and refused to accept any sort of bidding process (...). I think that goes against the spirit of the whole thing. The art auction area was so phenomenal two years ago and has really gone downhill since. I know AB can really only work with what they're given, but maybe find some way to incentivize artists to supply more works.
If you'd like to see more art in the art show, the most straightforward solution would be to make some art and bring it to the art show.
Though I guess if you're thinking of incentives for
other people to participate in the Art Show - maybe if the sale commission were smaller? (I appreciate the value of selling work at a big venue like the con, so I don't personally begrudge them that 20%, but money is a simple and effective "incentive"...)
The thing about the auction system is, it doesn't really work in sellers' favor unless multiple bidders get in a bidding war. Smart bidders will wait until the end of the auction to avoid contributing to the increase of the sale price, and then try to snipe the auction. So sellers can get seriously low-balled if they don't set a starting price they'll really be happy with.
And then there's the question, if the seller is happy with the starting price, is it really worth having an auction to see if someone will pay more? If it's sold at auction, it's not sold until Sunday, which means nobody who can't attend on Sunday can even consider buying the thing. It also introduces the risk of a buyer either accidentally or
intentionally failing to show up to pay for the thing, most likely derailing the whole sale process. So I think there are
big natural incentives for sellers to avoid the auction process altogether, frankly!
I had stuff in the art show this year and last, and it was all not for sale. I've been told that some people expressed some frustration about that... And if people really would be willing to pay a good price for what I make, then I would like to try my hand at selling something at some point. (I actually was going to do so last year, but the piece I'd planned to sell wasn't finished in time.) But the Art Show does give artists the option to show their stuff in the art show and not sell it - and I hope that continues to be the case. I want to
show my art. (It's an Art
Show, right?) Right now I honestly just don't get a lot done, so when I do get something done I don't part with it easily. I'm skeptical that there would be buyers willing to pay what I'm likely to ask (plus 25% to cover that commission). But I want people to see my work, I want the kind of work I do to have more of a presence at the con, and I want to contribute to the overall vitality of the Art Show, so I make the effort to participate.