Art Licensing Editorial: Buyers Swarm the January 2020 Atlanta Gift and Home Furnishing Market

It has been years since the January wholesale Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishing Market at the AmericasMart in Atlanta, Georgia has been so crowded with buyers. The elevators, escalators, showrooms, and hallways were packed with people in the three buildings that have from 14 to 21 floors of permanent showrooms and temporary booths.  As usual, the most activity was in showrooms that had the most variety of products as buyers looked for new products to purchase and sell to their customers.

It should not have been surprising that the show had so many buyers because according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) article “NRF says 2019 holiday sales were up 4.1 percent” (published 1/16/2020) and retailers and other kinds of buyers (ex. hospital gift stores) needed to replace their merchandize for 2020 holidays.  According to NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz “This was a healthy holiday season, especially compared with the decline in retail sales we saw at the end of the season in 2018. Despite a late Thanksgiving and worries about tariffs, the consumer didn’t go away. We’ve had months of strong employment numbers, high wages and strong household balance sheets. There’s no doubt that gave consumers a sense of confidence about their ability to spend, and they did their part to keep the economy moving."

The increase in the number of buyers at the Atlanta Gift Show is great news for artists that license their art. Companies that license art will sell more products and that will increase the royalty amount that artists earn.

Below are examples of trends seen at the 2020 Atlanta Gift Show. The photos shown in this article were taken in public areas of the AmericasMart were photos can be taken without permission or the photos were taken with permission by the companies. Note: Most of the photos taken were of companies that do not license art for their products but use their own in-house designers.

Art Trends

Most of the art trends seen at this show are elements (components of an image) that are evergreen (timeless) and used on a lot of products.  Some of the elements that are evergreen include dogs, cats, bunnies, turkeys, roosters, garden flowers (most popular = poppies, daisies, sunflowers, poinsettias), birds (most popular = cardinals and hummingbirds), insects (dragonflies, butterflies, honeybees, ladybugs), seashells, lighthouses, plaid decorations (bows, borders, backgrounds and used on elements), fall leaves, pumpkins, Santa Claus, snowmen, and more.

At the present the most popular elements are bees, lemons, farm themes, exotic leaves (fronds, ferns), vintage vehicles (trucks, cars, campers), animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, farm, etc.), and sayings (on plaques, pillows, towels, etc.). In the last couple of years nautical themes, mermaids, flamingos, llamas, vintage bicycles, succulent and cactus plants were seen on products everywhere. However, the amount of these elements were fewer at this show than previous shows. The only new element that I saw at the Atlanta show was Christmas gnomes (manikins).  See more information below in the Christmas section about Christmas gnomes.

Keep in mind that not all trending themes and elements are suitable for every kind of product.  The popular lemon element is seen mostly on towels, tabletop and kitchen products. And, dogs, and farm animal heads are seen mostly on pillows and decorative boxes. Also remember artists that it is important to research a company website before submitting art to them. Make sure that the company does license art and your art style and theme fits their product line.

Pantone 2020 Color of the year

Pantone's color of the year for 2020 is called Classic Blue which is considered a navy blue shade and is versatile and sophisticated according to Good Housekeeping author Juliana LaBianca in the article “15 Home Decor Trends You’re About to See Everywhere in 2020”.  For several years, navy color has been popular for clothing and home decor (furniture, pillows, towels etc.) but so far it is not often used in the gift industry that seems to use brighter colors. Note: If interested, read the above article to see what is trending in home décor (from navy paint to floral wallpaper).

 

Farm

The farm theme is still going strong and was seen in many showrooms at Atlanta. Farm animals (cows, sheep, goats, chickens and roasters, etc.), barns, trucks, farm sayings, etc. are very popular.  The grey/white and black/white check design is used on many farm theme products. Even though those check designs are mostly considered farm theme designs, they are also used on other products as seen in the photos below.

Christmas

Christmas products appeared to be showcased by companies in their showrooms at the Atlanta Gift Show more than other themes if they sold Christmas products. This year like last year, the popular Christmas elements seen at AmericasMart were snowmen, Santa, reindeers, polar bears, moose, pinecones, holly, cardinals, poinsettias, Christmas sayings, some trucks, trains, etc.  All kinds of red/green/white plaid designs and some grey/white and black/white check designs were used to spruce up the Christmas decorations and designs.

Consumers usually want to decorate with traditional bright red and dark green elements such as shown above in the Raz Imports photo. Traditional red poinsettia and berries with green pine needles and holly and maybe some white bows were used to give the decorations a little ‘snap’.  But if you look closer at the Raz photos you will see that Raz also added spring flowers such as red tulips, white daffodils and white magnolias to the Christmas decoration to make it a little different and show that non-traditional décor can also be used in a Christmas display.

Scandinavian garden gnomes (manikins) have been popular for a long time and is often seen in gardens and sometimes as art on products.  In the last three years the popularity of Christmas plush gnomes has slowly grown and was available in many retail stores during Christmas last year.  Several buyers I talked to said that they had purchased some gnomes for last Christmas and they sold “really" well. And obviously the wholesale companies at the Atlanta Show thought that gnomes would also sell well because gnomes seemed to be in almost all the showrooms that have Christmas products. Now that Christmas gnomes has gone viral, I wonder how long gnomes will stay popular with consumers?

Coastal

The coastal theme is still popular but not many coastal products were showcased up-front at Atlanta this year as in previous years.  Flamingos, mermaids, and octopus did not seem as popular as seashells, starfish, seahorses and coastal sayings on plaques.  Blue-green/white colors seemed to be the most popular although navy/white OR navy/blue-green are also used in nautical products as shown in the C& F Enterprises photo below.

  

 Transformation of AmericasMart 

International Market Centers (IMC) purchased the AmericasMart in 2018 and since then they have been making a lot of changes.  Recently IMC has rebranded the Atlanta Market major gift, décor and lifestyle market brands, which includes a new name and logo.  The above new Atlanta Market logo is similar to IMC other wholesale showroom facility logos (High Point in North Carolina and Las Vegas in Nevada). For more information read "IMC Rebrands Atlanta Market”.

The next phase in transforming AmericasMart is to move some of the showrooms from one building to another.  Originally Building One (Bldg. 1) was meant to have showrooms of only home accent (furnishings, rugs, wall décor, fine linens, etc.) products and Building Two (Bldg. 2) was meant to have showrooms of gifts and other miscellaneous products such as gourmet food and housewares. But over the years, home accent showrooms were also put into Bldg. 2 instead of only Bldg. 1 and seasonal gifts (mostly Christmas products) showrooms were put into Bldg. 1 instead of only Bldg. 2.  Now that the January Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishing Market is over, those showrooms will be moved to the correct buildings so that the same type of products will be in only one building.  That way buyers that are looking for certain type of products will not have to go to another building searching for what they want to purchase.  

This change will NOT be easy at first for buyers that have shopped at AmericasMart for years.  They are use to the location of the companies they usually purchase products from and will now have to look for them in a different building. Also the change will NOT be easy for the companies that need to move to different buildings.  It will be expensive to pack and move their products, decorations, and display furniture.  It will also take time to rearrange and decorate the new showroom that probably will not be the same shape or size that they are now using. Needless to say most of the companies that are moving are not happy, as they will need to start moving soon to their new showroom. IMC wants all the showrooms that need to move be done by the time the next Gift and Home Furnishing Market opens in July.

AmericasMart Showroom Videos

View the following videos to see a couple of AmericasMart showrooms and products

• "AmericasMart Atlanta - 2020 Gifts & Decorative Accessories Interview” CTW Home Collection  (Jan 17, 2020) 

• "Atlanta Market at AmericasMart 2020” Sullivan Gift (Jan 15, 2020)

Related Articles

“Art Licensing Editorial: January 2019 Atlanta Gift Show Success and Trends"

"Art Licensing Editorial: January 2018 Atlanta Gift Market Success & Trends”

"Art Licensing Editorial - 2017 January Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market Trends / Record-Breaking Attendance”

Your comments are welcome. Click on the comments section (below) to write your comment. Note: Some people have a problem in leaving a comment. The most successful method is to comment as Name/URL (your name and website or blog with a "complete" URL address. For example: http://www.joanbeiriger.com/

Art Licensing Editorial: Dwindling Number of Exhibitors at Art Licensing Trade Shows

With less than three months before the two 2017 United States licensing trade shows take place (SURTEX and International Licensing Expo), there is a significant decrease in the number of exhibitors than at the 2016 shows. The organizer of SURTEX, Emerald Exposition, reported in the press release "SURTEX Welcomes More Than 80 First-Time Exhibitors From Around the World to Launch New Art and Designs" that there were over 250 exhibitors at the 2016 show. However, as of 3/3/17 only 168 exhibitors have applied for a booth at the 2017 show. Previous to the 2008-2009 recession in the United States, SURTEX had a minimum of 300 exhibitors every year. The International Licensing Expo website states that the 2016 show had 489 exhibitors. But as of 3/3/17, only 299 exhibitors are listed for the 2017 show.

Unfortunately, the number of exhibitors for both shows has been decreasing each year. And of course, it is not good for their livelihood. Why is there a decrease in exhibitors and how does that impact the shows? Could it signify the eventual demise of them?

The following discuss the two licensing shows, the impact on SURTEX because of the dwindling number of licensors (artists/agents) exhibiting at the show, and what artists and agents are doing to find licensees (manufacturers) instead of exhibiting at licensing shows.

Licensing Shows
Licensors (owners of art and designs) exhibit their work at licensing trade shows so that licensees (manufacturers) can view the licensors art for consideration in licensing it for use on their products. Licensing is the process of leasing a legally protected (trademarked or copyrighted) entity – a name, likeness, logo, trademark, graphic design, slogan, signature, character, etc. The previous sentence is from the Licensing Expo website.

Even though SURTEX and Licensing Expo are both licensing shows, the emphasis on the type of categories is different. Licensing Expo exhibitors show a wide variety of categories such as Animation, Apparel/Fashion, Art & Design, Automotive, Brands & Trademarks, Characters, Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Sports/Outdoors, etc. SURTEX narrows the categories to artwork, designs, and art brands.

• SURTEX
SURTEX will be held May 21-23, 2017 at the Javits Center in New York and in conjunction with product trade shows NSS (National Stationery Show) and ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair). Of the 168 exhibitors in the 2017 SURTEX show, 57 are in the Atelier section [1] and sell all rights to their designs. Thus, only 111 licensors of the 168 exhibitors are licensing art and design. Those include 23 first timers that are exhibiting in the Design District section [2] and 12 agencies.

The cost to exhibit at SURTEX keeps increasing each year. For the 2017 show, the Design District 5 by 10foot booth rental cost is $2700 ($54 per square foot). An 80 square feet (8 by 10 foot) booth cost $4200 ($52.50/sq. ft.) and a 100 square foot booth (10 by 10 foot) costs $5000 ($50/sq. ft.).

Show admission is free to qualified art buyers and licensees (manufacturers). Suppliers to the trade and non-exhibiting designers, design studio/agents will be charged $495 in advance and $595 onsite. In the past, SURTEX offered three days of seminars by art licensing experts on the essentials, business, strategies, and trends needed to license art. Unfortunately, no seminars will be offered during the 2017 show.

[1] The Atelier section is where textile design studios from around the world sell their surface designs to a multitude of product categories including interior textiles; craft, bedding, and fashion fabrics; wall coverings; and paper.

[2] The Design District has small less expensive booths and is available only to first time SURTEX artist exhibitors. 

• International Licensing Expo
Licensing Expo will be held May 23-25, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. After 30 years of holding the show in New York City, the annual June show moved to Las Vegas in 2009 to be able to reduce the show cost. The price of booths or rental of show space for those exhibitors that bring their own booths is not listed on Licensing Expos website but supposedly it is less than if it was held at the Javits Center in New York where SURTEX is held.

Although Licensing Expo does have a section for art licensing, its main emphasis is world wide licensing of character/entertainment, collegiate, fashion, sports, and corporate trademarks/brands. And thus, the major attendees at the show are interested in those licensors and not art licensors. Unless art licensors have brands that appeal to the majority of the attendees, it is not cost effective to exhibit at this show. Less than 25 artists and art licensing agents will be exhibiting at the 2017 show.

This year the show date was moved from June to May to better fit the timing for the global business cycle. The May 23-25 date for Licensing Expo show does conflict with SURTEX (May 21-23). But this does not seem to be the reason why there are less art licensor exhibitors at the two 2017 shows. Only a hand full of art licensors has been exhibiting at both shows.

Registration to attend the Licensing Expo is free (including artists). The show offers over 25 classes related to the licensing industry. Of those classes, only one is specially aimed at licensing art. The fee of $170 grants attendees access to every conference session.

SURTEX: Reasons for dwindling number of exhibitors
For years SURTEX has been a successful way for artists and agents to meet licensees, show them art, and license it. With the increase of artists entering the art licensing industry the competition is great and getting licensing deals is more difficult. Also the retail industry has changed, with products having a short shelf life resulting in less revenue for each deal. Thus, licensors have a lower budget to put towards marketing their work and exhibiting at SURTEX.  Note: It is different for the design studios in the Atelier section of the show that sell their designs outright because they earn revenue from their designs up front. Not all the following discussion applies to them.

• Cost
The main reason that many art licensors are no longer exhibiting at SURTEX is because it is no longer cost effective. For most artists and some agencies the increase in cost for a booth, travel and a hotel room besides other incidental costs such as banners of art and decorations for the booth now exceeds the potential revenue that they MAY earn by exhibiting at the show.

• Licensee Budgets
Many companies have reduced their travel budgets. Before the 2007-2008 recession, several people (art directors, owners, head of product lines, etc.) from each company would walk all three days of the show. Now only one person may attend for one or two days. That means licensees rush through the show and probably miss licensors art that they would have normally viewed and possibly licensed if they had more time.

• First Time Exhibitors
To entice licensors to exhibit, SURTEX offers a first time exhibiting artist a smaller booth at a lower price in the Design District section of the show. If those artists exhibiting in the Design District wish to exhibit at future shows, they will be required to pay the price for a larger booth. However, many of those artists probably will not be able to afford to pay the price for a full booth and will not return.

• Agencies
There are over 50 art licensing agencies in the United States and the majority are not exhibiting at SURTEX. Only 12 will be at 2017 show. In the past there were many more agencies exhibiting at SURTEX but the number has steadily declined. For those agencies that have been exhibiting at SURTEX for years, they are looking for new licensees that have not previously attended SURTEX. Agencies are already connected with those licensees that attend year after year and they submit new art to them via the Internet. Even though it is good to meet in person, it can be a waste of time unless the agency has new art to show the licensee. Not enough new companies are attending SURTEX so some agencies have stopped exhibiting because there is not a good enough reason to pay the cost to exhibit.

• Catch-22
Sadly, SURTEX seems to be in a no win situation. As the number of exhibitors drop because the cost to exhibit for art licensors is not cost effective, the promoter of SURTEX (Emerald Exposition) is forced to increase prices the following year to cover their expenses and make money to put on the show. And because there is less art to view, licensees will eventually stop attending since it is not worth the cost and time. And with fewer licensees attending more licensors will probably stop exhibiting. If the number of exhibitors continues to decline, and it probably will, Emerald Exposition will ultimately discontinue the SURTEX show.

Alternative Ways Licensors Find Licensees
Instead of exhibiting at licensing shows, the following are some of what artists and agents are doing to find manufacturers that license art to put on their products.

• Research, Research, Research
Looking for manufacturers that license art can be very time consuming but is necessary in the art licensing business. Below are a few ideas on finding licensees.

– Search the Internet for licensees. Searching by product type can yield lots of companies that can then be researched to see if they use art on their products and do not have in-house designers. If they do not use in-house designers, it is a good possibility that they license art.

Viewing the websites of retail chain e-stores is another way to find licensors. Amazon.com is also a good source.

– Constantly survey chain and specialty stores to find the names of manufacturers using art on their products. The gift industry licenses a lot of art so checking out gift stores is an excellent way to find manufactures that license art.

– Look at advertisements and the sections on "what's new" in gift trade magazines aimed at retailers. Those magazines often show products of manufacturers that license art. Either subscribe to the magazines (some are free) or pick them up at no cost when attending trade shows. The magazine Gifts & Dec is very informative. Other useful magazines can be found on the Internet by searching with the words "retailer gift trade magazines".

– Search the Internet for articles that mention manufacturers that license art. For example, read the article "Art Licensing: List of Manufacturers that License Art".

• Join Art Licensing Show.com (ALSC)
Another way to find and connect with licensees is to join ALSC. It is a protected art portfolio hosting website for artists/agents to privately show art to licensees. Licensees can join at no cost. All ALSC members can see examples of art by hundreds of artists but only licensees are allowed to ask portfolio members (artists/agents) for permission to view their portfolios. ALSC portfolio artist and agent members can also connect with the licensee members and share their art portfolios with them. Note: All artists and agents are allowed to join ALSC at no cost but unless they join as a portfolio member they will not be able to share their work with licensees. Learn more about ALSC by going to their website https://artlicensingshow.com/.

• Attend Product Wholesale Trade Shows
Walking product wholesale trade shows is a great way to find manufacturers that license art. Manufacturers or distributors that they hire exhibit products at these types of trade shows for retailers to purchase. Often art directors attend the larger shows and many times licensors can make appointments with them to show art for licensing consideration. Note: Retailers/buyers can attend trade shows at no cost but it may be difficult for artists/agents to attend these show unless they have retailer credentials.

The gift industry uses a lot of licensed art so that attending gift trade shows is a perfect place to find licensees. The largest gift show in the United States is the Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market that is held each year in January and July. For more information about the show, read "Art Licensing: 2014 Atlanta Gift Show - the amazing Americas Mart campus". This article also has links to two additional articles about the show.

Great ways to find licensors is by attending trade shows for other industries besides gifts such as for apparel, sports, tabletop, crafts, stationery, and many more. A list of some of them including gift shows can be found on "Gift Trade Show Calendar" and "2017-2018 Wholesale Trade Gift Shows".

• Market Art
Let licensees find you by aggressively marketing licensable art.
– Send press releases to product magazines when art has been licensed.
– Have a blog and often post interesting and informative articles on it.
– Showcase art on social media (Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube). Some licensors have reported getting licensing deals by posting art on Instagram and belonging to LinkedIn they should not depend on only using them to connect with licensees because  few art directors have the time to search for art on social media. Also, beware that copyright infringement often occurs when art is posted on social media sites.

Your comments are welcome. Click on the comments section (below) to write your comment. Note: Some people have a problem in leaving a comment. The most successful method is to comment as Name/URL (your name and website or blog with a "complete" URL address. For example: http://www.joanbeiriger.com/

Art Licensing Show.com® - One Year Old & Growing

It has been a year since Art Licensing Show.com® (ALSC) first launched their website. And, it is proving to be a popular and successful method for art directors to view images for licensing consideration and for artists to easily connect with art directors.

In case you do not know about ALSC, it is a online website that with one password art directors that license art (licensees) can view thousands of images created by hundreds of artists (licensors). Once the art director becomes a member (at no cost) she/he can see examples of artists’ work, choose potential artist work, and request permission to connect with the artist to view it, or specific themes, or all of their work.

At a reasonable price, the ALSC membership subscription plan allows artists and art licensing agents to upload art into their own secured portfolio on the ALSC website. Artists have complete control in allowing or not allowing licensee members to view some or the entire portfolio.

Note: Artists also has the option to become a member at no cost. They are able to connect with other members and have access to discussion groups and resource pages. But, their art will not be marketed by ALSC and they will not have a portfolio. Thus, they cannot show their work on the ALSC site to licensee members.

As an additional benefit, ALSC is a full-fledged social media site that is focused on art licensing and where members can ask questions and share information in a variety of discussion groups.

Read artist Cherish Flieder's article “Celebrating Art & Licensing” about how the Art Licensing Show began and how to become a member. Also, read “Art Licensing Show.com® - What is all the excitement about?"

1st Year Accomplishments
ALSC is not only successful in continual increasing membership but it has become a wonderful and flourishing community of members that share information and help others become successful in licensing their art. Members have stepped up and volunteered to moderate the different social media groups, give suggestions on improving ALSC, and brainstorming on marketing the ALSC site and ALSC portfolio licensors work.

• Growth
There are now 700 members consisting of licensees, artists, licensing agents, licensing coaches/consultants, and art licensing attorneys. Licensee members represent a huge variety of product industries such as fabric, decorative flags, greeting cards, gift bags, gift wraps, calendars, paper party ware, jigsaw puzzles, toys, wall décor, pillows, checks, coloring books, giftware, and much more. They sell their products to individual retailers, small and huge chain stores, e-stores, non-profit organizations, and as print-on-demand to consumers and retailers.

ALSC has 27 specialized groups that members can join to discuss and share just about anything related to licensing art. Some of the groups concentrate on product designs such as tabletop, greeting cards, home décor, gifts, and textiles. Other groups discuss trends, marketing, tips/techniques for creating art, and post the latest news in the art licensing industry. There is even an art submission group where licensees request art themes they want to license. And, there is a monthly art challenge group, a monthly text chat group, and much more.

• Marketing
ALSC constantly markets licensor profile member’s art on many social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, ALSC blog, and posts videos on YouTube. Last year, a group of ALSC members brainstormed on taking advantage of the popular adult coloring book craze to promote ALSC and portfolio licensor members art. They recommended that ALSC publish a coloring book as a free pdf file to be downloaded and printed by anyone. The images could then be shared by family and friends and given to persons in hospitals, shelters, care facilities, and schools to bring happiness and healing by the simple act of coloring beautiful images.

So last December, a 92 page coloring book “Enjoy the Simple things: A Holiday Coloring Book for kids 1 to 92” was released with art created by 70 ALSC artists. The book has been downloaded nearly seven thousand times and shared all over the world. A free pdf file can still be downloaded at
“92 Free Holiday Coloring Pages to Print & Share!” AND a printed bound book can be purchased on amazon.com.

Note: The coloring book project was very successful! So stay tuned for future ALSC promotional projects.

Member Opportunities and Experiences
• Reasons why licensees and licensors joined ALSC
Below are statements from a few members on why they joined ALSC.

1. Susan January, VP of the greeting card company Leanin’ Tree stated in “Presenting Artlicensingshow.Com – A 24/7 Virtual Art Licensing Show” that “I truly believe this site has great potential to help make my work more streamlined and efficient. Coming to one site, as opposed to a hundred different artists’ sites, is a fantastic benefit to me.”

2. Artist Annie Troe in her blog article “Why I am on Art Licensing Show .com!” wrote that
- It is the ONLY Art Licensing Show online.
- Be listed in the ultimate art licensing directory.
- No cost or low cost depending on if you are an Artist or Art Director/Manufacturer.
- Connect with industry leaders – It is a social network dedicated to Art Licensing.

3. Artist Karen Embry stated in her blog article, “Art Licensing Show Celebrates One Year Anniversary” that “With so many options/pricing plans for membership, there is something to fit in every artist’s budget. Art directors can join at no cost."

4. "I (Joan Beiriger) thoroughly agree with both Annie and Karen. An added bonus in being a member of ALSC is that I am able to connect directly with art directors and ask questions. I cannot do that with art directors that are not on the site unless I have already built a relationship with her/him. Also, because ALSC is constantly promoting licensor portfolio members work, my art is being marketed all over the internet at no additional price. You can't beat that!"

• ALSC Member’s Success
One of the most asked questions by artists who are considering joining ALSC, is if artists are getting licensing deals from licensors members and how many. The answer is YES artists are getting deals but there is no way to tell how many because ALSC is not an art licensing agency and artists are not required to report if they have signed a contract. Also most artists do not broadcast their success and those that do wait until the product is introduced into the market. That normally takes a year or more.  But, several ALSC artists have shared their success. Read what they have to say.

1. In artist Annie Troes blog article “Celebrating 1 year!” Annie states, “It has brought me opportunities/manufacturers I didn't know about and sped up my ability to connect with the wonderful art licensing community. Signed a contract to be announced and have another manufacturer shopping my art around to some big stores! This and more has happened for me because of ALSC.”

2. "I (Joan Beiriger) also had the same experience as Annie on ALSC although I have not yet signed a contract. Many art directors are interested in my art and three of them from different industries are shopping many images and collections to large chain stores. I never would have been able to contact these licensees or even realized that several of them license art if I was not an ALSC licensor portfolio member."

3. Illustrator Valerie Hart stated in the interview article, “Coffee & Conversations From Studio to Store” that “The most important way ALSC has impacted my art business is with licensing deals! I’ve signed two in the last six months and I’m currently at the contract negotiating stage with two more manufacturers.”

Hint: Artists who are the most successful in connecting and getting licensing contracts with manufacturers not on ALSC use the same techniques when approaching ALSC licensee members. They do their homework and make sure that their art style and themes fit the licensee product lines before approaching art directors. Thus, successful ALSC licensor members do their homework, are proactive in asking ALSC licensor members to connect with them, and follow-up with a short message describing why her/his art will sell their products. There are so many artists on ALSC that sitting back and waiting for an art director to contact you does NOT work.

To find out more about how to become a ALSC member click here.

If you are an ALSC member and would like to share why you became a member and/or have a ALSC success story that you are willing to share, please write about it in the comment section of this article. Everyone would love to read it!

Your comments are welcome. Click on the comments section (below) to write your comment. Note: Some people have a problem in leaving a comment. The most successful method is to comment as Name/URL (your name and website or blog with a "complete" URL address. For example: http://www.joanbeiriger.com/

Art Licensing: New Licensing/Selling Shows Emerging

The major way for artists* to connect with manufacturers that license** their art* has always been to exhibit at licensing** shows. But with the rising cost to exhibit at shows that are located in large convention centers (SURTEX, Licensing Expo International), many artists and designers can no longer afford it. Recently a new smaller show (Blueprint Surface Design & Print Show***) has emerged. It cost less for artists to exhibit because instead of using a large convention center it is located in an event center dedicated to smaller spaces. And, an innovative solution to lowering the cost for artists to show their work to art directors is the advent this year of Art Licensing Show .com website.

Note: Another new licensing show (Brand Licensing Select) has a different approach to connecting licensors, agents, and brands with retailers; make appointments before the show. It will be introduced in 2016; also in an event center.

Below is information about the well established shows - SURTEX, Licensing International Expo, and Print Source***; the new Internet Art Licensing Show.com.; and other new shows - Blueprint Surface Design & Print Show, and Brand Licensing Select.

* In this article, the word artists also encompass designers. And, the words art and design are used interchangeability.
** The exhibitors in the shows mentioned in this article may only sell their work, may only license, or do both.
*** The emphasis of this show is to sell designs outright but some exhibitors also license their work. 

• SURTEX
Held in May each year
Next Show: May 15-17 2016 - Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY

The SURTEX licensing show is where where artists, art licensing agencies, designers and design studios exhibit their work to sell or license to manufacturers and retailers. The majority of attendees are manufacturers and retailers looking for art and design to place on their products.

• Licensing International Expo
Held in June each year
Next Show: June 21-13, 2016 - Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV

The Licensing International Expo show is where entertainment, character, fashion, art and corporate brand owners and agents exhibit their intellectual properties to give consumer goods manufacturers, licensees, and retailers the opportunity to license them. The majority of the exhibitors are entertainment and character licensors. Thus, the majority of attendees are not looking to license the intellectual properties in the other categories including art.

Licensing Expo recently announced that they are introducing a Matchmaking Service in 2016. It will help attendees and exhibitors set-up meetings in advance of the show. For more information, read the press release "Licensing Expo 2016 to Offer Matchmaking."

• Printsource
Held in January and August each year.
Next Show: January 12 - 13 2016 - Metropolitan Pavilion in New York, NY

The Printsource show exhibitors showcase designs for apparel, bed and bath, kitchen and tabletop, paper goods and stationery, wall coverings, etc. by international surface and textile design studios and agents. Most exhibitors sell designs outright but some also license their work as well.

•Art Licensing Show.com
ArtLicensingShow.com is a protected art portfolio hosting website for artists and agencies to privately show art to licensees any day or time. Art directors interested in licensing art can join at no cost. With one password, they can see examples of art shared with them by hundreds of artists. They can then ask any of the artists/agents for permission to view more of their art. For more information, read "ArtLicensingShow.com® - What is all the excitement about?"

• Blueprint Surface Design & Print Show
First held in May and December 2015
Next Show: May 12-16 2016 - Metropolitan Suite in New York, NY

Blueprint Surface Design & Print Show showcases designs for apparel, fabric, stationery, giftwrap, greeting cards, home, wallpaper, wall decor, bedding, toys, books, crafting, stickers, and scrapbook papers by International design studios and agents. Most exhibitors sell designs outright but some also license their work as well.

• Brand Licensing Select
First Show: September 27-29 2016 - Metropolitan West in New York, NY

Emerald Expositions (owner and operator of the SURTEX licensing show) is introducing a new type of licensing event for brands. The event is for licensors, agents, and brands to meet with key retailers. The Emerald Licensing team will make appointments with brands and retailers in advance of the event. To read about it, read the press release "New York licensing show dated for 2016" and to request additional information go to Brand Licensing Select.

Your comments are welcome. Click on the comments section (below) to write your comment. Note: Some people have a problem in leaving a comment. The most successful method is to comment as Name/URL (your name and website or blog with a "complete" URL address. For example: http://www.joanbeiriger.com/ ).

ArtLicensingShow.com® - What is all the excitement about?

There sure is a lot of excitement about the ArtLicensingShow.com® (ALSC) website that had its grand opening on March 23, 2015! What is so special about ALSC and what is behind all this enthusiasm?

ALSC is a creation by licensed artist and designer Cherish Flieder that took nearly 6 years to become a reality. It is a protected art portfolio hosting website for artists/agents to privately show art to licensees. Art directors interested in licensing art can join at no cost. With one password, they can see examples of art shared with them by hundreds of artists and ask artists/agents permission to view their portfolios. But ALSC is MUCH more than just a website to view art. It is also an art licensing community where members can easily connect, communicate with each other, and join special interest discussion groups. It is a great way to market art for licensing.

Note: At no cost, any licensing artist, agent or industry expert can sign-up to be included in the ALSC’s “Ultimate Art Licensing Directory” and have access to the basic social networking features. Artists/Agents may also apply to upgrade to a portfolio account that will give them privileges to exclusively upload and share art with authorized art directors. Click HERE to sign-up for the free Ultimate Art licensing Directory, to see the features of the free basic social networking, and the cost and benefits to upgrade to the various portfolio accounts.

Benefits for Licensor Artists/Agents
Artists/Agents find that they can organize their art collections on the Art Licensing Show website anyway they wish; by themes, for products, samples of art licensed, etc. Each portfolio is protected from the public. Also, ALSC member artists/agents cannot see each others artwork on the site. The only members that can see inside an art portfolio is IF the artist gives specific art directors permission. Permissions may be granted (via “shares”) for an entire portfolio of collections, and/or some of the collections, and/or some of the images in a collection.

Members can connect with ALSC artists, agents and art directors. Artists can ask art directors to look at their art and can join special interest groups to ask questions and share information. Some of the groups that have been formed so far cover topics such as art marketing, trends, home décor, textiles, tabletop, greeting cards, character designs, etc. There is also a group that discusses all sorts of general licensing topics and meets once a month on a chat line for a lively online discussion.

ALSC encourages unabashed promoting of portfolio artist’s work on the site. Artists and their work are spotlighted on the ALSC blog and other social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram (#artlicensingshow), and even YouTube. View the "ArtLicensingShow.com® Official Ribbon Cutting Video" that showcased artist members work during the virtual red carpet grand opening ceremony. The art shown is fabulous!

Many artists that are members of ALSC still use their public website to show some of their art, but then guide potential licensees to their profile link and protected portfolio pages on ArtLicensingShow.com. Because it is important to get as much visibility for their work as possible, artists continue using their own blogs, social media, and other means for marketing, but now have added the marketing capabilities that ALSC offers.

A sampling of art from hundreds of licensors portfolios that can be seen on the ALSC site is shown below; created by surface pattern, illustrator, and graphic designer Natalie Williamson, agency Creative Connection, artist Jane Maday, agency Two Town Studios, and Buck & Libby brand by illustrator and designer Megan Ball. Artist Joan Beiriger's art is shown at the beginning of this article.

Benefits for Licensee Art Directors
Art directors value the ALSC site because they only need one password to view a huge variety of art created by hundreds of artists at no cost. Beside seeing new art from artists they already deal with, they appreciate discovering fresh new works from artists unfamiliar to them. It is easy for art directors to search for art by using keywords and tags, look at artist/agent profiles for examples of their work, and ask artist/agent permission to view the art. And then, any time they wish, the art director can flip through the collections, select the art they are interested in and directly contact the artist or agent to negotiate a contract. [The site isn’t an agency and doesn’t get in the middle of the licensing deals.] Thus, art directors have access to view art 24/7 and do not have to wait for a trade show or hassle with travel expenses.

Also valued is the Ultimate Art Licensing Show Directory where contact information of artists/agents can be found whether or not they have an ALSC hosted portfolio. Click HERE to view a video on why art directors should sign-up for a free ALSC account. Sign-up by clicking HERE.

ALSC Information
• Find out more about ArtLicensingShow.com by clicking HERE.

• Art directors can sign up for a complimentary account by clicking HERE.

• The price to have a portfolio on ALSC depends upon how many collections artists/agents want to place on the site. The different plans and prices are listed by clicking HERE.
http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/plans-pricing/

Your comments are welcome. Click on the comments section (below) to write your comment. Note: Some people have a problem in leaving a comment. The most successful method is to comment as Name/URL (your name and website or blog with a "complete" URL address).

Art Licensing: Improved Art & Design Section at Licensing Expo 2014

 Licensing Expo is a well-attended trade show with exhibitors from all licensing industries including character, fashion, entertainment, art, and brands. The show will be held June 17-19 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

This is a great show to walk for artists, cartoonists, and illustrators that are considering exhibiting and/or want to learn more about licensing. Attendance is free, even for artists, and it has an astounding 26 licensing conference sessions for the reasonable price of $169 for all 26. Although only one conference is specifically tailored for art licensing, the information in the others also applies. For more information about the conferences, go to "LIMA Licensing University".

This year the Art & Design section of the show has been moved to a more visible location, has a resource section manned by art licensing consultant J'net Smith, and has several demonstrations to attract licensees.

Read the following press release for more information. 

Licensing Expo Draws Top Art & Design Brands

The annual event will showcase a wide breadth of art and design properties available for licensed consumer product opportunities.

LOS ANGELES (May 20, 2014) – Artists and creatives from around the world will come together June 17-19 to display the next big thing in art-related intellectual property at Licensing Expo 2014. The annual trade fair connects retailers, manufacturers, brand owners and agents in one convenient location. Taking place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., the event offers multiple resources for licensors and licensees to find “what’s next” for consumer products.

Retailers, licensees and manufacturers will visit this area of the show floor to shop for new art, graphics and characters to put on their products including housewares, stationery, apparel and gifts. These products will stock shelves in stores worldwide over the next 12-24 months.

“Licensing Expo is the perfect show for the licensed artist looking to take their brand to the next level,” says Khristian A. Howell, creative director, Khristian A. Howell Color + Pattern + Space. “This show allows us to meet potential licensees who have a bigger view of brand partnerships and are ready to drive volume. This makes it a very exciting show for emerging brands.”

This year’s Licensing Expo Art & Design zone will provide several varied resources for artists, attendees, licensors and licensees that enhance the art and design offerings.

The new Art & Design Resource Center will give attendees a convenient location on the show floor to meet and receive matchmaking services. J’net Smith from All Art Licensing will host the Resource Center and report on deals and events, assist attendees in navigation of the art area and provide invaluable connections for licensees, manufacturers and agents seeking to license brands from Art & Design zone exhibitors. Marc Garabedian from Art Moose will interview exhibitors and stream live video footage of the exhibiting artist’s work.

For new brands, the New Artists Launchpad, also housed within the Expo’s Art & Design zone, will highlight a contemporary, cross-over collection of curated exhibitors such as Knotty Tree Press, Museum of Pop Culture, Lily Lemon Blossom, Pop the Balloon, Robu Roku, Josephine Kimberling and Story Posters. The New Artists Launchpad is a one-time exhibitor opportunity for new brands, which are showcasing original and innovative IP.

Other activations include a live painting demonstration by Robert Holton from Drizzle Studios who will create an original work on-site, and performance art demonstration from Stephen Fishwick, represented by Get Down Art. Fishwick will paint live to music several times daily throughout the three-day event.

For more information and to register for free, visit www.licensingexpo.com. For more Licensing Expo news, visit www.licensingexpo.com or follow on Twitter (@licensingexpo), on Facebook or via Linked In.

Your comments are welcome. Click on the comments section (below) to write your comment. Note: Some people have a problem in leaving a comment. The most successful method is to comment as Name/URL (your name and website or blog with a "complete" URL address).

Art Licensing: Successful 2013 SURTEX Over & Now the Followup

Another successful Surtex show (May 19-21) is over. It was jammed packed with 10 educational licensing seminars, five to six trend presentations each day, and over 300 exhibitors showcasing their art and designs. And, even though it did rain, the roof did not leak as it did last year or stop licensees, and buyers (some surface art exhibitors sold their creations outright) from attending. Although some exhibitors think that rain does contribute to reduced licensee attendance. Thank goodness the only major problem that happened was after the show. Due to New York weather conditions, some airline flights were canceled, or delayed. That meant either another night spent in NY or missed connecting flights, and lost luggage for some unlucky attendees and exhibitors. One artist spent over 20 hours getting to the west coast and finally arrived without her luggage.

But on the positive side, exhibitors were REALLY pleased with the contacts they made at SURTEX this year according to posts on Facebook, Linkedin and various blogs. Some exhibitors even said that they had steady traffic on the last day of the show which is traditionally "dead" for most trade shows. However, remember what agent Kimberly Montgomery said in her article Last Minute Tips: Attending SURTEX by Agent Kimberly Montgomery. "Very few people actually make a DECISION at SURTEX. That includes manufacturers, agents, art buyers and art directors. . . . Every one else is going to go back to the office and think it over for months. Maybe years."

So the most important task after exhibiting at SURTEX is following-up with all the contacts made. But, that does not mean to just send off the art that was requested and wait for a response. Continue to followup. And, if you do not get a response from the person requesting the art, followup again, a n d again. Read "Art Licensing Tip: What does follow-up really mean?"

Below are links to some articles on what has been posted about SURTEX as of May 25. There will be many more posts about the show SO be on the lookout for links to them on the different forums or google the internet for articles about SURTEX 2013.

• Ann Troe "SURTEX 2013! Selling & Licensing Original Art & Design Show in NYC"

• Bonvivants PM "Surtex: 2013!"

• Dinara Mirtalipova "Surtex 2013 Booth 650"

• Gina Triplett and Matt Curtius "Surtex 2013, booth #345-347"

• Joanne Hus "surtex 2013: art + relationship = success" (recap on what learned from three seminar sessions)

• Josephine Kimberling "Surtex 2013: Year 3"

• Lisa Congdon "Surtex + Goodbye New York"

• Nancy Lefko "Surtex 2013"

• Patti Gay "My Surtex Experience"

• Rachel Gresham "surex is over. surtex is over ?!"

• Shell Rummel "Impressions from Surtex 2013"

• Stephanie Ryan "SURTEX Recap"

• Style Sight "Surtex NYC – 27th Edition"

Your comments are welcome. Please click on the comments section (below) to write your comment.

Art Licensing Resource: SURTEX Website

The SURTEX show is the marketplace where manufacturers look for original art and design for their products. The show will be held May 19-21, 2013 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NY. The Surtex website (surtex.com) is the place to find out what is offered when attending the show such as a listing of artists, agents and companies that will be exhibiting their art and surface patterns. The site also describes other activities such as free daily color, textile, designs and theme trend seminars; ten licensing seminars that attendees can sign-up for; the annual designext® (International Student Design Competition); and the opportunity to visit three wholesale shows at the same time (National Stationery Show, International Contemporary Furniture Fair, Creative & Lifestyle Arts) in the same venue.

But, if you cannot attend SURTEX, the SURTEX website site is also a great resource in learning about the show and about the art licensing industry. The site has slide shows of 2012 exhibitor booths, exhibitor happy hour pictures, and the winners of designext®. On the site are also links to youtube.com videos about SURTEX, links to trendease.tv Podcasts by licensing experts on different aspects of the industry, guest articles by licensing experts, and SURTEX newsletter "On the Surface" archives of past newsletters. See below for more information about these resources.

Articles - Guest Blog
Below is a list of the latest articles in the Guest Blog section of the website. But, there are many more articles.
• "The More Not Necessarily The Merrier in Art Licensing" by John Chester of Wild Apple
• "Trends to look for at SURTEX 2013!" by Mary Beth Freet of Pink Light Studio
• "Do you have an “Elevator Speech” ready for the SURTEX 2013 show?" by Tara Reed
• "Tips on Collection Building from Khristian A. Howell"

Newsletter
The SURTEX newsletter "On the Surface" is posted regularly throughout the year. Past issues may be viewed by clicking HERE. You can subscribe to the FREE issues that are automatically sent via e-mail.

Photo Gallery slide shows
• 2012 booths,
• 2012 happy hour
• 2012 winners of designext® (annual International Student Design Competition)

Podcasts on trendease.tv
Below are descriptions of Podcasts by art licensing experts about different phases of the industry. Podcasts 1 - 8 are sponsored by SURTEX.

Podcast 1: Penny Sikalis (VP / SURTEX show manager)
Do you ever wonder where patterns, motifs, and surface interest come from? Fashion, papergoods, seasonal items, home decor including textiles, tabletop, wallcoverings and more--they all get their aesthetic from somewhere. It starts here with art. In this interview learn where to find that art, who uses it, how it is applied, and how it acts as a crystal ball.

Podcast 2: Michelle Klein (surface designer)
Klein Designs represents a selection of artists from around the UK specializing in surface pattern. Michelle, with a degree in Fashion & Printed Textile Design from the renowned St. Martins School of Art, talks about her experiences selling designs and unveils many key trends for the coming seasons. Listen and learn.

Podcast 3: Cathy Savchick (buyer at BJ's Wholesale Club)
Trendease speaks with the seasonal buyer at BJ's Wholesale Club to understand more about how original art plays into their business strategy to offer customers unique products that they cannot find anywhere else at a very competitive value. From holiday items to outdoor objects, art is part of the product development cycle. Also learn about the latest Christmas green!

Podcast 4: John Haesler (partner of MHS Licensing agency)
Known as one of the "100 Most Influential Players" in licensing, Principal of MHS Licensing and former Licensing Director at Target, John Haesler talks with Trendease about the keys to success in his line of business. From noting the value of intellectual property to design and market trends, these pearls of wisdom are worth a listen.

Podcast 5: Milou Ket (trend forecaster)
In this podcast trend forecaster Milou Ket shares her sources of inspiration and how she communicates design directions to her clients. She also talks about her upcoming presentations at Surtex, giving highlights of the six trends to be presented for 2013-14 including Harmony & Balance, Sensual & Passionate, Bright Kaleidoscope, and Nocturnal Luxury.

Podcast 6: Stephanie Dell'Olio (division president of Marcus Brothers Textiles, Inc - importers & converters of textile fabrics for craft, quilting and apparel)
Quilting may have the stereotype of being old-fashion, but that perception is changing! Learn about how a company working with styles ranging from 18th century to modern and hip is sourcing and selling fabrics to a shifting marketplace. Also understand how a trade show can influence the dynamics between a president of a division and its design team.

Podcast 7: MaryJane Mitchell (surface designer)
MaryJane has been running her own design studio for almost 30 years. Her artwork has graced many product categories from textiles, wall décor, ceramics, to furniture. In this podcast she gives tips on exhibiting, using an agent, and talks about market shifts from the growing designer pet industry to the colorways for children’s fashions.

Podcast 8: Maurice Ross (attorney at Barton LLP)
The first thing that comes to mind when one thinks about selling art for surface design may not be intellectual property, but the reality is that IP rights are incredibly important in the business of selling designs. In this podcast Maurice Moss, partner at Barton LLP, specializing in commercial, IP and patent litigation, gives us invaluable advice on copyright and licensing.

Videos linked to youtube.com
The videos showcase SURTEX booths, comments by exhibitors and other art licensing experts. Note: At the time this article was posted a selection of videos was on the surtex.com front page after "The Buzz of SURTEX 2012" finished playing. However, the link may be later moved or deleted. If the video is no longer on the page, go to youtube.com and search for "surtex" to view the videos.

Your comments are welcome. Please click on the comments section (below) to write your comment.

Art Licensing: 2013 Surtex Conference Program

The Surtex Show is the number one art & design licensing show in the U.S. and will be held May 19-21 at the Javis Center in New York. Walking the show and networking is an important reason to attend Surtex besides exhibiting at it. And in my opinion attending the Surtex conference sessions is imperative to learning about the art licensing industry.

Consultant Jeff Grinspan has lined up a stellar conference program with 10 outstanding sessions by experts in licensing and selling art/designs. This year the program also include panel sessions about textiles & home fashion; tabletop, gift & home décor; and paper & stationery. Below is a list of the sessions and presenters. Go to the Surtex Show Conference Program on the Surtex site to find out more about the sessions, date/time, and cost.

• "Monetizing Your Art & Design" with Marty Segelbaum (agent at MHS Licensing) and Nancy Fire (president Design Works International)

• "In-Depth Look at Licensing Basics" with Ellen Seay (agent at Cruise Creative Services) and Carol Van Zandt (artist at Carol Van Zandt)

• "In-Depth Look at Selling Art & Design" with Deborah Shapiro (designer at Cherry Design Partners) and Chris Verbeek (designer at Verbeek Designs)

• "Up C;ose & Personal: What You Need to Know About Licensing Contracts" with John D. Mason Esq. (art law attorney)

• "Safeguarding Artwork - from Copyrights to Internet Protection" with Jeanne Hamburg Esq. (attorney at Norris McLaughlin & Marcus PA)

• "Category Spotlight: Textiles & Home Fashion" with Jennifer Marks (editor-in-chief of Home Textiles Today), Pan Maffei-Toolan (VP design of PK Lifestyles, and Andy Sylvia (president of Cranston Printworks)

• "Category Spotlight: Tabletop, Gift & Home Décor" with Allison Zisko (managing editor of HFN magazine), Tom Mirable (senior VP Global Trend and Design of Lifetime Brands), Trip Van Roden (president of Wellspring), and Sue Todd (president of Magnetworks)

• "Category Spotlight: Paper & Stationery" with Susan January (VP of Leanin' Tree), Patricia Norins (publisher of Gift Shop magazine), and George White (president & COO of Up with Paper)

• "The Future of Retail: Attitudes, Trends and Hardcore Facts"

• "Design Leadership for Business Success"

Art Licensing: Consultant Jeff Grinspan's Perspective on Surtex 2012

The following article by licensing consultant Jeff Grinspan discusses his observations of the 2012 Surtex show and conferences, the value in exhibiting, and tips on what to do after the show. Jeff's company, Grinspan & Co. specializes in consulting with artists and manufactures on the business of art licensing. His over 20 years in the art licensing business includes 13 years at Sakura (dinnerware and tabletop division of Oneida Ltd.) as VP of Licensing and Design, licensing director for Wild Apple Graphics, and for the last six years the responsibility in producing the Surtex conferences.

SURTEX Post show Buzz…and then some
by Jeff Grinspan
Grinspan & Co.
website: www.artmoid.com
e-mail: grinspan@artmoid.com

Admittedly, the SURTEX show is a vital sales and marketing component for any and all artists interested in licensing their art. The post show Linked-In trail grows by the second, it seems. So here are a few take-away thoughts and some additional comments from the inside looking out…

1. Yes and No
With so much invested in the show (preparation of art, display materials, booth, hotel, airfare, meals, comfortable shoes, hand-outs, ipad portfolio uploads just to name a few) it's hard NOT to expect so much in return. The show is important- so YES.. you need to view it as a part of your overall marketing strategy. But, try not to get bogged down in numbers of visitors or immediate ROI (Return on Investment) This process is a 2-3 year cycle.. so NO, you can't evaluate your success on how you did at the show by head count... especially when filtered by the posts of others.. Remember, your art is unique.. so the buzz (or lack of) from others may apply to their work.. not yours..

2. Quality counts
While not the same mathematical value of dog years to human years, there are prospective licensees who are big companies, who rely heavily on licensed art, who don't exaggerate, who move lots of product and in turn generate nice royalties. So keep the quality of your leads in mind when you try and respond to everyone who walked into your booth and wanted every image emailed to them in 24 hours.

3. A creative mind is a terrible thing to waste..
The conference program speaker roster was cram packed with industry professionals who graciously shared their insights, experience and advice. Several blogs have already summarized the salient content of many of the seminars. Knowledge is valuable.. so digest and learn. There were two topics addressed that remain debatable. Should I use an agent or not? Should I try to establish myself as a brand or not? We've covered them in years past but they remain issues that each individual artist has to resolve. But there is one overriding conclusion regardless of which side of the fence you come down on- GREAT art sells… so concentrate on fine tuning your art so it ends up GREAT. And your brand will follow, and whether you go it alone of want to find an agent, your GREAT art will lead the way..

4. New directions:
My opinion- the art displayed at the show this year was the most exciting, refreshing and dynamic in the last 6 years! Some have suggested this is a result of the economy picking up and retailers now willing to take some chances. Others claim that there is a 7 year cycle of art and we've just ended one cycle and ready for the next. Doesn't really matter, does it? See paragraph #3! The great news is that there's excitement back on the floor! It also means we're energized to come up with some new ideas for next year's seminars.. so stay tuned.

5. Leads..
Long after the discussion about traffic, window shopping, booth location, serious buyers fade into the night.. the names and titles and addresses and phone numbers you collected at the show need to be nurtured.. You can't just assume you'll get a contract just because someone came into your both or even raved about how fantastic your art was. You need to continue to develop market intelligence by developing a relationship with your leads ...

and not give up until you actually hear "Please do not call/email/send me anything else because ____________" If you don't get some kind of response in a reasonable amount of time, then move on. If your art is worthwhile, believe me, you will hear from them.

Trade shows - despite the relatively high cost of participation, remain the single most effective way to reach loads of interested prospects in one place, at one time.

The value of SURTEX (or any appropriate trade show) goes beyond head count.

Want to hear more on what Jeff Grinspan has to say about art licensing? He is giving a free "Ask About Art Licensing" teleconference with Tara Reed on 7/18/12. Signup at askaboutartlicensing.com and ask him a question if you wish. Also get a free replay of Jeff's 9/21/11 teleconference from Ask about Art Licensing.

I welcome any comments. Please click on the comments section (below) to write your comment.