Presenting Yourself as an Artist at an Art Fair, Exhibition, or Event

Petra Flach- Art fairs - Art events - presenting yourself

Frenzy behind the scenes of high end events Those who know my work usually see only the final result: a beautiful presentation, perfect lighting, and sculptures that seem to glow as if they were made especially for that space. What you do not see is the intensity behind high end events and art fairs. Whether it is an Open Studio Route, the Excellent Event, the Affordable Art Fair, The Art of Living Art Fair, or the Nock Nock Art Fair, these are moments when you want to show up as an artist at your very best.
These are not simple marketplaces, but full scale productions. You are stylist, organizer, planner, marketer, and builder all at once. And in the end, you also stand next to your work for days on end, networking, talking, inspiring. It may look pleasant, but it is intense and demanding work.

Together is always better

Being an artist is often a solitary profession. Hours in the studio, alone with your work and your thoughts. That is why having a sounding board can be invaluable. At events, I truly feel how powerful collaboration can be.
I am incredibly grateful for my assistant, Margriet. Those who know me know that she is often the first person you speak to. She understands my vision, keeps oversight, helps build, organizes, and ensures that everything is right. Working together is so much better than working alone.
Collaborating with fellow artists also brings energy and synergy. I have shared stands with artists such as Stephanie van der Beek, Grace Spiegel, and Marit Harte. Our styles complement one another, and that reflects back on the visitor experience and on our work. My advice is simple. If you can, do it together. The difference is enormous.

Yes, I am participating. What happens next

Once I confirm my participation in an event, preparation starts immediately. I want to know the size of my stand, where it is located, and what the atmosphere will be. I study photos of previous editions, examine floor plans, and ask fellow artists about their experiences. I want clarity. What do I want to express, how much calm do I want to show, and what impact should the presentation have?
This includes a lighting plan, the choice of pedestals and columns, and selecting which works I will present. The stand becomes a small theater in which my sculptures must be able to breathe.
Logistics follow seamlessly. Arranging transport, planning installation, organizing help. It takes time, focus, and above all preparation. By now, this process flows much more smoothly than in my early years. What once felt like a logistical nightmare has become a rhythm, but it remains something you must invest in and learn through experience.

Preparation is creation, but also survival

Whenever possible, I bring new work to each event. That is very much who I am. Not every artist works this way, but for me it is part of the magic of a fair. Showing something new that surprises, moves, or sparks curiosity. It gives me energy, although it can also become a challenge when things do not come together in time.
In the weeks leading up to an event, art and organization intertwine completely. While I am working in the studio, the media plan is waiting, advertisements need to be released, and brochures and business cards must be checked. Deadlines come from all directions. That combination of creating and organizing can sometimes feel like survival, but it is exactly this process that keeps me sharp and allows me to say in the end: yes, this is what I want to show.

The fair itself adrenaline and encounters

After weeks, and sometimes months, of planning, anticipation, and creating new work, the moment finally arrives when you get to present. The moment when everything comes together. There is always a rush of adrenaline on the first day, although I will admit that by then I sometimes already feel tired. Fair days and event days are long. You stand a lot, talk a lot, and remain constantly alert.
You have conversations, meet people, receive compliments, and at the same time you are observing. Do people understand the story I want to tell. Do they feel what I feel. People also share their own stories. That is beautiful, meaningful, and sometimes intense.

Finding the Right Event

What can sometimes be challenging is when fellow artists use an event to assess whether it would be worthwhile for them. With questions about the costs, the type of audience, or whether it might suit their work. Often this is followed by the moment when their website or portfolio is politely placed in front of me. Don’t get me wrong, I attend events myself too, but I consciously try to avoid asking my colleagues these kinds of questions.

I value exchange and meaningful encounters. But in moments like these, you are not there as a coach, advisor, or artist-in-residence critic. You are there simply as an artist. To show your work, to engage in conversations with visitors, and to create connection. That other role does not belong there, and it is best to avoid it or, when necessary, to gently but clearly put a stop to it.

Art fair days are intense, but usually in the most beautiful sense of the word. You hope to have inspiring conversations, to build new connections that may grow into something later on, and perhaps even to sell a work during the event itself. Sometimes everything comes together at once, and that feels like a celebration. Most of my sales, however, happen afterwards, when seeds have been planted and relationships have been carefully nurtured.

But to be honest, there are also fairs that turn out differently. I have experienced events where the audience mainly came to socialize, network, or be seen, rather than to truly experience art. That can feel uncomfortable. It can feel empty. And yes, it can be frustrating. But it is part of the process. You learn from it. And the beauty of it is that after such an experience, I immediately know this is an event I can cross off my list for next year with confidence.

Fortunately, there are also those other fairs. The events I return to with love. Where people truly look. Truly listen. Truly feel. Where encounters happen that linger, sometimes for weeks afterward. Those are the days when I drive home tired, but happy and grateful, and when everything, no matter how intense, feels more than worth it.

Will I see you at my next event?

~~With love, Petra~~

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Favorite events

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