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Black Forest Bears Haus of Bears, Inc.
Largo,Florida
Posts: 311

I try to figure out how Bear Artist`s can afford Show`s Overseas.
I know it is a good way to advertise your Bears, but the out of Pocket Cost for the Air Fair and Hotel And Food, not talking about the Booth, dont you almost have to be rich??
I attend some smaller Shows and the Bright Star Show in Atlanta, but their Table alone is already $ 250.00 - $ 275.00 and sometimes I sell only a couple of Bears, sometimes more. It still always cost me more than I made.

Rita

Dilu Posts: 8,574

WOW  Rita what a great question and topic:

Who goes overseas except our friends who are already over there?

BUT with the resources here and there....well isn't it Daphne who is being a foster  mom to a lot of bears from our buddies overseas, and she is going to exhibit them when she does her stuff at a big show?

Maybe there could be some sort of back and forth thing with the overseas ladies?

hmmmm

It's something to explore and discuss; like perhaps a percentage of the sale goes to the person who is going to the show?  I don't know....

Daphne....where are you?  Were you the lady doing this or is my peabrain acting up again?


dilu

Marie_ Kiprie Bears
Yokohama, Japan
Posts: 2,735

Hi Rita and Dilu,
Yes, I would love to know that too. :)
My dream is go to overseas show , USA and UK . bear_laugh I wish I can go to German too...
but I though I have to be rich(which I'm not....)or save $$  for the show.....
I saw many of overseas Artist at show in Japan..such as USA Artist , German Artist, Korea
Artist and more from other country. I never had chance to talk to them in person(I was shy and I didn't want to bother them....)

I really love to meet some of you ( YOU out THERE !) in at least next 5 years....
Bear Hugs/Marie

Tammy Beckoning Bears
Nova Scotia
Posts: 3,739
Website

Dilu,
Yes it is Daphne.  She is a sweetie and is taking some of my bears too.  It's a huge help to me as there are NO show east of Toronto.  Even to go that distance is too expensive for me right now -2 hours to fly, 20 hour drive !

Bumpkin Bears Bumpkin Bears
Antwerp, Belgium
Posts: 2,190

Yes Daphne is very kindly being foster mum at the minute for bears from Danni (Delartful Bears), then Tammy, my Bumpkin Bears and then Elizbet Bears from the UK.  It is a wonderful idea of Daphne's, so please keep all your fingers and toes crossed, the first show is this coming weekend ... gulp, I'll be waiting to hear how they go.  I'm sure they have all had a wonderful time all together and now being able to see the new puppy too... what worldly little bears they have all become :)

Hugs,
Catherine

Delartful Bears Delartful Bears
Australia
Posts: 3,518

Not sure how some artists can afford to go overseas to shows. I think perhaps they had $$ before they got into bears :lol:

Yes, it is our Daphne who is fostering our bears, in the hope that she can find new homes for our bears at the shows she will be attending.

It is a wonderful idea of Daphne's, and I feel very fortunate and lucky to be involved!

Please keep your fingers, toes and eyes crossed for ALL of us involved!!!
Danni

jenny Three O'clock Bears
warwickshire uk
Posts: 4,413
Website

We were due to go to the Teddy Summer Bearfest in Zurich this year...and I had decided that if we tagged a holiday on to the end of it we could justify the expense and who knows, we may have sold a bear or two. I was looking upon it as a marketing strategy...to get my bears in front of new eyes...and if we were having a trip to Switzerland too then that was an acceptable out-lay.

In the end we didn't go because of events that conspired to stop me in my tracks...but hey-ho..that's another tale.

Jenny

All Bear All Bear by Paula
Kent
Posts: 5,162
Website

I've had many offers to attend shows in different countries over the years, but sadly have never been able to justify the expense. 

A few years ago and for a couple of years in a row, I was invited to send about ten bears to the States to participate in the Kelly Dean show.  I've also participated in the Teddies of Mt Holly show in New Jersey in this way.  It was expensive to ship the bears (especially as I make BIG bears!) but once they'd been shipped, the promoters undertook to sell whatever they didn't find homes for on the day of the show.  It was a generous offer and I was delighted to accept.

Shows are definitely enhanced by overseas exhibitors and I think it would be great if show promoters could be a little 'versatile' in their approach to incorporating overseas work in their shows, although I can understand that 'special treatment' might upset the regular exhibitors!  It's a tricky one! bear_ermm

NancyAndFriends Posts: 1,153

I think it is wonderful that the bear shows allow you to display other artists bears.
I have never exhibited in a doll show that would allow anyones work, other than the attending artist, to be displayed and some promoters get pretty huffy is anyone trys.
If this is allowed in their rules,  I think it would enhance the shows greatly.  Here is an idea:

A group of us gals could decide on a good show...all go together and split the cost of the table so that the 'foster' exhibitor would not have any table expense.  She would have all the work of setting up and spending time plus talking to everyone, so she should be relieved of the table expense...that would only be fair.

This is probably why most art shows and definetely doll shows will not allow you to display anything but your work...if 5 women went together, they are only getting 1 table rent. 
But on the flip side of that coin...I think it was Jenny who said she was accepted into a show that is booked for years.  If they would allow more than one person at a table they could bring in a lot more inventory and interest to the show.

Any thoughts on my suggestion?
Nanc....

Laura Lynn Teddy Bear Academy
Nicholasville, KY
Posts: 3,653
Website

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It is definitely something to at least ask the promoters of the show!  It would also help if you already had some artists lined up... so you could show some pics of their work and tell them where they are from. 

With gas prices so high, I'm sure artists think twice before attending a show that's far away.  As a collector I would LOVE to see this because I'd get to choose from so many more artists!

There's a couple of small shows in Chicago.... well,small for bears anyways... they are more Doll shows with some teddy bears.  If they had a table or two like that I think they might get a lot more bear collectors eventually.. once word got out.

Dilu Posts: 8,574

Look at you guys!  you are wnderful.

I know that my days skipping around Europe are over-( although it was wonderful when I did go) I think Nancy has a good idea. 

My fingers toes and eyes are crossed for our Catherine and friends that they and Daphne take the show by storm....

hey did you know it is hard to type with yur eyes crossed?


Dily

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