Open studios days 2,3; 4,5.......
Several artist friends are reporting that the Helfa Gelf / North Wales Open Studios event seems quieter this year, at least in terms of visitor numbers. There's an awful lot going on across the whole of the area, from the English border in the east to the Llŷn Peninsula in the west, 300+ artists involved, and several shops and galleries as well. There has also been a major new arts event inaugurated in Llandudno, separately from Helfa Gelf (although H.G. artists had a high profile event as part of the larger festival) which will have sucked people away from the rest of the area. It's very easy to get a bit downhearted when sitting alone in a studio, waiting for visitors who don't arrive.
Discussing things with colleagues today, we all offered much the same conclusions: an Open Studio event isn't really about cold statistics of visitor numbers, or sales. From a participant's point of view, engenders a sense of community between artists, and provides valuable opportunities to meet colleagues, to initiate collaborations and to participate in seminars and workshops. There is a vast amount of advertising, media interest, internet-profile-raising and general in-your-faceness which doesn't occur in any other context. Preparing for the event makes us focus on our work, consider pricing and presentation, and think generally about how to explain or discuss it to visitors (even if they don't turn up in the end). And on a totally trivial note, it means that the studio gets tidied once a year.
Discussing things with colleagues today, we all offered much the same conclusions: an Open Studio event isn't really about cold statistics of visitor numbers, or sales. From a participant's point of view, engenders a sense of community between artists, and provides valuable opportunities to meet colleagues, to initiate collaborations and to participate in seminars and workshops. There is a vast amount of advertising, media interest, internet-profile-raising and general in-your-faceness which doesn't occur in any other context. Preparing for the event makes us focus on our work, consider pricing and presentation, and think generally about how to explain or discuss it to visitors (even if they don't turn up in the end). And on a totally trivial note, it means that the studio gets tidied once a year.