What is a juried show or fair?

by Deborah
(Salem OR)

I see "juried show" and "juried festival" sometimes, but I don't understand what it is, and whether it's even something I want to get involved in! What does it mean when they say it's a juried show?

Thanks! :)

Answer:

Juried Shows

© by Rena Klingenberg; all rights reserved

A juried show is one where the vendors are accepted (or rejected) based on the approval of a group of people called a "jury." The jury members screen the vendors' applications and slides, looking for quality vendors and products.

Some juries consist only of the show promoter and a staff member or two. Others consist of a group of art educators, artists, art patrons, or gallery owners.

The jury usually accepts only a limited number of artists from each medium to the show, so your jewelry (and application package) are competing against those of other jewelry artists.

The upside of being in juried shows is that they are generally run well, with a good mix of higher caliber vendors, and they tend to attract a larger crowd, often bigger-spending shoppers who like to purchase quality handcrafted items. (Our favorite kind of customers!)

Although a juried show’s restrictions and higher fees may be more challenging for the vendors, many jewelry artists find that the more profitable returns make it worth jumping through all the hoops to get accepted and participate.

For more info:

An Inside Look at a Craft Fair Jury
Barb Macy reports on her experience as an actual member of a craft fair jury - including how the jurors screen applications, and tips for artists applying to juried shows.

Tips for Successful Jewelry Shows.