Superfine Art Fair 2023, a first-timer’s journey.

Sep 24

This summer, I dove into the vibrant world of the Superfine Art Fair NYC, a fair geared towards emerging artists like myself and aspiring collectors. This experience helped me step out from the digital confinement of a 1080px Instagram square and its algorithmic oppression to share my work in person.

Take home a limited edition print

Discovering Superfine

While scouting for art opportunities in May, Superfine NYC caught my attention. After a candid chat with the fair’s director, James Miille, I was sold! With a slow freelance summer ahead, this seemed like the perfect adventure to embark upon.

The Investment Breakdown

Going into this fair, I recognized it would be a major investment, extending beyond just the booth costs and optimizations. For those considering a similar fair, brace for potential budget overruns. I'll detail some of my expenses to help you navigate planning for your inaugural art fair and price accordingly!

Booth Costs: My 12ft wall space set me back a cool $3500. Add booth optimization and two extra lights for added flair ($230), and the cost ticks up. A rented table and stool for display purposes added another $140. For those considering Superfine, remember that booth rental is just the beginning.
Presentation Matters: With many large paper artworks, I faced a framing dilemma. Enter www.frameiteasy.com, where I secured custom wood frames at about $130 apiece, the best value and turn-around time I could find. For my smaller canvases, 11x14in to 18x24in I purchased Ampersand brand floating frames from www.dickblick.com between $34-$60 each. Total framing costs added up to a little over $2000.
Reproductions: Gicleetoday.com was my go-to for print reproductions. I opted for a diverse range to gauge which resonated most. Pro-tip: Order test prints in advance. Some colors didn’t translate perfectly – still good and most reproductions were on point. My total cost for prints was about $1800.
Marketing: Thanks to www.moo.com, I had swanky business cards and postcards that never failed to impress. I may have splurged a bit on these, but they were a hit. Total $600. Next time, though, I’m adding a QR code.

Scanning, framing and packing prints was time consuming but satisfying.

Pre-Show Prep

This was an experience where careful planning and preparedness aided immensely in a smooth process with little to no hiccups.

Scanning: This was a bigger chore than I anticipated, especially for my oversized pieces. I found myself scanning each one around 16 times! It took me about three days just for this. Lesson learned, I'll be scanning and documenting my work right after completion from now on.
New Pieces: I worked to create as many new smaller pieces as I could, in hopes to make more sales, especially since most of my work was over 36 in.

Curating: The to-scale curatorial plan from Superfine was invaluable. After several iterations, I devised a layout that showcased my diverse artwork sizes and orientations. This was very important to have on hand for hanging day.

Packing: Signing and packing all 100 prints into their bags took a solid 9 hours, something I had estimated to have finished by lunch time.

Setup: The hanging rules were specific – drills over hammers as to not knock over any walls, and two screws for stability. My trusty assistants and I navigated this smoothly. Note: Always have backup price tags. Everyone’s official tags faced printing issues and were delayed for the first day and a half.

The Big Day(s)

Opening night was electrifying! Music, entertainment, and an atmosphere buzzing with potential clients. It was my most lucrative evening.

The pace of the fair varied over the weekend. Friday had its moments, especially in the early evening, despite generally being on the slower side. Saturday saw a steady stream of visitors until the dinner hour approached. Sunday began quietly but picked up momentum, resulting in a significant wave of sales just before the close. While I didn't manage to sell out, I was pleased to find that my earnings offset many of my primary expenses, and I was left with a good amount of inventory to sell in the future.

Engaging with attendees was crucial. I made an effort to converse with anyone who lingered at my booth. Since direct selling isn't necessarily my forte, I found a workaround. I offered 5x7in postcards in return for their email addresses. To my delight, the strategy was well-received. By the end of the fair, I had amassed nearly 100 emails, paving the way for a newsletter I'm planning.

Parque de la Palomas, 2023, oil on canvas. A new painting I did for the show, that sold on the last day in the final hour!

Parting Thoughts

This journey was both enlightening and enriching. Although the preparation occasionally induced wave after wave of anxiety, the event itself was rewarding (and a bit exhausting). The highlights were memorable sales, such as the one to a mother buying for her art-loving teenage son—this moment truly underscored the notion that my art can have a profound impact on someone…besides my mom. In addition, engaging with other artists and collectors, observing firsthand reactions to my work, and mastering the art of engagement all added to the experience.

My takeaway? I’m more motivated than ever, and the boost in confidence is a nice bonus. I envision future fairs, maybe even hosting my own show. Connecting with people in such a personal space truly beats any digital applause. Instagram has its place, but nothing beats the tangible joy of art in hand!