What Makes stARTup Art Fair So Different Anyway?
As the February 9 application deadline for stARTup San Francisco 2020 draws closer, we answer your burning questions about the stARTup model.
stARTup Art Fairs are unique contemporary art experiences, a converging point in boutique hotel settings where art professionals and the art loving public discover today’s most talented independent artists.
But what makes stARTup Art Fair so different?
stARTup San Francisco 2019 at the Hotel del Sol
We champion artists
We are the only artist fair created for, and by, artists.
Ray, resting at his 2019 show, Shaped Collages, Museum of Art and History Lancaster
stARTup's Co-Founder and Director Ray Beldner has worked in art education and marketing for the last 20 years. As an artist, he has exhibited in more than 15 solo shows and over 100 group exhibitions, both nationally and internationally, and his artwork can be found in numerous private and museum collections.
2. no middlemen
Gallery art fairs are for artists who are represented by a gallery and even if you have a gallery, there is no guarantee that your dealer will bring your art or try to sell your work.
At stARTup, you sell directly to the public. In one weekend, you can make more important connections to collectors, gallerists, interior designers, and curators than you could during a entire year on your own.
Zedekiah Schild at stARTup SF 2019
3. price
Some artist fairs charge booth fees plus a commission on sales. No other industry fairs do that! Here are some prices of other artist fairs and how they compare to stARTup.
These fairs charge per linear foot of wall space:
The Other Art Fair: $105-110 per linear foot and 15% commission on all sales
Superfine: $250 a linear foot
These fairs charge per square foot of floor space:
Art Santa Fe: $49-53 per square foot
Art Vancouver: $15-32 per square foot and a required $350 for lights
stARTup Art Fair: $10-12 per square foot of floor space. Rooms vary but range from 30-60 linear foot of wall space.
Tracy Piper at stARTup SF 2018
stARTup exhibitors also enjoy the following benefits:
4 night stay at hotel (a $1000 savings)
Discounted valet parking
Complimentary guest passes
A unique artist page on stARTup website
Public liability insurance
Security guards for the duration of the exhibition
PR, advertising, and marketing through our newsletter, ad buys, and social media channels
Curatorial and professional development support in the weeks before and after the fair
Automatic acceptance to our partner platforms: Artfinder and Wescover
4. selection process
Typical artist fairs are not vetted so they often look like open studios; the art is uneven and can make the best artwork look shabby in that context.
Each stARTup fair is juried by an impressive, ever-changing Selection Committee of gallerists, curators, and well-known artists to ensure a cohesive, well-curated exhibition. Artists know when they are selected, they have passed a high bar. This is the selection committee for stARTup SF 2020:
Upon selection, the vetting process continues with an in-house team of curators that help artists with social media, outreach, pricing, and room planning before the fair. At the event, curators assist each artist with installation and lighting suggestions, along with crowd engagement strategies to help them maximize their individual success.
5. intimate settings
Most artist fairs are held in noisy impersonal halls where you stand shoulder to shoulder with other exhibitors, hoping someone will stop and take a good look at your work.
The Hotel del Sol in San Francisco
Johnny Botts at stARTup SF 2019
stARTup is held in chic, boutique hotels to create a sense of discovery in every room. Selected artists each take over a hotel room to create a solo exhibition of their work. You can create a unique environment that engages the crowd and shows off your work in a real living space.
The Factronauts at stARTup SF 2018
6. community
Other fairs are kind of like one night stands. When the event is done, you wish each other luck and walk your separate ways.
With stARTup, long after you check out of our hotel, you are supported by stARTup and our alumni community.
Various pop-up exhibitions from 2018-2019
We work with stARTup alumni artists year-round through pop up exhibitions and art consulting projects where we rent and sell their artwork. We also do editioned print projects with select artists, offer speaking opportunities, broker commissions for our artists and more! We also list your upcoming exhibitions, tell your success stories, and feature your work in our blog and newsletter, which go to over 30,000 subscribers every week.
Read more about what we provide our artists, the Advisory Services we've created, and the partnership we forged with Artfinder and Wescover to help you sell you work year round.
Ready to apply? Simply submit a resume/CV, 7-10 images of your best work, and a short artist statement about your work.
Guta Galli performing at stARTup SF 2019
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