News Bites

Commotion at the Buffallo Grove Art Festival July 27 & 28...according to Becca Powell, the wife of Tom Powell, ceramicist, Tom was awarded "Best of Show" by the judges, but the award and others were taken away by the promoter who decided to give out her own choices of awards.

Becca found this out when two of the judges came into her booth, madder than hell and told her what happened. Others heard one of the judges shouting at the promoter saying "this is a slap in the face, I volunteer my time, 6 hours in
this heat and you change my choices" .

Other artists who were listening commented that this was common practice at some of the "better" shows, both in slide jurying and award judging.

Owner of the name “Shadyside Summer Arts Festival” Ed D’Allessandro used 32 years of an established show venue to attract artists to his show at a different location, one unknown and unattended. Artists and food vendors traveled from as far as Texas to this Pittsburgh, PA show to find it was nearly a mile from the established show, which was now operating under a different promoter and name. There were so few artists or buyers there that many exhibitors packed up and left. According to two newpaper accounts, three exhibitors remained by Sunday morning. This promoter, known for less than artist friendly practices such as nonrefundable booth fees paid with applications, is planning another show in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park area for 2003.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/search/s_85560.html
http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_city/20020811artsfestcity2p2.asp

Paradise City is opening another new show, this one in the Philadelphia area, to be held in early April. Philadelphia has had a history of trying to establish a high quality craft show, but none have ever been able to get the following that the Philadelphia Museum Show enjoys. If anyone can pull it off, it's the promoters of the Paradise City shows. Here's wishing them the best of luck.

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