Autumn Fair - anyone going

[Grahame Case]

Is anyone going to Autumn Fair this year?

I don't think there'll be much for anyone interested in Framing.

We used to go to both Autumn Fair and Spring fair in the 90's - now we go to neither.. It's amazing how far the Trade shows for framers have declined

[birdman]

We thought about going, mainly it has to be said to look at the gift side of things. However the timings for flights didn't work for us because we can't get in and out in the same day for long enough to make the trip worthwhile.

[Graysalchemy]

They need to do something to revive the shows but at the end of the day the world has changed and people look for suppliers in different ways, so i think the days of large shows with big double decker stands are long gone, no blagging a glass of champagne on the Demontford stand, barely a cup of coffee anymore.

[topbrand]

I am surprised Demonfort are still in business. Last time I went onto their stand and wanted to spend £3k and the wouldnt deal with me because I wasent a partner with them. Their loss because I bought some other prints instead

[Graysalchemy]

Both W&G and Demontford have gone through that partner gallery thing, but for how long that business model can be sustained in the present climate i don't know.

[David]

I was thinking of going for the giftware but just can't justify it. Don't see any reason to go for the framing side. We used to do alot of our Christmas buying at this show. Spring fair is looking doubtful.

[Grahame Case]

David, Exactly our thoughts, it's not really worth going to either of them any more - the framing was the biggest draw.

If only there was a trade show in the autumn that had stuff framers would love to go see!

[Graysalchemy]

Now how did we guess where this is thread was heading...


Go on Grahame do you know of a trade show in the autumn... possible 2012

[Grahame Case]

oh Grays, no, I was actually trying to make a valid point - we are really really poorly served as an industry.

look at this - it's the plan for SF2012

http://www.springfair.com/Spring11/uplo ... ebsite.pdf - Lets play spot the Art and Framing Section.


Anyone remember the Spring Fairs of Lore? we used to go down and stay in Wellesborne in Warwickshire for the week and visit the fair every day. Because there was so much to see for us... now? we could do art and framing in an hour.

[Graysalchemy]

I agree with you, but we are not going to have a fair like the good old days anytime soon. Demontford and W&G won't go there were rumours on the grapevine that a major moulding supplier wasn't going so it doesn't bode well for spring fair let alone Autumn Fair. To be fair there are not that many suppliers in this game any more, we are dominated by five or six big companies with little scope for smaller suppliers and as for artists and publishers large fairs are not cost effective, direct marketing and the internet is much better.

It makes me wonder is it worth bothering going down to Birmingham on a Sunday for an hour? probably not.

Cheers

Alistair

[Not your average framer]

It's a very long drive there and back from Devon, but I'm still tempted to go as I'm looking for new stuff to spice up the window displays, etc.

[misterdiy]

Well we never go to the Autumn Fair and having looked at that floor plan for the Spring Fair, I don't think I will bother with that next year either. I only live 30 minutes from the NEC and I still don't think it worth the effort for a sunday morning. Might flog a few old frames at a boot sale instead so I have some money for the pub.

[Roboframer]

Art sales are dead here, I'm our best-selling 'artist' with my own photos and I'm no photographer, they're just happy accidents and/or places off the beaten track.

I haven't done the Autumn fair for yonks and if we didn't diversify so much I wouldn't do the Spring fair either, it's the giftware and greetings cards I go for, I stick my head in to 'our' bit mostly for social reasons and to get a preview of stuff I'm going to see from my reps a week or two later anyway. While I'm doing that I may take up a show special or two that rocks my boat - then there's the seminars which to me are just weird, I've sat in on a couple thinking 'WTF' !!!

[Trinity]

Perhaps it's indicative of the Fairs that the one day Lion October Lion event has grown to a week this year - all the sales will be theirs, not the massive outlay, plenty of workshops....

[misterdiy]

I think it is fair to say that is the way the industry has moved. Art sales are dead here too and framing is the staple diet of most businesses, yet it seems odd that DeMontfort with their partnership galleries seem to be bucking the trend and doing very well. Talking to one of their sales girls a few weeks ago it seems the pitch is on "investment" rather than pleasure of ownership and I guess we all know what happens to limited editions as investments.

On the topic though it seems that FF Live and Lion event plus other suppliers open days is the way to go. Much more targeted to framers and more time to discuss issues that we need resolving.