My journey began in Milano back in May of 2025, then there was Paris in September and lastly Munich in October. Three different experiences each with different outcomes. I already blogged about Milano as my first experience so if you care to read that the link is above.

After taking over a month to mentally process the outcome, here are a few conclusions that I am happy to share with you. If you are already an artist, this one will not come as a surprise at all - there are many people who have businesses to help promote artists and their work. Some of these people fall into the category of "people collecting money from artists" which means that there is negligible value in the service they offer. Some art fairs, many online ads and some artist coaches on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn fall into this category so beware. If it sounds too good to be true then it is so always research an art fair before applying to it. Some fairs have even resorted to writing their own "reviews" via blogs and interviews with artists so it's important to understand the sources that are reviewing the show and evaluate their credibility.

Another takeaway is that it is better to go to a show in a secondary or tertiary city that one in Paris, as an example. In a massive and art-saturated city, there are many other things to do related to art so an art show for someone who isn't enormously famous will always be overshadowed by other art things to do. I found this the case in my art3f show in Paris. One of the terms shared with me by another artist at the show was that this was a "vanity" show meaning that you had an opportunity to create online content for yourself from a Parisien at fair but most people didn't sell anything. And to be fair, there's no way to know if you are going to sell anything at a show but according to the artists that I spoke with, big shows in smaller cities bring more buyers than smaller shows in big cities.

As a photographer, I’m proud of my strong observational skills and I put those to use even without a camera in my hand. During the Paris show, I noticed that other artists were selling smaller works at a price point of about 100€ so I added smaller works to the show in Munich and it was well received and made people stop at my booth which is always a good thing.

Furthermore, I see artists at shows with their face buried in their phone instead of paying attention to who is walking by and who is in their booth. Sure, I check messages and use my phone during shows but I make sure to be mindful of my surroundings at all times. In order to know when to approach someone in your booth, you must observe with 100% of your senses which means put down your phone.

Speaking of other artists, one of the most important lessons learned from all three shows is that every show is an opportunity to meet and spend time with other artists. Shows are usually about 8 hours a day over 2.5 to as many as 5 days long with the average being 3 days. Consequently, there's a fair amount of standing around and waiting and the smart artist will take the time to chat with the others in the immediate vicinity of his booth area.

Since there is no single and credible source for information on art fairs and the business of art, this is the opportunity to hear from those with more experience. And fortunately, this is something that you can do at a busy show and even more so at a show that is light with traffic. Get their contact information, follow them on instagram, learn from them and share any knowledge that you have as well. Ask about other shows where they were successful, when to approach someone who is looking at you work during a show, how to price and whatever else you want to know. To stay organized, I use a system on my iPhone to collect and store this knowledge - I use notes for each art show. I write down questions that I have in advance, write down show notes and add follow ups in my calendar during the show. I can later refer back to the notes from each respective show when needed and this has proved to be helpful.

By the way, if you are interested in having a look at the images in my online galleries, just click here.

It is also essential to plan and be organized because it will come as no surprise that the better shows sell out quickly. For example, I just booked myself into a show in Luzerne, Switzerland a full year in advance. Therefore, once you identify a show in which you want to participate it is critical to know when the application deadlines are and apply ASAP.

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It's important to note that In the Munich show, I got a significant boost of confidence. I sold my first work at a show - "Expect the Unexpected" a ChromaLuxe HD aluminium print 60 x 40 cm! Additionally, I sold a smaller "Fun size" version in Munich. I'm not going to lie, it was validating and it felt great.

If you look at the US Gold rush in the mid 1800's, very few people became wealthy by finding gold. The real wealth was created by those selling picks and shovels, by the saloons and hotels, the railroads and transportation companies - the suppliers to the gold miners. I find that that same concept holds true today in the art fair world. The fair organizer collect booth fees no matter what sells and a few collect an additional albeit small commission on works sold at the show. The cost of traveling, food, art supplies exists regardless of what sells. But alas, if you love what you do and are passionate about it, art fairs are a great way to meet new customers, network with other artists and slowly build your business. And from my personal experience in building businesses, doing so takes a significant amount of time, money, effort, focus, trial and error, fortitude and perseverance. Sure that sounds daunting but after all, if it were easy then everyone would be doing it.

Next month's issue will feature a truly heartfelt story and here's a small taste:

Expect the Unexpected: Seeing My Work Through a Child's Eyes Changed the Way I View Art. I thought I knew what it meant to be a photographer — an artist. But that all changed the day a seven-year-old boy walked into my booth at an art show in Munich and offered me cookies in exchange for one of my photographs.

Happy New Year and see you in 2026!