Producing the Art Fair SourceBook
Staff & facilities — small and efficient
Here on the top floor of our 100-year-old home in a lovely inner city Portland neighborhood, we like to joke that we are working in "The World Headquarters" of Sourcebook Publishing Company.
Our operation actually consists of your basic 600 square feet of finished attic space, a small overworked air conditioner, a full-time fax machine, three Macintosh computers, three phone lines and four people: Greg Lawler, editor and publisher, a.k.a. "The Sourcebook Guy"-- whom many of you know; his wife, chief business partner, fellow photographer and international traveling companion, Barbara Gundle; also our very capable sales support and customer relations expert, Barbara Jean Yankee; and last but not least, our very talented in-house executive assistant, Liz. Oh, and yes, a stable full of high school and college students (our kids, our friends' kids, and our kids' friends) whom we employ seasonally to file, staple, fax and ship packages to all our great Sourcebook customers! We couldn't make it without them!
Process — gathering the data
Have you ever wondered what actually goes into producing The Art Fair SourceBook? In a nutshell, here is the process we go through two times a year; in the Fall for the main edition; and in the Summer for the preview edition. First, we mail out a written three-page update form to each of the 800 shows that we track. Each show is asked to give us all their factual changes for the following year in one of three ways: either online via our website, through snail mail, or via our fax machine. Laggards get a second and even a third form sent to them.
If we still have not heard from a show, we fax them their form with a cover letter requesting their urgent response. This can occur several times until we get their attention. As a last resort, Barbara calls all the shows that have not reported to us. From September to December, and again from May to August, Lisa enters all the new data into the database.
In addition, throughout each year, we send out sufficient AFSB Audit Card reports for each and every show to distribute one audit card to each of their exhibitors during their event. We follow this up with a friendly phone call from Lisa, reminding each show director of the importance of passing out the AFSB Audit Report cards so that we get diverse input and are able to review and critique their event with fairness and balance, as well as rate and rank it based on the sales data. We also receive many AFSB Audit Reports cards removed from the back of subscribers' SourceBooks because the show director has failed to distribute the customized Audit report cards that we've sent them.
Writing critiques — AFSB Audit Card System™
Meanwhile, for the last month before we go to press, Greg is busy reading thousands of Audit Cards and writing a brand new review for each of the 600 shows that will make it into the new book. He compiles all the exhibitors' comments received throughout the year into one concise paragraph that accurately reflects the artists' feedback for that particular show. He also computes the average sales per artist, which ultimately determines each show's ratings and national ranking.
Double-checking facts — last chance for corrections
We then fax the newly updated listing with the brand new review to each show. Each is asked to correct any factual errors for their listing. Each also has the opportunity to make any "counter comments'' in response to Greg's review. Of course Greg has the final say on the editorial comments, but he spends many hours in conversation with fair directors trying to balance their objections with the artists' direct feedback, in order to arrive at a fair and balanced critique of each show. He is also urging them to solve the problems they have with various aspects of their event.
Proofreading the copy
The week before we go to press is a very hectic one, to say the least. Barbara, red pen in hand, proofreads every word of the book, scouring it for any possible error before we go to press. Greg is finalizing the 600 shows that will make the book this year, as well as "tweaking" the page layout, and determining the ratings, rankings, compete numbers, and many other details. The last stage of data entry is twofold: we enter all the changes that fairs have faxed us for their listings; plus we enter all the corrections Barbara has unearthed in her proofreading marathon.
We keep and file every piece of paper sent to us by all the shows we list, including the final "proof page," which is signed and dated at the bottom by that year's current fair director. Their signature is a statement that everything we are about to print is 100% accurate.
Going to press — a sigh of relief
The night before we go to press, we take a big collective breath, and print out the camera-ready copy. Our printer gets a workout this night! The next morning, we pack each of the six editions (two national and four regional) in a separate box, and label each for the printer. Then we breathe a big sigh of relief and deliver the job to our able press operators. About ten working days later, we receive back the brand new SourceBooks, bound and ready to ship. Then our fantastic crew of young students work as fast as they can to get all the books packed up and to the post office as quickly as possible.
Posting corrections on the website
If fairs have NOT been paying attention, or if they make important changes AFTER we have gone to press, we post them on our website, for all our subscribers to view. We have the capability to do this year-round.
Sales and customer service
At the same time, Barbara Jean oversees all incoming phone traffic — answering questions, taking orders, solving problems, and listening to criticism, praise, special requests, sob stories and more! She also maintains our all-important database of over 25,000 subscribers — past, present and future. In addition she handles all shipments. We absolutely could NOT make it without Barbara Jean and Liz holding down the fort for us year-round, especially when we're on the road exhibiting at shows each summer.
We try harder — your feedback and suggestions
So, this is the process we follow, to produce for all of you the ultimate guide to the best-selling juried art and craft shows nationwide. We are always trying to make improvements, and strive to make each edition even better than the previous year's.
If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share them with us, either by snail mail, phone, fax or email. In the meantime, we'll keep working here at "The World Headquarters" to put out the very best Art Fair SourceBooks, ever!
— Greg, Barbara, Barbara Jean, and Liz
Shows we exhibited our photography at in 2006:
Brookside Art Annual — Kansas City, MO
Art on the Square — Belleville, IL
57th Street Art Fair — Chicago, IL
Old Town Art Fair — Chicago, IL
Des Moines Art Festival — Des Moines, IA
Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair — Ann Arbor, MI
Sausalito Arts Festival — Sausalito, CA
